Imaging apparatus and imaging method

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an imaging apparatus including: imaging means for imaging a scene that is in a direction in which a user sees to obtain image data of the scene; temporary storage means for storing the image data obtained by imaging by the imaging means; and control means for controlling the temporary storage means to store the image data obtained by imaging by the imaging means, and, when a predetermined storage condition has been satisfied, extracting image data to be stored from the temporary storage means and adding metadata to the extracted image data to perform a storage process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable imaging system for recording images of scenes observed by a user, the wearable imaging system comprising:
 a camera;   at least one biological sensor configured to detect a biological signal from the user;   a controller;   a selecting unit configured to select a portion of image data imaged by the camera for storage responsive to a storage condition being satisfied, wherein the controller determines whether the storage condition is satisfied based on output data from the at least one biological sensor and adds metadata to the selected portion of image data; and   a transmission unit configured to transmit said selected portion of image data to an external device for storage.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata includes information representative of the output data from the at least one biological sensor and provides an indication of why the portion of image data was selected. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a temporary storage device configured to store image data from the camera continuously in a ring memory buffer. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 3 , wherein the selecting unit is configured to select the portion of image data from the ring memory buffer. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biological sensor comprises a pulse rate sensor configured to detect a pulse rate of the user and the selecting unit is configured to select the portion of image data when a detected pulse rate exceeds a threshold value. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one biological sensor is configured to detect pulse, electrocardiogram, electromyographic information, breathing, perspiration, galvanic skin response, blood pressure, a saturation oxygen concentration in blood, a skin surface temperature, brain waves, a blood flow change, a body temperature, or a state of an eye. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one biological sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from the following group: an acceleration sensor, an angular velocity sensor, and a vibration sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to perform image display of image data imaged by the camera. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 8 , wherein the display is configured to make a whole or a part of a screen area of the display to enter a transparent or translucent see-through state. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 8 , further comprising operation input means, wherein in accordance with an operation input by the user and detected by the operation input means, the controller controls the display to perform image display of image data imaged by the camera. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable imaging system of  claim 10 , wherein the operation input means comprises an accelerometer and operation input by the user comprises tapping a portion of the wearable imaging system. 
     
     
         12 . A method for recording images by a wearable imaging system, the method comprising:
 recording, with a camera configured to be worn by a user, image data;   sensing, with at least one biological sensor, a biological signal from the user;   determining, with a controller, whether a storage condition is satisfied based on output data from the at least one biological sensor;   selecting, with a selecting unit, a portion of the image data imaged by the camera for storage responsive to the storage condition being satisfied;   adding, by the controller, metadata to the selected portion of image data; and   transmitting the selected portion of image data to an external device for storage.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the metadata includes information representative of the output data from the at least one biological sensor and provides an indication of why the portion of image data was selected. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising storing image data from the camera continuously in a ring memory buffer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the selecting comprises selecting the portion of image data from the ring memory buffer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one biological sensor comprises a pulse rate sensor configured to detect a pulse rate of the user and the selecting comprises selecting the portion of image data when a detected pulse rate exceeds a threshold value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one biological sensor is configured to detect pulse, electrocardiogram, electromyographic information, breathing, perspiration, galvanic skin response, blood pressure, a saturation oxygen concentration in blood, a skin surface temperature, brain waves, a blood flow change, a body temperature, or a state of an eye. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising displaying, on a display visible to the user, image data imaged by the camera. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the display is configured to make a whole or a part of a screen area of the display to enter a transparent or translucent see-through state. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 detecting, at operation input means, an operation input of tapping by the user; and   controlling the display to perform image display of image data imaged by the camera.