Imaging apparatus, control method, and program

Abstract

To display the status of another imaging apparatus so as not to reduce operability at a time of imaging.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus includes communication means for communicating with another imaging apparatus, acquisition means for acquiring status information about the state of the other imaging apparatus from the other imaging apparatus, and control means for displaying a warning on a display unit on the basis of the status information acquired from the other imaging apparatus when receiving an instruction for imaging preparation processing to be performed prior to imaging processing of the captured image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for capturing images by linking a plurality of image capturing devices. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A system is known in which a master camera or a smartphone is used to remotely operate multiple remote cameras, and the master camera or the smartphone and the multiple remote cameras are linked to capture images and simultaneously transmit the captured images to a server.

[0003] Such a system makes it possible to take and transfer images with a minimum number of people, reducing costs and enabling the capture of large quantities of images with various compositions (NX Field (registered trademark), Remote Camera Tool (Sony Corporation)).

[0004] In such systems, the user operating the master camera must take pictures while checking the status of the remote camera, such as the remaining battery power, communication strength, internal temperature, and memory capacity. Patent Document 1 describes a method for displaying a warning on a personal computer (PC) when the remaining battery power of the scanner becomes low in a system in which a scanner is connected to the PC. Patent Document 2 describes a method for detecting anomalies in images and displaying the image in which anomalies are detected full-screen in a system that displays multiple television images and camera images on a single screen. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-309093 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-184943 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Conventional technology does not anticipate displaying the status of multiple cameras, and displaying the status of remote cameras may reduce operability during shooting.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to realize a technique for displaying the status of another imaging device without reducing operability during shooting. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the imaging device of the present invention has a communication means for connecting to other imaging devices so as to be able to communicate with them, an acquisition means for acquiring status information regarding the state of the other imaging devices from the other imaging devices, and a control means for displaying a warning based on the status information acquired from the other imaging devices on a display unit when an instruction for a shooting preparation process to be performed prior to the shooting process of a captured image is received. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the status of other imaging devices can be displayed without impairing operability during photography. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an apparatus configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the master camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the slave camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state display of the slave camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating screen transitions of the master camera according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the master camera according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention claimed. Although multiple features are described in the embodiments, not all of these multiple features are necessarily essential to the invention, and multiple features may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0012] In this embodiment, an example of a system in which an imaging device of the present invention is applied to a digital camera capable of taking still images or videos (hereinafter also referred to as images), and a master camera communicates with multiple slave cameras will be described. Note that the imaging device of the present invention is not limited to a digital camera, and may be a mobile device such as a smartphone or a tablet computer (PC).

[0013] In the system of this embodiment, the master camera is a camera that is directly operated by the user, and the multiple slave cameras are located away from the master camera in positions where they cannot be directly operated by the user, and operate in conjunction with the operation of the master camera. The master camera can display information (status information) regarding the status of the slave cameras received from the slave cameras at an appropriate time so as not to reduce the operability of the master camera when shooting.

[0014] [System Configuration] First, the system configuration of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0015] In the system of this embodiment, a master camera 100 and multiple slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are communicatively connected via a communication path 101. In this embodiment, the communication method is assumed to be a wireless communication method such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), but a wired connection using a cable such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) may also be used. The communication protocol used may be, but is not limited to, the HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol).

[0016] In the example of Figure 1, three slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are connected to one master camera 100, but the number of slave cameras connected to the master camera 100 is not limited to three, and may be two or less or four or more.

[0017] When a user performs a predetermined operation on the master camera 100 while a communication connection is established between the master camera 100 and the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, the master camera 100 transmits a command request corresponding to the predetermined operation to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104. The slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 analyze the command request received from the master camera 100 and execute processing corresponding to the command request. For example, when a user operates the master camera 100 to instruct a shooting preparation process or a shooting process, command requests such as photometry processing (AE (auto exposure) processing and autofocus (AF) processing) for the captured image and shooting processing for recording the captured image are transmitted to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104. The slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 execute processing corresponding to the command request received from the master camera 100 and transmit the processing results as a response to the master camera 100.

