Camera performing photographing in accordance with photographing mode depending on object scene

• US 7,969,481 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kikuchi, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quiett; Carramah J
• Application Number:
  US12/378,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 348/220.1, 348/221.1
• US Class Current: 348/223.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

A camera includes a CPU. The CPU individually detects a ratio of an object which exceeds a threshold value in a moving amount to a center area of an object scene and a ratio of an object which exceeds the threshold value in the moving amount to a peripheral area of the object scene. If differences between the respective detected ratios are large, the CPU sets a photographing mode to a sports mode. When a shutter button is operated, the object scene is photographed in accordance with a set photographing mode.

Claims

1. A camera performing photographing in a photographing mode corresponding to an object scene, comprising:

a ratio detector which detects a ratio of a high luminance evening scene color area to a defined area formed in a cross shape in said object scene;

a luminance difference detector which detects a luminance difference between periphery areas opposed with each other in said object scene; and

a determiner which determines the photographing mode on the basis of the ratio and the luminance difference;

wherein said determiner sets the photographing mode to an evening scene mode when the luminance difference is large and the ratio is large.

2. The camera according to claim 1, further comprising an outputter which outputs a message corresponding to the photographing mode determined by said determiner.

3. A photographing mode determining method of a camera which photographs an object scene, comprising steps of:

(a) detecting a ratio of a high luminance evening scene color area to a defined area formed in a cross shape in said object scene;

(b) detecting a luminance difference between periphery areas opposed with each other in said object scene; and

(c) setting the photographing mode to an evening scene mode when the luminance difference is large and the ratio is large.