Information processing device

• US 20020093578A1
• Filed: 03/13/2002
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Akira, Kowno, Yousuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming

Abstract

An information processing device includes a shooting lens assembly, a photoelectric conversion element, a memory, a display screen, a zoom designation device and an image size changing device (e.g., a controller). The photoelectric conversion element receives light from an object that is collected by the shooting lens assembly and converts the collected light into electrical signals representative of the object. The memory stores image data that is representative of objects. The display screen displays images of the object corresponding to the electrical signal converted by the photoelectric conversion element or images corresponding to the image data stored in the memory. The image size changing device magnifies or reduces an image size of the image displayed on the display screen regardless of whether the image is being supplied from the photoelectric conversion element or the memory.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising:

light collecting means for collecting light from an object;

photoelectric conversion means for receiving light from the object collected by said light collecting means and converting the collected light into electric signals representative of the object;

memory means for storing image data representative of objects;

display means for displaying images of the object corresponding to the electric signals converted by said photoelectric conversion means and for displaying images corresponding to the image data stored in said memory means;

operating means, actuable by a user of the device, for enabling the user to specify that the image displayed on the display means is to be zoomed; and

zooming means, responsive to said operating means, for changing the magnification of the image displayed on said display means regardless of whether the displayed image is supplied from said photoelectric conversion means or from said memory means.

2. The information processing device claimed in claim 1, wherein said zooming means interpolates pixel values of said displayed image to enlarge said displayed image.

3. The information processing device claimed in claim 1, wherein said zooming means changes the magnification of the image of the object converted into electric signals by said photoelectric conversion means without changing a focal length of said light collecting means.

4. The information processing device claimed in claim 1, wherein said zooming means changes the magnification of the image of the object converted into electric signals by said photoelectric conversion means by changing a focal length of said light collecting means.

5. The information processing device claimed in claim 1, wherein said device is an electronic camera.

6. The information processing device claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means is a single member that is operable by the user.

7. The information processing device claimed in claim 1, wherein said operating means includes a touch tablet.

8. An information processing device comprising:

a shooting lens assembly that collects light from an object;

a photoelectric conversion element that receives light from the object collected by said shooting lens assembly and converts the collected light into electric signals representative of the object;

a memory that stores image data representative of objects;

a display screen coupled to said photoelectric conversion element and to said memory to display images of the object corresponding to the electrical signals converted by said photoelectric conversion element or images corresponding to the image data stored in said memory;

a zoom designation device that is operable by a user to specify a change in the magnification of the image displayed on said display screen; and

a controller, coupled to said display screen and to said zoom designation device, and responsive to the zoom designation device to change the magnification of the image displayed on said display screen regardless of whether the displayed image is supplied from said photoelectric conversion element or from said memory.

9. The information processing device claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller interpolates pixel values of said displayed image to magnify the displayed image.

10. The information processing device claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller changes the magnification of the images of the object converted into electric signals by said photoelectric conversion element without changing a focal length of said shooting lens assembly.

11. The information processing device claimed in claim 8, wherein said controller changes the magnification of the image of the object converted into electric signals by said photoelectric conversion element by changing a focal length of said shooting lens assembly.

12. The information processing device claimed in claim 8, wherein said zoom designation device is a single member that is operable by the user.

13. The information processing device claimed in claim 8, wherein said zoom designation device includes a touch tablet.

15. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 14, wherein said controller interpolates pixel values of said displayed image to magnify the displayed image.

16. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 14, wherein said controller changes the magnification of the images of the object converted into electric signals by said photoelectric conversion element without changing a focal length of said shooting lens assembly.

17. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 14, wherein said controller changes the magnification of the image of the object converted into electronic signals by said photoelectric conversion element by changing a focal length of said shooting lens assembly.

18. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 14, wherein said zoom designation device is a single member that is operable by the user.

19. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 14, wherein said zoom designation device includes a touch screen operative to generate data signals for processing by said controller.

20. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 19, wherein touching a first point on said touch screen input device and moving to a second point on said touch screen input device while maintaining contact with said touch screen input device to form a line between the first point and the second point causes the displayed image to either be magnified or reduced to a size relative to a distance between the first and second points and an angle formed relative to an imaginary horizontal line and the straight line.

21. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 20, wherein, when the displayed image is magnified, the first point is centrally disposed within the display screen.

22. The digital electronic camera claimed in claim 20, wherein said touch screen includes a centering region disposed on the display screen when the displayed image is reduced and, touching the centering region causes the reduced display image to appear centrally within the display screen.

14. A digital electronic camera comprising:

a shooting lens assembly that collects light from an object;

a photoelectric conversion element that receives light from the object collected by said shooting lens assembly and converts the collected light into electric signals representative of the object;

a memory that stores image data representative of objects;

a display screen coupled to said photoelectric conversion element and to said memory to display images of the object corresponding to the electric signals converted by said photoelectric conversion element or images corresponding to the image data stored in said memory;

a zoom designation device that is operable by a user to specify a change in the magnification of the image displayed on said display screen; and

a controller, coupled to said display screen and to said zoom designation device, and responsive to the zoom designation device to change the magnification of the image displayed on said display screen regardless of whether the displayed image is supplied from said photoelectric conversion element or from said memory.