Patent Application
20070081807
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control technology for an image-generating apparatus, particularly to a method of a remote controller to indirectly control an image-generating apparatus via a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since image-generating apparatus, e.g., digital camera, were popularly applied, most of them have been used in taking pictures of commercial products and scenery; however, it is rare to directly control by a remote controller in order to conduct self-shooting or make photography more easy and efficient.
As a matter of fact, only few manufacturers of digital cameras have supplied the remote controller to directly control the cameras. However, due to the small size of LCDs built in the cameras, the objects taken can hardly be previewed well. In addition, the quality of the pictures taken cannot promptly be shown on a computer screen and the pictures cannot immediately be saved into a computer. Moreover, due to the limits of the camera's memory and control capability, many basic and critical setting functions of a camera, such as Exposure, Aperture and Shutter Speed, cannot be executed via the remote controller; to the contrary, only very simple functions, such as Preview, Zoom in/Zoom out and Snap, can be operated via the remote controller.
Apparently, the current technology regarding directly controlling image-generating apparatus by a remote controller has many deficiencies, i.e., the setting functions cannot be fully performed, the preview effect is insufficient, the quality of the pictures taken cannot immediately be shown and the image editing software be integrated which causes the technology cannot be popularly applied.
One of objectives of the present invention is to provide a method for previewing the image other than from an image-generating apparatus. It utilizes a large-size display panel rather than the image-generating apparatus to promptly preview the image so as to accurately handle the light status of the environment, the object or the person and to immediately correct the settings of the image-generating apparatus resulted in obtaining a better image quality that can avoid prevent to repeat trying different setting values of the image-generating apparatus.
Another one of objectives of the present invention is to provide a method for setting photographic parameters of an image-generating apparatus. The using of the computer can simplify the setting of photography parameters and integrates more complete function settings of the image-generating apparatus on the limited keys of the remote controller so as the remote controller can do remote capturing to create better image quality without back and forth to change the settings on the image-generating apparatus.
Further, one of objectives of the present invention is to provide a method for storing the image from the image-generating apparatus. The created image is directly stored into the computer so as the image can be displayed on the computer and then can integrate with the editing software in the computer.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, one embodiment of the present invention proposes a method of a remote controller via a computer to indirectly control an image-generating apparatus includes the following steps: emitting a first control signal from the remote controller; receiving and transforming the first control signal into a second control signal; receiving the second signal by the computer; processing the second signal transforming into a third control signal and transmitting the third control signal; and then receiving and executing the third control signal by the image-generating apparatus.
The foregoing aspects and many of the accompanying advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Following the foregoing, in one embodiment of the present invention, the key 241 of the remote controller 24 can switch the control option, and the controllable mode of the key 241 is totally decided by the camera mode 202, either set at the auto mode or the manual mode on the user interface (as shown in
Once the camera mode 202 of the user interface within the execute/control program 18 is selected as the auto mode, the key 241 can only switch to two control options of the zoom mode or the exposure mode. If the zoom mode is selected, the key 242 and the key 243 can adjust the zoom-in function and the zoom-out function. While the exposure mode is selected, the key 242 and the key 243 can adjust the function of increasing the exposure value and decreasing the exposure value. The key 244 can control the preview/snap function in all different modes.
Referring to
Once the manual mode of the camera mode 202 is selected, the key 241 can only switch to the zoom mode, the aperture (Av) mode and the shutter (Tv) mode. If the zoom mode is selected, the key 242 and the key 243 can adjust the zoom-in function and the zoom out function. As the aperture mode is selected, the key 242 and the key 243 can adjust to increase the aperture value and decrease the aperture value. While the shutter mode is selected, the key 242 and the key 243 can adjust to increase the shutter value and decrease the shutter value. The key 244 can control the preview/snap function in all different modes.
Referring to
Following the foregoing, the remote controller is through the computer host to indirectly control the action of the image-generating apparatus, so the user can clearly preview the lighting environment of the photographed object or person, especially the photographer himself/herself, and can proceed the adjustment of the aperture value, the shutter value, or other photographic parameters via the remote controller. Because of the use of the computer, function settings of the image-generating apparatus that the remote controller can be controlled is more completed and the quality of the created image can be immediately displayed on the display panel. If the image quality is not good enough, the user can immediately change the setting on the remote controller until the satisfied image quality could be obtained. However, the created images can immediately and directly be stored into the computer host and can be integrated with the editing software in the computer.
Accordingly, one of features of the present invention is to solve the inconvenience problem from the image-generating apparatus without indirectly controlling via the computer host. Without the invention those user who use the image-generating apparatus must repeat to do preview the image, snap the image, and try many times on the setting of the image-generating apparatus until satisfied images were achieved. Further, created images are difficult to integrate with the image editing software in the computer host.
The difference between the present invention and the prior technology is that the present invention utilizes the computer and the display panel to integrate the control function of the remote controller and to clearly preview at remote photography so as can save more photographic time and obtain the higher image quality. However, the prior technology directly utilizes the remote controller to control the image-generating apparatus. The preview window is small and the remote controller can only choose one control mode of automatic zoom-in or zoom-out but without the remote adjustment function of the exposure, the aperture, and the shutter. The prior technology distinctly could not adequately use the fully functions that the image-generating apparatus should have.
While the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, a specific example thereof has been shown in the drawings and is herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 094135355 | Oct 2005 | TW | national |
