# US 10,313,604 B2 · Image capturing apparatus and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,313,604 B2 - Document ID: US10313604B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/951,960 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2018-08-16 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-21 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Koji Sudo; Seiji Ogawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313604B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/74: by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means - H04N 23/61: based on recognised objects - H04N 23/611: where the recognised objects include parts of the human body - H04N 23/632: {for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters} - H04N 23/633: {for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera} - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image capturing apparatus comprises a light emitting unit which provides, by light emission, a notification of an operation status of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting; a mode setting unit which sets one of a plurality of operation modes; and a control unit which controls the light emitting unit to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self-timer shooting if the mode setting unit has set a first operation mode, and controls the light emitting unit not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self timer shooting if the mode setting unit has set a second operation mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing apparatus comprising: a light emitter having a light source, configured to provide a notification of an operation status of a count-down operation of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, the notification being via light emission; a memory and at least one processor, which function as: a control unit configured to control the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self-timer shooting if a predetermined condition that is assumed to be a shooting of a person is satisfied, and to control the light emitter not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self timer shooting if the predetermined condition is not satisfied, an object detector configured to detect a specific object from a captured image; and a mode setting unit configured to set one of a plurality of operation modes, wherein: the predetermined condition includes a state where the object detector is detecting the specific object, if the mode setting unit has set a first operation mode, the control unit is configured to control the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the count-down operation of the self-timer in self-timer shooting irrespective of whether the object detector has detected the specific object, and if the mode setting unit has set a second operation mode for a dark place, the control unit is configured to control the presence/absence of the notification of the operation status of the self-timer by the light emitter in accordance with whether the object detector has detected the specific object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory and the at least one processor further function as a time setting unit configured to set a time of a self-timer in self-timer shooting, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition that the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is not less than a predetermined time. ### Claim 3 An image capturing apparatus comprising: a light emitter having a light source, configured to provide, by light emission, a notification of an operation status of a count-down operation of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting; a memory and at least one processor which function as: a time setting unit configured to set a time of a self-timer in self-timer shooting; and a control unit configured to control, if the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is not shorter than a predetermined time, the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, and to control, if the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is shorter than the predetermined time, the light emitter not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the memory and the at least one processor further function as a mode setting unit configured to set one of a plurality of operation modes, wherein if the mode setting unit has set a first operation mode, the control unit is configured to control the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, irrespective of the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit, and if the mode setting unit has set a second operation mode for a dark place, the control unit is configured to control the presence/absence of the notification of the operation status of the self-timer by the light emitter in accordance with the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mode setting unit is a unit configured to set one of a plurality of shooting modes, the first operation mode and the second operation mode are shooting modes out of the plurality of shooting modes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of operation modes settable by the mode setting unit include the second operation mode which is a shooting mode for a dark place and is not a shooting mode used to shoot a person, and a third operation mode which is a shooting mode for a dark place and is a shooting mode used to shoot a person. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of operation modes settable by the mode setting unit include the second operation mode which is a shooting mode for a dark place and which causes a flash not to emit light, and a third operation mode which is a shooting mode for a dark place and which causes the flash to emit light. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to control the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting in which the mode setting unit has set the third operation mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second operation mode is a shooting mode which prevents a flash from emitting light. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the third shooting mode, a plurality exposures of different exposure periods is performed, and an image is generated by multiple-compositing a plurality of images captured by performing the plurality of exposures. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second operation mode is a shooting mode used to shoot at least one of a starry sky, a nightscape, and a skyrocket. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mode setting unit is configured to determine whether shooting is performed in a dark place based on a photometry result, and configured to set the second operation mode if shooting is performed in a dark place. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a sound device configured to provide an audible notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, wherein when the light emitter provides no notification of the operation status of the self-timer, the control unit is configured to control the sound device not to provide the audible notification. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a sound device configured to provide an audible notification of the operation status of the self-timer, wherein even if the light emitter provides no notification of the operation status of the self-timer, the control unit is configured to control the sound device to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein even if the light emitter provides no notification of the operation status of the self-timer, the control unit is configured to control the pronunciation of a shutter sound in synchronism with opening/closing of a shutter. ### Claim 16 A control method of an image capturing apparatus having a light emitter having a light source, configured to provide a notification of an operation status of a count-down operation of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, the notification being via light emission, the method comprising: controlling the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self-timer shooting if a predetermined condition that is assumed to be a shooting of a person is satisfied; controlling the light emitter not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self timer shooting if the predetermined condition is not satisfied; detecting a specific object from a captured image; setting one of a plurality of operation modes, wherein: the predetermined condition includes a state of detecting the specific object, if a first operation mode is set, controlling the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the count-down operation of the self-timer in self-timer shooting irrespective of whether the specific object has been detected, and if a second operation mode is set for a dark place, controlling the presence/absence of the notification of the operation status of the self-timer by the light emitter in accordance with whether the specific object has been detected. ### Claim 17 A control method of an image capturing apparatus having a light emitter configured to provide a notification of an operation status of a count-down operation of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, the notification being via light emission, the method comprising: setting a time of a self-timer in self-timer shooting; controlling, if the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is not shorter than a predetermined time, the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting; and controlling, if the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is shorter than the predetermined time, the light emitter not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method of an image capturing apparatus having a light emitter having a light source, configured to provide a notification of an operation status of a count-down operation of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, the notification being via light emission, the method comprising: controlling the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self-timer shooting if a predetermined condition that is assumed to be a shooting of a person is satisfied; controlling the light emitter not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer in self timer shooting if the predetermined condition is not satisfied; detecting a specific object from a captured image; setting one of a plurality of operation modes, wherein: the predetermined condition includes a state of detecting the specific object, if a first operation mode is set, controlling to provide the notification of the operation status of the count-down operation of the self-timer in self-timer shooting irrespective of whether the specific object has been detected, and if a second operation mode is set for a dark place, controlling the presence/absence of the notification of the operation status of the self-timer by the light emitter in accordance with whether the specific object has been detected. ### Claim 19 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method of an image capturing apparatus having a light emitter configured to provide a notification of an operation status of a count-down operation of a self-timer when performing self-timer shooting, the notification being via light emission, the method comprising: setting a time of a self-timer in self-timer shooting; controlling, if the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is not shorter than a predetermined time, the light emitter to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting; and controlling, if the time of the self-timer set by the time setting unit is shorter than the predetermined time, the light emitter not to provide the notification of the operation status of the self-timer when performing self-timer shooting.