Apparatus, communication system, method, and storage medium for controlling exposure of imaging apparatus

1 . An apparatus configured to control an imaging apparatus, the control apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

change an imaging range of the imaging apparatus;

control a plurality of brightness parameters including a first brightness parameter and a second brightness parameter to determine brightness of images captured by the imaging apparatus;

store instruction information including

(a) an instruction to make a transition of the imaging range from a first range to a second range, and

(b) a first target value of the first brightness parameter and a second target value of the second brightness parameter at time of imaging performed by the imaging apparatus in a case where the imaging range is the second range; and

in a case where there is a difference between a value of the first brightness parameter at the time of imaging in the first range and the first target value and in a case where there is a difference between a value of the second brightness parameter at the time of imaging in the first range and the second target value, monotonically approximate the value of the first brightness parameter to the first target value and the value of the second brightness parameter to the second target value in a whole of or a partial period of time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range,

wherein a start timing of a change of the value of the first brightness parameter is the same as a start timing of a change of the value of the second brightness parameter, and

wherein an end timing of the change of the value of the first brightness parameter is the same as an end timing of the change of the value of the second brightness parameter.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first brightness parameter includes an f-stop number,

wherein the instruction information further includes a third target value of the f-stop number at the time of imaging performed by the imaging apparatus in the case where the imaging range is the second range, and

wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to, in a case where there is a difference between a value of the f-stop number at the time of imaging in the first range and the third target value, approximate the value of the f-stop number to the third target value so that a depth of field changes at a constant increase rate or a constant decrease rate in the whole of or the partial period of the time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to:

accept input of a user with respect to the instruction information; and

store the accepted instruction information.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to approximate the value of the first brightness parameter to the first target value and the value of the second brightness parameter to the second target value in athe partial period of the time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to set a ratio of the partial period to the time, and approximate the first and second brightness parameters based on the set ratio.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to accept input of a user with respect to the partial period.

7 . A method comprising:

changing an imaging range of an imaging apparatus;

controlling a plurality of brightness parameters including a first brightness parameter and a second brightness parameter to determine brightness of images captured by the imaging apparatus;

acquiring instruction information including

(a) an instruction to make a transition of the imaging range from a first range to a second range, and

(b) a first target value of the first brightness parameter and a second target value of the second brightness parameter at time of imaging performed by the imaging apparatus in a case where the imaging range is the second range; and

in a case where there is a difference between a value of the first brightness parameter at the time of imaging in the first range and the first target value and in a case where there is a difference between a value of the second brightness parameter at the time of imaging in the first range and the second target value, monotonically approximate the value of the first brightness parameter to the first target value and the value of the second brightness parameter to the second target value in a whole of or a partial period of time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range,

wherein a start timing of a change of the value of the first brightness parameter is the same as a start timing of a change of the value of the second brightness parameter, and

wherein an end timing of the change of the value of the first brightness parameter is the same as an end timing of the change of the value of the second brightness parameter.

8 . The method according to claim 7 ,

wherein the first brightness parameter includes an f-stop number,

wherein the instruction information further includes a third target value of the f-stop number at the time of imaging performed by the imaging apparatus in the case where the imaging range is the second range, and

wherein the method further comprises:

approximating, in a case where there is a difference between a value of an f-stop number included in the first brightness parameter, at the time of imaging in the first range and the third target value, the value of the f-stop number to the third target value so that a depth of field changes at a constant increase rate or a constant decrease rate in the whole of or the partial period of the time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

approximating the value of the first brightness parameter to the first target value and the value of the second brightness parameter to the second target value in athe partial period of the time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range.

10 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

accepting input of a user with respect to the instruction information; and

storing the accepted instruction information.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method, the method comprising:

changing an imaging range of an imaging apparatus;

controlling a plurality of brightness parameters including a first brightness parameter and a second brightness parameter to determine brightness of images captured by the imaging apparatus;

acquiring instruction information including:

(a) an instruction to make a transition of the imaging range from a first range to a second range; and

(b) a first target value of the first brightness parameter and a second target value of the second brightness parameter at time of imaging performed by the imaging apparatus in a case where the imaging range is the second range; and

in a case where there is a difference between a value of the first brightness parameter at the time of imaging in the first range and the first target value and in a case where there is a difference between a value of the second brightness parameter at the time of imaging in the first range and the second target value, monotonously approximate the value of the first brightness parameter to the first target value and the value of the second brightness parameter to the second target value in a whole of or a partial period of time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range,

wherein a start timing of a change of the value of the first brightness parameter is the same as a start timing of a change of the value of the second brightness parameter, and

wherein an end timing of the change of the value of the first brightness parameter is the same as an end timing of the change of the value of the second brightness parameter.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11 ,

wherein the first brightness parameter includes an f-stop number,

wherein the instruction information further includes a third target value of the f-stop number at the time of imaging performed by the imaging apparatus in the case where the imaging range is the second range, and

wherein the method further comprises:

approximating, in a case where there is a difference between a value of the f-stop number included in the first brightness parameter, at the time of imaging in the first range and the third target value, the value of the f-stop number to the third target value so that a depth of field changes at a constant increase rate or a constant decrease rate in the whole of or the partial period of the time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11 , further comprising:

approximating the value of the first brightness parameter to the first target value and the value of the second brightness parameter to the second target value in the partial period of the time to make the transition of the imaging range from the first range to the second range.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11 , further comprising:

accepting input of a user with respect to the instruction information; and

storing the accepted instruction information.