Image capturing apparatus, control method thereof, and program
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorOsamu Harada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit which converts an optical image of an object into an electrical signal, and an optical member arranged on the object side of the image capturing unit. The image capturing apparatus also includes an alien substance removing unit configured to execute an alien substance removal operation to remove alien substances adhering to the surface of the optical member, an environmental condition detection unit configured to detect the environmental condition around the image capturing unit or around the optical member, and a control unit configured to control the alien substance removal operation on the basis of the detected environmental condition.
Claims9
An image capturing apparatus including an image capturing unit which converts an optical image of an object into an electrical signal, and an optical member arranged on the object side of the image capturing unit, comprising:
- a vibration unit configured to vibrate the image capturing unit or the optical member at a predetermined vibration amplitude to remove an alien substance;
- humidity detection unit configured to detect humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member;
- and
- a control unit configured to control the predetermined vibration amplitude of the vibration unit, the control unit sets the predetermined vibration amplitude to a first vibration amplitude if the humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member is lower than a first predetermined value, and sets the predetermined vibration amplitude to a second vibration amplitude if the humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value but less than a second predetermined value.
A method of controlling an image capturing apparatus including an image capturing unit which converts an optical image of an object into an electrical signal, and an optical member arranged on the object side of the image capturing unit, comprising:
- a vibration step of vibrating the image capturing unit or the optical member at a predetermined vibration amplitude to remove an alien substances;
- humidity detection step of detecting humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member;
- and
- a control step of controlling the predetermined vibration amplitude of the vibration step, the control step sets the predetermined vibration amplitude to a first vibration amplitude if the humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member is lower than a first predetermined value, and sets the predetermined vibration amplitude to a second vibration amplitude if the humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value but less than a second predetermined value.
A program stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which can be executed by an image capturing apparatus including an image capturing unit which converts an optical image of an object into an electrical signal, and an optical member arranged on the object side of the image capturing unit, comprising program codes for:
- vibrating the image capturing unit or the optical member at a predetermined vibration amplitude to remove an alien substance;
- detecting humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member;
- and
- controlling the predetermined vibration amplitude of the vibration step, the control step sets the predetermined vibration amplitude to a first vibration amplitude if the humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member is lower than a first predetermined value, and sets the predetermined vibration amplitude to a second vibration amplitude if the humidity around the image capturing unit or around the optical member is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value but less than a second predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.