# US 8,542,303 B2 · Digital camera having a display menu used to select either color photographing operation or a black/white photographing operation

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- Number: US 8,542,303 B2
- Document ID: US8542303B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/960,063
- Filed: 2010-12-03
- Published: 2011-03-31
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2004-03-10
- Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation
- Applicants: Ryuichi Shiohara
- Inventors: Ryuichi Shiohara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542303B2

## CPC

- H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces
- G03B 17/18: Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light (indicating depth of field G03B13/30)
- H04N 5/2621: {Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability}
- H04N 23/631: {Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters}
- H04N 23/633: {for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera}
- H04N 23/84: for processing colour signals
- H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras
- 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

A digital camera includes: an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts light to output a color image; a selecting unit that selects any one identifier from identifiers which are colored in different colors from each other; and a black/white image producing unit that produces a black/white image by weighting gradation values of respective colors for each of pixels of the output color image and adding the weighted gradation values to each other. When the light entered to the imaging unit is entered to a color filter having a color equal to a color of the selected identifier, a correlation between a light amount of light having a wavelength which penetrates the color filer and a light amount of the entered light becomes stronger than a correlation between a light amount of light having a wavelength which is absorbed by the color filter and the light amount of the entered light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An imaging apparatus comprising:
an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts input light to output a first color image and a second color image;
a selecting unit that selects one of identifiers in response to an instruction from a user, each of the identifiers identifying a corresponding color;
a first image producing unit that produces a first monotone image based on the first color image and a selected identifier;
a second image producing unit that produces a second monotone image;
an image displaying unit that displays, on a display, a through image of the first monotone image together with the selected identifier; and
an image controlling unit that receives a shutter operation while the through image of the first monotone image and the selected identifier are displayed on the display, the image controlling unit that, in response to the shutter operation, causes the imaging unit to output the second color image and causes the second image producing unit to produce the second monotone image based on the second color image and the selected identifier, wherein
the selected identifier is displayed with the through image of the first monotone image in which effect achieved by the selected identifier is reflected, on the display,
a selector used to select the one of identifiers is displayed on the display in such a manner that the user can select the one of identifiers, and
the one of identifiers in the selector is selected when a button is depressed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the instruction from the user is instructed by using a switch that indicates one of the identifiers, and
the image displaying unit displays the selected identifier which is selected by the selecting unit with the switch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the selecting unit selects one of an item and the identifiers, and
the item does not correspond to a color.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the image displaying unit displays the selected identifier using a circle filled with a color identified by the selected identifier which is selected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second image producing unit produces the second monotone image by weighting gradation values of respective colors for each of pixels of the second color image and adding the weighted gradation values of respective colors to each other, in accordance with the selected identifier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a recording unit that stores the second monotone image and information for specifying the selected identifier in a recording medium in response to the shutter operation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein
the image displaying unit reads out the second monotone image from recording medium to display the second monotone image on the display.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the second monotone image does not include an image of the selected identifier.

### Claim 9

An imaging method comprising:
photoelectrically converting input light to output a first color image and a second color image;
selecting one of identifiers in response to an instruction from a user, each of the identifiers identifying a corresponding color;
producing a first monotone image based on the first color image and the selected identifier;
displaying, on a display, a through image of the first monotone image together with a selected identifier;
receiving a shutter operation while the through image of the first monotone image and the selected identifier are displayed on the display; and
in response to the shutter operation, outputting the second color image and producing a second monotone image based on the second color image and the selected identifier, wherein
the selected identifier is displayed with the through image of the first monotone image in which effect achieved by the selected identifier is reflected, on the display,
a selector used to select the one of identifiers is displayed on the display in such a manner that the user can select the one of identifiers, and
the one of identifiers in the selector is selected when a button is depressed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The imaging method according to claim 9, wherein
the instruction from the user is instructed by using a switch that indicates one of the identifiers, and
the selected identifier, which is selected by the selecting unit with the switch, is displayed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The imaging method according to claim 9, wherein
one of an item and the identifiers is selected in response to the instruction from the user, and
the item does not correspond to a color.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The imaging method according to claim 9, wherein
the selected identifier is displayed using a circle filled with a color identified by the selected identifier.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The imaging method according to claim 9, wherein
the second monotone image is produced by weighting gradation values of respective colors for each of pixels of the second color image and adding the weighted gradation values of respective colors to each other, in accordance with the selected identifier.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The imaging method according to claim 9, further comprising:
storing the second monotone image and information for specifying the selected identifier in a recording medium in response to the shutter operation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The imaging method according to claim 14, wherein
the second monotone image is read out from recording medium to display the second monotone image on the display.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The imaging method according to claim 9, wherein
the second monotone image does not include an image of the selected identifier.