IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20100208108A1
• Filed: 07/23/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakahira, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,189,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/625 for the control of smear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/17 Lathe for pulley

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup device that images a photogenic subject, a drive part that drives the image pickup device in order to read out image signals from the image pickup device, a digital signal processing part in which image signals outputted from the image pickup device are inputted and processed, one image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using one display format a processed image, another image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using another display format the processed image and which requires more time for display processing than the time required for display processing by the one display format and an image switch-over part for switching over an image display device between the one image display part and the another image display part. The digital signal processing part includes an operation speed shift part for setting the speed of operation of the drive part in correspondence to the switch-over of an image display device from the one image display part to the another image display part and a smear detection part for detecting smears based on image data obtained from the image pickup device. When smears are not detected based on the detection result of the smear detection part, the digital signal processing part maintains the speed of operation when an image is displayed in the another image display part to the speed of operation when an image is displayed in the one image display part.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an image pickup device that images a photogenic subject;

a drive part that drives the image pickup device in order to read out image signals from the image pickup device;

a digital signal processing part in which image signals outputted from the image pickup device are inputted and processed;

one image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using one display format a processed image;

another image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using another display format the processed image and which requires more time for display processing than the time required for display processing by the one display format; and

an image switch-over part for switching over an image display device between the one image display part and the another image display part;

wherein the digital signal processing part includes an operation speed shift part for fastening the speed of operation of the drive part in correspondence to the switch-over of an image display device from the one image display part to the another image display part; and

a smear detection part for detecting smears based on image data obtained from the image pickup device,

wherein when smears are not detected based on the detection result of the smear detection part, the digital signal processing part maintains the speed of operation at the time an image is displayed in the another image display part to the speed of operation at the time an image is displayed in the one image display part.

4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power consumption required for display processing by the another image display part is less than the power consumption required for display processing by the one image display part.

7. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display area of the another image display part is smaller than the display area of the one image display part.

10. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one image display part is a liquid crystal display device, and the another image display part is an electrical viewfinder device,

wherein the electrical viewfinder device includes a display device, a magnifying optical system that magnifies an image displayed in the display device and a cover member that covers the display device and the magnifying optical system and is configured to shield light.

12. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing part instructs the operation speed shift part to implement a processing of fastening an operation speed based on a first stage release manipulation of a photographing switch.

14. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a horizontal drive frequency of the image pickup device when the image is displayed in the another image display part is two times the horizontal drive frequency when the image is displayed in the one image display part.

15. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an increase in power consumption consumed when an operation speed of the image pickup device is fastened in correspondence to the switch-over of display devices of an image from the one image display part to the another image display part is the same as a decrease of power consumption in correspondence to the switch-over of display devices of an image from the one image display part to the another image display part.

2. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an image pickup device that images a photogenic subject;

a drive part that drives the image pickup device in order to read out image signals from the image pickup device;

a digital signal processing part in which image signals outputted from the image pickup device are inputted and processed;

one image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using one display format a processed image;

another image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using another display format the processed image and which requires more time for display processing than the time required for display processing by the one display format;

an image switch-over part for switching over an image display device between the one image display part and the another image display part; and

a photogenic subject movement detection part that detects a relative movement of the photogenic subject,

wherein the digital signal processing part includes an operation speed shift part for fastening the speed of operation of the drive part in correspondence to the switch-over of an image display device from the one image display part to the another image display part; and

wherein when the photogenic subject movement detection part detects no movement of the photogenic subject, the digital signal processing part maintains the speed of operation at the time an image is displayed in the another image display part to the speed of operation at the time an image is displayed in the one image display part.

5. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power consumption required for display processing by the another image display part is less than the power consumption required for display processing by the one image display part.

8. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display area of the another image display part is smaller than the display area of the one image display part.

11. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the one image display part is a liquid crystal display device, and the another image display part is an electrical viewfinder device,

wherein the electrical viewfinder device includes a display device, a magnifying optical system that magnifies an image displayed in the display device and a cover member that covers the display device and the magnifying optical system and is configured to shield light.

13. An imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the digital signal processing part instructs the operation speed shift part to implement a processing of fastening an operation speed based on a first stage release manipulation of a photographing switch.

3. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an image pickup device that images a photogenic subject;

a drive part that drives the image pickup device in order to read out image signals from the image pickup device;

a digital signal processing part in which image signals outputted from the image pickup device are inputted and processed;

one image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using one display format a processed image;

another image display part connected to the digital signal processing part and configured to display using another display format the processed image and which requires more time for display processing than the time required for display processing by the one display format; and

an image switch-over part for switching over an image display device between the one image display part and the another image display part;

wherein the digital signal processing part includes an operation speed shift part for fastening the speed of operation of the drive part in correspondence to the switch-over of an image display device from the one image display part to the another image display part; and

wherein the digital signal processing part instructs the operation speed shift part to implement a processing of increasing a clock signal frequency based on a first stage release manipulation of a photographing switch.

6. An imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the power consumption required for display processing by the another image display part is less than the power consumption required for display processing by the one image display part.

9. An imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the display area of the another image display part is smaller than the display area of the one image display part.