Imaging apparatus and control method utilizing biometric information

• US 7,466,348 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Morikawa, Goichi, Tokura, Go
• Primary Examiner(s): Misleh; Justin P
• Application Number:
  US10/460,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20030235411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 382/117, 713/186, 340/5.53, 902/3, 348/207.99, 348/231.3, 348/78, 348/161, 396/18
• US Class Current: 348/231.3
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/02 Control effected by setting a graduated member on the camera in accordance with indication or reading afforded by a light meter, which may be either separate from or built into camera body

Abstract

A digital still camera records a photographer'"'"'s biological information on a photographic image reliably and protects the copyright of photographic images without affecting processing, and in a manner transparent to operation, at the time of photographing a subject. Biological information (iris information) that is registered beforehand by the photographer is recorded as personal data on an ID card. If an image is taken in a state in which the ID card bearing the recorded personal data has been inserted into the apparatus, iris information that has been sensed by an iris sensor is checked when a power supply is turned on. If the two compared items of iris information match, the personal data is added onto the image of the photographed subject.

Claims

1. A digital camera having a viewfinder, for recording a captured image as digital image data, comprising:

a digital image data generator for digitizing an output signal from an image sensor disposed in a focal plane;

an obtainment unit configured to obtain iris information of a photographer by turning on a light emitting unit in the viewfinder for informing the photographer of a focus detecting area of said digital camera;

a first interface for connecting an ID card on which iris information has been recorded, wherein said first interface is configured to accept a plurality of ID cards, each with the iris information of a different digital camera user;

an iris information registration unit configured to record the iris information of a photographer obtained by said obtainment unit in the ID card;

a check unit that checks whether iris information newly obtained by said obtainment unit and iris information having been recorded in the ID card connected with said first interface match, when the power is turned on and immediately after the ID card is changed;

a second interface for connecting a memory card that records digital image data; and

a controller that;

i) determines whether an ID card has been connected to the first interface in response to the turning on of the supply of power to said digital camera;

ii) determines whether the ID card connected to the first interface has iris information recorded thereon in the event said controller determines that an ID card has been connected to the first interface;

iii) voids processing relating to the recording of iris information from the ID card connected to the first interface onto a memory card, which has been connected to said second interface, together with image data that has been generated by said digital image data generator, in response to the controller determining that the ID card connected to the first interface contains no iris information recorded thereon; and

iv) records the iris information read from the ID card connected to the first interface on the memory card, which has been connected to said second interface, together with image data that has been generated by said digital image data generator in the event that;

a) said controller determines that an ID card has been connected to the first interface;

b) said controller determines that the ID card connected to the first interface has iris information recorded thereon; and

c) said check unit determines that the iris information newly obtained by said obtainment unit and the iris information having been recorded in the ID card match.

2. A method for recording a captured image as digital image data in a digital camera having a viewfinder, comprising the steps of:

digitizing an output signal from an image sensor disposed in a focal plane;

obtaining iris information of a photographer by turning on a light emitting unit in the viewfinder for informing the photographer of a focus detecting area of said digital camera;

connecting, through a first interface, an ID card on which iris information has been recorded, wherein the first interface is configured to accept a plurality of ID cards, each with the iris information of a different digital camera user;

recording the iris information of a photographer obtained by said obtaining step in the ID card;

checking whether iris information newly obtained by said obtaining step and iris information having been recorded in the ID card in said recording step and connected with the first interface match, when the power to the digital camera is turned on and immediately after the ID card is changed;

connecting, through a second interface, a memory card that records digital image data;

a first determining step of determining whether an ID card has been connected to the first interface in response to the turning on of the supply of power to the digital camera;

a second determining step of determining whether the ID card connected to the first interface has iris information recorded thereon in the event the first determining step determines that an ID card has been connected to the first interface;

voiding processing relating to the recording of iris information from the ID card connected to the first interface onto a memory card, which has been connected to the second interface, together with image data that has been generated by said digitizing step, in response to said second determining step determines that the ID card connected to the first interface contains no iris information recorded thereon; and

recording the iris information read from the ID card connected to the first interface on the memory card, which has been connected to the second interface, together with image data that has been generated in said digitizing step in the event that;

a) said first determining step determines that an ID card has been connected to the first interface;

b) said second determining step determines that the ID card connected to the first interface has iris information recorded thereon; and

c) said checking step determines that the iris information newly obtained by said obtaining step and the iris information having been recorded in the ID card match.