IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS AND ITS CONTROL METHOD

• US 20110221948A1
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Saito, Kyota
• Granted Patent: US 8,817,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• 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 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus controls in such a manner that if a touch applied to a touch operation member is detected by a detection unit arranged to detect a touch operation applied to the touch operation member, a photographic preparation unit makes an adjustment of a photographic setting, and after the touch, if the detection unit detects a predetermined touch operation and thereafter detects that the touch operation member loses the touch applied thereto, a photographic processing unit does not execute a photographic processing, while after the touch, if the detection unit detects that the touch operation member loses the touch applied thereto without detecting the predetermined touch operation, the photographic processing unit executes the photographic processing.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup unit;

a photographic preparation unit configured to adjust a predetermined photographic setting of photography by the image pickup unit;

a photographic processing unit configured to effect the photography of an image by the image pickup unit on the basis of the photographic setting adjusted by the photographic preparation unit and execute a photographic processing for recording a photographed image onto a recording medium;

a detection unit configured to detect a touch operation applied to a touch operation member; and

a control unit configured to effect control of the photographic preparation unit and the photographic processing unit such that if the touch applied to the touch operation member is detected by the detection unit, the photographic preparation unit makes an adjustment to a setting, and subsequently, if it is detected that the touch operation member loses the touch applied thereto, the photographic processing unit executes the photographic processing.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit effects the control such that after the touch which serves as a trigger of the adjustment by the photographic preparation unit ceases to be detected, if the detection unit detects a predetermined touch operation and thereafter detects that the touch operation member loses the touch applied thereto, the photographic processing unit does not execute the photographic processing.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined touch operation is an operation wherein, in the case where the touch detected by the detection unit is applied within a predetermined area, the detected touch is moved to a position out of the predetermined area of the touch operation member.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined touch operation is an operation wherein the touch detected by the detection unit is moved from the position of the detected touch by at least a predetermined distance.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined touch operation is an operation wherein the touch position of the touch detected by the detection unit is moved to a predetermined area without losing the touch.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined touch operation is an operation wherein the touch position of the touch detected by the detection unit is moved at at least a predetermined speed and by at least a predetermined distance without losing the touch and then the touch is lost within a predetermined time after the movement.

7. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined touch operation is an operation wherein, while the touch is being detected by the detection unit, another touch is newly applied to the touch operation member.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment of the predetermined photographic setting includes adjustment of at least one of a focus, an exposure, and a white balance.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an orientation detection unit configured to detect an orientation of the image pickup apparatus, wherein the control unit is configured to control the photographic processing unit based on a detection result of the detection unit only when a predetermined orientation of the image pickup apparatus is detected by the orientation detection unit.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit configured to display an image; and

a display control unit configured to control the display unit to display sequentially images picked up by the image pickup unit, wherein the touch operation member is a touch panel which receives the touch operation applied to the display unit, and

wherein the control unit is configured to control the photographic processing unit so as to adjust the photographic setting on the basis of the image displayed at the position where the touch applied to the touch panel is detected by the detection unit.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the touch operation member is a line touch sensor arranged at a position different from the display unit.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit configured to notify that the photographic preparation operation is completed, when the photographic preparation unit completes the adjustment of the predetermined photographic setting.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the notification unit effects the notification by displaying an in-focus frame indicating the completion of the photographic preparation operation on the display unit.

20. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a unit according to claim 1.

14. A control method for an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup unit, a photographic preparation unit configured to adjust a predetermined photographic setting of photography by the image pickup unit, and a photographic processing unit configured to effect the photography by the image pickup unit on the basis of the photographic setting adjusted by the photographic preparation unit and execute a photographic processing for recording a photographed image onto a recording medium, comprising:

detecting a touch operation applied to a touch operation member; and

if the touch applied to the touch operation member is detected in the detecting step, the photographic preparation unit makes the adjustment to the photographic setting, and after the touch, if the detecting step detects that the touch operation member loses the touch applied thereto, the photographing processing unit executes the photographic processing.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a first position at which a touch is applied to the touch operation member;

detecting a second position at which the touch is lost from the touch operation member;

determining whether the second position is within a predetermined distance from the first position; and

if the second position is within the predetermined distance from the first position, the photographic processing unit executes the photographic processing.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the touch operation member comprises a cancel area such that when a second touch is applied to the cancel area after the first touch is applied to the touch operation member, the photographic processing is cancelled.

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the time between the touch operation of the touch operation member and the loss of touch by the touch operation member is less than a predetermined time; and

if the time is less than the predetermined time, cancelling the photographic processing.

18. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

detecting whether a second touch operation is performed on the touch operation member before the first touch operation is lost; and

if it is detected that a second touch operation is thus performed, cancelling the photographic processing.

19. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a program comprising a program code for causing a computer to execute the control method according to claim 14.