IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE, AND PROGRAM

• US 20100128138A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nishi, Takeshi, Suzuki, Kenji, Tanaka, Mikiya, Watanabe, Go, Samejima, Saeko, Mitsuhashi, Setsu, Tomita, Hiroyuki, Nitta, Keiichi, Hoshuyama, Hideo, Hattori, Yuko
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

An imaging device includes a main photography means for photographing a photographic subject and acquires a photographic image, a preparatory image acquisition means for performing preparatory photography before or after the main photography means acquires the photographic image and acquiring preparatory images, a photographic information acquisition means for acquiring photographic information related to a circumstance of photography when the preparatory images are acquired by the preparatory image acquisition means, and a recording means for recording the photographic information and the photographic image upon a recording medium in mutual correlation.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

a main photography unit that photographs a photographic subject and acquires a photographic image;

a preparatory image acquisition unit that performs preparatory photography before and/or after the main photography unit acquires the photographic image, and acquires preparatory images;

a photographic information acquisition unit that acquires photographic information related to a circumstance of photography when the preparatory images are acquired by the preparatory image acquisition unit; and

a recording unit that records the photographic information and the photographic image upon a recording medium in mutual correlation.

2. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein:

on the basis of a plurality of the preparatory images acquired by the preparatory image acquisition unit as time elapses, the photographic information acquisition unit acquires photographic information specifying a state of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

the recording unit records the photographic information along with time elapse.

3. An imaging device according to claim 2, wherein

the photographic information acquisition unit acquires the photographic information on the basis of at least one of movement and blinking state of the photographic subject in the preparatory images.

4. An imaging device according to claim 2, further comprising

a replay display unit that, on the basis of the photographic image and the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium, displays a replay image according to the photographic image in which a state of the photographic subject in the preparatory images is expressed.

5. An imaging device according to claim 4, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the movement of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while sliding the position of the photographic subject in the replay image according to the movement of the photographic subject specified by the photographic information.

6. An imaging device according to claim 4, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the movement of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while changing lengths of bright spots in the replay image according to the movement of the photographic subject specified by the photographic information.

7. An imaging device according to claim 4, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the blinking state of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while blinking a portion of the replay image according to the blinking state of the photographic subject specified by the photographic information.

8. An imaging device according to claim 4, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the movement of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

the replay display unit displays the photographic subject in each of a plurality of different positions in the replay image, according to the movement of the photographic subject specified by the photographic information.

9. An imaging device according to claim 4, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the movement of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

on the basis of the movement of the photographic subject specified by the photographic information, the replay display unit decides whether or not the photographic subject is shaken in the photographic image, and corrects shake of the photographic subject in the replay, image if it has been decided to be shaken.

10. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the photographic information acquisition unit acquires, as the photographic information, an image made by cutting out a portion of the preparatory images.

11. An imaging device according to claim 10, further comprising

a replay display unit that, on the basis of the photographic image and the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium, displaying a replay image according to the photographic image in which a state of the photographic subject in the preparatory images is expressed;

and wherein;

the photographic information acquisition unit further acquires, as the photographic information, information that specifies oscillatory movement of the photographic subject in the preparatory images; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while changing at least one of the position and the shape of the photographic subject in the replay image according to the oscillatory movement of the photographic subject specified by the photographic information, and also displays a background on the basis of the image made by cutting out a portion of the preparatory images, when at least one of the position and the shape of the photographic subject have been changed.

12. An imaging device according to claim 10, further comprising

a replay display unit that displays a replay image in which a portion of the photographic image has been replaced by the image made by cutting out a portion of the preparatory images.

13. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

the photographic information acquisition unit acquires the photographic information that specifies a setting change during acquisition of the preparatory images, on the basis of change of at least one of a focal length, an aperture, and a focal adjustment state when the preparatory images are acquired by the preparatory image acquisition unit.

