IMAGING APPARATUS

• US 20140078319A1
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yumiki, Naoto
• Application Number:
  US13/783,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20140078319A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/76 by influencing the image signals

Abstract

An imaging apparatus capable of preventing photographing sensitivity from being increased more than necessary, reducing image quality degradation caused by camera shake or object shake and easily photographing images in good image quality. The imaging apparatus includes an imaging optical system that forms an optical image of a photographing object. An imaging sensor receives the optical image and converts the optical image to an electrical image signal. A detector determines, based on the image signal, whether the photographing object is a specific photographing object likely to move while a photograph is being captured that corresponds to information stored in a memory device provided to the imagining apparatus. A control section establishes an operational mode causing the imaging apparatus to continuously take a plurality of photographs of the photographing object when the photographing object is determined to be the specific photographing object that is likely to move.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging optical system that forms an optical image of a plurality of photographing objects;

an imaging sensor that receives the optical image, converts the optical image to an electrical image signal and outputs the electrical image signal;

a detector that determines, based on the image signal, whether the plurality of photographing objects include a specific photographing object, the specific photographing object being likely to move while a photograph is being captured; and

a control section that establishes a photographing mode to the specific photographing object when the plurality of photographing objects are determined to include the specific photographing object.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the detector determines, based on the image signal, whether the plurality of photographing objects include the specific photographing object and another specific photographing object different from the specific photographing object;

and

the control section establish the photographing mode by assigning a distance measurement area to the specific photographing object when the plurality of photographing objects are determined to include the specific photographing object and the other specific photographing object.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the photographing mode is a camera shake correction mode.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the detector determines, based on the image signal, whether the plurality of photographing objects include only the specific photographing object;

and

the control section establishes a photographing mode to a sensitivity increasing mode when the plurality of photographing objects are determined to include only the specific photographing object.

5. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging optical system that forms an optical image of a plurality of photographing objects;

an imaging sensor that receives the optical image, converts the optical image to an electrical image signal and outputs the electrical image signal;

a detector that determines, based on the image signal, whether the optical image of the plurality of photographing objects includes an image of child; and

a control section that establishes a photographing mode to the image of child when the optical image of the plurality of photographing objects is determined to include the image of child.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the detector determines, based on the image signal, whether the optical image of the plurality of photographing objects includes the image of child and an image of adult;

and

the control section establish the photographing mode by assigning a distance measurement area to the image of child when the optical image of the plurality of photographing objects is determined to include the image of child and the image of adult.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the photographing mode is a camera shake correction mode.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the detector determines, based on the image signal, whether the optical image of the plurality of photographing objects includes only the image of child;

and

the control section establishes a photographing mode as a sensitivity increasing mode when the optical image of the plurality of photographing objects is determined to include only the image of child.