US-12621475-B2 - Imaging device, non-transitory storage medium, and encoder selection method

US12621475B2US 12621475 B2US12621475 B2US 12621475B2US-12621475-B2

Abstract

An imaging device includes an imager; a first-type encoder; a connector unit; an information acquiring unit for acquiring information on an encoder operation mode from a second-type encoder connected to the connector unit; and a selecting unit for selecting an encoder for a record purpose and an encoder for a distribution purpose, wherein the information on the encoder operation mode contains a low-delay mode and an image quality priority mode in which an image quality is given higher priority but an encoding delay is longer than those in the low-delay mode, and the selecting unit is configured to: select, when the information on the encoder operation mode indicates the image quality priority mode, the second-type encoder for the record purpose; and select, when the information on the encoder operation mode indicates the low-delay mode, the first-type encoder for the record purpose and the second-type encoder for the distribution purpose.

Inventors

Keiji Nishimaki

Assignees

JVCKENWOOD CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230522
Priority Date: 20201215

Claims (5)

1 . An imaging device comprising: an imager configured to capture images; a first-type encoder configured to compress image data of the images; a connector unit to which a second-type encoder which is an external device and which is configured to compress the image data of the images is connectible; an information acquiring unit configured to acquire, when the second-type encoder is connected to the connector unit, encoder information containing at least information on the second-type encoder from the second-type encoder; and a selecting unit configured to select, based on the encoder information, an encoder used for a record purpose and an encoder used for a distribution purpose from among the first-type encoder and the second-type encoder, wherein the encoder information contains at least information related to an encoder operation mode, the information related to the encoder operation mode contains a low-delay mode and an image quality priority mode in which an image quality is given higher priority than that in the low-delay mode and an encoding delay is longer than that in the low-delay mode, and the selecting unit is further configured to: select, in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the image quality priority mode, the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose; and select, in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the low-delay mode, the first-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose and the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the distribution purpose.
2 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the information acquiring unit is further configured to, when multiple sets of the information related to the encoder operation mode can be acquired, acquire the multiple sets of the information related to the encoder operation mode, and the selecting unit is further configured to decide on the information related to the encoder operation mode used in the selecting unit according to a priority set in advance.
3 . The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting unit is further configured to, in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode of the second-type encoder indicates the image quality priority mode: compare a bitrate of the first-type encoder with a bitrate of the second-type encoder, use, in response to determining that the bitrate of the second-type encoder is higher than the bitrate of the first-type encoder, the first-type encoder for the distribution purpose, and use, in response to determining that the bitrate of the second-type encoder is equal to or lower than the bitrate of the first-type encoder, the second-type encoder also for the distribution purpose.
4 . A non-transitory storage medium that stores a computer program that causes a computer to execute: acquiring, when a second-type encoder is connected to an imaging device that includes a first-type encoder, encoder information containing at least information on the second-type encoder from the second-type encoder, wherein the second-type encoder is an external device and is configured to compress image data of captured images; and selecting, based on the encoder information, an encoder used for a record purpose and an encoder used for a distribution purpose from among the first-type encoder and the second-type encoder, wherein the encoder information contains at least one of: information related to an encoder operation mode, the information related to the encoder operation mode contains a low-delay mode and an image quality priority mode in which an image quality is given higher priority than that in the low-delay mode and an encoding delay is longer than that in the low-delay mode, and the selecting comprises; selecting, in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the image quality priority mode, the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose; and selecting, in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the low-delay mode, the first-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose and the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the distribution purpose.
5 . An encoder selection method comprising: acquiring, when a second-type encoder is connected to an imaging device that includes a first-type encoder, encoder information containing at least information on the second-type encoder from the second-type encoder, wherein the second-type encoder is an external device and is configured to compress image data of captured images; and selecting, based on the encoder information, an encoder used for a record purpose and an encoder used for a distribution purpose from among the first-type encoder and the second-type encoder, wherein the encoder information contains at least one of: information related to an encoder operation mode, the information related to the encoder operation mode contains a low-delay mode and an image quality priority mode in which an image quality is given higher priority than that in the low-delay mode and an encoding delay is longer than that in the low-delay mode, and the selecting comprises: in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the image quality priority mode, selecting the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose; and in response to determining that the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the low-delay mode, selecting the first-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose and the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the distribution purpose.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2021/041951 filed on Nov. 15, 2021 which claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-207926 filed on Dec. 15, 2020, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an imaging device, a non-transitory storage medium, and an encoder selection method. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is a case in which image data representing data of image imaged by an imaging device is compressed by an encoder to be stored. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-116604 discloses an encoder device that includes multiple encoders and switches them for compressing the image data. Meanwhile, if another encoder can be additionally attached to an imaging device that includes an encoder, a high-grade encoder developed accompanying advancement in technology can be installed additionally, and convenience of user can be improved. When another detachable encoder is additionally attached to an imaging device that includes an encoder, a technology or an imaging device which can appropriate switching the encoders according to a use scene of a user is required. An imaging device, a non-transitory storage medium, and an encoder selection method are disclosed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided an imaging device comprising: an imager configured to capture images; a first-type encoder configured to compress image data of the images captured by the imager; a connector unit to which a second-type encoder is connectible; an information acquiring unit configured to acquire, when the second-type encoder is connected to the connector unit, encoder information which contains at least information on the second-type encoder from the second-type encoder; and a selecting unit configured to select, based on the encoder information acquired by the information acquiring unit, an encoder used for a record purpose and an encoder used for a distribution purpose from among the first-type encoder and the second-type encoder, wherein the encoder information contains at least one of: information related to an encoder operation mode; information related to a video format; and information related to an encoder switching method, wherein the information related to the encoder operation mode contains a low-delay mode and an image quality priority mode in which an image quality is given higher priority than that in the low-delay mode but an encoding delay is longer than that in the low-delay mode, and the selecting unit is further configured to: select, when the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the image quality priority mode, the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose; and select, when the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the low-delay mode, the first-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose and the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the distribution purpose. According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided a non-transitory storage medium that stores a computer program that causes a computer to execute: acquiring, when a second-type encoder is connected to an imaging device that includes a first-type encoder, encoder information containing at least information on the second-type encoder from the second-type encoder, and selecting, based on the encoder information, an encoder used for a record purpose and an encoder used for a distribution purpose from among the first-type encoder and the second-type encoder, wherein the encoder information contains at least one of: information related to an encoder operation mode; information related to a video format; and information related to an encoder switching method, wherein the information related to the encoder operation mode contains a low-delay mode and an image quality priority mode in which an image quality is given higher priority than that in the low-delay mode but an encoding delay is longer than that in the low-delay mode, and at the selecting, selecting, when the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the image quality priority mode, the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose; and selecting, when the information related to the encoder operation mode for the second-type encoder indicates the low-delay mode, the first-type encoder as the encoder used for the record purpose and the second-type encoder as the encoder used for the distribution purpose. According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided an encoder selection method comprising: acquiring, when a second-type encoder is connected to an imaging device that includes a first-type encoder, encoder informat