Electronic apparatus

• US 5,745,798 A
• Filed: 04/22/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirasawa, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): ADAMS JR, RUSSELL E
• Application Number:
  US08/635,704
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 396/51, 396/373, 396/374
• US Class Current: 396/51
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

A video camera has a normal operation control mode in which a normal operation is allowed to be performed and a demonstration mode in which each of a plurality of functions of the video camera is sequentially executed for a predetermined period of time, and is arranged to permit switching between the normal operation control mode and the demonstration mode. When a visual-line detecting circuit, a switch mounted on an eyecup, a sensor composed of a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, or the like, detects that the operator is viewing an electronic viewfinder during the demonstration mode, the demonstration mode is switched over to the normal operation control mode. The demonstration mode is resumed upon detection of detachment of the eye of the operator from the electronic viewfinder.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus arranged to permit switching between a first control mode for an image sensing operation and a second control mode for for a demonstration operation, comprising:

monitor means for permitting recognition by visual sensation of an operating state of said electronic apparatus;

detecting means for detecting that an operator of said electronic apparatus is viewing said monitor means; and

control means for selectively switching and effecting the first control mode and the second control mode on the basis of an output of said detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first control mode is a mode of allowing a normal operation of said electronic apparatus to be effected, and the second control mode is a mode of sequentially effecting each of a plurality of functions included in said electronic apparatus for a predetermined period of time.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said monitor means is an electronic viewfinder (EVF).

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes visual-line detecting means for detecting a visual line of the operator who is viewing said monitor means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes an eye-contact detecting switch for detecting whether an eye of the operator is in contact with said monitor means or not.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes a light emitting element for illuminating an eyeball of the operator who is viewing said monitor means and a light receiving sensor for detecting light reflected by the eyeball, and is arranged to detect whether an eye of the operator is in contact with said monitor means on the basis of the presence or absence of the reflected light.

7. An electronic apparatus arranged to permit switching between a first control mode in which a normal operation of a video camera is allowed to be performed and a second control mode in which each of a plurality of functions included in said electronic apparatus is automatically and sequentially demonstrated for a predetermined period of time, comprising:

an electronic viewfinder for permitting recognition by visual sensation of an operating state of said electronic apparatus;

detecting means for detecting that an operator of said electronic apparatus is viewing said electronic viewfinder; and

control means for selectively switching and effecting the first control mode and the second control mode on the basis of an output of said detecting means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said detecting means is a means for detecting a visual line of sight of the operator.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said detecting means is a means for detecting whether the eye of the operator is brought into contact with the electronic viewfinder.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said plurality of functions includes a function involving processing of a digital image signal.

11. An electronic apparatus having a plurality of operation modes and capable of individually demonstrating each of the plurality of operation modes, comprising:

mode executing means for automatically demonstrating the plurality of operation modes in accordance with a predetermined procedure;

determining means for determining whether said electronic apparatus is being held by an operator of said electronic apparatus; and

control means for controlling said mode executing means on the basis of an output of said determining means so as to stop a mode executing action of said mode executing means when said determining means has determined that said electronic apparatus is being held by the operator.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said mode executing means is arranged to sequentially execute each of the plurality of operation modes for a predetermined time.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said electronic apparatus is a video camera, and wherein the plurality of operation modes include digital image signal processing actions.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said control means is arranged to suspend a mode executing action of said mode executing means and allow a normal shooting operation to be performed when said determining means has determined that said electronic apparatus is being held by the operator, and is arranged to resume the mode executing action of said mode executing means when said determining means has determined that said electronic apparatus is not being held by the operator.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11 or 14, wherein said determining means includes camera-shake correcting means and is arranged to determine whether said electronic apparatus is being held by the operator, on the basis of a state of said camera-shake correcting means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 11 or 14, wherein said determining means includes motion detecting means for detecting a motion vector from a video signal and is arranged to determine whether said electronic apparatus is being held by the operator, on the basis of a state of said motion detecting means.

17. An apparatus according to claim 11 or 14, wherein said determining means is arranged to detect that a body of said electronic apparatus is placed on a stand or the like.

18. An electronic apparatus having a plurality of operation modes and capable of individually demonstrating each of the plurality of operation modes, comprising:

shooting means for performing a shooting operation;

mode executing means for automatically and sequentially demonstrating each of the plurality of operation modes for a predetermined period of time in accordance with a predetermined procedure;

determining means for determining whether said electronic apparatus is being held by an operator of said electronic apparatus; and

control means for controlling said shooting means and said mode executing means on the basis of an output of said determining means so as to suspend a mode executing action of said mode executing means and allow said shooting means to perform the shooting operation when said determining means has determined that said electronic apparatus in being held by the operator while the mode executing action of said mode executing means is in process.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said electronic apparatus is a video camera, and wherein the plurality of operation modes include digital image signal processing actions.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of operation modes includes an electronic zoom mode, a reproduction of stroboscopic action mode, and image overlapping mode and a fading mode.

21. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said determining means includes image shake preventing means and recognizes gripping by an operator on the basis of an output of said image shake preventing means.

22. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said determining means is a switch provided on a surface on which a camera is mounted and recognizes whether the camera is mounted on the surface or held by the operator on the basis of ON or OFF states of said switch.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a monitor for confirming execution of the plurality of operation modes.