Electronic device and function assigning method

• US 10,063,771 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohashi, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Daeho D
• Application Number:
  US14/638,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20150241988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 715827, 715840, 715847
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/617 Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

At step ST2, an assign key changing item is selected from menu items. At step ST3, an assign key to which a function is assigned is selected. At step ST4, a function to be assigned is selected. The selected function is assigned to the selected assign key. At step ST5, a setting result indication screen appears. When one of two paired functions is assigned, a message which prompts a user to assign the other function. After the message has appeared for a predetermined time, the latest assigned states appear. At step ST6, the latest assign key information is stored to a non-volatile memory. To quit an assigning process, a menu button 8 is pressed and the menu is closed (at step ST8).

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

image display circuitry configured to;

display of a plurality of items on a display; and

control circuitry configured to;

assign a first function to a first operating part selected from a plurality of operating parts by a user, the first function being associated with an item selected from the plurality of items;

assign a second function to a second operating part based on the selection of the item, the second function being a correlated function to the first function, the second function being associated with the item selected from the plurality of items; and

automatically exchange the assigned first and second functions with each other based on an operation by a user on the display, such that the apparatus changes from a first state in which the first function is assigned to the first operating part and the second function is assigned to the second operating part to a second state in which the first function is assigned to the second operating part and the second function is assigned to the first operating part.

2. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the second function is an opposite function of the first function.

3. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein a sequence of operations that the user has performed are stores as a user-defined function, and the user-defined function is assigned to one of the plurality of operating parts.

4. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of operating parts are mechanical keys.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the display.

6. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the control circuitry is further configured to change between an operation mode and a setting mode, the setting mode enabling the assignment of the first function to the first operating part and the assignment of the second function to the second operating part.

7. The apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first operating part is a mechanical key and the second operating part is a touch panel key.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program code, the program code being executable by an apparatus to perform operations comprising:

controlling a display of a plurality of items on a display;

assigning a first function to a first operating part selected from a plurality of operating parts by a user, the first function being associated with an item selected from the plurality of items;

assigning a second function to a second operating part based on the selection of the item, the second function being a correlated function to the first function, the second function being associated with the item selected from plurality of items; and

automatically exchanging the assigned first and second functions with each other based on an operation by a user on the display, such that the apparatus changes from a first state in which the first function is assigned to the first operating part and the second function is assigned to the second operating part to a second state in which the first function is assigned to the second operating part and the second function is assigned to the first operating part.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8,

wherein the second function is an opposite function of the first function.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

storing as a user-defined function a sequence of operations that the user has performed, and

assigning the user-defined function to one of the plurality of operating parts.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8,

wherein the plurality of operating parts are mechanical keys.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

changing between an operation mode and a setting mode, the setting mode enabling the assignment of the first function to the first operating part and the assignment of the second function to the second operating part.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8,

wherein the first operating part is a mechanical key and the second operating part is a touch panel key.

14. A method of operating an apparatus, comprising:

controlling, by an image display circuitry, a display of a plurality of items on a display;

assigning, by a control circuitry, a first function to a first operating part selected from a plurality of operating parts by a user, the first function being associated with an item selected from the plurality of items;

assigning, by the control circuitry, a second function to a second operating part based on the selection of the item, the second function being a correlated function to the first function, the second function being associated with the item selected from the plurality of items; and

automatically exchanging, by the control circuitry, the assigned first and second functions with each other based on an operation by a user on the display, such that the apparatus changes from a first state in which the first function is assigned to the first operating part and the second function is assigned to the second operating part to a second state in which the first function is assigned to the second operating part and the second function is assigned to the first operating part.

15. The method of claim 14,

wherein the second function is an opposite function of the first function.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing, by a memory, as a user-defined function a sequence of operations that the user has performed, and

assigning, by the control circuitry, the user-defined function to one of the plurality of operating parts.

17. The method of claim 14,

wherein the plurality of operating parts are mechanical keys.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

changing, by the control circuitry, between an operation mode and a setting mode, the setting mode enabling the assignment of the first function to the first operating part and the assignment of the second function to the second operating part.

19. The method of claim 14,

wherein the first operating part is a mechanical key and the second operating part is a touch panel key.