Image capturing system, image capturing apparatus, and manual operating apparatus

• US 20020180878A1
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Iida, Kentaro, Himeda, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,057,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• 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 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A portable phone which is a manual operating apparatus of an image capturing system has an image processing section 340, an operation control section 341 and a communication section 342. The image processing section 340 acquires information regarding view position of a camera from image data 110 received by the communication section 342 and generates view position data 102. Also, it receives from the operation control section 341 information regarding an inputted optical operation command and generates garget position data 111. Furthermore, it performs a necessary process on the image data 110 to display the same on an image display section 32, as well as displays a view position of the camera and a target position of visual field after driving of the camera based on the view position data 102 and the target position data 111.

Claims

1. An image capturing system comprising:

a manual operating apparatus inputting at least one command;

an image capturing apparatus acquiring image data of an object, receiving said command inputted by said manual operating apparatus via communication with said manual operating apparatus, and changing a view position of said image capturing apparatus based on an optical operation command which is included in said command;

a display receiving said image data acquired by said image capturing apparatus and displaying said image data; and

a controller controlling said display to show a relative positional relationship between said view position of said image capturing apparatus and a target position after changing of said view position based on said optical operation command.

2. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein

said manual operating apparatus is provided on said display.

3. The image capturing system according to claim 2, wherein

said command is inputted by touching said manual operating apparatus on said display.

4. A manual operating apparatus capable of operating an image capturing apparatus having a driving device, said manual operating apparatus comprising:

a communication device communicating with said image capturing apparatus;

an input device inputting a command for controlling said image capturing apparatus, said command including an optical operation command for instructing said driving device of said image capturing apparatus to change a view position;

a display device displaying image data received from said image capturing apparatus; and

a control device controlling said display device to show a relative positional relationship between said view position of said image capturing apparatus and a target position after changing of said view position based on said optical operation command.

5. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said control device controls said display device to show said view position and said target position on scroll bars displayed on said display device.

6. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 4,

said control device controls said display device to show said view position and said target position on meters displayed on said display device.

7. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

an input of said optical operation command by means of said input device is performed by touching on a screen of said display device.

8. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said manual operating apparatus receives view position information regarding said view position generated by said image capturing apparatus via communication, and

said control device controls said display device to show a relative positional relationship between said view position and said target position after changing said view position based on said view position information and said optical operation command inputted by means of said input device.

9. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said control device controls said display device to update display of said relative positional relationship on the basis of said view position information received during changing of view position of said image capturing apparatus based on said optical operation command.

10. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

said control device sets a display area of said display device based on a range capable of taking an image in said image capturing apparatus and controls said display device to show, in said display area, both image capture ranges of said image capturing apparatus at said target position and said view position.

11. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said control device controls said display device, until a new image after changing of said view position is transmitted from said image capturing apparatus, to show an image before changing of said view position in a display position corresponding to said new image.

12. The manual operating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said manual operating apparatus is a portable terminal.

13. The manual operation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said manual operating apparatus is a portable phone.

14. An image capturing apparatus which is operable from a manual operating apparatus, said image capturing apparatus comprising:

a capture device acquiring image data of an object;

a generating device generating view position information regarding a view position of said capture device;

a communication device receiving a control command from said manual operating apparatus and transmitting data including said image data and said view position information to said manual operating apparatus;

a driving device changing said view position of said capture device based on an optical operation command when said control command received from said manual operating apparatus by means of said communication device includes said optical operation command.