Image capturing device and activation method therefor

• US 8,687,955 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenwick, Warren K
• Application Number:
  US13/761,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20130148015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 396301-303, 348/333.13
• US Class Current: 396/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• 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

An image capturing device includes a first controller operable to control image capturing; an operation section including a switch; a detector operable to detect a change to an image capturing mode and to send a signal representing the change; a second controller operable to monitor and process the sent signal, the second controller having a power consumption less than that of the first controller; and a power supply operable to supply power to the first controller, the second controller, and a functional section of the device. When the second controller receives the signal sent from the detecting section in a power saving state in which power is supplied from the power supply to the second controller, the power saving state is changed to a power supplying state capable of image capturing by supplying power from the power supply to portions of the device including the first controller.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus having a function of image capturing comprising:

a processor including one or a plurality of control units;

a plurality of types of sensors including an image sensor, said sensors having respective outputs of multiple types capable of being input to said processor;

a display configured to display an image based on an image signal from said image sensor; and

a power supply unit to supply power to said processor, said sensors and said display,

wherein said portable apparatus is operable in a plurality of powered operational states including a first operational state and a second operational state, an image capturing operation being performable in the first operational state,

wherein said portable apparatus changes its operational state from the second operational state to the first operational state and said power supply unit supplies power to one or a plurality of components of the portable apparatus including said image sensor when receiving a first signal representing an activation of the image capturing operation in the second operational state according to a result of the output of one or a plurality of said sensors,

wherein said portable apparatus changes its operational state from the first operational state to a monitoring state and reduces power consumption of said display when there is not a second signal detected in a predetermined period, and

wherein at least one of said control units has a variably controllable operating frequency and controls the image capturing operation in the first operational state, and said operating frequency can be lowered so that power consumption of said at least one of the control units can be lower than other of said control units that control operation other than the image capturing operation.

2. A portable apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a detecting unit including one or a plurality of sensors of a touch sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a vibration sensor, and an electrostatic sensor in addition to said image sensor.

3. A portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first signal is based on the output of one or a plurality of the sensors of the same type, or sensors of different types.

4. A portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first signal is based on the output of one or a plurality of the sensors, and at least one of the sensors is set to use a threshold in detection in order to provide an appropriate sensitivity.

5. A portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first signal is based on the output of one or a plurality of the sensors, and at least part of at least one of the sensor'"'"'s detecting result is usable in other function of the portable apparatus.

6. A portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second signal represents a certain touch operation.

7. A portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein transmitting forms of the output of said one or a plurality of sensors includes one from analog form, digital form, binary form and serial form.

8. A portable apparatus of claim 2, wherein

power consumption of said one of the control units can be close to almost zero.

9. A processor for a portable apparatus, wherein the portable apparatus comprises a display and a plurality of types of sensors, said types of sensors including an image sensor, wherein said portable apparatus is operable in a plurality of powered operational states, said powered operational states including a first operational state and a second operational state, and an image capturing operation is performable in the first operational state,

wherein said sensors have respective outputs of multiple types capable of being input to said processor,

wherein said processor includes one or a plurality of control units, at least one of said control units having a variably controllable operating frequency and controlling the image capturing operation in the first operational state,

wherein said processor is to control said portable apparatus to (1) change its operational state from the second operational state to the first operational state and (2) supply power to one or a plurality of components of the portable apparatus including said image sensor when receiving a first signal representing an activation of the image capturing operation in the second operational state according to a result of the output of one or a plurality of said sensors,

wherein said processor is to control said portable apparatus to (1) change its operational state from the first operational state to a monitoring state and (2) reduce power consumption of said display when there is not a second signal detected in a predetermined period, and

wherein said operating frequency can be lowered so that power consumption of said at least one of the control units can be lower than other of said control units that control operation other than the image capturing operation.

10. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor is formed in a single chip.

11. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor is formed with a plurality of said control units on a single chip.

12. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor controls power supply to said one or plurality of components.

13. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor further comprises a data storage section.

14. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor further comprises a comparator.

15. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor supports sensors of at least one of a touch sensor, an angular velocity sensor, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a vibration sensor, and an electrostatic sensor in addition to said image sensor.

16. A processor of claim 9, wherein said background processing includes initializing processing.

17. A processor of claim 9, wherein said first signal is based on the output of one or a plurality of sensors of the same type, or sensors of different types.

18. A processor of claim 9, wherein said first signal is based on the output of one or a plurality of sensors, and at least one of the sensors is set to use a threshold in detection in order to provide an appropriate sensitivity.

19. A processor of claim 9, wherein said first signal is based on the output of one or a plurality of sensors, and at least part of at least one of the sensor'"'"'s detecting result is usable in other function of the portable apparatus.

20. A processor of claim 9, wherein said second signal represents a certain touch operation.

21. A processor of claim 9, wherein said processor is configured to be connected with said sensors of different types through one or a plurality of interfaces.

22. A processor of claim 9, wherein power consumption of said at least one of the control units can be close to almost zero.