Digital still camera and method of inputting user instructions using touch panel

• US 20040046886A1
• Filed: 05/20/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagaoka, Shiroh, Abe, Tatsuro, Ikehata, Tatsuhiko, Ambiru, Yasuhito
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

A microcomputer detects tracing on a touch panel, detects the traced pattern and controls each unit to execute advancing/backing or deleting the image according to the detected pattern. The microcomputer also changes the display mode from standard play mode to magnify mode or thumbnail display mode.

Claims

1. A digital still camera, comprising:

a photographing unit which converts an optical image into an electrical image signal;

a recording unit which records the image signal obtained from the photographing unit in an information recorder;

a display unit which displays an image corresponding to one of the image signal obtained from the photographing unit and the image signal recorded in the information recorder;

a touch panel to input user instructions;

a pattern detection unit which detects tracing operations on the touch panel and detects traced patterns; and

a control unit which controls each unit to execute operations corresponding to the traced patterns detected by the pattern detection unit.

2. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a horizontal linear pattern, the control unit advances or backs the image displayed in the display unit according to the tracing direction.

3. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a vertical linear pattern, the control unit magnifies the image displayed in the display unit.

4. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a vertical linear pattern, the control unit displays a plurality of thumbnail images in the display unit.

5. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a pattern indicating deletion of image, the control unit executes operations for deleting the image displayed in the display unit from the information recorder.

6. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a pattern indicating protection of image, the control unit executes operations for protecting the image displayed in the display unit.

7. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a pattern indicating quality change, the control unit executes operations for changing the quality of the image displayed in the display unit, and records the image changed in the information recorder.

8. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a pattern indicating image resizing, the control unit executes operations for resizing the image displayed in the display unit, and records the image resized in the information recorder.

9. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a pattern indicating image copying, the control unit executes operations for copying the image displayed in the display unit.

10. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has a mode changing unit which magnifies the image displayed in the display unit and changes the display mode of the display unit to a magnify display mode, when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a vertical linear pattern;

further comprising

a display shift unit which detects tracing on the touch panel and shifts the displayed image toward the touch panel traced direction, when the display mode is changed by the mode changing unit to the magnify display mode.

11. A digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has a display mode changing unit which changes the display mode of the display unit to a thumbnail display mode to display a plurality of thumbnail images, when the pattern detection unit detects the traced pattern as a vertical linear pattern;

further comprising

a scroll unit which detects tracing on the touch panel and scrolls the plurality of thumbnail images toward the touch panel traced direction, when the display mode is changed by the mode changing unit to the thumbnail display mode.

12. A digital still camera according to claim 11, further comprising a scroll unit which displays a scroll bar in the display unit, detects tracing on the scroll bar, and scrolls the scroll bar and the plurality of thumbnail images toward the traced direction, when the display mode is changed by the mode changing unit to the thumbnail display mode.

13. A user instruction input method in a digital still camera, comprising a photographing unit which converts an optical image into an electrical image signal, a recording unit which records the image signal obtained from the photographing unit in an information recorder, a display unit which displays the image signal obtained from the photographing unit and the image signal recorded in the information recorder, and a touch panel to input user instructions;

the digital still camera having at least one of the functions of advancing/backing the displayed image, magnifying/reducing the displayed image, shifting the position of the magnified display image, advancing/backing a thumbnail image, deleting the display image, protecting the display image, changing the quality of the display image, resizing the display image, and copying the display image;

comprising

detecting tracing on the touch panel, judging traced patterns, and executing operations corresponding to the detected patterns.

14. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising executing one of advancing and backing the image displayed in the display unit according to the traced direction, when the traced pattern is a horizontal linear pattern.

15. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising magnifying the image displayed in the display unit when the traced pattern is a vertical linear pattern, and shifting, in response to further tracing and a direction thereof, the displayed image according to the direction.

16. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising displaying a plurality of thumbnail images in the display unit when the traced pattern is a vertical linear pattern, and scrolling, in response to further tracing and a direction thereof, the plurality of thumbnail images according to the direction.

17. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising deleting the image displayed in the display unit from the information recorder, when the traced pattern is a pattern indicating deletion of image.

18. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising executing operation for protecting the image displayed in the display unit from the information recorder, when the traced pattern is a pattern indicating protection of image.

19. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, executing operation for changing the quality of the image displayed in the display unit, and recording the image in the information recorder, when the traced pattern is a pattern indicating quality change.

20. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising executing operation for resizing the image displayed in the display unit, and recording the image in the information recorder, when the traced pattern is a pattern indicating image resizing.

21. A user instruction input method according to claim 13, comprising executing operation for copying the image displayed in the display unit, when the traced pattern is a pattern indicating image copying.