[0018] In this embodiment, the master camera 100 and the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are capable of synchronized shooting operations. This embodiment assumes a use case in which the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are located far from the master camera 100 and cannot be directly operated by the user. In such a use case, if the shooting operations of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are restricted due to factors such as a low battery level, a decrease in communication strength or communication loss, an increase in internal temperature, or a lack of memory, the user may not be able to obtain the intended shooting results. Therefore, in this embodiment, to prevent such situations from occurring, the master camera 100 acquires status information from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, such as the remaining battery level, communication status, internal temperature, and memory capacity, and notifies the user by displaying a warning corresponding to the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 at an appropriate time to prevent a decrease in operability during shooting with the master camera 100.

[0019] [Device configuration] Next, the configurations and functions of the master camera and slave camera of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the master camera and the slave camera of this embodiment.

[0021] The master camera 100 and the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 (hereinafter referred to as cameras 200) have a control unit 201, a non-volatile memory 202, a volatile memory 203, an optical unit 204, an imaging unit 205, an A / D conversion unit 206, an image processing unit 207, an operation unit 208, a display unit 209, a communication unit 210, a recording medium 211, a temperature detection unit 212, a power supply control unit 213, and a battery 214.

[0022] The control unit 201 is an arithmetic processor (CPU or MPU) that controls the entire camera 200, and controls the components described below by executing programs stored in the nonvolatile memory 202. Note that instead of the control unit 201 controlling the entire device, the entire device may be controlled by multiple pieces of hardware sharing the processing.

[0023] The control unit 201 includes a system timer that measures the time used for various controls and the time of an internal clock.

[0024] Nonvolatile memory 202 is a ROM, and is used as a storage area for storing constants, programs, and the like for the operation of control unit 201. The programs are programs for executing the control processing described below. Nonvolatile memory 202 also stores setting information for camera 200 when shooting, and thresholds for each piece of status information for determining whether or not to restrict the operation of camera 200. The status information includes the remaining battery level, internal temperature, and radio wave intensity of camera 200.

[0025] The volatile memory 203 is a RAM, and is used as a working area for expanding constants and variables for the operation of the control unit 201, programs read from the nonvolatile memory 202, etc. The volatile memory 203 is also used as a buffer memory for temporarily storing image data captured by the imaging unit 205 (described later), etc.

[0026] The optical unit 204 includes a group of lenses including a zoom lens and a focus lens, and a shutter with an aperture function.

[0027] The imaging unit 205 includes an image sensor configured with a CCD, CMOS, etc. that converts the optical image of the subject formed by the optical unit 204 into an electrical signal. The imaging unit 205 generates still image data and video data configured with analog signals.

[0028] The A / D conversion unit 206 converts the analog signal generated by the imaging unit 205 into a digital signal. The A / D conversion unit 206 generates still image data or video data composed of a digital signal from still image data or video data composed of an analog signal.

[0029] The image processing unit 207 performs various types of image processing on the image data output from the A / D conversion unit 206. The image processing unit 207 generates image files by compressing and encoding the processed still image data in a JPEG format or the like, or by encoding the moving image data in a moving image compression format such as the MP4 format, and records the generated image files on the recording medium 211. The image processing unit 207 also decodes still image files read from the recording medium 211, or decodes moving image files read from the recording medium 211.

[0030] Furthermore, the control unit 201 performs AE processing and AF processing by controlling the optical unit 204 based on the results of predetermined calculation processing using the image data that has been subjected to image processing.

[0031] The image processing unit 207 may be configured by a dedicated circuit block (graphical processing unit (GPU)) for executing specific image processing.

[0032] The operation unit 208 is an operation member such as a switch, button, or touch panel that receives various operations from the user and notifies the control unit 201. The operation unit 208 includes at least a still image capture button, a video capture button, a mode dial, and a power switch.

[0033] The still image capture button is an operation member for instructing the control unit 201 to perform still image capture processing. The video capture button is an operation member for instructing the control unit 201 to perform video capture processing.

[0034] The mode dial is an operating member for switching the operation mode of the camera 200. The mode dial can switch the operation mode of the camera 200 between a still image capture mode, a video capture mode, and a playback mode.