14. An imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising

a replay display unit that, on the basis of the photographic image and the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium, displaying a replay image according to the photographic image in which setting change during acquisition of the preparatory images is expressed.

15. An imaging device according to claim 14, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the change of focal length when the preparatory images are acquired; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while changing its magnification ratio according to the change of focal length specified by the photographic information.

16. An imaging device according to claim 14, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the change of aperture when the preparatory images are acquired; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while changing the blurring state of its background portion according to the change of aperture specified by the photographic information.

17. An imaging device according to claim 14, wherein:

the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium specifies the change of focal adjustment state when the preparatory images are acquired; and

the replay display unit displays the replay image while changing its blurring state according to the change of focal adjustment state specified by the photographic information.

18. An imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an intruding object detection unit that, when preparatory images have been acquired by the preparatory image acquisition unit before acquisition of the photographic image by the main photography unit, detects an intruding object into a photographic field on the basis of the photographic information that is acquired by the photographic information acquisition unit and specifies movement of the photographic subject; and

a control unit that permits or prohibits photography by the main photographic unit, according to the result of intruding object detection by the intruding object detection unit.

19. An imaging device according to claim 18, wherein

the control unit permits or prohibits photography by the main photographic unit, on the basis of an intrusion direction into the photographic field and/or a size of the intruding object.

20. An imaging device according to claim 19, further comprising

a movement detection unit that detects movement of the imaging device;

and wherein

the control unit permits photography by the main photographic unit, for an intrusion direction of the intruding object into the photographic field due to the movement of the imaging device detected by the movement detection unit.

21. An imaging device according to claim 18, wherein

the recording unit further records the result of detection of the intruding object by the intruding object detection unit upon the recording medium in correlation with the photographic image.

22. An imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising

an intruding object detection unit that, when preparatory images have been acquired by the preparatory image acquisition unit, detecting detects an intruding object into a photographic field on the basis of the photographic information that is acquired by the photographic information acquisition unit and specifies movement of the photographic subject;

and wherein

the recording unit records the result of detection of the intruding object by the intruding object detection unit upon the recording medium in correlation with the photographic image.

23. An imaging device according to claim 21, wherein

the recording unit eliminates the result of detection of the intruding object from a subject to be recorded, if the intruding object has shifted out of the photographic field before the main photography unit performs photography.

24. An imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising

a photographic condition setting unit that sets photographic conditions when the main photographic unit performs photography on the basis of the photographic information.

25. An imaging device according to claim 18, further comprising:

an extraction and replay unit that, from among the photographic images recorded upon the recording medium, extracts and replays a photographic image in which the intruding object into the photographic field is present; and

a deletion image confirmation screen display unit that displays a screen for confirmation as to whether or not the photographic image replayed by the extraction and replay unit is to be deleted from the recording medium.

26. An image display device that, on the basis of the photographic image and the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium by an imaging device according to claim 1, displays a replay image according to the photographic image in which a circumstance of photography when the preparatory images are acquired is expressed.

27. An image display device that extracts and replays, from among the photographic images recorded upon the recording medium by an imaging device according to claim 18, a photographic image in which the intruding object into the photographic field is present, and displays a screen for confirmation as to whether or not the replayed photographic image is to be deleted from the recording medium.

28. A computer-readable program that causes a computer to execute:

a step of reading out from the recording medium the photographic image and the photographic information recorded upon the recording medium by an imaging device according to claim 1, and

a step of, on the basis of the photographic image and the photographic information read out from the recording medium, displaying upon a screen a replay image according to the photographic image in which a circumstance of photography when the preparatory images are acquired is expressed.

29. A computer-readable program that causes a computer to execute:

a step of extracting and replaying, from among the photographic images recorded upon the recording medium by an imaging device according to claim 18, a photographic image in which the intruding object into the photographic field is present; and

a step of displaying a screen for confirmation as to whether or not the replayed photographic image is to be deleted from the recording medium.