INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20130258126A1
• Filed: 05/30/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagoya, Miho
• Granted Patent: US 8,736,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control

Abstract

An information processing apparatus receives images from the image capturing apparatus and displays them on a screen. The information processing apparatus then receives the designation of an image area by a user with respect to an image displayed on the screen, and calculates white balance information based on color information from the designated image area of the image displayed when the designation was received. The apparatus determines, based on the color information of the image area on the image displayed when the designation was received and the color information of image areas on a predetermined number of images received before the image, whether the white balance information to be calculated is proper. Upon determining that the information is proper, the apparatus applies the calculated white balance information to the image capturing apparatus. Upon determining that the information is not proper, the apparatus issues a corresponding warning.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus which allows remote operation of an image capturing apparatus by communicating with the image capturing apparatus via a communication unit, the apparatus comprising:

a display unit configured to continuously receive images from the image capturing apparatus and display the images as a moving image;

a reception unit configured to receive designation of an image area by a user with respect to an image displayed on said display unit;

a first calculation unit configured to calculate white balance information based on color information in the image area of the image displayed when said reception unit received the designation;

a determination unit configured to determine, based on color information of the image area on the image displayed when the designation was received, whether white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit is proper; and

an applying unit configured to apply white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit to the image capturing apparatus,

wherein said determination unit determines whether the white balance information calculated from the color information of the image area is proper or not based on a number of pixels, of pixels in the image area on the image, which have pixel values falling outside a predetermined range.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said applying unit applies white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit to the image capturing apparatus in a case that said determination unit determines that the white balance information is proper.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a holding unit configured to acquire and hold white balance information applied to the image capturing apparatus when the designation was received,

wherein said applying unit applies the white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit to the image capturing apparatus before determination by said determination unit, and then applies the held white balance information to the image capturing apparatus if said determination unit determines that the white balance information is not proper.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second calculation unit configured to calculate alternative white balance information based on the color information of the image areas on a predetermined number of images a predetermined period of time before the displayed image if said determination unit determines that the white balance information is not proper,

wherein said applying unit applies the white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit to the image capturing apparatus if said determination unit determines that the white balance information is proper, and applies the alternative white balance information to the image capturing apparatus if said determination unit determines that the white balance information is not proper.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a selection unit configured to make a user select whether to apply white balance adjustment to only display by said display unit or to both the display and the image capturing apparatus,

wherein said applying unit applies the white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit to the display by said display unit regardless of determination by said determination unit if the user selects to apply white balance adjustment to only the display by said display unit, and

wherein said applying unit makes the user further select whether to apply the white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit to the image capturing apparatus, if said determination unit determines that the white balance information calculated by said first calculation unit is not proper, when the user selects to apply white balance adjustment to both the display and the image capturing apparatus.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of an information processing apparatus defined in claim 1.

6. A control method for an information processing apparatus which allows remote operation of an image capturing apparatus by communicating with the image capturing apparatus via a communication unit, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying images continuously received from the image capturing apparatus as a moving image;

receiving designation of an image area by a user with respect to an image displayed in the displaying step;

calculating white balance information based on color information in the image area of the image displayed when the designation was received in the receiving step;

determining, based on color information of the image area on the image displayed when the designation was received, whether white balance information calculated in the calculating step is proper; and

applying white balance information calculated in the calculating step to the image capturing apparatus,

wherein in the determining step whether the white balance information calculated from the color information of the image area is proper or not is determined based on a number of pixels, of pixels in the image area on the image, which have pixel values falling outside a predetermined range.