Photographing apparatus method, and computer usable medium for photographing an object within a detection area based on a change of the object

A photographing apparatus includes a photographing device for photographing an image of an object and converting the photographed image to an electric signal, an image conversion unit for converting the electric signal of the photographing device to image data, a detection area setting unit for setting a part of an image produced by the image data as a detection area, a detection unit for detecting a change of the object and generating a detection signal, and a photographing control unit for operating the photographing device and performing photography based on the detection signal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0011218, filed on Feb. 11, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a photographing apparatus and method in which a part of an image to be photographed is set to be a detection area and photographing is automatically performed by detecting a change of an object so that a dynamic change of the object may be easily photographed.

Photographing apparatuses such as digital cameras or digital camcorders are apparatuses to convert light reflected from an object to an electric signal, store image data in a storage medium, and process or reproduce the stored image data. The digital camera may directly monitor an image of the photographed object without a complicated film development/printing process performed in a film camera. Also, since the image may be easily edited and processed by using a digital medium, the digital camera is rapidly replacing film cameras.

The photographing apparatus performs photoelectric conversion of an image light formed by an optical system including a lens into an electric signal by using a photoelectric conversion device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device. Then, a predetermined image process is performed to the photoelectric converted image signal so that a still image or a motion picture may be output.

Recently, the digital camera has been equipped with a variety of convenient functions, such as automatic detecting and photographing of a face of a person or automatic detecting and photographing of a smiling face. Also, to facilitate use of a digital camera by a user, a variety of modes having a preset exposure or aperture value according to various photographing situations, for example, a landscape mode, a portrait mode, a night scene mode, and a sports activity mode, are provided.

However, the photographing apparatus such as the digital camera may not be able to freely photograph an object in response to a variety of special situations. For example, a user of a digital camera may want to photograph an object, like insects or birds, that move from time to time, or a scene of runners at a starting position, or a scene of blowing out candles at a birthday party. Even when the user of a digital camera has prepared for the special scene by setting the digital camera suitable for each scene to photograph a desired scene, the user may perform photography by pressing a shutter at a time when the object abruptly moves. That is, the user's fast reaction or photography techniques are required to capture the motion of the object that continuously moves.

SUMMARY

To solve the above and/or other problems, the present invention provides a photographing apparatus and method by which anyone can easily photograph a dynamic change of an object without special photography techniques.

The present invention provides a photographing apparatus and method by which the motion of an object is detected and thus photography is automatically performed.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a photographing apparatus and method by which a user may freely set an area of an object whose motion is detected for photography.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a photographing apparatus includes a photographing device for photographing an image of an object and converting the photographed image to an electric signal, an image conversion unit for converting the electric signal of the photographing device to image data, a detection area setting unit for setting a part of an image produced by the image data as a detection area, a detection unit for detecting a change of the object and generating a detection signal, and a photographing control unit for operating the photographing device and performing photography based on the detection signal.

The detection unit may detect a change of the object in the detection area by recognizing a change in at least one of brightness, saturation, and edge.

When the object to be detected is a person, the detection unit may recognize a face of the person and detects a change in the expression of the face.

The photographing apparatus may further include a sensitivity setting unit for setting a range of a change, wherein the detection unit generates the detection signal, and the photographing control unit operates the photographing device.

When a change in the detection area may be within the range of a change set by the sensitivity setting unit and the object to be detected is out of the detection area, the detection area setting unit changes the detection area according to the movement of the object.

The photographing apparatus may further include a display unit for displaying an image photographed by the photographing device, and a user input unit for receiving an input by a user, wherein the detection area setting unit sets the detection area in the image displayed on the display unit based on a signal input from the user input unit.

The photographing apparatus may further include a touch screen for displaying an image photographed by the photographing device and detecting a touch on a surface and generating a signal corresponding to a detected position, wherein the detection area setting unit sets the detection area based on the signal detected on the surface of the touch screen.

The detection area setting unit may change the detection area to another position in the image according to an input by a user.

The detection area setting unit may change the size of the detection area by an input by a user.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a photographing method includes setting a part of an image to be photographed as a detection area, detecting a change of an object in the detection area, and performing photography when a degree of the change of the object exceeds a preset sensitivity range.

The photographing method may further include tracking the object by changing the detection area according to the movement of the object when a change in the detection area is within the present sensitivity range and the object to be detected is out of the detection area.

