IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS

• US 20080204566A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Daisuke, Yamazaki, Tatsuya, Kawahara, Hideo, Ishikawa, Yoshikazu, Shibata, Masahiro, Yasuda, Hitoshi, Ishii, Kazunori
• Granted Patent: US 8,022,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.99
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus is disclosed which provides an appropriate inclination guide display in accordance with an aspect ratio of a picked-up image and the like. The image pickup apparatus includes an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus, a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image, and an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image. The apparatus includes a display controller which controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image;

an aspect ratio setter which sets the aspect ratio of a picked-up image; and

a display controller which controls whether or not to provide the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter is lower than a predetermined ratio, the display controller controls such that the inclination guide display is not provided.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, if the aspect ratio set by the aspect ratio setter is higher than a predetermined ratio, the display controller controls such that the inclination guide display is provided.

4. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

an aspect switcher which switches the aspect ratio of a picked-up image; and

a display controller which, if inclination information detected by the inclination detector indicates a predetermined value or larger, superimposedly shows an inclination guide display on a picked-up image displayed on a display device,

wherein the display controller changes the predetermined value in accordance with the aspect ratio.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4, the predetermined value is set so as to be decreased with increasing the horizontal ratio of the aspect ratio.

6. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

an aspect switcher which switches the aspect ratio of a picked-up image; and

a display controller which, if inclination information detected by the inclination detector indicates a predetermined value or larger, superimposedly shows an inclination guide display on a picked-up image displayed on a display device,

wherein the display controller changes, when it shows the inclination guide display, the display angle of the inclination guide display relative to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, in accordance with the aspect ratio.

7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display angle is set so as to be increased with increasing the horizontal ratio of the aspect ratio.

8. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

an aspect switcher which switches the aspect ratio of a picked-up image; and

a display controller which, if inclination information detected by the inclination detector indicates a predetermined value or larger, superimposedly shows an inclination guide display on a picked-up image displayed on a display device,

wherein sensitivity of the inclination detector is changed in accordance with the aspect ratio.

9. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the sensitivity of the inclination detector is set to be increased with increasing the horizontal ratio of the aspect ratio.

10. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

an aspect switcher which switches the aspect ratio of a picked-up image; and

a display controller which, if inclination information detected by the inclination detector indicates a predetermined value or larger, superimposedly shows an inclination guide display on a picked-up image displayed on a display device,

wherein the display controller changes the predetermined value in accordance with the aspect ratio, and the display controller changes, when it shows the inclination guide display, the display angle of the inclination guide display relative to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, in accordance with the aspect ratio.

11. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined value is set so as to be decreased with increasing the horizontal ratio of the aspect ratio, and the display angle is set so as to be increased with increasing the horizontal ratio of the aspect ratio.

12. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus; and

a display controller which controls whether or not to cause the display device to superimposedly show the inclination guide display on the picked-up image, on the basis of the detection output from the shake detector.

13. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the detection output from the shake detector is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls such that the inclination guide display is not provided.

14. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 12, when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the detection output from the shake detector is not equal to or larger than the predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls such that the inclination guide display is provided.

15. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image; and

a display controller which controls whether or not to cause the display device to superimposedly show the inclination guide display on the picked-up image, on the basis of a shake variation signal obtained by a band limitation of a detection output from the inclination detector.

16. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the shake variation signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls such that the inclination guide display is not provided.

17. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, when a state in which a frequency or an amplitude of the shake variation signal is not equal to or larger than a predetermined value is continuous for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the display controller controls such that the inclination guide display is provide.

18. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus; and

an exaggeration level changer which changes a level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display in accordance with the shake detected by the shake detector.

19. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the exaggeration level changer increases the level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display when the shake detected by the shake detector is insignificant.

20. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device;

a shake detector which detects a shake of the image pickup apparatus; and

a detection sensitivity changer which changes detection sensitivity of the inclination detector in accordance with the shake detected by the shake detector.

21. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the detection sensitivity changer increases the detection sensitivity of the inclination detector when the shake detected by the shake detector is insignificant.

22. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display device capable of superimposedly showing an inclination guide display corresponding to a detection output from the inclination detector, on a picked-up image;

a stitch image-pickup mode switcher capable of switches at least between a normal image-pickup mode and a stitch image pickup mode in which image-pickup is performed a plural number of times and then a plural picked-up images are connected together; and

a display controller which controls such that the inclination guide display is provided in the stitch image-pickup mode.

23. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup mode setter which sets one of a moving image pickup mode and a still image pickup mode;

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus; and

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device,

wherein the display processor changes a display state of the inclination guide display in accordance with the image pickup mode set by the image-pickup mode setter.

24. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the display processor changes a level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display in accordance with the image-pickup mode set by the image pickup mode setter.

25. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 24, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets the moving image pickup mode, the display processor sets a level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display lower than when the image-pickup mode setter sets the still image-pickup mode.

26. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup mode setter which sets a moving image pickup mode and a still image pickup mode;

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device; and

a changer which changes detection sensitivity of the inclination detector depending on whether the moving image pickup mode or the still image pickup mode is set.

27. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 26, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets the moving image pickup mode, the changer sets the detection sensitivity of the inclination detector lower than when the image pickup mode setter sets the still image pickup mode.

28. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup mode setter capable of setting at least a moving image pickup mode and a still image pickup mode;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display device which displays a picked-up image; and

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device,

wherein the display processor controls whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device in accordance with the image pickup mode set by the image pickup mode setter.

29. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 28, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets the moving image pickup mode, the display processor controls such that the inclination guide display is not shown on the display device.

30. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 28, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets the still image pickup mode, the display processor controls such that the inclination guide display is shown on the display device.

31. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup mode setter which sets an image pickup mode;

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device; and

a display controller which switches whether or not to show the inclination guide display in accordance with the inclination detected by the inclination detector and changes an inclination at which the inclination guide display is shown or not shown, in accordance with the image pickup mode set by the image pickup mode setter.

32. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 31, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets an image pickup mode for picking up an scenery image, the display controller sets the inclination at which the inclination guide display is shown or not shown smaller than when the image pickup mode setter sets another image pickup mode.

33. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 31, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets an image pickup mode for picking up a nighttime image, the display controller sets the inclination at which the inclination guide display is shown or not shown smaller than when the image pickup mode setter sets another image pickup mode.

34. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup mode setter which sets an image pickup mode;

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display exaggerating the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device; and

a display controller which changes a level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display in accordance with the image pickup mode set by the image pickup mode setter.

35. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 34, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets an image pickup mode for picking up a scenery image, the display controller increases the level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display.

36. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 34, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets an image pickup mode for picking up a nighttime image, the display controller increases the level of exaggeration of the inclination guide display.

37. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup mode setter which sets an image pickup mode;

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

a display processor which shows an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector, on the display device; and

a detection sensitivity changer which changes detection sensitivity of the inclination detector in accordance with the image pickup mode set by the image pickup mode setter.

38. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 37, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets an image pickup mode for picking up a scenery image, the detection sensitivity changer increases the detection sensitivity of the inclination detector.

39. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 37, wherein, when the image pickup mode setter sets an image pickup mode for picking up a nighttime image, the detection sensitivity changer increases the detection sensitivity of the inclination detector.

40. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

an inclination guide display generator which generates an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination of the image pickup apparatus detected by the inclination detector; and

a switcher which switches whether or not to show the inclination guide display on the display device on the basis of the inclination of the image pickup apparatus detected by the inclination detector,

wherein an inclination at which the inclination guide display is shown or not shown is changed depending on a zoom position of the image pickup apparatus.

41. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the inclination at which the inclination guide display is shown or not shown is decreased as the zoom position of the image pickup apparatus is closer to a wide-angle end.

42. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus; and

an inclination guide display generator which generates an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination of the image pickup apparatus detected by the inclination detector,

wherein the inclination guide display generator generates the inclination guide display exaggerating the inclination of the image pickup apparatus detected by the inclination detector, in accordance with a zoom position of the image pickup apparatus.

43. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the inclination guide display generator generates an inclination guide display such that a level of exaggeration of the inclination of the image pickup apparatus detected by the inclination detector is increased as the zoom position detected by a zoom position detector is closer to a wide-angle end.

44. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus;

an inclination guide display generator which generates an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination of the image pickup apparatus detected by the inclination detector; and

a detection sensitivity changer which changes detection sensitivity of the inclination detector in accordance with a zoom position of the image pickup apparatus.

45. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the detection sensitivity changer changes the detection sensitivity such that the detection sensitivity is increased as the zoom position detected by a zoom position detector is closer to a wide-angle end.

46. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a display device which displays a picked-up image;

an inclination detector which detects an inclination of the image pickup apparatus; and

a display controller which, when the inclination detected by the inclination detector is equal to or larger than a first angle, controls such that an inclination guide display corresponding to the inclination detected by the inclination detector is shown on the display device, and when the inclination detected by the inclination detector is smaller than a second angle that is smaller than the first angle, controls such that the inclination guide display is not shown on the display device.