Communication system, communication terminal, and method of controlling a communication system

• US 9,049,317 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishii, Hirofumi, Fujimaru, Masamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/195,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 348/159
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00159 for sharing images without access restriction, e.g. publishing images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00172 directly from a still digital camera or from a storage medium mounted in a still digital camera H04N1/0018 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00251 with an apparatus for taking photographic images, e.g. a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00323 with a measuring, monitoring or signaling apparatus, e.g. for transmitting measured information to a central location
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A camera system includes a plurality of first cameras and a second camera. Each of the plurality of first cameras has a first receiving section that receives a control signal, a first image pickup section that photographs a first image based on the control signal, and a first transmitting section that transmits the first image and terminal information based on the control signal. The second camera has a second image pickup section that photographs a second image, a second transmitting section that transmits the control signal, a second receiving section that receives the first image and the terminal information, a camera selecting section that selects the first camera that satisfies a predetermined condition as control target camera based on the terminal information, and a storing section that stores the second image.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a first communication terminal including a first image pickup section that photographs a first image, a first receiving section that receives a control signal, and a first transmitting section that transmits based on the control signal an information signal including the first image; and

a second communication terminal including a second transmitting section that transmits the control signal, a second receiving section that receives the first image and terminal information transmitted by the first communication terminal, a terminal selecting section that determines the first communication terminal as a control target terminal when the information signal received by the second receiving section satisfies a predetermined condition, a display section that displays an image, and a control section that performs control to cause the display section to display the first image transmitted by the first communication terminal and determined as the control target terminal.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the second communication terminal includes a second image pickup section that photographs a second image, and

the terminal selecting section determines the first communication terminal as a control target terminal when a same subject is to be photographed.

3. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein:

the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal each include a direction sensor, and the first transmitting section transmits the information signal including a direction in which the first image pickup section photographs; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on information of the direction sensors of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal.

4. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein:

the first and second communication terminals each include a positional information detecting sensor that detects positional information, and the first transmitting section transmits the information signal including the positional information of the first communication terminal; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on the positional information of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal.

5. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein:

the first communication terminal includes a posture detection sensor that detects posture information and transmits the information signal including the posture information; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on the posture information of the first communication terminal.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first communication terminal has a function of the second communication terminal, and the second communication terminal has a function of the first communication terminal; and

the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal each include a mode switching section that switches between a share mode that permits control based on the control signal from the first communication terminal and a private mode that does not permit control based on the control signal from another image pickup apparatus.

7. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein:

the first communication terminal performs control based on the control signal from the second communication terminal only when the second communication terminal is operating in the share mode.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first communication terminal includes a first detecting section that detects self-action information on an action performed at the first communication terminal, and transmits the information signal including the self-action information, and

the terminal selecting section determines based on the self-action information of the first communication terminal.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein:

the second communication terminal includes a second detecting section that detects the self-action information on an action performed at the second communication terminal, and

the terminal selecting section determines, as a control target terminal, the first communication terminal that transmitted the self-action information which is the same as the self-action information detected by the second detecting section.

10. The communication system according to claim 9, wherein:

the first detecting section and the second detecting section each include an acceleration sensor that detects vibration, and

the self-action information is vibration information.

11. A communication terminal comprising:

a terminal selecting section that determines a first communication terminal including a first receiving section that receives a control signal, a first image pickup section that photographs a first image, and a first transmitting section that transmits based on the control signal an information signal including the first image, as a control target terminal based on the information signal;

a display section that displays an image;

a second transmitting section that transmits the control signal;

a second receiving section that receives the information signal; and

a control section that performs control to cause the display section to display the first image transmitted by the first communication terminal and determined as the control target terminal.

12. The communication terminal according to claim 11, further comprising a second image pickup section that photographs a second image, wherein

the terminal selecting section determines the first communication terminal as a control target terminal when a same subject is to be photographed.

13. The communication terminal according to claim 12, wherein:

the first communication terminal and the communication terminal each include a direction sensor;

the first transmitting section transmits the information signal including a direction in which the first image pickup section photographs; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on information of the direction sensors of the first communication terminal and the communication terminal.

14. The communication terminal according to claim 13, wherein:

the first communication terminal and the communication terminal each include a positional information detecting sensor that detects positional information;

the first transmitting section transmits the information signal including the positional information; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on the positional information of the first communication terminal and the communication terminal.

15. The communication terminal according to claim 14, wherein:

the first communication terminal includes a posture detection sensor that detects posture information;

the first transmitting section transmits the posture information as terminal information; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on the posture information of the first communication terminal.

16. The communication terminal according to claim 11, wherein:

the first communication terminal includes a first detecting section that detects self-action information on an action performed at the first communication terminal;

the first transmitting section transmits the information signal including the self-action information; and

the terminal selecting section determines based on the self-action information of the first communication terminal.

17. The communication terminal according to claim 16, wherein:

the communication terminal includes a second detecting section that detects the self-action information on an action performed at the communication terminal; and

the terminal selecting section determines, as a control target terminal, the first communication terminal that transmitted self-action information which is the same as the self-action information detected by the second detecting section.

18. The communication terminal according to claim 17, wherein:

the first detecting section and the second detecting section each include an acceleration sensor that detects vibration; and

the self-action information is vibration information.

19. A method of controlling a communication system, the method comprising:

a control signal transmitting step in which a second communication terminal transmits a control signal to a first communication terminal including a first receiving section that receives the control signal, a first image pickup section that photographs a first image, and a first transmitting section that transmits based on the control signal an information signal including the first image;

an information signal transmitting step in which the first communication terminal that received the control signal transmits the information signal;

an information signal receiving step in which the second communication terminal receives the information signal from the first communication terminal; and

a determining step in which the second communication terminal determines, based on the information signal, whether the first communication terminal is a control target terminal.

20. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 19, the method further comprising a step of causing a display section to display the first image transmitted by the first communication terminal, when the second communication terminal has determined the first communication terminal as the control target terminal in the determining step.

21. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 20, the method further comprising a second image photographing step in which the second communication terminal photographs a second image before the determining step, wherein

in the determining step, the second communication terminal determines the first communication terminal as a control target terminal when a same subject is to be photographed.

22. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 21, wherein:

the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal each include a direction sensor;

in the information signal receiving step, the first transmitting section transmits the information signal including a direction in which the first image pickup section photographs; and

in the determining step, the second communication terminal determines based on information of the direction sensors of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal.

23. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 22, wherein:

the first and second communication terminals each include a positional information detecting sensor that detects positional information;

in the information signal receiving step, the first communication terminal transmits the information signal including the positional information; and

in the determining step, the second communication terminal determines based on the positional information of the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal.

24. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 23, wherein:

the first communication terminal includes a posture detection sensor that detects posture information;

in the information signal transmitting step, the first communication terminal transmits the terminal information including the posture information; and

in the determining step, the second communication terminal determines based on the posture information of the first communication terminal.

25. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 19, the method further comprising:

a step in which the first communication terminal detects a first self-action information on an action performed at the first communication terminal, before the information signal transmitting step; and

a step in which the second communication terminal detects a second self-action information on an action performed at the second communication terminal, before the determining step, wherein

the information signal includes the first self-action information, and

in the determining step, the first communication terminal is determined as a control target terminal when the first self-action information and the second self-action information are the same.

26. The method of controlling a communication system according to claim 25, wherein:

the first communication terminal and the second communication terminal each include an acceleration sensor that detects vibration; and

the self-action information is vibration information.