[0035] The power switch is an operating member for turning the power of the camera 200 on and off.

[0036] When the still image shooting button is pressed halfway, it notifies the control unit 201 of an instruction to perform shooting preparation processing. In still image shooting mode, when the still image shooting button is pressed halfway, the control unit 201 starts shooting preparation processing (AE processing and AF processing) for a still image. When the still image shooting button is pressed all the way, the control unit 201 notifies the control unit 201 of an instruction to perform shooting processing. When the still image shooting button is pressed all the way, the control unit 201 executes still image shooting processing to record image data captured by the imaging unit 205 on the recording medium 211. Note that the shooting preparation processing is not limited to when the still image shooting button is pressed halfway, and at least one of the AE processing and the AF processing may also be executed when an operating member for AE or an operating member for AF other than the still image shooting button included in the operation unit 208 is operated.

[0037] In addition, in the video shooting mode, when the video shooting button is pressed for the first time, the control unit 201 performs shooting preparation processing (AE processing and AF processing) on the image data (frames) captured by the imaging unit 205, continues the video shooting processing to record a video for a predetermined period of time on the recording medium 211, and stops the video shooting processing when the video shooting button is pressed again.

[0038] The display unit 209 displays image data (live view) captured by the imaging unit 205, image data read from the recording medium 211, and a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for interactive operations. The display unit 209 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0039] The communication unit 210 is communicatively connected to an external device via a wireless antenna or a wired cable, and transmits and receives various types of information. The communication unit 210 can also connect to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The various types of information include command requests transmitted from the master camera to the slave cameras and status information transmitted from the slave cameras to the master camera. The communication unit 210 also detects communication conditions such as the signal strength of the wireless LAN. The status information regarding the communication condition detected by the communication unit 210 is output to the control unit 201. The control unit 201 controls the current operation mode of the camera 200 to continue, limit, or end the mode based on the status information regarding the communication condition detected by the communication unit 210. For example, when the control unit 201 detects a disconnected state as the communication status of the camera 200, the control unit 201 displays a warning on the display unit 209 or forcibly ends the shooting operation.

[0040] The recording medium 211 is a memory card, a hard disk, or the like, and records image files generated by the image processing unit 207. The control unit 201 reads data from the recording medium 211 and writes data to the recording medium 211.

[0041] Temperature detection unit 212 includes, for example, a thermistor or digital thermometer that measures temperature, and detects the internal temperature of camera 200. Status information related to the internal temperature detected by temperature detection unit 212 is output to control unit 201. Based on the status information related to the internal temperature detected by temperature detection unit 212, control unit 201 performs control to continue, limit, or stop the current operation mode of camera 200. For example, when the internal temperature of camera 200 reaches a limit temperature, control unit 201 displays a warning on display unit 209 or forcibly ends the shooting operation.

[0042] The power supply control unit 213 detects whether a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery charge. The power supply control unit 213 also supplies the necessary voltage to each component, including the recording medium 211, for the necessary period. Status information related to the remaining battery charge detected by the power supply control unit 213 is output to the control unit 201. The control unit 201 controls the camera 200 to continue, limit, or end the operation mode based on the status information related to the remaining battery charge detected by the power supply control unit 213. For example, when the remaining battery charge of the camera 200 reaches a threshold voltage, the control unit 201 displays a warning on the display unit 209 or forcibly ends the shooting operation.

[0043] The battery 214 may be a primary battery such as an alkaline battery or a lithium battery, or a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a lithium ion battery.

[0044] The control unit 201 of the master camera 100 performs control according to instructions received from the operation unit 208, control to display images and GUI on the display unit 209, and control communication with the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 via the communication unit 210. The control unit 201 of the master camera 100 also generates data to be transmitted to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, and displays warnings according to status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104.

[0045] The control unit 201 of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 controls communication with the master camera 100 via the communication unit 210, performs control in response to command requests received from the master camera 100, generates data to be transmitted to the master camera 100, and so on.

[0046] In this embodiment, when the control unit 201 of the master camera 100 receives an instruction to perform shooting preparation processing or shooting processing from the operation unit 208 in response to a user operation, the control unit 201 transmits a command request for the shooting preparation processing or shooting processing to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104.

