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

• US 7,336,300 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirasawa, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): AGGARWAL, YOGESH K
• Application Number:
  US11/100,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20050185056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/552, 348/211.9, 348/211.1, 348/211.4, 348/211.6, 348/211.8, 348/211.14, 348/239, 396/242, 396/243, 396/429
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• 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, for controlling photographing by the image pickup apparatus in a plurality of photographing modes, and for providing a sample image for simulating, prior to photographing, the look of a scene to be photographed in a selected photographing mode reflecting color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions whose settings have been selected by a user, comprising:

a guide unit which guides the selection of one setting from a plurality of settings for each of a plurality of photographing conditions including color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions each of which are associated with control data;

a setting unit which changes the control data associated with the selected settings of the photographing conditions, the control data being data for controlling the image pickup apparatus;

a transmission control unit which transmits the control data to the image pickup apparatus; and

means for providing the sample image, different from images photographed by the user using the image pickup apparatus for simulating, prior to photographing, the look of a scene to be photographed in a selected photographing mode reflecting color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions whose settings have been selected by a user,

said providing means causing said guide unit to display the sample image, different from images photographed by the user using the image pickup apparatus to associate the sample image with the control data associated with the selected settings of the plurality of photographing conditions so as to edit the displayed sample image in accordance with the control data being changed by said setting unit so that the appearance of the sample image changes in response to a change in the control data prior to photographing, and wherein said transmission control unit transmits the control data to the image pickup apparatus prior to photographing an image in the selected photographing mode whose sample image was displayed by said guide unit.

2. An image pickup control method for controlling an image pickup apparatus via a data communications interface unit, for controlling photographing by the image pickup apparatus in a plurality of photographing modes, and for providing a sample image for simulating, prior to photographing, the look of a scene to be photographed in a selected photographing mode reflecting color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions whose settings have been selected by a user, comprising:

a guide step of guiding the selection of one setting from a plurality of settings for each of a plurality of photographing conditions including color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions each of which are associated with control data;

a setting step of changing the control data associated with the selected settings of the photographing conditions, the control data being data for controlling the image pickup apparatus;

a transmission control step of transmitting the control data to the image pickup apparatus; and

a providing step of providing the sample image, different from images photographed by the user using the image pickup apparatus for simulating, prior to photographing;

the look of a scene to be photographed in a selected photographing mode reflecting color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions whose settings have been selected by a user,

said providing step causing said guide step to display the sample image, different from images photographed by the user using the image pickup apparatus to associate the sample image with the control data associated with the selected settings of the plurality of photographing conditions so as to edit the sample image in accordance with the control data being changed in said setting step so that the appearance of the sample image changes in response to a change in the control data, and wherein said transmission control step transmits the control data to the image pickup apparatus prior to photographing an image in the selected photographing mode whose sample image was displayed by said guide step.

3. A computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for controlling an image pickup apparatus via a data communications interface unit, for controlling photographing by the image pickup apparatus in a plurality of photographing modes, and for providing a sample image for simulating, prior to photographing, the look of a scene to be photographed in a selected photographing mode reflecting color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions whose settings have been selected by a user, the program comprising:

a guide routine of guiding the selection of one setting from a plurality of settings for each of a plurality of photographing conditions including color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions each of which are associated with control data;

a setting routine of changing the control data associated with the selected settings of the photographing conditions, the control data being data for controlling the image pickup apparatus;

a transmission control routine of transmitting the control data to the image pickup apparatus; and

a providing routine of providing the sample image, different from images photographed by the user using the image pickup apparatus for simulating, prior to photographing, the look of a scene to be photographed in a selected photographing mode reflecting color photographing conditions and non-color photographing conditions whose settings have been selected by a user,

said providing routine causing said guide routine to display the sample image, different from images photographed by the user using the image pickup apparatus to associate the sample image with the control data associated with the selected settings of the plurality of photographing conditions so as to edit the displayed sample image in accordance with the changed control data being changed in said setting routine so that the appearance of the sample image changes in response to a change in the control data, and wherein said transmission control routine transmits the control data to the image pickup apparatus prior to photographing an image in the selected photographing mode whose sample image was displayed by said guide routine.