IP Library Granted Patent US 10,198,075
Granted Patent B2
US 10,198,075 · App. 15/601,552 · Granted Feb 5, 2019

Operation apparatus

Inventors: Kazuhiro Sato (Sagamihara, JP); Sumio Kawai (Hachioji, JP); Osamu Nonaka (Sagamihara, JP); Shinsuke Homma (Hino, JP)
Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
G06F3/016G06F3/041
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,198,075
App. No.
15/601,552
Granted
Feb 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging apparatus including an imaging unit, an index determining unit, a predetermined image detecting unit, and a notification unit. The imaging unit has a preset imaging range and which images a target within the imaging range. The index determining unit determines whether an image of a particular index image has intruded into the imaging range. The predetermined image detecting unit detects a predetermined image part within the imaging range. The notification unit notifies that the index determining unit determines that the index image overlaps the predetermined image part. The predetermined image detecting unit is configured to determine a change direction of a changed part of image information and a no-change direction, and the notification unit notifies in accordance with the relation between a change direction of the index image and a change direction of image information.

Claims (54)

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imager that images a target within an imaging range; and

a microcomputer that is communicatively coupled to the imager, wherein the microcomputer:

determines whether an image of a particular index image has intruded into the imaging range,

detects a predetermined image part within the imaging range,

determines that the index image overlaps the predetermined image part,

determines a change direction to remove the index image from overlapping the predetermined image part, and

notifies a user of the imaging apparatus in accordance with the change direction.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the microcomputer further detects a changed part of image information acquired by the imager,

wherein the predetermined image part is the changed part of the image information that is detected by the microcomputer.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the change direction is determined based on the index image overlapping a boundary of the imaging range.

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

a piezoelectric body control circuit that is communicatively coupled to the microcomputer;

wherein the microcomputer notifies the user by causing the piezoelectric body control circuit to vibrate a portion of the imaging apparatus that corresponds to a side of the boundary that is overlapped.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the index image is of a finger of the user, and

wherein the finger of the user is used to instruct an object that is within the imaging range.

6. An operation apparatus comprising:

an imager that images a target within an imaging range;

a piezoelectric body control circuit that generates vibration or a voice signal;

a microcomputer that is communicatively coupled to the imager and the piezoelectric body control circuit, wherein the microcomputer:

determines whether an index image has intruded into the imaging range,

determines that a tip of the index image overlaps a predetermined image part within the imaging range,

determines a change direction to remove the index image from overlapping the predetermined image part, and

notifies, using piezoelectric body control circuit, a user of the operation apparatus in accordance with the change direction.

7. The operation apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the change direction is determined based on the index image overlapping boundary of the imaging range.

8. The operation apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the microcomputer notifies the user by causing the piezoelectric body control circuit to vibrate a portion of the operation apparatus that corresponds to a side of the boundary that is overlapped.

9. The operation apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the microcomputer further detects a changed part of image information in image data acquired by the imager

wherein the predetermined image part is the changed part of the image information that is detected by the microcomputer.

10. The operation apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the microcomputer causes the piezoelectric body control circuit to switch notifications depending on whether the tip of the index image overlaps a boundary of the imaging range or the tip of the index image overlaps the target.

11. A target checking method comprising:

imaging a target within an imaging range of an imaging apparatus;

determining whether an image of a particular index has intruded into the imaging range;

detecting a predetermined image part within the imaging range;

determining that the index image overlaps the predetermined image part;

determining a change direction to remove the index image from overlapping the predetermined image part and

notifying a user that the index image is determined to overlap the predetermined image part within the imaging range based on the change direction.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the predetermined image part is a changed part of image information acquired by the imaging or a boundary of a region acquired by the imaging.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein:

the change direction is determined based on the index image overlapping a boundary of the imaging range; and

the notifying includes vibrating a portion of the imaging apparatus that corresponds to a side of the boundary that is overlapped.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the index image is of a finger of the user, and

wherein the finger of the user is used to instruct an object that is within the imaging range.

15. A non-transitory storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to perform:

imaging by using an imaging unit;

determining whether an index image has intruded into an imaging range of the imaging unit;

determining that a tip of the index image overlaps a predetermined image part within the imaging range;

determining a change direction to remove the index image from overlapping the predetermined image part; and

notifying a user that the index image is determined to overlap the predetermined image part within the imaging range based on the change direction.

16. The storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein the predetermined image part is a boundary of a region acquired by the imaging unit, an image change part or a boundary of a region acquired by the imaging unit.

17. The storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein:

the change direction is determined based on the index image overlapping a boundary of the imaging range; and

the notifying includes vibrating a portion of the imaging unit that corresponds to a side of the boundary that is overlapped.

18. The storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein the index image is of a finger of the user, and

wherein the finger of the user is used to instruct an object that is within the imaging range.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2021
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OM DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058901/0912 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Mar 8, 2018
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045529/0311 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 17, 2018
From: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045085/0418 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2017
From: SATO, KAZUHIRO; KAWAI, SUMIO; NONAKA, OSAMU; HOMMA, SHINSUKE
To: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.; OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042513/0678 →
Priority Claims (4)
JP 2013-016076 · Jan 30, 2013 · national
JP 2013-053888 · Mar 15, 2013 · national
JP 2013-054029 · Mar 15, 2013 · national
JP 2013-069800 · Mar 28, 2013 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14168790 · Jan 30, 2014
Related Publication 20170255267A1 · Sep 7, 2017
Cited By (2)
US 12,262,116 US 12,556,803