Picture imaging apparatus and imaging control method

• US 8,872,929 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2008
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugino, Akinobu, Ozaki, Nozomu, Asukai, Masamichi, Ito, Taiji, Sekizawa, Hidehiko, Sano, Akane, Sakaguchi, Hirotaka, Kamatani, Yoshiteru, Sako, Yoichiro, Kawakami, Itaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, TUAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/214,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,324 Days
• Field of Search: 348/209.99, 3482081-2083, 348/211.11, 348/219.1, 348/232.99, 348/208.99, 348/231.99
• US Class Current: 348/208.99
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/00 Control of exposure by setting shutters, diaphragms or filters, separately or conjointly control of exposure in television cameras by means of circuitry influencing the optical part of the camera H04N23/75
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time

Abstract

A picture imaging apparatus includes: an imaging means for imaging a subject picture to acquire taken picture data; a storage processing means for performing a storage process of taken picture data acquired by the imaging means; a motion detecting means for detecting motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself; a manipulating means for manipulating a shutter; and a control means for instructing the imaging means to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation at a timing based on a result detected in the motion detecting means during a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means.

Claims

1. A picture imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging means for imaging a subject picture to acquire taken picture data;

a storage processing means for storing the taken picture data acquired by the imaging means;

a motion detecting means for detecting motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself;

a manipulating means for manipulating a shutter; and

a control means for;

estimating, during a period in which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means, when an amount of detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus detected by the motion detection means will become zero by comparing a current acceleration value detected by the motion detection means during the period in which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means to a stored value;

determining a timing at which to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation, the timing being determined based, at least in part, on the estimate of when the amount of detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus will become zero; and

instructing the imaging means to perform the process at the determined timing, wherein the instructing is performed during the period in which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means.

2. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein in addition to a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating means, for a predetermined period after the shutter manipulation, the control means instructs the imaging means to perform a second process in accordance with the shutter manipulation at a second timing based on a result detected in the motion detecting means.

3. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning means for outputting a warning,

wherein when the timing that instructs the process in accordance with the shutter manipulation is not obtained as the timing based on a result detected by the motion detecting means, the control means allows the warning means to output a warning.

4. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means determines whether the current acceleration value detected by the motion detection means is decreasing from a previous acceleration value detected by the motion detection means, and wherein the control means estimates the amount of detection motion of the picture imaging apparatus will become zero only when it is determined that the current acceleration value is decreasing from the previous acceleration value.

5. The picture imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stored value is greater than zero.

6. An imaging control method for operating a picture imaging apparatus that performs acquisition of an image as a subject picture in accordance with a shutter manipulation and storing acquired picture data, the imaging control method comprising:

detecting the shutter manipulation;

detecting motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself during a shutter manipulation period;

estimating, during the shutter manipulation period, when an amount of detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus detected by the motion detection means will become zero by comparing a current acceleration value detected by the motion detection means during the shutter manipulation period to a stored value;

determining a timing at which to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation, the timing being determined based, at least in part, on the estimate of when the amount of detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus will be zero; and

determining a timing at which to instruct a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation, the timing being determined based at least in part on detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus;

instructing the process in accordance with the shutter manipulation at the determined timing.

7. A picture imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit configured to image a subject picture to acquire taken picture data;

a storage processing unit configured to store the taken picture data acquired by the imaging unit;

a motion detecting unit configured to detect motion of the picture imaging apparatus itself;

a manipulating unit configured to manipulate a shutter; and

a control unit configured to;

estimate, during a period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating unit, when an amount of detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus detected by the motion detection means will become zero by comparing a current acceleration value detected by the motion detection means during the period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating unit to a stored value;

determine a timing at which to perform a process in accordance with a shutter manipulation, the timing being determined based, at least in part, on the estimate of when the amount of detected motion of the picture imaging apparatus become zero; and

instruct the imaging unit to perform the process at the determined timing, wherein the instructing is performed during the period during which the shutter is being manipulated by the manipulating unit.