Electronic apparatus, water detection means control method, and electronic apparatus operation mode setting method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9407745-B2
Application number	US-201213884222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2012
Priority date	Feb 9, 2011
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device ( 10 ) is capable of operating in water. The electronic device ( 10 ) has communication means ( 120 ), water detection means ( 35 ), and control means ( 100 ). The communication means ( 120 ) receives a radio wave. The water detection means ( 35 ) detects whether the electronic device ( 10 ) is immersed in water or not. The control means ( 100 ) makes the water detection means ( 35 ) operate in the case where intensity of a reception signal of the radio wave received by the communication means ( 120 ) is lower than a threshold level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device that is able to operate in water, comprising:
communication means that receives a radio wave;
water detection means that detects whether the electronic device is immersed in water or not; and
control means that makes the communication means determine whether or not intensity of reception signal of a radio wave received by the communication means is lower than a threshold level;
wherein the communication means determines whether or not the intensity of the reception signal of a radio wave is lower than the threshold level: and
the control means makes the water detection means operate if the communication means determines that the intensity of the reception signal of a radio wave is lower than the threshold level.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the control means supplies power to the water detection means to make the water detection means operate.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is able to be set, by the control means, in a first operation mode of specifying whether a predetermined function of the electronic device out of water is valid or not and a second operation mode of specifying whether a predetermined function of the electronic device in water is valid or not and,
in the case where the water detection means detects that the electronic device is immersed in water, the control means sets the electronic device into the second operation mode.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein a plurality of functions are set to be valid or invalid in the first and second operation modes, and
a function specified to be valid in the second operation mode is a part of functions specified to be valid in the first operation mode.

5. The electronic device according to claim 3 , further comprising image capturing means,
wherein the first operation mode is a mode of specifying an imaging parameter of the image capturing means out of water, and the second operation mode is a mode of specifying an imaging parameter of the image capturing means in water.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the imaging parameter is shutter speed of the image capturing means, and shutter speed specified in the second operation mode is faster than shutter speed specified in the first operation mode.

7. The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the imaging parameter is a value of ISO sensitivity of the image capturing means, and a value of ISO sensitivity specified in the second operation mode is higher than value of ISO sensitivity specified in the first operation mode.

8. A method of controlling water detection means, comprising:
a step of receiving a radio wave by communication means;
a step of determining whether or not intensity of a reception signal of a radio wave is lower than a threshold level by the communication means; and
a step of making water detection means operate if the communication means determines that intensity of the reception signal of a radio wave received by the communication means is lower than the threshold level.

9. The method of controlling water detection means according to claim 8 , further comprising a step of supplying power to the water detection means in order to make the water detection means operate.

10. A method of setting an operation mode of an electronic device that is able to operate in water and is able to be set in two operation modes, comprising:
a step of receiving a radio wave by communication means;
a step of determining whether or not intensity of a reception signal of a radio wave is lower than a threshold level by the communication means:
a step of making water detection means operate if the communication means determines that intensity of the reception signal of a radio wave received by the communication means is lower than the threshold level; and
a step of changing the operation mode of the electronic device from one of the operation modes to the other operation mode if the water detection means detects that the electronic device is immersed in water.

Assignees

• Minami Takashi
• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Minami Takashi

Classifications

• H04N23/651

  for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera · CPC title

• H04M1/72569

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M1/18 Primary

  Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment (H04M1/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N5/232

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M2250/12

  including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion · CPC title