Image pickup device

• US 20070132853A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kume, Tsutomu, Nishiwaki, Kazuhiko, Kobayashi, Motoki, Takagi, Kazunori, Amano, Ryoko, Omata, Makoto, Tsukuda, Kumiko, Tamamatsu, Kanako, Oda, Tetsuya, Shiota, Hiroyuki, Fukasawa, Hidefumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,884,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.990
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera

Abstract

An image pickup device includes a display that displays one of image data including an operation menu or operation key image data representing operation keys; an external output section that outputs the image data including the operation menu to the outside; an output state detector that detects that the external output section is in a state capable of outputting the image data to the outside; a display data instruction section that instructs to display the operation key image data on the display and to display the image data including the operation menu on an external display device, which is an output destination of the image data in the external output section, when the external output section is detected to be in the capable state, and instructs to display the image data including the operation menu on the display when the external output section is not detected to be in the capable state; a display data supply that supplies one of the display or the external output section with one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction section; and a panel input that accepts input of an operation from one of the operation key image data or the image data including the operation menu displayed on the display.

Claims

1. An image pickup device, comprising:

display means for displaying one of image data including an operation menu or operation key image data representing operation keys;

external output means for outputting the image data including the operation menu to the outside;

output state detection means for detecting that the external output means is in a state capable of outputting the image data to the outside;

display data instruction means for instructing to display the operation key image data on the display means and to display the image data including the operation menu on an external display device, which is an output destination of the image data in the external output means, when the external output means is detected to be in the capable state, and for instructing to display the image data including the operation menu on the display means when the external output means is not detected to be in the capable state;

display data supply means for supplying one of the display means or the external output means with one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction means; and

panel input means for accepting input of an operation from one of the operation key image data or the image data including the operation menu displayed on the display means.

2. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the display data supply means includes

operation key image data storage means for storing the operation key image data,

display data selection means for selecting one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data to display on the display means in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction means, and

display destination selection means for selecting one of the display means or the external display device as a display destination of the image data including the operation menu in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction means.

3. The image pickup device according to claim 2, wherein the display destination selection means includes

operation menu image data storage means for storing operation menu image data representing the operation menu,

image data processing means for generating and supplying the image data including the operation menu, and

a display destination selection switch for selecting one of the display means or the external output means as a destination of the image data including the operation menu supplied from the image data processing means in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction means.

4. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the display data supply means includes

image data supply means for supplying the display means and the external output means with the image data including the operation menu,

operation key image data storage means for storing the operation key image data, and

display data selection means for selecting one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data to display on the display means in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction means.

5. The image pickup device according to claim 4, wherein the image data supply means includes

operation menu image data storage means for storing operation menu image data representing the operation menu, and

image data processing means for generating and supplying the image data including the operation menu.

6. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein

the image data including the operation menu further includes an image data forward key for causing the display of successive image data next to the image data displayed on the display means, and an image data back-feed key for causing the display of previous image data displayed immediately before the image data displayed on the display means, and

the panel input means accepts input of an operation for displaying the successive image data from the image data forward key displayed on the display means and input of an operation for displaying the previous image data from the image data back-feed key displayed on the display means.

7. The image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein

the operation key image data includes image data representing a direction key that moves a cursor in the operation menu and a determination key that selects an operation from the operation menu, and

the panel input means accepts the operation from the operation menu from the direction key and the determination key displayed on the display means.

8. The image pickup device according to claim 7, wherein

the operation key image data further includes an image data forward key for causing the display of successive image data next to the image data displayed on the display means, and an image data back-feed key for causing the display of previous image data displayed immediately before the image data displayed on the display means, and

the panel input means accepts input of an operation for displaying the successive image data from the image data forward key displayed on the display means and the input of an operation for displaying the previous image data from the image data back-feed key displayed on the display means.

9. An image data display system, comprising:

an image pickup device; and

an external display device connected to the image pickup device;

wherein the image pickup device includes

display means for displaying one of image data including an operation menu or operation key image data representing operation keys,

external output means for outputting the image data including the operation menu to the outside,

output state detection means for detecting that the external output means is in a state capable of outputting the image data to the outside,

display data instruction means for instructing to display the operation key image data on the display means and to display the image data including the operation menu on an external display device, which is an output destination of the image data in the external output means, when the external output means is detected to be in the capable state, and for instructing to display the image data including the operation menu on the display means when the external output means is not detected to be in the capable state,

display data supply means for supplying one of the display means or the external output means with one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction means, and

panel input means for accepting input of an operation from one of the operation key image data or the image data including the operation menu displayed on the display means.

10. An image pickup device, comprising:

a display that displays one of image data including an operation menu or operation key image data representing operation keys;

an external output section that outputs the image data including the operation menu to the outside;

an output state detector that detects that the external output section is in a state capable of outputting the image data to the outside;

a display data instruction section that instructs to display the operation key image data on the display and to display the image data including the operation menu on an external display device, which is an output destination of the image data in the external output section, when the external output section is detected to be in the capable state, and instructs to display the image data including the operation menu on the display when the external output section is not detected to be in the capable state;

a display data supply that supplies one of the display or the external output section with one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction section; and

a panel input that accepts input of an operation from one of the operation key image data or the image data including the operation menu displayed on the display.

11. An image data display system, comprising:

an image pickup device; and

an external display device connected to the image pickup device;

wherein the image pickup device includes

a display that displays one of image data including an operation menu or operation key image data representing operation keys,

an external output section that outputs the image data including the operation menu to the outside,

an output state detection section that detects that the external output section is in a state capable of outputting the image data to the outside,

a display data instruction section that instructs to display the operation key image data on the display and to display the image data including the operation menu on an external display device, which is an output destination of the image data in the external output section, when the external output section is detected to be in the capable state, and instructs to display the image data including the operation menu on the display when the external output section is not detected to be in the capable state,

a display data supply that supplies one of the display or the external output section with one of the image data including the operation menu or the operation key image data in accordance with the instruction from the display data instruction section, and

a panel input that accepts input of an operation from one of the operation key image data or the image data including the operation menu displayed on the display.