# US 12,003,852 B2 · Image capture apparatus and control method

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- Number: US 12,003,852 B2
- Document ID: US12003852B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/864,516
- Filed: 2022-07-14
- Published: 2022-11-03
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-24
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Daiyu Ueno; Yoichiro Imai; Hiroshi Toriumi; Tomoyuki Shiozaki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003852B2

## CPC

- H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules
- H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
- G03B 15/00: Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
- G03B 17/00: Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor (lens hoods or caps G03B11/04)
- G03B 17/20: visible in viewfinder
- H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces
- H04N 23/63: by using electronic viewfinders
- 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: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- 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)

## Abstract

An image capture apparatus comprises a display unit that displays a captured image, an output unit that outputs the image to an external device, a processing unit capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations that include a first operation of capturing the image with an image capturing mode setting during shooting standby, and a second operation of capturing the image with the same image capturing mode setting regardless of whether it is during shooting standby or during shooting, and a control unit that, when an output of the image to the external device is not being performed, permits the processing unit to perform the first operation, and when an output of the image to the external device is being performed, prohibits the processing unit to perform the first operation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image capture apparatus comprising:
a display unit configured to display an image obtained by an image capturing unit;
an output unit configured to output the image to an external device;
a processing unit capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations that include a first operation of capturing the image with an first image capturing mode setting during shooting and capturing the image with a second image capturing mode setting during shooting standby, processing for capturing the image with the second image capturing mode setting during shooting standby being reduced to be lower than processing for capturing the image with the first image capturing mode setting during shooting, and a second operation of capturing the image with the first image capturing mode setting regardless of whether the image capturing during shooting standby or the image capturing during shooting; and
a control unit configured to, when an output of the image to the external device is not being performed by the output unit, permitting the processing unit to perform the first operation, and
when an output of the image to the external device is being performed by the output unit, prohibiting the processing unit to perform the first operation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a first operation unit configured to accept a first user operation to set the first operation to be performed; and
a second operation unit configured to accept a second user operation to set the first image capturing mode setting,
wherein when the output of the image to the external device is not being performed by the output unit, the control unit permits setting to perform the first operation by the first user operation and changing the first image capturing mode setting set by the second user operation to the second image capturing mode setting,
when the output of the image to the external device is being performed by the output unit, the control unit prohibits setting to perform the first operation by the first user operation and changing the first image capturing mode setting set by the second user operation to the second image capturing mode setting.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first image capturing mode setting and the second image capturing mode setting include at least one of a quality of the image, a frame rate of the image, and a reading method of the image.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second image capturing mode setting is an image capturing mode setting such that a heat generation due to processing for capturing the image with the second image capturing mode setting is reduced to be lower than a heat generation due to processing with the first image capturing mode setting.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when an output of the image to the external device is being performed by the output unit, the control unit prohibits the processing unit to execute the first operation even when a screen setting for displaying the image only on the external device of the output destination of the image, and even when the screen setting for displaying the image on both the external device and the image capture apparatus of the output destination of the image.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the image generated by the image capturing unit as a live view.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising recording unit configured to recording the image generated by the image capturing unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit includes the image capturing unit.

### Claim 9

A method of controlling an image capture apparatus which has a display unit configured to display an image obtained by an image capturing unit and an output unit configured to output the image to an external device, and is capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations that include a first operation of capturing the image with a first image capturing mode setting during shooting and capturing the image with a second image capturing mode setting during shooting standby, processing for capturing the image with the second image capturing mode setting during shooting standby being reduced to be lower than processing for capturing the image with the first image capturing mode setting during shooting, and a second operation of capturing the image with the first image capturing mode setting regardless of whether the image capturing during shooting standby or the image capturing during shooting, the method characterized by comprising:
when an output of the image to the external device is not being performed by the output unit, permitting the image capture apparatus to execute the first operation; and
when an output of the image to the external device is being performed by the output unit, prohibiting the image capture apparatus to execute the first operation.

### Claim 10

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as an image capture apparatus comprising:
a display unit configured to display an image obtained by an image capturing unit;
an output unit configured to output the image to an external device;
a processing unit capable of switching and executing a plurality of operations that include a first operation of capturing the image with a first image capturing mode setting during shooting and capturing the image with a second image capturing mode setting during shooting standby, processing for capturing the image with the second image capturing mode setting during shooting standby being reduced to be lower than processing for capturing the image with the first image capturing mode setting during shooting, and a second operation of capturing the image with the first same image capturing mode setting regardless of whether the image capturing during shooting standby or the image capturing during shooting; and
a control unit configured to, when an output of the image to the external device is not being performed by the output unit, permitting the processing unit to perform the first operation, and
when an output of the image to the external device is being performed by the output unit, prohibiting the processing unit to perform the first operation.
