IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20110128436A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jun Ohsuga, Kazuhiro Yoshida, Yoshio Serikawa
• Original Assignee: Jun Ohsuga, Kazuhiro Yoshida, Yoshio Serikawa
• Inventors: YOSHIDA, Kazuhiro, SERIKAWA, Yoshio, OHSUGA, Jun
• Application Number:
  US12/917,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20110128436A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/371
• 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 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes a semiconductor light-emitting device functioning as a strobe light having a current limitation unit for limiting current to flow to the semiconductor light-emitting device. The current limitation unit limits current to flow to the semiconductor light-emitting device under a predetermined condition for increasing a current consumption amount.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit for picking up an image of a subject with a solid state imaging device;

a lighting unit for lighting a subject;

a controlling unit for controlling an operation of each of the imaging unit and the lighting unit; and

a power supply unit for supplying power to at least the imaging unit, the lighting unit and the controlling unit, wherein

the controlling unit controls a change of a load on the lighting unit in order to prevent deterioration of image quality of an image obtained by the imaging unit.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controlling unit changes a power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controlling unit changes the power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit, according to a power source state of the power supply unit.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controlling unit changes the power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit, according to an ambient temperature.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controlling unit changes the power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit, according to a state of a load on the power supply unit.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controlling unit changes the power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit by using a predetermined control method.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controlling unit changes the power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit while monitoring a change of a load on the lighting unit.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the controlling unit changes the power supply time for supplying power to the lighting unit while monitoring a change of a load on the power supply unit.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controlling unit controls power supply to the lighting unit so that the power supply would not start or stop while the imaging unit is picking up an image.

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controlling unit controls power supply to the lighting unit so that the power supply would not start or stop while the imaging unit is transferring an image.