Electronic camera having pen input function

• US 20020008763A1
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Published: 01/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hamamura, Akihiko, Ejima, Satoshi, Kawamura, Tomoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8047 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8063 using time division multiplex of the PCM audio and PCM video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

An electronic camera of the present invention includes an imaging element that forms an image of an object, a display device that displays the formed image; a memory that stores the image formed by the imaging element; and a designating device that designates arbitrary positions on a display screen of the display device.

Claims

1. An electronic camera comprising:

an imaging element that converts an optical image that passes through a photographing lens into a digital image by operating a release switch to an ON state;

a display device capable of displaying said digital image;

a pen-type designator capable of designating an arbitrary position on a display screen of said display device;

a pen position detecting device that detects the position designated by said pen-type designator;

a pen trail display controller that causes said display device to display a movement trail of the detected designated position; and

a pen detection controller that inhibits said imaging element from forming an image of a next frame and allows said pen position detecting device to detect said designated position and allows said pen trail display controller to control display of said movement trail, while said release switch is kept operated to the ON state after the imaging element terminates forming an image of one frame, said pen detection controller enabling said imaging element to effect forming an image of the next frame when said release switch is thereafter operated to an OFF state.

2. An electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein

said pen trail display controller causes said display device to display said movement trail being superposed on the digital image when allowed by said pen detection controller.

3. An electronic camera according to claim 2, further comprising:

a recording device capable of recording respective data corresponding to said digital image and said movement trail, said recording device recording said respective data corresponding to the digital image and the movement trail that are superposed on each other and displayed in said display device, together with additional information indicating that the data corresponding to the digital image are correlated with the data corresponding to the movement trail.

4. An electronic camera comprising:

an imaging element that forms an image of an object;

a display device that displays said formed image;

a memory that stores said image formed by said imaging element; and

a designating device that designates arbitrary positions on a display screen of said display device.

5. An electronic camera according to claim 4, wherein

said designating device comprises a touch sensor that is superposed on said display screen of said display device and allows said display screen to be seen through the touch sensor.

6. An electronic camera according to claim 4, wherein

said display device displays indications of positions designated by said designating device on corresponding portions on the display screen of said display device.

7. An electronic camera according to claim 4, wherein

said display device displays on said display screen control operation indications representing predetermined control operations for said camera,

said electronic camera further comprising a control device that, when at least one of positions of said control operation indications is designated by said designating device, controls said camera to perform corresponding one of said control operations.

8. An electronic camera according to claim 4, further comprising

a shutter release button that can be half pressed and fully pressed, and wherein

said display device starts displaying said image of said object that is formed by said imaging element when said shutter release button is half pressed.

9. An electronic camera according to claim 5, wherein

said touch sensor extends in a region that is larger than said display screen.

10. An electronic camera according to claim 6, wherein

said indications of said designated positions are displayed in a form of a trail of a designated position when said designated positions are successively designated by said designating device.

11. An electronic camera according to claim 6, wherein

said display device is able to display said indications of said designated positions so as to be superposed on said image when said image is being displayed on said display screen.

12. An electronic camera according to claim 8, further comprising

a control device that fixes said image that is being formed by said imaging element at a point of time when said shutter release button is fully pressed, and wherein

said display device displays said fixed image until said shutter release button is released after said shutter release button is fully pressed.

13. An electronic camera according to claim 9, wherein

control operation indications representing predetermined control operations of said camera are prepared in said region in which said touch sensor extends,

said camera further comprising

a control device that, when at least one of positions of said control operation indications is designated by said touch sensor, controls said camera to perform corresponding one of said predetermined control operations.

14. An electronic camera according to claim 11, wherein

said memory further stores said indications of said designated positions, and information that correlates said indications of said designated positions with said image.

15. An electronic camera according to claim 13, wherein

said control operation indications are disposed on a side of a lower surface of said touch sensor, and said region in which said touch sensor extends allows said control operation indications to be seen through said region.

16. An electronic camera according to claim 14, wherein

said electronic camera has a recording mode in which said image, said indications of said designated positions and said correlating information are stored in said memory, and a reproduction mode in which said image and said indications of said designated positions are retrieved from said memory and reproduced on said display device, said electronic camera further comprising

a control device that utilizes a combination of display by said display device and designation by said designating device so as to enable switching between said recording mode and said reproduction mode.

17. An electronic camera according to claim 14, wherein

said electronic camera has a designated position display/recording mode which permits display of said indications of said positions designated by said designating device and in which said indications of said designated positions are stored in said memory, and a photographing record mode which permits forming an image by said imaging element and permits display of said indications of said positions designated by said designating device and in which said image, said indications of said designated positions and said correlating information are stored together, said electronic camera further comprising

a control device that switches said camera to said designated position display/recording mode when a predetermined position is designated by said designating device.

18. An electronic camera according to claim 16, wherein

said control device initially establishes said recording mode when a power supply of said electronic camera is turned on.