Electronic device and its operation explanation display method

• US 20060170687A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Hiroyuki, Matsuda, Kouichi, Miyashita, Ken
• Application Number:
  US10/559,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20060170687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device/apparatus capable of displaying an animation that varies with internal settings and minimizing the amount of memory use for handling information for animation generation. When a shutter button (12) is pressed in a help display mode, flash ON/OFF setup information (52) stored in an EEPROM (25) is referenced. If the value of the flash ON/OFF setup information is ON, a three-dimensional animation in which a flash (104) on a three-dimensional model (71) emits light is created and displayed in accordance with three-dimensional model data. If, on the other hand, the value is OFF, a three-dimensional animation in which the flash (104) on the three-dimensional (71) model does not emit light is displayed. Consequently, the user can recognize visually and intuitively the difference among various digital camera (100) motions that vary with system settings.

Claims

1. An electronic device/apparatus comprising:

an electronic device main body that is capable of behaving in accordance with an operation;

a setup information retention section for retaining setup information that is to be reflected in a behavior of the electronic device main body;

an operating control section for allowing the user to specify the behavior to be performed by the electronic device main body;

a display section having a display screen;

a model data storage section for storing model data about the electronic device main body;

an image acquisition section for acquiring an image outside the electronic device main body; and

animation display means, which, when the operating control section specifies the behavior to be performed by the electronic device main body, causes the display screen to display an animation for indicating the specified behavior of the electronic device main body in which the setup information retained in the setup information retention section is reflected, wherein the animation display means creates the animation by performing a process for sticking image data acquired from the image acquisition section on an associated location in the display section within the model data stored in the model data storage section.

3. The electronic device/apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the animation display means processes the model data stored in the model data storage section and causes the display screen to display a second animation, which indicates an operating control that can recall an animation for indicating a behavior of the electronic device main body.

4. The electronic device/apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for manipulating the setup information in the setup information retention section.

8. The electronic device/apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the image acquired by the image acquisition section changes, the animation display means performs a process for changing the pasted image data accordingly.

2. (canceled)

5. An electronic device/apparatus operating instructions display method for an electronic device/apparatus that includes an electronic device main body capable of behaving in accordance with an operation;

a setup information retention section for retaining setup information that is to be reflected in a behavior of the electronic device main body;

an operating control section for allowing the user to specify the behavior to be performed by the electronic device main body;

a display section having a display screen;

a model data storage section for storing model data about the electronic device main body; and

an image acquisition section for acquiring an image outside the electronic device main body, the operating instructions display method comprising the steps of;

creating, when the operating control section specifies the behavior to be performed by the electronic device main body, an animation indicating the specified behavior of the electronic device main body in which the setup information retained in the setup information retention section is reflected, and causing the display screen to display the created animation; and

creating the animation by performing a process for pasting image data acquired from the image acquisition section into an associated location in the display section within the model data stored in the model data storage section.

7. The electronic device/apparatus operating instructions display method according to claim 5, wherein the stored model data is processed to cause the display screen to display a second animation, which indicates an operating control that can recall an animation for indicating a behavior of the electronic device main body.

6. (canceled)