Imaging apparatus

• US 9,516,209 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yuko, Saito, Yoko, Kobayashi, Tomoko, Shintani, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Jr., Howard D
• Application Number:
  US14/170,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20140210985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit for capturing a subject and generating image data of the subject, an operation input unit for receiving inputs of operation signals containing a release signal for instructing the imaging unit to shoot, an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the imaging apparatus, a state detector for separately detecting a case in which the imaging apparatus is overland, a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and a photographer shoots while swimming, and a case in which the imaging apparatus is underwater and the photographer shoots while changing a water depth, and a control unit for performing operation control depending on an input into the operation input unit and/or into the acceleration detector according to a state detection result by the state detector.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus comprising:

a control unit having a first control mode for changing contents of operation control based on multiple switches and a second control mode for changing contents of operation control based on an operation signal which is set depending on the number of times of single operation;

a hold detector for detecting an external hold; and

an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the portable apparatus,

wherein when a detection result by the hold detector has a specified corresponding relationship with a detection result by the acceleration detector, the control unit changes contents of operation control based on the operation signal.

3. The portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit performs operation control which is defined depending on a remainder obtained by dividing the number of times of single operation by a total number of settable operations.

4. The portable apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an imaging unit for capturing a subject and generating image data of the subject.

5. The portable apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a power supply unit for supplying power to specified parts containing the imaging unit,

wherein the control unit includes a power supply controller for controlling power supplying by the power supply unit,

the power supply unit always supplies power to the multiple switches and the power supply controller, and

the power supply controller controls, based on the remainder, transition to any of a plurality of states including a state in which the power supply unit can supply power to the entire portable apparatus and a state in which the power supply unit cannot supply power.

6. The portable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit disables inputting into a switch other than a release switch for inputting a release signal among the multiple switches, and performs operation control which is defined depending on a remainder obtained by dividing the number of times of pressing the release switch halfway by a total number of settable operations.

7. The portable apparatus of claim 5, wherein the power supply controller controls the power supply unit to stop supplying power to parts other than always-on parts when the remainder is maximum.

8. The portable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an underwater detector for detecting whether the portable apparatus is underwater,

wherein when the underwater detector detects that the portable apparatus is underwater, the control unit switches to the second control mode.

2. A portable apparatus comprising:

a control unit having a first control mode for changing contents of operation control based on multiple switches and a second control mode for changing contents of operation control based on an operation signal which is set depending on the number of times of single operation;

a hold detector for detecting an external hold;

an acceleration detector for detecting an acceleration of the portable apparatus; and

a display unit for displaying information on operation based on the operation signal in the second control mode,

wherein when a detection result by the hold detector has a specified corresponding relationship with a detection result by the acceleration detector, the control unit changes contents of operation control based on the operation signal.

9. A method comprising:

switching between a first control mode for changing contents of operation control based on multiple switches and a second control mode for changing contents of operation control based on an operation signal which is set depending on the number of times of single operation;

detecting an external hold;

detecting an acceleration of a portable apparatus;

displaying, on a display unit, information on operation based on the operation signal in the second control mode; and

changing contents of operation control based on the operation signal when a result of detecting the external hold has a specified corresponding relationship with a result of detecting the acceleration of the portable apparatus.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform:

switching between a first control mode for changing contents of operation control based on multiple switches and a second control mode for changing contents of operation control based on an operation signal which is set depending on the number of times of single operation;

detecting an external hold;

detecting an acceleration of a portable apparatus;

displaying, on a display unit, information on operation based on the operation signal in the second control mode; and

changing contents of operation control based on the operation signal when a result of detecting the external hold has a specified corresponding relationship with a result of detecting the acceleration of the portable apparatus.

11. A method comprising:

switching between a first control mode for changing contents of operation control based on multiple switches and a second control mode for changing contents of operation control based on an operation signal which is set depending on the number of times of single operation;

detecting an external hold;

detecting an acceleration of a portable apparatus; and

changing contents of operation control based on the operation signal when a result of detecting the external hold has a specified corresponding relationship with a result of detecting the acceleration of the portable apparatus.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform:

switching between a first control mode for changing contents of operation control based on multiple switches and a second control mode for changing contents of operation control based on an operation signal which is set depending on the number of times of signal operation;

detecting an external hold;

detecting an acceleration of a portable apparatus; and

changing contents of operation control based on the operation signal when a result of detecting the external hold has a specified corresponding relationship with a result of detecting the acceleration of the portable apparatus.