Electronic camera

• US 8,810,679 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Yamagata, Naoki, Uwai, Hiroki, Matsuda, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRABHAKHER, PRITHAM DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/722,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 3482221-261, 348/207.11
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• 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

Abstract

An electronic camera comprises an image processing unit that performs image quality adjustment using a plurality of adjustment parameters, an information acquisition unit that acquires from an external device first image quality adjustment information including a parameter group for use with the image quality adjustment and an image quality adjustment algorithm that applies the parameter group, and a control unit that controls the image processing unit so that it performs image quality adjustment while applying the parameter group included in the first image quality adjustment information that has been acquired to the image quality adjustment algorithm included in the first image quality adjustment information that has been acquired.

Claims

1. An electronic camera, comprising:

a storage unit that stores a plurality of first image quality adjustment algorithms, each of which is constructed of a combination of a plurality of adjustment parameters;

an information acquisition unit that acquires, from an external device, a second image quality adjustment algorithm constructed of a plurality of adjustment parameters, which is different from any of the first image quality adjustment algorithms, and stores the second image quality adjustment algorithm into the storage unit;

an algorithm selection unit that selects one image quality adjustment algorithm among the plurality of first image quality adjustment algorithms and the second image quality adjustment algorithm;

an image processing unit that performs image quality adjustment using the image quality adjustment algorithm selected by the algorithm selection unit; and

a parameter changing mode setting unit that is capable to set one of a first parameter changing mode in which values of the plurality of adjustment parameters constructing the image quality adjustment algorithm are changed to a predetermined combination at a time and a second parameter changing mode in which each of the adjustment parameters is changed individually,

wherein when the algorithm selection unit selects one of the first image quality adjustment algorithms, the parameter changing mode setting unit can set both of the first parameter changing mode and the second parameter changing mode, and when the algorithm selection unit selects the second image quality adjustment algorithm, the parameter changing mode setting unit can only set the second parameter changing mode.

2. The electronic camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device; and

a display control unit that controls to display upon the display device at least one of an icon information that corresponds to the second image quality adjustment algorithm which was acquired by the information acquisition unit and a title thereof.

3. The electronic camera according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit controls to display upon the display device information that specifies a characteristic of an image quality adjustment corresponding to the second image quality adjustment algorithm.