[0047] The control units 201 of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 execute processing in accordance with the command request received from the master camera 100 and transmit the processing results as a response to the master camera 100. Furthermore, when the control units 201 of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 receive a command request for image capture preparation processing from the master camera 100, they transmit the processing results of the command request and status information of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 to the master camera 100.

[0048] It should be noted that the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 can be remotely controlled by the master camera 100 and can transmit images to the master camera 100, and therefore do not necessarily have to include the operation unit 208 and the display unit 209.

[0049] [Control processing] Next, the control process of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0050] 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the control process of the master camera 100. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the control process of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104.

[0051] 3 and 4 will be described assuming that the master camera 100 or the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is the subject of operation for the sake of simplicity, but in reality, the control unit 201 of the master camera 100 or the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is the subject of operation. In detail, the process of FIG. 3 is realized by the control unit 201 of the master camera 100 executing a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 202 and controlling the respective components of the master camera 100. Furthermore, the process of FIG. 4 is realized by the control unit 201 of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 executing a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 202 and controlling the respective components of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104. The same applies to FIG. 7, which will be described later.

[0052] 3 and 4 are started in a state where the master camera 100 and the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are in the still image capture mode and connections have been established in advance. The same applies to FIG. 7, which will be described later.

[0053] In step S300, the master camera 100 waits until it receives an instruction for photographing preparation processing via the operation unit 208, and if it determines that it has received an instruction for photographing preparation processing, it proceeds to step S301.

[0054] In step S301, the master camera 100 transmits a command request for image capture preparation processing to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 via the communication unit 210.

[0055] In step S302, the master camera 100 receives responses from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 in response to the command request sent in step S301, which are processing results according to the command request. The responses from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 may or may not include status information of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, as will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0056] In step S303, the master camera 100 determines whether the status information of the slave camera received in step S302 is equal to or less than a first threshold. If the master camera 100 determines that the status information is equal to or less than the first threshold, the process proceeds to step S308. If the master camera 100 determines that the status information exceeds the first threshold, the process proceeds to step S304. The first threshold is set to a level at which it is determined that the state of the slave camera corresponding to the status information being determined requires immediate improvement, and that if improvement is not achieved, the shooting operation will be restricted or terminated.

[0057] Here, the status information of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 and the threshold value of the status information will be described with reference to FIG.

[0058] FIG. 5(a) illustrates status information related to remaining battery power. A first battery icon 500 corresponds to status information indicating that the battery is fully charged. A second battery icon 501 corresponds to status information indicating that the remaining battery power is decreasing but still sufficient. A third battery icon 502 corresponds to status information indicating that the remaining battery power is decreasing. A fourth battery icon 503 corresponds to status information indicating that the remaining battery power has decreased to the lowest level and is about to reach zero. When the status information is remaining battery power, the first threshold corresponds to status information indicating the state of the fourth battery icon 503.

[0059] FIG. 5(b) illustrates status information related to communication status. The first communication icon 510 corresponds to status information indicating the highest communication strength and stable communication. The second communication icon 511 corresponds to status information indicating the intermediate communication strength between the highest and lowest and sufficient for communication. The third communication icon 512 corresponds to status information indicating the communication strength has decreased and the communication status has deteriorated. The fourth communication icon 513 corresponds to status information indicating the lowest communication strength and a high possibility that communication will not be possible. When the status information is a communication status, the first threshold corresponds to the status information of the fourth communication icon 513.

[0060] FIG. 5(c) shows an example of status information related to internal temperature. The temperature icon indicates that shooting may be restricted due to a rise in temperature. The first temperature icon 520 corresponds to status information indicating that the internal temperature of the camera is rising, which may affect the quality of the captured image, but shooting is still possible. The second temperature icon 521 corresponds to status information indicating that the internal temperature of the camera is high and shooting will soon automatically end. When the status information is internal temperature, the first threshold corresponds to the status information of the state of the second temperature icon 521, and a numerical value such as the number of shots that can be taken becomes the threshold. For example, the first threshold is set to the number of shots that can be taken of 100 or less.

