IMAGING DEVICE AND IMAGING DEVICE CONTROL METHOD

• US 20100208107A1
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Nonaka, Osamu, Wani, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,976,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/240.990
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Abstract

An imaging device and a control method for an imaging device of the present invention comprise an imaging section for photoelectrically converting a subject image and outputting image data, and a display section for performing live view display of the subject image based on the image data, wherein, with respect to whether or not a main body is being held, by determining if the main body is in a portrait orientation, and is being held by a touch surface area or with both hands, if this determination is that the main body is not being held a shooting command is received using only a release button, while if it is determined that the main body is being held a shooting command is received by touching the display section.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

an imaging section for imaging a subject constituting a photographic subject, and outputting image data;

a monitor section capable of monitoring a subject image formed based on the image data;

a touch panel capable of detecting touched states on the monitor section;

an orientation determination section for determining an orientation of the imaging device; and

a control section for carrying out shooting control based on results of orientation determination by the orientation determination section, and touched states detected by the touch panel.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising:

display control means for switching a display image displayed on the monitor based on orientation determination results by the orientation determination section, and touched states detected by the touch panel.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the orientation determination section has an inclination detection section for detecting inclination of an optical axis of a photographing optical system constituting the imaging device, and orientation is detected in accordance with inclination from a horizontal state detected by the inclination detection section.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the shooting control section carries out switching control for zooming, still image shooting and movie shooting.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

when it has been determined by the touch panel that an upper part of the monitor has been designated, the shooting control section stores an image of the upper part as a taken image.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

a mark for movie shooting and a mark for still image shooting are displayed on the monitor, and the shooting control section performs shooting control in accordance with the mark that has been touched according to the touch panel.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

in a case where a portrait orientation has been determined by the orientation determination section, the monitor section displays a movie shooting mark, and the shooting control section commences shooting of a movie in the event that the movie shooting mark is touched.

8. The imaging device of claim 7, wherein:

when the shooting of a movie is commenced, the monitor section displays at least one of a mark indicating the movie shooting mode, and a mark indicating termination of movie shooting mode.

9. An imaging device, comprising:

an imaging section for photoelectrically converting a subject image and outputting image data;

a display section for performing live view display of the subject image based on the image data;

a holding determination section for determining whether or not a main body is being held firmly; and

a shooting control section for, when it has been determined by the holding determination section that the main body is not being held, receiving a shooting command using only a release button, and when it has been determined by the holding determination section that the main body is being held, receiving a shooting command using operations to the display section.

10. The imaging device of claim 9, wherein:

the holding determination section carries out determination based on at least one of orientation of the main body and a state of gripping the display section, or output from a pressure sensor or reflected light.

11. The imaging device of claim 9, wherein:

when the result of detection of orientation is a portrait orientation, it is determined that the main body is being held, or if the result of detection of orientation is a landscape orientation, and both sides of the display section are being held it is determined that the main body is being held.

12. The imaging device of claim 9, wherein:

the shooting command for the shooting control section performs shooting by switching between at least two among still image shooting, movie shooting and zoom shooting.

13. The imaging device of claim 9, wherein:

the shooting command is detected using touch on the display section, or tapping on the main body.

14. A control method for an imaging device, comprising the steps of:

imaging a subject constituting an photographic subject, and outputting image data;

displaying a subject image that has been formed based on the image data, capable of being monitored;

detecting touched states of the displayed subject image;

determining an orientation of the device; and

performing shooting control based on the orientation determination results and detected touched states.

15. A control method for an imaging device, comprising the steps of:

photoelectrically converting a subject image, and outputting image data;

performing live view display of the subject image based on the image data;

determining whether or not a main body is being held; and

when it is determined that the main body is not being held, receiving a shooting command using only a release button, while when it has been determined that the main body is being held, receiving a shooting command using operation to the main body.