Digital camera

• US 8,754,952 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Takagi, Morihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): COWAN, EUEL K
• Application Number:
  US13/602,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20120327263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 3482114-2116, 348/231.99, 3482311-2319, 34833301-33312, 348/207.1, 348/207.2, 348/207.11, 386 31- 32, 386 40- 44
• US Class Current: 348/211.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0048 Indicating an illegal or impossible operation or selection to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/624 Red-eye correction control of camera based on recognised facial parts H04N23/611
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

A digital camera captures an image of a photographic subject and creates image data, and records this image data upon a recording medium. The digital camera includes: an image processing device that, according to operation by a user, performs any of a plurality of types of image processing upon the image data that has been recorded; and a control device that, for performing the image processing, (a) if image data is first selected, permits selection of a type of image processing that is to be performed upon the selected image data; and (b) if a type of image processing is first selected, permits selection of image data upon which that selected type of image processing is to be performed.

Claims

1. A digital camera that captures an image of a photographic subject, creates image data, and records the image data to a recording medium, comprising:

an image processing device that performs image processing, the image processing being selected from a plurality of types of image processing, upon the image data that has been recorded to the recording medium;

a determination device that determines appropriateness of the image processing being performed by the image processing device on the recorded image data; and

a control device that is configured to;

(i) when first image data is selected, according to a user operation, from among the recorded image data, and then image processing to be performed on the first image data is selected according to the user operation, (a) prohibit first image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, from being performed according to the user operation, and (b) allow one of second and third image processing, which have not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, to be performed according to the user operation, and

(ii) when first image processing is selected, from among a plurality of image processing, according to the user operation, and then the recorded image data to which the first image processing is to be performed is selected according to the user operation, (a) prohibit the first image processing from being performed on the first image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, according to the user operation, and (b) allow the first image processing to be performed on one of second and third image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, according to the user operation.

2. The digital camera as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the determination device determines the appropriateness based on content of the image processing that has already been performed on the recorded image data that is the subject of the determination of appropriateness.

3. The digital camera as set forth in claim 2,

wherein the determination device determines that it is not appropriate to perform, on the recorded image data that is the subject of the determination of appropriateness, the same image processing as the image processing that has already been performed on the recorded image data.

4. The digital camera as set forth in claim 3,

wherein the determination device determines the appropriateness based on a shooting condition of the recorded image data that is the subject of the determination of appropriateness.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-executable program for a digital camera that captures an image of a photographic subject, creates image data, and records the image data to a recording medium, the program comprising;

instructions for performing image processing, the image processing being selected from a plurality of types of image processing, upon the image data that has been recorded to the recording medium;

instructions for determining appropriateness of the image processing on the recorded image data; and

instructions for controlling to;

(i) when first image data is selected, according to a user operation, from among the recorded image data, and then image processing to be performed on the first image data is selected according to the user operation, (a) prohibit first image processing, which has been determined not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, from being perfoinied according to the user operation, and (b) allow one of second and third image processing, which have not been determined not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, to be performed according to the user operation, and

(ii) when first image processing is selected, from among a plurality of image processing, according to the user operation, and then the recorded image data to which the first image processing is to be performed is selected according to the user operation, (a) prohibit the first image processing from being performed on the first image data, on which it has been determined not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, according to the user operation, and (b) allow the first image processing to be performed on one of second and third image data, on which it has not been determined not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, according to the user operation.

6. A digital camera that captures an image of a photographic subject, creates image data, and records the image data to a recording medium, comprising:

an image processing device that performs image processing on the image data that has been recorded to the recording medium;

a determination device that determines appropriateness of the image processing being performed by the image processing device on the image data that has been recorded to the recording medium; and

a control device that is configured to;

when image data is selected, according to a user operation, from among first and second image data recorded to the recording medium, and then image processing to be performed on the image data is selected, according to the user operation, from among first and second image processing that can be performed by the image processing device,

when the first image data is selected according to the user operation, display on a display device a screen that (i) inactively displays an item corresponding to the first image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data and (ii) actively displays an item corresponding to the second image processing, which has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, and

when the second image data is selected corresponding to the user operation, display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the second image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the second image data and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the first image processing, which has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the second image data, and

when image processing is selected, according to the user operation, from among first and second image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, and then image data to which image processing is to be performed is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first and second image data recorded to the recording medium,

when the first image processing is selected corresponding to the user operation, display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays an item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing and (ii) actively displays an item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, and

when the second image processing is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing.