[0061] The status information and threshold values in FIG. 5 are examples and can be changed by the user or the system.

[0062] Returning to FIG. 3, in step S304, the master camera 100 determines that the status information of the slave camera received in step S302 is not equal to or less than the first threshold and therefore requires immediate improvement, and that the level at which imaging operation would be restricted or terminated unless the information is improved is not high enough. The master camera 100 determines whether the status information of the slave camera received in step S302 is equal to or less than the second threshold (>first threshold). If the master camera 100 determines that the status information is equal to or less than the second threshold, it proceeds to step S305. If the master camera 100 determines that the status information exceeds the second threshold, it determines that the slave camera corresponding to the status information being determined is not in an abnormal state that would require imaging operation to be restricted or terminated, and terminates the process.

[0063] In the example of Figure 5, the second threshold is the state of the third battery icon 502 if the status information is battery remaining, the state of the third communication icon 512 if the status information is communication status, the state of the first temperature icon 520 if the status information is internal temperature, and up to 500 if the number of photos that can be taken.

[0064] In step S305, the master camera 100 displays a warning on the display unit 209 during preparation for shooting, in accordance with the status information of the slave camera received in step S302.

[0065] Here, with reference to FIG. 6, an example of a warning displayed by the master camera 100 in response to the status information of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 will be described.

[0066] FIG. 6(a) illustrates an example of a live view screen 600 displayed on the display unit 209 of the master camera 100. FIG. 6(a) illustrates an example of a state in which an image of three people being captured by the imaging unit 205 is displayed in real time. A button 601 is an operation member for switching a setting to display detailed information on the live view screen 600. The user can display detailed information about shooting by touching the button 601. A button 602 is an operation member for switching a touch release function between enabled and disabled. The touch release function is a function that executes shooting in response to the user's touch on the live view screen 600. A communication icon 603 corresponds to the communication icon corresponding to the status information described in FIG. 5(b). The user can check the communication strength by looking at the communication icon and determine whether communication is possible. A button 604 is an operation member for enlarging the image. The user can enlarge the image displayed on the live view screen 600 by touching the button 604. For example, the first touch of button 604 can switch to a 5x display, the second touch can switch to a 10x display, and the third touch can return to a normal display.

[0067] 6(b) shows an example of a live view screen 600 that is displayed on the display unit 209 when the master camera 100 receives an instruction to perform shooting preparation processing from the operation unit 208. When the master camera 100 receives an instruction to perform shooting preparation processing from the operation unit 208, it executes shooting preparation operations and simultaneously hides information that is not necessary for the shooting preparation operations. In this embodiment, the buttons 601, 602, and 604 and the communication icon 603 described in FIG. 6(a) are hidden.

[0068] Figure 6(c) illustrates a state in which the master camera 100 transmits a command request for image capture preparation processing to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, and displays a warning in accordance with the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104. In the example of Figure 6(c), information 605 is displayed indicating that the remaining battery power of the slave camera named Receiver C is low. In step S305, the live view screen 600 of Figure 6(c) is displayed on the display unit 209.

[0069] In step S306, the master camera 100 waits until the photographing preparation operation is completed, and if it is determined that the photographing preparation operation is completed, the process proceeds to step S307.

[0070] In step S307, after the master camera 100 has completed preparations for shooting in step S306, it returns the live view screen 600 displayed on the display unit 209 from the state shown in FIG. 6(c) to the state shown in FIG. 6(a), and hides the information 605.

[0071] In step S308, the master camera 100 determines that the status information of the slave camera received in step S303 is equal to or less than the first threshold, indicating that the condition of the slave camera requires immediate improvement and that, if not improved, the image capture operation will be restricted or terminated. When the status information is equal to or less than the first threshold, in the example of FIG. 5, the status information indicates the fourth battery icon 503 if the status information is about the remaining battery power, the fourth communication icon 513 if the status information is about the communication status, and the second temperature icon 521 if the status information is about the internal temperature. The master camera 100 constantly displays information necessary to prompt the user to improve the condition in a location different from the display area of the information 605 on the live view screen 600 of FIG. 6(c), regardless of whether or not the master camera 100 is preparing to capture an image. In the example of FIG. 6(d), information 606 indicating that the battery of the slave camera named Receiver C is low is displayed in a location different from the display area of the information 605 on the live view screen 600 of FIG. 6(a).

