Imaging apparatus and imaging method

• US 10,091,413 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Chisato, Date, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/255,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20140226031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• 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 19/164 Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0025 Adapting an image communication to a non-image communication or vice versa, e.g. data rate-conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0027 Adapting to communicate with plural different types of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0049 By wire, cable or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices
• 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 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

This invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method for supplying an optimum amount of image data to another apparatus. When a PDA 91 has a maximum transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps, a mobile phone 1 determines that a maximum speed of communication with the PDA 91 is low, reduces accordingly the amount of moving image data captured by a CCD of the mobile phone, and supplies the captured moving image data to the PDA 91. The PDA 91 displays a low-quality moving image 93 on its display unit. When the PDA 91 has a maximum transfer rate of 480 Mbps, the CPU of the mobile phone leaves unchanged the amount of moving picture data captured by the CCD and supplies the captured moving image data to the PDA 91. The PDA 91 then displays a high-quality moving image 94 on the display unit. This invention applies advantageously to digital cameras.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture image data of an object;

a plurality of communication devices configured to transmit the captured image data to an external communication apparatus via a corresponding network; and

circuitry configured to control compressing an amount of the captured image data based on (i) which communication device of the communication devices is selected from any one of the communication devices to transmit the captured image data and (ii) information related to communication capability determined based on a communication status,

in which the communication status is determined by monitoring communication of the corresponding network through which the selected communication device transmits the compressed amount of image data to the external communication apparatus.

2. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is configured to control compressing the amount of the image data captured by said imaging device based on a communication speed at which the captured image data are transmitted by the selected communication device.

3. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said selected communication device further transmits data other than the captured image data;

and

said circuitry is configured to control reducing the amount of the image data captured by said imaging device when said selected communication device transmits the other data.

4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said circuitry is configured to control adjusting a number of pixels of image data outputted from said imaging device.

5. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said circuitry is configured to control setting a communication speed of the image data based on the external communication apparatus which is connected to the imaging apparatus via the network.

6. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said circuitry is configured to control setting a communication speed of the imaging data based on a network speed of said corresponding network which is connected to the imaging apparatus.

7. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said communication devices are configured to connect with the external communication apparatus via the corresponding network.

8. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said corresponding network includes at least one of a wireless network or a wired network.

9. An imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said wired network is at least one of USB, IEEE 1394, SCSI, Ethernet(R)-based IEEE 802.3 or some other suitable standard.

10. An imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said wireless network is at least one of a telephone network, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, or infrared-based IrDa.

11. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information related to communication capability includes maximum transfer rate of the corresponding network.

12. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information related to communication capability includes compatibility of communication standard.

13. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said imaging apparatus is a mobile phone.

14. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external communication apparatus is a mobile phone.

15. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to control compressing the captured image data based on transfer rate of the corresponding network.

16. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus is configured to capture a still image and a moving image.

17. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to control setting each quality mode to a still image mode and a moving image mode.

18. An imaging apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the communication devices are to receive a quality mode instruction from the external communication apparatus, and the circuitry is configured to control setting the quality mode based on the quality mode instruction.

19. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication devices are to transfer the compressed amount of image data and other data.

20. An imaging apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the other data is movie data.

21. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circuitry is configured to control compressing an amount of the image data captured according to load on a central processing unit.

22. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the communication includes measuring time for a response to be returned to the imaging apparatus from the external communication apparatus.

23. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compressed amount of image varies depending on the external communication apparatus coupled to the corresponding network.

24. An imaging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the external communication apparatus comprises a mobile phone and the adjusted amount of image data is set based on the corresponding network coupled to the mobile phone.

25. An imaging apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the corresponding network comprises a wired network and the amount of adjusted image data is higher than the amount of image data if the corresponding network is a wireless network.

26. An imaging apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the corresponding network comprises a wireless network and the amount of compressed image data is lower than the amount of image data if the corresponding network is a wired network.

27. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture image data of an object;

a communication device configured to transmit the captured image data to an external communication apparatus via a plurality of corresponding communication networks; and

circuitry configured to control compressing an amount of the captured image data based on (i) which corresponding communication network of the corresponding communication networks is selected to transmit the image data, and (ii) information related to communication capability determined based on a communication status,

in which the communication status is determined by monitoring communication for the selected corresponding communication network through which the communication device transmits the compressed amount of image data to the external communication apparatus.

28. An imaging method comprising:

capturing image data of an object;

transmitting the captured image data to an external communication apparatus via a corresponding network from a selected communication device; and

compressing an amount of the captured image data based on (i) which communication device of a plurality of communication devices is selected as the selected communication device and (ii) information related to communication capability determined based on a communication status,

in which the communication status is determined by monitoring communication of the corresponding network through which the selected communication device transmits the compressed amount of image data to the external communication apparatus.

29. An imaging method comprising:

capturing image data of an object;

transmitting the captured image data from a communication device to an external communication apparatus via a selected corresponding communication network; and

compressing an amount of the captured image data based on (i) which corresponding communication network of a plurality of corresponding communication networks is selected as the selected corresponding communication network and (ii) information related to communication capability determined based on a communication status,

in which the communication status is determined by monitoring communication of the selected corresponding communication network through which the communication device transmits the compressed amount of image data to the external communication apparatus.

30. A non-transitory record medium recorded with a program executed by a computer, the program comprising:

capturing image data of an object;

transmitting the captured image data to a communication apparatus via a corresponding network from a selected communication device; and

compressing an amount of the captured image data based on (i) which communication device of a plurality of the communication devices is selected as the selected communication device and (ii) information related to communication capability determined based on a communication status,

in which the communication status is determined by monitoring communication of the corresponding network through which the selected communication device transmits the compressed amount of image data to the communication apparatus.

31. A non-transitory record medium recorded with a program executed by a computer, the program comprising:

capturing image data of an object;

transmitting the captured image data from a communication device to an external communication apparatus via a selected corresponding communication network; and

compressing an amount of the captured image data based on (i) which corresponding communication network of a plurality of corresponding communication networks is selected as the selected corresponding communication network and (ii) information related to communication capability determined based on a communication status,

in which the communication status is determined by monitoring communication of the selected corresponding communication network through which the communication device transmits the compressed amount of image data to the external communication apparatus.