7. The digital camera as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

when the image data is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first image data recorded to the recording medium, the second image data recorded to the recording medium, and third image data recorded to the recording medium, and then image processing to be performed on the image data is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first and second image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, when the third image data is selected according to the user operation, the control device is configured to;

display on the display device a screen that inactively displays (i) the item corresponding to the first image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the third image data and (ii) the item corresponding to the second image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the third image data, and

when the image processing is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, the second image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, and third image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, and then image data to which image processing is to be performed is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first, second, and third image data recorded to the recording medium, the control device is configured to;

when the first image processing is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays (a) the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, and (b) an item corresponding to the third image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, and

when the second image processing is selected according to the user operation, to display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays (a) the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing, and (b) the item corresponding to the third image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing, and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing.

8. The digital camera as set forth in claim 7,

wherein:

when the image data is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first, second and third image data recorded to the recording medium, and then image processing to be performed on image data is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first, second and third image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, the control device is configured to;

when the first image data is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device the screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the first image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, and (ii) actively displays (a) the item corresponding to the second image processing, which has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data and (b) the item corresponding to the third image processing, which has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data,

when the second image data is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device the screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the second image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the second image data, and (ii) actively displays (a) the item corresponding to the first image processing, which has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the second image data and (b) the item corresponding to the third image processing, which has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the second image data, and

when the third image data is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device the screen that inactively displays (a) the item corresponding to the first image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the third image data, (b) the item corresponding to the second image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the third image data, and (c) the item corresponding to the third image processing, which has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform on the third image data, and

when the image processing is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first, second, and third image processing that can be performed by the image processing device, and then image data to which image processing is to be performed is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first, second, and third image data recorded to the recording medium, the control device is configured to;

when the first image processing is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device the screen that (i) inactively displays (a) the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing and (b) the item corresponding to the third image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perfoim the first image processing, and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing,

when the second image processing is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device the screen that (i) inactively displays (a) the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing and (b) the item corresponding to the third image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing, and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing, and

when the third image processing is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device the screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the third image data, on which it has been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the third image processing, and (ii) actively displays (a) the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the third image processing and (b) the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has not been determined by the determination device not to be appropriate to perform the third image processing.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a computer-executable program for a digital camera that captures an image of a photographic subject, creates image data, and records the image data to a recording medium, the program comprising:

instructions for performing image processing on the image data that has been recorded to the recording medium;

instructions for determining appropriateness of the image processing on the image data that has been recorded to the recording medium; and

instructions for controlling to;

when image data is selected, according to a user operation, from among first and second image data recorded to the recording medium, and then image processing to be performed on image data is selected, according to the user operation, from among first and second image processing,

when the first image data is selected according to a userthe user operation, display on a display device a screen that (i) inactively displays an item corresponding to the first image processing, which has been determined not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data and (ii) actively displays an item corresponding to the second image processing, which has not been determined not to be appropriate to perform on the first image data, and

when the second image data is selected corresponding to the user operation, display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the second image processing, which has been determined not to be appropriate to perfotm on the second image data and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the first image processing, which has not been determined not to be appropriate to perform on the second image data, and

when image processing is selected, according to the user operation, from among first and second image processing, and then image data to which image processing is to be performed is selected, according to the user operation, from among the first and second image data recorded to the recording medium,

when the first image processing is selected corresponding to the user operation, display on a display device a screen that (i) inactively displays an item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has been determined not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing and (ii) actively displays an item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has not been determined not to be appropriate to perform the first image processing, and

when the second image processing is selected according to the user operation, display on the display device a screen that (i) inactively displays the item corresponding to the second image data, on which it has been determined not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing and (ii) actively displays the item corresponding to the first image data, on which it has not been determined not to be appropriate to perform the second image processing.