[0072] Next, the control process of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0073] In step S400, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 wait until they receive a command request from the master camera 100, and if it is determined that a command request has been received, the process proceeds to step S401.

[0074] In step S401, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 analyze the command request received from the master camera 100. If the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the command request is for image capture preparation processing, the process proceeds to step S402; if they determine that the command request is not for image capture preparation processing, the process proceeds to step S407.

[0075] In step S402, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 check the status information.

[0076] In step S403, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine whether the status information checked in step S402 is equal to or less than a first threshold. If the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the status information is equal to or less than the first threshold, they proceed to step S404. If the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the status information exceeds the first threshold, they proceed to step S405. The first threshold is as described in step S303 of FIG. 3.

[0077] In step S404, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 notify the master camera 100 of status information that is equal to or less than the first threshold. The slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 notify the master camera 100 of the status information and name of each camera in response to the command request received in step S400.

[0078] In step S405, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the status information checked in step S402 is not equal to or less than the first threshold, and therefore the level is not such that the image capture operation should be restricted or terminated. The slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine whether the status information checked in step S402 is equal to or less than the second threshold (>first threshold). If the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the status information is equal to or less than the second threshold, they proceed to step S406. If the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the status information exceeds the second threshold, they determine that the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are not in an abnormal state that would restrict or terminate the image capture operation, and they proceed to step S408. The second threshold is as described in step S304 of FIG. 3.

[0079] In step S406, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that the status information checked in step S402 does not require immediate improvement, but that there is a possibility that the shooting operation will be restricted or terminated in the near future. The slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 notify the master camera 100 of status information that is equal to or less than the first threshold. The slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 notify the master camera 100 of the status information and name of each camera in response to the command request received in step S400.

[0080] In step S407, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 execute processes other than preparation for image capture in response to the command request received in step S400. For example, when the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 receive an image acquisition request from the master camera 100, they read an image file from the recording medium 211 and transmit it to the master camera 100.

[0081] In step S408, the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 determine that there is no abnormal state that would restrict or terminate the shooting operation, and do not notify the status information and name of each camera in response to the command request received in step S400, but instead transmit the processing result of the command request and end the process. Note that in the second embodiment described below, if the command request received from the master camera 100 is a command request that requests the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 to transmit status information, the status information and name of each camera are notified in response to the command request.

[0082] According to the first embodiment described above, when the master camera 100 receives an instruction to perform the shooting preparation process, it displays a warning corresponding to the status information during the shooting preparation process unless the status of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is such that immediate improvement is required and the shooting operation will be restricted or terminated if the status is not improved. This allows the user to be notified by displaying a warning corresponding to the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 at an appropriate time so as not to degrade the operability of the master camera 100 during shooting. Furthermore, if the status of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is such that immediate improvement is required and the shooting operation will be restricted or terminated if the status is not improved, the master camera 100 constantly displays a warning corresponding to the status information regardless of whether the shooting preparation process is in progress. This allows the user to be notified that the status of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 needs immediate improvement.

[0083] [Embodiment 2] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0084] The configurations and communication methods of the master camera 100 and slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. The control processing of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

[0085] In the second embodiment, an example will be described in which the master camera 100 receives status information from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 at predetermined time intervals, and displays a warning according to the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 when an instruction to perform shooting preparation processing is received.

[0086] In the first embodiment, when the master camera 100 receives an instruction to perform image capture preparation processing, it transmits a command request for image capture preparation processing to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the master camera 100 transmits a command request to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 to request the transmission of status information, regardless of whether the master camera 100 receives an instruction to perform image capture preparation processing.

[0087] In step S700, the master camera 100 transmits a command request to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 to request the transmission of status information.

[0088] In step S701, the master camera 100 determines whether or not status information has been received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 as a response to the command request sent in step S700. If the master camera 100 determines that status information has been received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, the process proceeds to step S702. If the master camera 100 determines that status information has not been received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104, the process returns to step S700. The master camera 100 again sends a command request to the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 at predetermined time intervals, requesting that status information be sent.

