Digital camera for shooting a plurality of images to be synthesized to form one image in a special shooting mode

• US 8,120,699 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyata, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, CHIA WEI A
• Application Number:
  US12/205,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20090066814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.13, 348370-372
• US Class Current: 348/371
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A digital camera capable of setting a special shooting mode for shooting a plurality of images to be synthesized to form one image and comprises an imaging device, a strobe device, a storage unit temporarily storing at least one image shot by the imaging device, a shooting control circuit, an electrical battery serving as a power source, and a power source control circuit. The power source control circuit comprises a charge control unit charging the strobe device in a state where a temporary OFF mode is set, which stops electrical power supply to the imaging device, the storage unit and the shooting control circuit in the case that a strobe shooting is conducted, and the charge control unit charges the strobe device without the temporary OFF mode being set in the case that the strobe shooting is conducted in a state where the special shooting mode is set.

Claims

1. A digital camera capable of setting a normal shooting mode for shooting one image and a special shooting mode for shooting a plurality of images to be

synthesized to form one image and comprising:

an imaging device;

a strobe device;

a storage unit temporarily storing at least one image shot by the imaging device;

a shooting control circuit for controlling a shooting operation of the camera;

an electrical battery serving as a power source for the imaging device, the strobe device, the storage unit and the shooting control circuit; and

a power source control circuit for controlling electrical power supply from the electrical battery to the imaging device, the strobe device, the storage unit and the shooting control circuit as well as controlling charge of the strobe device,

the power source control circuit comprising a charge control unit adapted to control charging in the case where a strobe shooting is conducted,

the charge control unit being operable in a manner that;

when the remaining battery level is above a predetermined threshold level, the charge control unit supplies electric power to the imaging device, the storage unit and the shooting control unit, and charges the strobe device;

when the remaining battery level is below a predetermined threshold level and the normal shooting mode is placed in an established state, the charge control unit activates a temporary OFF mode wherein the power supply is stopped to the imaging device, and charges the strobe device; and

when the remaining battery level is below a predetermined threshold level and the special shooting mode is placed in an established state, the charge control unit disactivates the temporary OFF mode and charges the strobe device.

2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the shooting control circuit comprises a restrict unit restricting the temporary OFF mode setting operation by the charge control unit of the power source control circuit when the special shooting mode is set.

3. The digital camera according to claim 2, wherein the shooting control circuit comprises a cancel unit cancelling a restricted status of the temporary OFF mode setting operation by the charge control unit of the power source control circuit when the special shooting mode setting is cancelled.

4. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the shooting control circuit comprises:

a remaining battery level detect unit detecting a remaining battery level;

a judging unit judging whether or not the remaining battery level detected by the remaining battery level detect unit is above a predetermined threshold level; and

a mode setting unit setting a special shooting mode when the special shooting mode setting operation is conducted only in the case that the remaining battery level is determined to be above the predetermined threshold level by the judging unit.

5. The digital camera according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined threshold level is set to be a minimum remaining battery level or over to cover the electrical power required for the strobe shooting of a plurality of images to be synthesized to form one image.

6. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the shooting control circuit comprises a strobe control unit, in the case where a strobe shooting is conducted, maintaining the amount of luminescence of the strobe shooting and conducting the following strobe shooting in a state where the special shooting mode is set.