The photographing method may further include displaying an image that is to be photographed, and receiving an input by a user, wherein, in the setting of a part of an image to be photographed as a detection area, the detection area is set in the image displayed based on the input by the user in the receiving of an input by a user.

A computer program product may be provided, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for photographing as described above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The attached drawings for illustrating exemplary embodiments of the present invention are referred to in order to gain a sufficient understanding of the present invention, the merits thereof, and the objectives accomplished by the implementation of the present invention. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail by explaining exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating the constituent elements of a photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 1, the photographing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a photographing device20for photographing an image of an object and converting the photographed image to an electric signal, an image conversion unit41for converting the electric signal of the photographing device20to image data, a detection unit70for detecting a change of an object and generating a detection signal, and a photographing control unit47for performing photography by operating the photographing device20.

A zoom lens unit10arranged in front of the photographing device20includes a plurality of lenses12to form an image of external image light on a photographing surface of the photographing device20. The lenses12are arranged with variable intervals therebetween. When the intervals of the lenses12vary, the magnification ratio of the zoom lens unit10is changed.

The lenses12are driven by a zoom drive unit11having a drive unit such as a zoom motor so that the relative positions of the lenses12may be changed. The zoom drive unit11is operated in response to a control signal output by a drive circuit unit10of a control unit40. Thus, the zoom drive unit11may drive the zoom lens unit10to have any one of a plurality of magnification ratios.

The photographing device20includes a photoelectric conversion device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device to convert image light input through the zoom lens unit10to an electric signal. The process of converting the image light to an electric signal may include an operation of converting the image light to an analog signal and an operation of converting the analog signal to a digital signal.

The control unit40is electrically connected to the photographing device20, the zoom drive unit11, and a touch screen50, and communicates control signals with constituent elements of the photographing apparatus to control the operations of the respective constituent elements, or processes data. The control unit40includes the image conversion unit41, a drive circuit unit42, a memory control unit43for controlling storing of data in a memory15, a touch screen control unit44, a detection area setting unit45, a sensitivity setting unit46, the photographing control unit47, and the detection unit70.

The control unit40may be implemented by a microchip or a circuit board having the microchip. The respective constituent elements included in the control unit40may be implemented by software or circuits included in the control unit40.

The memory control unit43controls recording of the image data on the memory15or reading out of the image data or setting information recorded on the memory15. The memory15may be formed of a semiconductor memory device, for example, a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), to store the photographed image data.

The detection area setting unit45sets a part of an image representing the image data as a detection area. The detection unit70detects a change of the object and generates a detection signal. The photographing control unit47controls the photographing device20to perform photography.

The sensitivity setting unit46sets a range (sensitivity) of a change of the object that makes the detection unit70generate a detection signal so that the photographing control unit47may operate the photographing device20to perform photography.

When the object is photographed by the photographing device20, an electric signal is generated and converted to image data by the image conversion unit41. The detection unit70may detect a change of the object from the image data. When the change of the object exceeds the range of a change preset by the sensitivity setting unit46, the detection unit70generates a detection signal. The image data used by the detection unit70to detect a change is image data related to an image photographed by the photographing device20to perform preliminary photographing, that is, a preview mode, before a final photographing (a main photographing) is performed.

When the detection signal is generated, the photographing control unit47determines that a change is generated in the object and operates the photographing device20to perform photography (the main photographing).

The photographing apparatus includes the touch screen50which includes a display unit51for displaying an image of the image data and an input unit52for selecting a part of the image displayed on the display unit51. The touch screen50performs a function to display an image photographed by the photographing device20and a function to detect a touch on a surface of the touch screen50and generate a signal corresponding to the position of the detected touch.

The touch screen50, which is one of input devices replacing keyboards or mice, performs a desired work by touching the surface of a display using a finger or pen and enables intuitive performance of a work under a graphic user interface (GUI) environment. The display unit51of the touch screen50may use a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display.

The input unit52is installed on the surface of the display unit51and may detect a touch of the surface thereof. A variety of technologies such as a resistive detection method, a capacitive detection method, a surface sound wave detection method, an infrared (IR) ray detection method, and an optical detection method may be used for the input unit52.

A user contacts the input unit52of the touch screen50to set a part of an image displayed on the display unit51as a detection area. The detection area setting unit45may set a detection area based on a signal detected from the input unit52of the touch screen50.

