Image pickup control apparatus, image pickup control method, image pickup control system, and storage medium

• US 6,980,233 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1998
• 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): Ometz, David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGGARWAL, YOGESH K
• Application Number:
  US09/348,500
• Time in Patent Office: 2,365 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/552, 348/211.99, 348/211.1, 348/211.4, 348/211.6, 348/211.8, 348/211.9, 348/211.14, 348/239, 396/242, 396/243, 396/429
• US Class Current: 348/207.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00249 with a photographic apparatus, e.g. a photographic printer or a projector photographic apparatus per se G03B, G03D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00427 using a menu list H04N1/00421, H04N1/00424, H04N1/00429 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00466 displaying finishing information, e.g. position of punch holes or staple or orientation references
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00469 with enlargement of a selected area of the displayed information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00482 outputting a plurality of job set-up options, e.g. number of copies, paper size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• 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

In an image pickup control apparatus capable of remotely and reliably controlling an image pickup apparatus from another apparatus, control data for controlling the image pickup apparatus is stored in advance and is transmitted to the image pickup apparatus when the image pickup apparatus is connected via data communications interface units.

Claims

1. An image pickup control apparatus, for controlling an image pickup apparatus via a data communications interface unit, the image pickup control apparatus comprising:

a connection detecting unit which detects a connection to the image pickup apparatus via the data communications interface unit;

a setting unit which displays a plurality of photographing conditions with each of which a plurality of kinds of control data are associated, selects a desired photographing condition from among the plurality of displayed photographing conditions to display the plurality of kinds of control data associated with the selected photographing condition, and changes the plurality of kinds of control data in accordance with an input instruction;

a control unit which is communicatively coupled to said connection detecting unit and said setting unit, wherein in a case that said connection detection unit detects the connection to the image pickup apparatus, said control unit effects control so as to transmit to the image pickup apparatus the plurality of kinds of control data changed by said setting unit;

a display control unit which displays a model image corresponding to the control data for the desired photographing condition selected by said selection unit; and

a change unit which changes the control data corresponding to the model image by referring to the model image displayed by said display control unit, wherein said control unit transmits the control data changed by said change unit to the image pickup apparatus.

2. An image pickup control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display control unit displays the model image corresponding to the control data changed by said change unit.

3. An image pickup control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rewrite unit which changes the control data to the control data changed by said change unit.

4. An image pickup control method for controlling an image pickup apparatus via a data communications interface unit, the method comprising:

a connection detecting step of detecting a connection to the image pickup apparatus via the data communications interface unit;

a setting step of displaying a plurality of stored photographing conditions each of which has a plurality of kinds of control data associated therewith, selecting a desired photographing condition from among the plurality of displayed photographing conditions to display the plurality of kinds of control data associated with the selected photographing condition, and changing the plurality of kinds of control data in accordance with an input instruction;

a control step of effecting control so as to transmit to the image pickup apparatus the plurality of kinds of control data changed in said setting step, in a case that said connection detecting step detects the connection to the image pickup apparatus;

a display control step of displaying a model image corresponding to the control data for the desired photographing condition selected in said selection step; and

a change step of changing the control data corresponding to the model image by referring to the model image displayed in said display control step, wherein said control step transmits the control data changed in said change step to the image pickup apparatus.

5. An image pickup control method according to claim 4, wherein said display control step displays the model image corresponding to the control data changed in said change step.

6. An image pickup control method according to claim 4, further comprising a rewrite step of changing the control data to the control data changed in said change step.

7. A storage medium storing a control program for controlling an image pickup apparatus via a data communications interface unit, the program comprising:

a connection detecting routine of detecting a connection to the image pickup apparatus via the data communications interface unit;

a setting routine of displaying a plurality of photographing conditions with each of which a plurality of kinds of control data are associated, selecting a desired photographing condition from among the plurality of displayed photographing conditions to display the plurality of kinds of control data associated with the selected photographing condition, and changing the plurality of kinds of control data in accordance with an input instruction;

a control routine of effecting control so as to transmit to the image pickup apparatus a plurality of kinds of control data changed in said selection setting routine, in a case that said connection detecting routine detects the connection to the image pickup apparatus;

a display control routine of displaying a model image corresponding to the control data for the desired photographing condition selected in said selection routine; and

a change routine of changing the control data corresponding to the model image by referring to the model image displayed in said display control routine, wherein said control routine transmits the control data changed in said change routine to the image pickup apparatus.

8. A storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said display control routine displays the model image corresponding to the control data changed in said change routine.

9. A storage medium according to claim 7, further comprising a rewrite routine of changing the control data to the control data changed in said change routine.