Imaging apparatus having an electronic zoom function

• US 9,509,901 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Matsuzawa, Yoshinori, Nonaka, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, CHIA WEI A
• Application Number:
  US14/886,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 34833301-33313, 3482401-24099, 396/76, 396 85- 88
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• 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 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a display unit, an interested-position obtaining unit, a zoom operation obtaining unit and an image-processing unit. The imaging unit is configured to image an image of an object through a lens. The display unit is configured to display the image imaged by the imaging unit. The interested-position obtaining unit is configured to obtain specification of an interested position in the image displayed on the display unit. The zoom operation obtaining unit is provided for the lens and is configured to obtain a zoom operation. The image-processing unit is configured to perform, on the image, an electronic zoom processing of enlarging the interested position, in accordance with the zoom operation.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to capture an image of an object;

a display unit configured to display the image of the object, the object being subjected to zooming;

a zoom operation obtaining unit configured to obtain a user input amount of a zoom operation; and

an input unit configured to receive, via additional user input, a zoom change speed which is a relationship between the user input amount of the zoom operation and an amount of the zooming, the relationship being displayed in the display unit,

wherein when the zoom operation obtaining unit obtains the zoom operation, an angle of view of capture is changed immediately to an area of the object by using electronic zoom on a condition that one-shot zoom-in is assigned to the zoom operation obtaining unit and the area of the object is set.

2. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a zoom lens, the imaging unit capturing the image of the object through the zoom lens; and

a controller configured to control an operation of an optical zoom by using the zoom lens in response to the amount of the zoom operation in accordance with the zoom change speed.

3. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller configured to control an operation of an electronic zoom in response to the amount of the zoom operation in accordance with the zoom change speed.

4. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the zoom operation obtaining unit includes a wide zoom operation member to obtain an amount of a zoom out operation and a tele zoom operation member to obtain an amount of a zoom in operation.

5. The imaging apparatus of claim 4, wherein

the wide zoom operation member includes a plurality of wide-zooming switches;

the tele zoom operation member includes a plurality of tele-zooming switches;

the zoom change speed has a plurality of speed values;

each of the wide-zooming switches is assigned one of the speed values; and

each of the tele-zooming switches is assigned one of the speed values.

6. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the zoom operation obtaining unit includes a switch which is assigned the one-shot zoom-in function.

7. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the zoom operation obtaining unit is provided with a lens, the imaging unit capturing the image of the object through the lens.

8. The imaging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input unit includes a touch panel which is provided on the display unit.

9. A method of imaging comprising:

capturing an image of an object;

displaying the image of the object in a display unit, the object being subjected to zooming;

obtaining a user input amount of a zoom operation; and

obtaining, via additional user input, a zoom change speed which is a relationship between the amount of the user input zoom operation and an amount of the zooming, the relationship being displayed in the display unit,

wherein when obtaining the user input amount of zoom operation, an angle of view of capture is changed immediately to an area of the object by using electronic zoom on a condition that one-shot zoom-in is assigned to the zoom operation and an area of the object is set.