Control device for image input apparatus

• US 5,936,610 A
• Filed: 06/23/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Endo, Shozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US08/880,561
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 345/119, 345/120, 345/902, 345/342-346, 345/432-434, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/9, 395/153, 395/154
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A control device for an image input apparatus such as a camera includes a display unit which displays image information obtained from the camera in an image display window, a controller arranged to permit control over a predetermined function of the camera through a control window displayed on the screen of the display unit and a controller arranged to allow, in response to a specific operation, the control window to appear in a position where an identifier is displayed on the screen. The device is further arranged to semitransparently display on the screen at least a part of the control window where the control window overlaps the image display window.

Claims

1. A control device for an image input apparatus, comprising:

a) display means for displaying, in an image window, image information obtained by an image pickup of an image inputting device, and in a control window not in visual coincidence with said image window, information for permitting control over a predetermined function of said image inputting device;

b) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and

c) control means for receiving output signals of said operator controllable means and responsive thereto upon preselected disposition of said cursor for displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said image window, said control window where said control window coincides with said image window being semitransparently displayed.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said control window to appear approximately in a middle part of said image window.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said control means is further arranged to control at least one of condition of said image input apparatus, including a panning or tilting movement, a focal length, and exposure and a zooming ratio of an optical system.

4. A device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mouse, said mouse being a component of said operator controllable means and said control means.

5. A device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mouse, said mouse being a component of said operator controllable means and said control means.

6. A control device for image input apparatuses, comprising:

a) display means for displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows;

b) first control means for permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through a control window displayed on a screen of said display means;

c) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and

d) second control means for receiving said operator control input from said operator controllable means and responsive thereto upon preselected disposition of said cursor for displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of only one of said image windows, said control window where said control window coincides with said one of said image windows being semitransparently displayed.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said first control means is arranged to control at least one of conditions of each of said image input apparatuses, including a panning or tilting movement, a focal length, an exposure and a zooming ratio of an optical system.

8. A control device for image input apparatuses, comprising:

a) display means for displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows;

b) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input;

c) first control means for permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through control windows displayed on a screen of said display means; and

d) second control means responsive to output signals of said operator controllable means for displacing said control windows into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said corresponding image windows and for varying the transparency of each of the control windows, each control window where that control window coincides with the corresponding image window being semitransparently displayed.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said first control means is arranged to control at least one of conditions of each of said image input apparatuses, including a panning or tilting movement, a focal length, an exposure and a zooming ratio of an optical system.

10. A device according to claim 9, further comprising a mouse, said mouse being a component of said operator controllable means and said second control means.

11. A display system, comprising:

a) display means having a display screen;

b) imaging means for viewing an object and generating output signals indicative of the viewed object;

c) an imaging means controller for generating output signals indicative of a plurality of controls for said imaging means;

d) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and

e) control means having

(1) a first display control unit for display on said display screen of a first visual image corresponding with the viewed object indicated in said imaging means output signals, and

(2) a second display control unit for display on said display screen of a second visual image corresponding with the plurality of controls for said imaging means indicated in said imaging means controller output signals,

said control means being responsive to output signals of said operator controllable means for effecting display of said first and second visual images along a common line of sight with respect to said display screen and such that said first visual image is displayed in a first area of said display screen and said second visual image is displaced so as to be displayed in a second area of said display screen, said second area being on the inner wall of and only in said first area, said second visual image being semitransparently displayed.

12. The display system claimed in claim 11, wherein said control means displays said second visual image in superimposition with said first visual image such that said first visual image is visible through the display of said second visual image.

13. A method for image information display using an image input apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) displaying, in an image window of a display screen, image information obtained from said image input apparatus and, in a control window not in visual coincidence with said image window, information for permitting control over a predetermined function of said image input apparatus;

b) displaying a variably positionable cursor on said display screen for control by an operator through a control device; and

c) upon preselected disposition of said cursor and operator control input to said control device, displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said image window, said control window where said control window coincides with said image window being semitransparently displayed.

14. A method for image information display using image input apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows of a display screen;

b) permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through a control window displayed on said display screen;

c) displaying a variably positionable cursor on said display screen for control by an operator through a control device; and

d) upon preselected disposition of said cursor and operator control input to said control device, displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of only one of said image windows, said control window where said control window coincides with that one of said image windows being semitransparently displayed.

15. A method for image information display using an image input apparatus, comprising the steps of:

a) displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows of a display screen;

b) displaying a variably positionable cursor on said display screen for control by an operator through a control device;

c) permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through control windows displayed on said display screen; and

d) upon operator control input, displacing said control windows into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said corresponding image windows and varying the transparency of each of the control windows, each control window where that control window coincides with the corresponding image window being semitransparently displayed.

16. A method for object display, comprising the steps of:

a) viewing an object and generating output signals indicative of a viewed object;

b) generating output signals indicative of a plurality of controls for an imaging means;

c) displaying a variably positionable cursor on a display screen for control by an operator through a control device;

d) displaying on said display screen a first visual image corresponding with the output signals indicative of the viewed object and displaying on said display screen a second visual image corresponding with the plurality of controls for said imaging means indicated in said output signals indicative of a plurality of controls for an imaging means and, responsively to operator input to said control device, effecting display of said first and second visual images along a common line of sight with respect to said display screen, such that said first visual image is displayed in a first area of said display screen and said second visual image is displaced so as to be displayed in a second area of said display screen, said second area being on the inner wall of and only in said first area, and said second visual image being semitransparently displayed.