The setting of a detection area directly by a user is not limited to the use of the touch screen50only, and may be implemented in a variety of forms. For example, when an image is displayed on the display unit51, the user may set a detection area by operating a user input unit (not shown) such as a menu button or a dial provided in the photographing apparatus.

FIG. 2is a block diagram illustrating the detailed structure of the detection unit70of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 2, the detection unit70includes a face detection unit71, an expression determination unit72, a brightness determination unit73, a saturation determination unit74, and an edge determination unit75. The detection unit70may perform a method of detecting a change in different ways according to the type of an object to be detected by the photographing apparatus or a mode for photography, for example, a mode to photograph a person or a mode to detect and photograph a change in motion of, for example, an animal, by using the above constituent elements.

FIG. 3is an operation state screen diagram illustrating a screen for selecting a photography mode in the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 1. Referring toFIG. 3, when a “Change Detection” menu is selected from the menu displayed on the touch screen50, the photographing apparatus detects and photographs a motion of an object such as animal. When a “Recognition Photography” menu is selected, the photographing apparatus recognizes and photographs a face of a person or a change in the expression such as eye blinking.

The face detection unit71detects a face area corresponding to the face of a person from the image data. A variety of commonly known face recognition methods may be used to detect the face of a person. For example, a face recognition technique using geometrical features of a face may be used. According to the face recognition using geometrical features, the face of each individual is recognized by using geometrical factors such as positions, sizes, and intervals of characteristic points of a face, such as the eye, nose, and mouth.

The expression determination unit72determines a change in the expression by detecting whether a change has been generated in a particular portion, for example, an eye or a lip, of the face area detected by the face detection unit71. Thus, the detection unit70may recognize the face of a person when the object to be detected is a person and generate a detection signal when a change has been generated in the expression such as eye blinking or lip movement.

The bright determination unit73, the saturation determination unit74, and the edge determination unit75are used to detect a change in the object during photography by capturing an important instance of a dynamic scene such as a scene of runners at a starting position or a scene of blowing out candles at a birthday party, or when the object to be detected is an animal. Thus, the detection unit70may detect a change in the object in a detection area by recognizing at least any one of changes in brightness, saturation, and edge.

A database60may store, in advance, standard data used when the detection unit70determines a change of the object. The detection unit70may recognize a face, determine a change in the expression in the face, and determine a change in the brightness, saturation, and edge, based on the standard data recorded in the database60.

FIG. 4is an operation state screen diagram illustrating a screen when a photography method menu is selected from the screen of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 3.FIG. 5is an operation state screen diagram illustrating a screen for selecting a continuous photography menu as a photography method from the screen of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 4.FIG. 6is an operation state screen diagram illustrating a screen for setting the number of photos to be photographed by selecting the continuous photography menu from the screen of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 4.

As illustrated inFIG. 4, the user may set in advance whether to perform continuous photography or general photography to photograph one photo when the photographing control unit47operates the photographing device20to perform photography. To perform continuous photography, the user may select a “Continuous” menu of the touch screen50and input the number of photos to be photographed.

FIG. 7is an operation state screen diagram illustrating a screen for setting sensitivity by selecting the sensitivity menu from the screen of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 4. Referring toFIG. 7, the user may set the range of a change of the object to be photographed, in which the detection unit70generates a detection signal so that the photographing control unit47may operate the photographing device20, by selecting a “Sensitivity” menu from the touch screen50. In the present embodiment ofFIG. 7, the sensitivity may be set by numbers. For example, as the number increases, the sensitivity increases so that the detection unit70may sensitively detect a change of the object to be photographed.

FIG. 8is an operation state screen diagram illustrating a screen for selecting an area selection menu from the screen of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 7.FIG. 9is an operation state screen diagram illustrating that a detection area is set by selecting the area selection menu.

Referring toFIGS. 8 and 9, when the user selects an “Area Selection” menu, an image photographed by the photographing device20is displayed on the touch screen50. Then, when the user touches the touch screen50, a rectangle50ato set a detection area is displayed on the touch screen50. The user may change the size and position of the rectangle50adisplayed on the touch screen50by drag touch. The drag touch is a touch method of touching and dragging a cursor, for example, the rectangle50ain the present embodiment, on the surface of a touch screen for some distance. When the user's selection operation is completed, an area existing in the rectangle50ais set to be a detection area.

