MOBILE DEVICE WITH A CAMERA

• US 20100157099A1
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Nakai, Yutaka
• Application Number:
  US12/645,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20100157099A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A mobile device with a camera is disclosed, which includes a first camera for obtaining first image information and a second camera arranged so as to be directed toward a photographer when photographing using the first camera. The mobile device further includes a storage unit storing the first image information sent from the first camera, and a control unit storing the first image information sent from the first camera in the storage unit based on second image information sent from the second camera, such as a state of a face image in an image photographed by the second camera. In a further embodiment, the control unit can store the first image information based on whether a level of a preliminarily set expression of the face image exceeds a threshold.

Claims

1. A mobile device with a camera, comprising:

a first camera;

a second camera arranged so as to be directed toward a photographer when photographing using the first camera;

a storage unit storing first image information sent from the first camera; and

a control unit storing the first image information sent from the first camera in the storage unit based on second image information sent from the second camera.

2. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit stores the first image information sent from the first camera in the storage unit based on a state of a face image in an image photographed by the second camera.

3. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit stores the first image information sent from the first camera in the storage unit based on whether an expression of the face image is included in a preliminarily set expression.

4. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit stores the first image information sent from the first camera in the storage unit based on whether a level of the expression of the face image in the preliminarily set expression exceeds a threshold.

5. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit associates face state information related to the state of the face image with the first image information when storing the first image information in the storage unit.

6. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 2, wherein

the control unit sets a reference face image serving as a discrimination criterion, and discriminates the state of the face image based on the reference face image.

7. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 6, wherein

the control unit sets the reference face image based on external manipulation.

8. The mobile device with the camera according to claim 6, wherein

the control unit obtains a face image which can be a candidate for the reference face image from the image photographed by the second camera when photographing using the first camera.

9. A method of photographing using a mobile device with a camera, comprising:

obtaining first image information using a first camera;

arranging a second camera so as to be directed toward a photographer when photographing using the first camera; and

storing the first image information sent from the first camera based on second image information sent from the second camera.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the first image information sent from the first camera is stored based on a state of a face image in an image photographed by the second camera.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the first image information sent from the first camera is stored based on whether an expression of the face image is included in a preliminarily set expression.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

the first image information sent from the first camera is stored based on whether a level of the expression of the face image in the preliminarily set expression exceeds a threshold.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

associating face state information related to the state of the face image with the first image information when storing the first image information.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

setting a reference face image serving as a discrimination criterion; and

discriminating the state of the face image based on the reference face image.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

setting the reference face image based on external manipulation.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

obtaining a face image which can be a candidate for the reference face image from the image photographed by the second camera when photographing using the first camera.

17. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed, perform a process of photographing using a mobile device with a camera, comprising:

photographing using a first camera;

arranging a second camera so as to be directed toward a photographer when photographing using the first camera; and

storing the first image information sent from the first camera based on second image information sent from the second camera.

18. The computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein

the first image information sent from the first camera is stored based on a state of a face image in an image photographed by the second camera.

19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein

the first image information sent from the first camera is stored based on whether an expression of the face image is included in a preliminarily set expression.

20. The computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein

the first image information sent from the first camera is stored based on whether a level of the expression of the face image in the preliminarily set expression exceeds a threshold.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the process further comprises:

associating face state information related to the state of the face image with the first image information when storing the first image information.

22. The computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the process further comprises:

setting a reference face image serving as a discrimination criterion; and

discriminating the state of the face image based on the reference face image.

23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the process further comprises:

setting the reference face image based on external manipulation.

24. The computer-readable medium according to claim 22, wherein the process further comprises:

obtaining a face image which can be a candidate for the reference face image from the image photographed by the second camera when photographing using the first camera.