[0089] In steps S702 and S703, the master camera 100 compares the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 in step S701 with the first and second thresholds, similar to steps S303 and S304 in FIG.

[0090] If the master camera 100 determines that the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is equal to or less than the first threshold, the process proceeds to step S708. If the master camera 100 determines that the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 exceeds the first threshold, the process proceeds to step S703.

[0091] Furthermore, if the master camera 100 determines in step S701 that the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is equal to or less than the second threshold, the process proceeds to step S704. If the master camera 100 determines that the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 exceeds the second threshold, the master camera 100 determines that the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 are not in an abnormal state that would restrict or terminate the shooting operation, and ends the process.

[0092] In step S704, the master camera 100 waits until it receives an instruction to perform image capture preparation processing from the operation unit 208, and if it determines that it has received an instruction to perform image capture preparation processing, it proceeds to step S705.

[0093] In step S705, the master camera 100 displays a warning on the display unit 209 during preparation for shooting in accordance with the status information of the slave cameras received in step S701, similar to step S305 in Fig. 3. The warning displayed by the master camera 100 in accordance with the status information of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is as described in Fig. 6.

[0094] The processes in steps S706, S707, and S708 are the same as the processes in steps S306, S307, and S308 in FIG.

[0095] According to the second embodiment described above, the master camera 100 receives status information from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 at predetermined time intervals, regardless of whether an instruction for photographing preparation processing has been issued. Then, when the master camera 100 receives an instruction for photographing preparation processing, if the status of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is not at a level that requires immediate improvement and that would limit or terminate photographing operations if not improved, the master camera 100 displays a warning corresponding to the status information during photographing preparation processing. This allows the master camera 100 to notify the user by displaying a warning corresponding to the status information received from the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 at an appropriate time so as not to degrade operability during photographing with the master camera 100. Furthermore, if the status of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 is at a level that requires immediate improvement and that would limit or terminate photographing operations if not improved, the master camera 100 constantly displays a warning corresponding to the status information, regardless of whether photographing preparation processing is in progress. This allows the user to be notified that the status of the slave cameras 102, 103, and 104 needs immediate improvement.

[0096] [Other embodiments] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

[0097] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention.

[0098] The disclosure of this specification includes the following imaging device, control method, and program. [Configuration 1] An imaging device, a communication means for connecting to other imaging devices so as to be able to communicate with each other; an acquisition means for acquiring status information relating to a state of the other imaging device from the other imaging device; and a control means for displaying a warning on a display unit based on status information acquired from the other imaging device when an instruction for a shooting preparation process to be performed prior to the shooting process of a captured image is received. [Configuration 2] Acceptance means for accepting user operations; a transmission unit that transmits a command request to the other imaging device to request processing in accordance with the user operation, the transmitting means, when receiving an instruction for the photographing preparation process from the receiving means, transmits a command request for the photographing preparation process to the other imaging device; 2. The imaging device according to configuration 1, wherein the acquisition means acquires status information from the other imaging device as a response to a command request for the imaging preparation process. [Configuration 3] a transmission means for transmitting a command request to the other imaging device at a predetermined time interval to request the other imaging device to transmit status information; 2. The imaging device according to configuration 1, wherein the acquisition means acquires status information from the other imaging device as a response to the command request. [Configuration 4] 4. The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 3, wherein the control means displays the warning according to a result of comparing the status information with a threshold value. [Configuration 5] 5. The imaging device according to configuration 4, wherein the control means displays a first warning when the status information is equal to or less than a first threshold value, regardless of an instruction for the photographing preparation process. [Configuration 6] The imaging device according to configuration 5, wherein the control means displays a second warning until the shooting preparation operation is completed when the status information is equal to or less than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value. [Configuration 7] the display unit displays the captured image and information other than the image, The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 6, wherein when the control means receives an instruction to perform the shooting preparation process, the control means hides information that is not necessary for the shooting preparation operation, and displays the warning in the hidden area. [Configuration 8] 8. The imaging device according to configuration 7, wherein the photographing preparation operation includes photometry processing and autofocus processing of the captured image. [Configuration 9] 9. The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the status information includes at least one of a remaining battery level, a number of shots that can be taken, an internal temperature, and a communication status of the other imaging device. [Configuration 10] The imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, characterized in that the other imaging device transmits status information and a name of the other imaging device depending on a result of comparing the status information with a threshold value. [Configuration 11] When the status information is equal to or less than a threshold, the other imaging device transmits the status information equal to or less than the threshold and the name of the other imaging device; 11. The imaging device according to configuration 10, wherein if the status information exceeds a threshold, the status information and name are not transmitted. [Configuration 12] the first warning is displayed when the condition of the other imaging device requires immediate improvement and, if not improved, there is a possibility that the imaging operation may be restricted or terminated; The imaging device described in configuration 6, characterized in that the second warning is displayed when the condition of the other imaging device does not require immediate improvement, but there is a possibility that imaging operations will be restricted or terminated in the near future. [Configuration 13] A control method for an imaging device, comprising: connecting to another imaging device so as to be able to communicate with the other imaging device; acquiring status information relating to a state of the other imaging device from the other imaging device; and when an instruction for a shooting preparation process to be performed prior to the shooting process of a captured image is received, a warning based on status information acquired from the other imaging device is displayed on a display unit. [Configuration 14] A program for causing a computer to function as the imaging device according to any one of configurations 1 to 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 100... master camera, 102, 103, 104... slave cameras, 201... control unit, 205... imaging unit, 210... communication unit

