IP Library Granted Patent US 9,277,127
Granted Patent B2
US 9,277,127 · App. 14/613,966 · Granted Mar 1, 2016

Waterproof camera having a semi-underwater photographing mode

Inventors: Osamu Nonaka (Sagamihara, JP); Kazuya Nakabe (Hachioji, JP)
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
H04N5/23245G03B13/00H04N5/232H04N5/23209H04N5/23212H04N5/23293
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,277,127
App. No.
14/613,966
Granted
Mar 1, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A waterproof camera includes an image pickup section, a display section that displays image data, a mode setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode in which both objects under water and above water are simultaneously photographed, and a display control section that limits a display range of the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set, wherein the mode setting section controls the position of a photographing lens or the like to adjust a focus balance of at least one of under water and above water, and the display control section displays both object images under water and above water within a limited display range of the display section.

Claims (53)

1. A waterproof camera comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image;

a display control section that limits a display range in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set; and

an image conversion section that reduces an entirety of the object image based on the image data,

wherein the display control section controls such that the image reduced by the image conversion section is displayed in the limited display range.

2. A waterproof camera comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image;

a display control section that limits a display range in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set; and

an image conversion section that divides the object image based on the image data,

wherein the display control section controls such that the image divided by the image conversion section is displayed in the limited display range.

3. A waterproof camera comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image;

a display control section that limits a display range in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set; and

an image conversion section that extracts only an image of the object under water based on the image data,

wherein the display control section controls such that only the image of the object under water is displayed in the limited display range.

4. A waterproof camera comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image; and

a display control section that limits a display range in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set,

wherein the display control section controls to display, outside the limited display range, at least one of a moving direction of the waterproof camera, a photographing mode, and a guideline of a water surface position.

5. A waterproof camera comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image;

a display control section that limits a display range in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set; and

a posture detection section that detects a posture of the waterproof camera,

wherein, when it is detected by the posture detection section that the waterproof camera is in an upside down position, the setting section automatically sets the semi-underwater mode.

6. The waterproof camera according to claim 1 , further comprising an automatic focus adjustment section that performs focusing of a photographing lens of the waterproof camera,

wherein, when the semi-underwater mode is set by the setting section, the automatic focus adjustment section corrects a focus position to a shorter distance side than a focus position of the object above water.

7. The waterproof camera according to claim 1 , wherein, when limiting the display range of the display section, the display control section sets the display range to a range corresponding to a position of the photographing lens.

8. A waterproof camera according to claim 1 , comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image; and

a display control section that limits a display range in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set,

wherein the setting section automatically detects that the waterproof camera is semi underwater and sets the semi-underwater mode.

9. The waterproof camera according to claim 8 , wherein the setting section sets the semi-underwater mode when the setting section detects that the waterproof camera is in a state of being semi-underwater based on the image data.

10. A waterproof camera comprising:

an image pickup section that converts an object image to image data and outputs the image data;

a display section that displays the object image based on the image data;

a determining section that determines whether or not to set a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water in a photographing screen of the object image; and

an indicator section that displays a result of the determination in the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set.

11. A display method comprising:

converting an object image to image data and outputting the image data;

determining whether or not a semi-underwater mode that simultaneously photographs an object under water and an object above water is set in a photographing screen of the object image; and

limiting a display range in a display section when the semi-underwater mode is set.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058898/0960 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 5, 2015
From: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036279/0239 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 4, 2015
From: NONAKA, OSAMU; NAKABE, KAZUYA
To: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
Reel/Frame 034888/0193 →
Priority Claims (3)
JP 2009-207739 · Sep 9, 2009 · national
JP 2009-217669 · Sep 18, 2009 · national
JP 2009-260245 · Nov 13, 2009 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 13727438 · Dec 26, 2012
Division 12868864 · Aug 26, 2010
Related Publication 20150145984A1 · May 28, 2015