FIG. 10is an operation state screen diagram illustrating that the detection area is changed in a screen of a photographing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 10, although the detection area where an object to be detected exists is set by directly operating the touch screen50as described above, the detection area may be set by adjusting the position and size of the rectangle50adisplayed on the display unit51by operating user input units50band50cprovided on the photographing apparatus as illustrated inFIG. 10.

FIG. 11is an operation state screen diagram illustrating that a tracking function is performed in a screen of a photographing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 11, although the size and position of the detection area is adjusted by the user's operation on a screen displayed on the display unit of the photographing apparatus of the above-described embodiment, in the present embodiment illustrated inFIG. 11, the photographing apparatus may automatically change the position of the detection area according to the movement of the object. Such a function is referred to as an object tracking function.

For example, when a user wishes to capture and photograph an instant when a butterfly that is an object155flies, the left area of a display portion150where the object155is located is set to be a detection area150b.

However, when the object155does not move, for example, slowly moves instead of flying, since a change in the movement of the object155is slower than the set range of a change, photography is not performed. The object155slowly moves from the left to the right on the display portion150and thus gets out of the detection area150bthat is initially set. The object tracking function is useful in this situation. When a change of the object in the detection area is within the range of a change set by the sensitivity setting unit46and the object to be detected gets out of the detection area, the detection area setting unit45changes the position of detection area according to the movement of the object thus setting the right side of the display portion150as a new detection area150a. Accordingly, the photographing apparatus may effectively photograph a dynamic scene in which the object155suddenly flies.

FIG. 12is an operation state diagram illustrating that photography is performed in a screen of the photographing apparatus ofFIG. 11. Referring toFIG. 12, when a partial area, that is, an area where the object155exists, in the screen displayed on the display portion150is set as a detection area150c, and the object155suddenly flies, a change of the object155in the detection area150cexceeds the range of a change set by the sensitivity setting unit46. Accordingly, the detection unit70generates a detection signal so that the photographing apparatus may perform photography by being controlled by the photographing control unit47. As a result, the scene that the object155dynamically changes may be accurately photographed.

FIG. 13is a flowchart for explaining the operations of a photographing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring toFIG. 13, the photographing method according to the present embodiment includes the operations of setting a partial area of an image to be photographed as a detection area (S160), detecting a change of an object (S170), and performing photography (S200).

When a situation photography mode is performed to capture and photograph an instant scene of a special situation in the photographing apparatus (S100), the photographing method of the present embodiment is performed. Before photographing, any one of the general photography mode for photographing only one photo and the continuous photography mode is selected. When the continuous photography mode is selected, the number of photos to be photographed may be set (S110). Also, a sensitivity to detect a degree of a change of an object to be photographed may be set before photography (S120).

When the setting of sensitivity is completed in the operation S120, an image to be photographed by the photographing device is displayed on the display unit (S140). When an image is displayed on the display unit, an input by a user is received (S150). Then, a detection area is set based on the input by the user (S160). Thus, the user may set a detection area where the object to be detected exists by designating a partial area in the image displayed on the display unit.

When the detection area is set in the operation S160, a change of the object in the detection area is detected (S170). In the operation S170, a change in at least one of, e.g., brightness, saturation, and edge is recognized so that a change of the object in the detection area may be detected. When the object is a person in the operation S170, the face of the person is recognized so that a change in the expression of the face may be detected.

When a change of the object in the detection area is within the sensitivity range (S180) and the object to be detected is out of the detection area (S190), the object is tracked by changing the detection area according to the movement of the object may be performed (S210). Then, the detection of a change of the object in the changed detection area is performed again (S170). When the change of the object in the detection area is out of the sensitivity range, the photographing apparatus is operated to perform photography (S200).

As a result, the user may freely set and change the detection area of an object. Also, the user may effectively photograph a dynamic scene of the object since the object is automatically photographed without pressing a shutter at the moment the object suddenly moves.

As described above, in the photographing apparatus and method according to the present invention, a part of an image to be photographed is set as a detection area and photography is automatically performed by detecting a change of an object. Thus, anyone may easily photograph a dynamic change of the object without special photography techniques. Also, by operating a touch screen or a user input unit, a user may freely set the area of an object whose motion is detected for photography.

The device described herein may comprise a processor, a memory for storing program data and executing it, a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communications port for handling communications with external devices, and user interface devices, including a display, keys, etc. When software modules are involved, these software modules may be stored as program instructions or computer readable codes executable on the processor on a computer-readable media such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. This media can be read by the computer, stored in the memory, and executed by the processor.