# US 11,451,704 B2 · Image capturing apparatus, method for controlling the same, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,704 B2 - Document ID: US11451704B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/902,602 - Filed: 2020-06-16 - Published: 2020-10-01 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-18 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kenji Ouchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451704B2 ## CPC - G03B 17/561: {Support related camera accessories} - G06N 3/0499: Feedforward networks - G06N 3/08: Learning methods - G06N 3/09: Supervised learning - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 23/61: based on recognised objects - H04N 23/64: {Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image} - H04N 23/65: Control of camera operation in relation to power supply - H04N 23/651: {for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera} - H04N 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors} - H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming - H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G06N: COMPUTING ARRANGEMENTS BASED ON SPECIFIC COMPUTATIONAL MODELS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The present invention eliminates meaningless searching for an object, and increases the probability that an image the user likes can be obtained. An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing device configured to capture an object image, an object detection unit configured to detect an object from image data captured by the image capturing device, a state detection unit configured to detect information pertaining to a state in which the image capturing apparatus is being held, and a control unit configured to control a range in which the object detection unit searches for an object, on the basis of state information of the image capturing apparatus detected by the state detection unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing apparatus, comprising: an image capturing device configured to capture an object image; at least one processor or circuit configured to function as: an object detection unit configured to detect an object from image data captured by the image capturing device; a changing unit configured to change an orientation of the image capturing device so that the image capturing device faces in a direction of an object; a state detection unit configured to detect information pertaining to a state in which the image capturing apparatus is being held; and a control unit configured to control a changing range of an orientation of the image capturing device during the object detection unit searches for an object, on the basis of state information of the image capturing apparatus detected by the state detection unit, wherein the control unit makes the changing range of the orientation of the image capturing device during the object detection unit searches for an object wider in a case where a holding state of the image capturing apparatus is a stationary capturing state than in a case where the holding state of the image capturing apparatus is not the stationary capturing state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state in which the image capturing apparatus is not the stationary capturing state includes at least one of a handheld state, being hung from a neck, a wearable state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets a range to search for an object to an angular range that is horizontally symmetrical with respect to a travel direction of the image capturing apparatus. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state detection unit detects information of an attachment attached to the image capturing apparatus, and the control unit controls the range in which the object detection unit searches for an object in accordance with the information of the attached attachment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a different neural network is provided for each state of the image capturing apparatus, and a neural network suited to the state of the image capturing apparatus is applied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is configured to further function as an automatic image capturing unit configured to make the image capturing device to perform image capturing based on information of the object detected by the object detection unit and record the captured image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is configured to further function as an image capturing frequency determination unit configured to determine an image capturing frequency of the automatic image capturing unit, and wherein the image capturing frequency is determined on the basis of the state information of the image capturing apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the automatic image capturing unit controls to automatically carry out the image capturing operation using parameters generated by a machine learning. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image capturing operation is changed by updating the parameters based on the machine learning using data output by the image capturing device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is configured to further function as a low-power mode control unit, and wherein low-power mode control is carried out on the basis of the state information of the image capturing apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the changing unit causes the image capturing device to rotate in a pan direction or a tilt direction. ### Claim 12 An image capturing apparatus, comprising: an image capturing device configured to capture an object image; at least one processor or circuit configured to function as: an object detection unit configured to detect an object from image data captured by the image capturing device; a state detection unit configured to detect information pertaining to a state in which the image capturing apparatus is being held; and a control unit configured to control a range in which the object detection unit searches for an object, on the basis of state information of the image capturing apparatus detected by the state detection unit, wherein the control unit limits the range in which the object detection unit searches for an object so that a user's body is not visible. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is configured to further function as a changing unit configured to change an orientation of the image capturing device so that the image capturing device faces in a direction of an object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the changing unit causes the image capturing device to rotate in a pan direction or a tilt direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the range for searching for an object is a range in which the changing unit changes the orientation of the image capturing device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control unit limits the range in which the object detection unit searches for an object so that the user's body is not visible in a state the image capturing apparatus being hung from a neck or a wearable state. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a different neural network is provided for each state of the image capturing apparatus, and a neural network suited to the state of the image capturing apparatus is applied. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The image capturing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is configured to further function as an automatic image capturing unit configured to make the image capturing device to perform image capturing based on information of the object detected by the object detection unit and record the captured image. ### Claim 19 A method of controlling an image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus including an image capturing device configured to capture an object image, and the method comprising: detecting an object from image data captured by the image capturing device; changing an orientation of the image capturing device so that the image capturing device faces in a direction of an object; detecting information pertaining to a state in which the image capturing apparatus is being held; and controlling a changing range of an orientation of the image capturing device during an object is searched for in the object detection, on the basis of state information of the image capturing apparatus detected in the state detection, wherein in the controlling, the changing range of the orientation of the image capturing device during an object is searched for in the object detection is set to be wider in a case where a holding state of the image capturing apparatus is a stationary capturing state than in a case where the holding state of the image capturing apparatus is not the stationary capturing state. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in which is stored a program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an image capturing apparatus, the image capturing apparatus including an image capturing device configured to capture an object image, and the method comprising: detecting an object from image data captured by the image capturing device; changing an orientation of the image capturing device so that the image capturing device faces in a direction of an object; detecting information pertaining to a state in which the image capturing apparatus is being held; and controlling a changing range of an orientation of the image capturing device during an object is searched for in the object detection, on the basis of state information of the image capturing apparatus detected in the state detection, wherein in the controlling, the changing range of the orientation of the image capturing device during an object is searched for in the object detection is set to be wider in a case where a holding state of the image capturing apparatus is a stationary capturing state than in a case where the holding state of the image capturing apparatus is not the stationary capturing state.