Computer manipulatable camera and computer, computer product and system for manipulating camera

A camera, comprising:

• a photographing unit for photographing an object and acquiring image data of the object;
• a display for displaying an image photographed by said photographing unit;
• a connector for allowing said camera to be connected to a computer;
• a mode setting device for setting an operation mode of said camera by being manipulated;
• and
• a controller for transmitting data regarding the operation mode set by said mode setting device and image data being displayed on said display when a data request signal sent from said computer was received, and for setting the operation mode of said camera based on an instruction from said computer regardless of the mode setting status of said mode setting device, said instruction resulting from manipulating said computer to set the mode through an image representing said mode setting device displayed on a display of said computer.

A system for connecting a camera to a computer, comprising:

• a camera for photographing an object and acquiring image data of the object;
• a connector provided to said camera and allowing said camera to be connected to said computer;
• a mode setting device provided to said camera and for setting an operation mode of said camera by being manipulated;
• and
• a medium storing a program for causing said computer to:
• detect a connection of said camera with said computer;
• display, upon detection of the connection of said camera with said computer, an image representing said mode setting device and an image representing a display panel for displaying the image data acquired by said camera on a display which functions in association with said computer;
• and
• output a mode setting instruction signal to said camera when said computer is manipulated through the image representing said mode setting device,
• wherein said camera sets its operation mode based on the instruction supplied from said computer.

A computer program product based on which a computer executes the steps of:

• detecting a connection of a camera with the computer;
• displaying, upon detecting the connection of said camera with said computer, an image representing a mode setting device of the camera for setting an operation mode of the camera by being manipulated and an image representing a display panel for displaying image data acquired by the camera on a display which functions in association with the computer;
• and
• outputting a mode setting instruction signal to the camera when the computer is manipulated through the image representing the mode setting device.

A computer, comprising:

• manipulation devices;
• a connector connectable to a camera which photographs an object to acquire image data of the object;
• and
• a controller for detecting a connection between the camera and said computer, and causing an image representing a mode setting device provided to said camera for setting an operation mode by being manipulated and an image representing a display panel for displaying the image taken by said camera to be displayed on a display functioning in association with said computer when the connection was detected, wherein when said computer is manipulated for setting a mode based on the image representing said mode setting device, said controller supplies an instruction for setting the mode to said camera.

A system for connecting a camera to a computer, comprising:

• a camera for photographing an object and acquiring image data of the object;
• a connector provided to said camera and allowing said camera to be connected to said computer;
• a mode setting device provided to said camera and for setting an operation mode of said camera by being manipulated;
• and
• a medium storing a program for causing said computer to:
• detect a connection of said camera with said computer;
• display an image representing said mode setting device and an image representing a display panel for displaying the image data acquired by said camera on a display which functions in association with said computer;
• and
• output a mode setting instruction signal to said camera when said computer is manipulated through the image representing said mode setting device,
• wherein said camera sets its operation mode by selecting one mode from among a plurality of operation modes based on the instruction supplied from said computer.

A computer program product based on which a computer executes the steps of:

• detecting a connection of a camera with the computer;
• displaying an image representing a mode setting device of the camera for setting an operation mode of the camera by being manipulated and an image representing a display panel for displaying image data acquired by the camera on a display which functions in association with the computer;
• and
• outputting a mode setting instruction signal to the camera when the computer is manipulated through the image representing the mode setting device, wherein the operation mode is set by selecting one mode from among a plurality of operation modes.