Digital camera having inclination sensor

• US 7,286,178 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Isoyama, Tomoya
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Application Number:
  US10/254,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.02, 348/371, 348/333.11, 348/333.1, 348/222.1, 348/374, 348/375
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/064 inductive
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/107 spheres
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/10 by using rolling bodies , e.g. spheres, cylinders, mercury droplets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

A digital camera includes an inclination sensor for detecting an inclination in a rotating direction around an optical axis. When a shutter button is half-depressed, a character signal corresponding to a detection result of the inclination sensor is generated by a character generator, and a character based on the character signal is displayed on a monitor. When the shutter button is full-depressed, an image photographed in response to the full depressing and detection result information of the inclination sensor at a time of the full depressing are recorded onto a memory card. An image reproduced from the memory card is displayed in a manner corresponding to the detection result information relating to the image.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

an inclination sensor for detecting an inclination in a rotating direction around an optical axis;

a recorder for recording onto a recording medium an image photographed in response to a photographing instruction and a detection result of said inclination sensor at a time of accepting the photographing instruction;

a first displayer for displaying an image reproduced from said recording medium in a manner corresponding to the detection result of said inclination sensor relating to the reproduced image; and

an outputter for outputting display manner information on the basis of the detection result of said inclination sensor, the display manner information being output prior to reproducing an image and indicating how an image to be photographed in a current posture of the digital camera will be displayed at a time of reproducing.

2. A digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

an acceptor for accepting a photographing condition adjusting instruction prior to the photographing instruction;

an adjuster for adjusting the photographing condition in response to the photographing condition adjusting instruction; and

a fetcher for fetching the detection result of said inclination sensor after the photographing condition is adjusted, wherein said outputter generates the display manner information on the basis of the detection result of said inclination sensor fetched by said fetcher.

3. A digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising a second displayer for displaying a real-time motion image of an object, wherein said outputter multiplexes the display manner information into the real-time motion image.

4. An image processing method of a digital camera provided with an inclination sensor for detecting an inclination in a rotating direction around an optical axis, comprising steps of:

(a) outputting display manner information on the basis of a detection result of said inclination sensor, the display manner information being output prior to reproducing an image and indicating how an image to be photographed in a current posture of the camera will be displayed at a time of reproducing;

(b) recording onto a recording medium an image photographed in response to a photographing instruction and a detection result of said inclination sensor at a time of accepting the photographing instruction; and

(c) displaying an image reproduced from said recording medium in a manner corresponding to the detection result of said inclination sensor relating to the reproduced image.

5. An image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising steps of:

(d) accepting a photographing condition adjusting instruction prior to said step (a);

(e) adjusting a photographing condition in response to the photographing condition adjusting instruction; and

(f) fetching a detection result of said inclination sensor after the photographing condition is adjusted, wherein said step (a) includes a step of (a-1) generating the display manner information on the basis of the detection result of said inclination sensor fetched in said step (f).

6. An image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of (g) displaying a real-time motion image of an object prior to said step (b), wherein said step (a) includes a step of (a-2) multiplexing the display manner information into the real-time motion image.

7. A digital camera, comprising:

an inclination sensor for detecting an inclination in a rotating direction around an optical axis;

a recorder for recording onto a recording medium in a camera mode an image photographed in response to a photographing instruction and detection result information indicative of a detection result of said inclination sensor at a time of accepting the photographing instruction;

a generator for generating display manner information based on the detection result of said inclination sensor in the camera mode, the display manner information indicating how an image photographed in a current posture is displayed at a time of reproducing from said recording medium;

an information outputter for outputting the display manner information generated by said generator toward an operator who issues the photographing instruction; and

a first displayer for displaying in a reproduction mode an image reproduced from said recording medium in a manner corresponding to the detection result information relating to the reproduced image, wherein said inclination sensor includes a case having a tubular space which extends in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a movable body having a volume smaller than a volume of the space so as to be accommodated in the space and moving in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, a holder for magnetically holding said movable body at any one of a plurality of positions in the space, and an outputter for generating an output which is different depending upon a position of said movable body.

8. A digital camera according to claim 7, further comprising:

an acceptor for accepting a photographing condition adjusting instruction prior to the photographing instruction in the camera mode;

an adjuster for adjusting the photographing condition in response to the photographing condition adjusting instruction accepted by said acceptor; and

a fetcher for fetching the detection result of said inclination sensor after the photographing condition is adjusted by said adjuster, wherein said generator generates the display manner information based on the detection result of said inclination sensor fetched by said fetcher.

9. A digital camera according to claim 8, further comprising a second displayer for displaying a realtime motion image of an object in the camera mode wherein said information outputter multiplexes the display manner information into the real-time motion image.

10. A digital camera according to claim 7, further comprising a second displayer for displaying a real-time motion image of an object in the camera mode, wherein said information outputter multiplexes the display manner information into the real-time motion image.