Image sensing system, communication apparatus and image sensing apparatus having remote control function, and their control method

• US 7,430,001 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRABHAKHER, PRITHAM DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/411,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 34821199-21114, 348/211.4, 348/211.1, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/211.8, 396/264, 396/286
• US Class Current: 348/211.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A system according to this invention easily and adequately notifies, on a remote controller, the user of the release timing on an image sensing apparatus side. To accomplish this, the remote controller receives a release timing signal associated with the image sensing timing from a digital camera, and notifies the image sensing timing on the basis of the received release timing signal.

Claims

1. An image sensing system which includes an image sensing apparatus, and a remote controller for remote-controlling said image sensing apparatus,

said image sensing apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining a monitor image for monitoring;

control means for controlling remaining time until sensing an image in response to a request of the remote controller

generating means for generating delay error information of a transmitting timing produced due to a delay of wireless communication with the remote controller; and

transmission means for transmitting the monitor image obtained by said obtaining means, and image sensing timing information adjusted based on the delay error information generated by the generating means to said remote controller,

said remote controller comprising;

request means for requesting of said image sensing apparatus for sensing an image;

display means for displaying the monitor image transmiffed from said image sensing apparatus; and

notification means for notifying an image sensing timing according to the image sensing timing information transmitted from said image sensing apparatus.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the monitor image and the image sensing timing information to said remote controller in response to a request of the monitor image from said remote controller.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing information every time the image sensing timing information has been updated.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing information once per image sensing operation to said remote controller in response to a request from said remote controller.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said remote controller further comprises timing value change means for changing the received image sensing timing information at predetermined time intervals.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said remote controller further comprises setting means for setting an image for notifying the image sensing timing.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means appends the image sensing timing information to the monitor image, and transmits the monitor image appended with the image sensing timing information.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means transmits the monitor image, and the image sensing timing information as independent data.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said image sensing apparatus and said remote controller can establish a plurality of links, and

said transmission means transmits the image and the image sensing timing information using different links.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said notification means plays a tone corresponding to the image sensing timing information from said image sensing apparatus.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said notification means indicates the image sensing timing based on the image sensing timing information from said image sensing apparatus.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said notification means composites and displays the monitor image and the information to indicate the image sensing timing.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said notification means displays the information to indicate the image sensing timing on the currently displayed monitor image upon reception of the image sensing timing information.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein said notification means displays information to indicate the image sensing timing on independent areas of the monitor image.

15. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

obtaining means for obtaining a monitor image for monitoring; and

generating means for generating delay error information of a transmitting timing produced due to a delay of wireless communication with a remote controller;

transmission means for transmitting the monitor image obtained by said obtaining means, and an image sensing timing information adjusted based on the delay error information generated by the generating means to said remote controller so as to notify a user of an image sensing timing.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing information together with the monitor image upon reception of a transmission request of the monitor image from the remote controller.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing information together with the image upon reception of a transmission request of the image sensing timing information from the remote controller during transmission of the monitor image.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said transmission means transmits the image sensing timing information as additional information of the monitor image.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said transmission means transmits the monitor image and the image sensing timing information as independent data.

20. A method of controlling an image sensing system which includes an image sensing apparatus, and a remote controller for remote-controlling the image sensing apparatus, comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining a monitor image for monitoring;

a generating step of generating delay error information of a transmitting timing produced due to a delay of wireless communication with the remote controller;

a transmission step of transmitting the monitor image obtaining by said obtaining step, and an image sensing timing information adjusted based on the delay error information generated in the generating step to the remote controller in the image sensing apparatus;

a displaying step of displaying, in the remote controller, the monitor image transmitted from the image sensing apparatus; and

a notification step of notifying, in the remote controller, the image sensing timing according to the image sensing timing information transmitted from the image sensing apparatus.

21. A method of controlling an image sensing apparatus, comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining a monitor image for monitoring;

a generating step of generating delay error information of a transmitting timing produced due to a delay of wireless communication with a remote controller;

a transmission step of transmitting the monitor image obtained by said obtaining step, and an image sensing timing information adjusted based on the delay error information generated in the generating step to the remote controller so as to notify a user of an image sensing timing.