Claims

1. An imaging device, a communication means for connecting to other imaging devices so as to be able to communicate with each other; an acquisition means for acquiring status information relating to a state of the other imaging device from the other imaging device; and a control means for displaying a warning on a display unit based on status information acquired from the other imaging device when an instruction for a shooting preparation process to be performed prior to the shooting process of a captured image is received.

2. Acceptance means for accepting user operations; a transmission unit that transmits a command request to the other imaging device to request processing in accordance with the user operation, the transmitting means, when receiving an instruction for the photographing preparation process from the receiving means, transmits a command request for the photographing preparation process to the other imaging device; 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires status information from the other imaging device as a response to a command request for the imaging preparation process.

3. a transmission means for transmitting a command request to the other imaging device at a predetermined time interval to request the other imaging device to transmit status information; 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires status information from the other imaging device as a response to the command request.

4. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the control means displays the warning in accordance with a result of comparing the status information with a threshold value.

5. 5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control means displays a first warning when said status information is equal to or less than a first threshold value, regardless of an instruction for said photographing preparation processing.

6. 6. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the control means displays a second warning until a photographing preparation operation is completed when the status information is equal to or less than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value.

7. the display unit displays the captured image and information other than the image, The imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the control means receives an instruction to perform the shooting preparation processing, it hides information that is not necessary for the shooting preparation operation and displays the warning in the hidden area.

8. 8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the photographing preparation operation includes photometry processing and autofocus processing of the photographed image.

9. 2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the status information includes at least one of a remaining battery level, a number of shots that can be taken, an internal temperature, and a communication state of the other imaging device.

10. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the other imaging device transmits the status information and the name of the other imaging device in accordance with a result of comparing the status information with a threshold value.

11. When the status information is equal to or less than a threshold, the other imaging device transmits the status information equal to or less than the threshold and the name of the other imaging device; 11. The imaging device according to claim 10, wherein the status information and the name are not transmitted when the status information exceeds a threshold value.

12. the first warning is displayed when the state of the other imaging device needs to be improved immediately and, if not improved, there is a possibility that the imaging operation may be restricted or terminated; The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the second warning is displayed when the state of the other imaging device does not require immediate improvement, but there is a possibility that imaging operations will be restricted or terminated in the near future.

13. A control method for an imaging device, comprising: connecting to another imaging device so as to be able to communicate with the other imaging device; acquiring status information relating to a state of the other imaging device from the other imaging device; and when an instruction for a shooting preparation process to be performed prior to the shooting process of a captured image is received, a warning based on status information acquired from the other imaging device is displayed on a display unit.

14. A program for causing a computer to function as the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

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