Image capture apparatus and setting time information

• US 9,030,567 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ichihara, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, CHIA WEI A
• Application Number:
  US13/780,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231.5, 3482111-21114, 455 6711- 6716
• US Class Current: 348/211.9
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An image capture apparatus includes an internal time information generating unit that includes an internal time source, a receiving unit configured to receive external time information generated in an external time source, and an adjusting unit configured to adjust the external time information using a first delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a communication path between the internal time information generating unit and a time setting unit, wherein the time setting unit is configured to perform a process for setting the external time information adjusted by the adjusting unit to the internal time source.

Claims

1. An image capture apparatus comprising:

an internal time information generating unit that Includes an internal time source;

a receiving unit configured to receive external time information generated in an external time source; and

an adjusting unit configured to (a) adjust the external time information using a first delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a first communication path between the internal time information generating unit and a time setting unit,(b)adjust the external time information using second delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a second communication path between the external time source and the image capture apparatus, and (c) adjust the external time information using third delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a third communication path between the receiving unit and the time setting unit,

wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are internal communication paths existing in the image capture apparatus, and the third communication path is an external communication path which does not exist in the image capture apparatus, and

wherein the time setting unit is configured to perform a process for setting the external time information adjusted by the adjusting unit to the internal time source.

2. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal time source includes a real time clock.

3. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the image capture apparatus is configured to act as a digital camera.

4. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capture apparatus is configured to act as a cell phone with a camera.

5. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capture apparatus includes at least one of a digital camera, a digital video camera, a cell phone with a camera, a portable terminal with a camera, and a computer with a camera.

6. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to act as the image capture apparatus according to claim 1.

17. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third communication path includes a wired communication path.

18. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third communication path includes a wireless communication path.

19. The image capture apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the internal time source has a resolution of 1/100 second.

20. The image capture apparatus according to claim1, further comprising a generating unit that generates at least one of the first delay time information, the second delay time information, and the third delay time information.

7. A method comprising:

receiving external time information generated in an external time source;

adjusting the external time information using first delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a first communication path between an internal time information generating unit and a time setting unit, wherein the internal time information generating unit and the time setting unit are included in an image capture apparatus, and wherein an internal time source is included in the internal time information generating unit;

adjusting the external time information using second delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a second communication path between the external time source and the image capture apparatus;

adjusting the external time information using third delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a third communication path between the receiving unit and the time setting unit,

wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are internal communication paths existing in the image capture apparatus, and the third communication patch is an external communication path which does not exist in the image capture apparatus; and

performing a process for setting the adjusted external time information to the internal time source.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the internal time source includes a real time clock.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image capture apparatus is configured to act as a digital camera.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image capture apparatus is configured to act as a cell phone with a camera.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the image capture apparatus includes at least one of a digital camera, a digital video camera, a cell-phone with a camera, a portable terminal with a camera, and a computer with a camera.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the third communication path includes a wired communication path.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein the third communication path includes a wireless communication path.

14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the internal time source has a resolution of 1/100 second.

15. The method according to claim 7, further comprising generating at least one of the first delay time information, the second delay time information, and the third delay time information.

16. A non-transitory storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:

receiving external time information generated in an external time source;

adjusting the external time information using first delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a first communication path between an internal time information generating unit and a time setting unit, wherein the internal time information generating unit and the time setting unit are included in an image capture apparatus, and wherein an internal time source is included in the internal time information generating unit;

adjusting the external time information using second delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a second communication path between the external time source and the image capture apparatus;

adjusting the external time information using third delay time information corresponding to a delay time generated in a third communication path between the receiving unit and the time setting unit,

wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are internal communication paths existing in the image capture apparatus, and the third communication patch is an external communication path which does not exist in the image capture apparatus; and

performing a process for setting the adjusted external time information to the internal time source.