Image input system having image pickup device capable of mirror-direction panning

• US 5,970,162 A
• Filed: 10/30/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawashima, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, David K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Monica S.
• Application Number:
  US08/961,224
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/151, 382/295, 348/15
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

An image input system includes: an image pickup device movable at least from side to side; an image pickup direction designating device for designating the direction of movement at least from side to side of the image pickup device; a display form switching device for switching a display form for an image picked up by the image pickup device between two display forms: a real image display form in which the image is displayed as it is and a mirror image display form in which the image is displayed reversed left to right; and a control direction changing device which, when the display form is switched by the display form switching device, changes the correspondence of the designation regarding the direction of movement from side to side, given by the image pickup direction designating device, and the direction of movement from side to side effected in response to the designation.

Claims

1. An image input system comprising:

(a) an image pickup means for picking up an image of an object and being movable from side to side;

(b) image pickup direction designating means for designating a direction of movement of the image pickup means;

(c) display form switching means for switching a display form for the image picked up by the image pickup means between a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed left-to-right; and

(d) control direction changing means which, when the display form is switched by the display form switching means, changes the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement from side to side, given by the image pickup direction designating means, and (ii) the direction of side to side movement, in response to the designation.

2. An image input system according to claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying images picked up by said image pickup means.

3. An image input system according to any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising a line interface for connecting said system to a communication line.

4. An image input system according to claim 1, wherein said control direction changing means has a correspondence table relating (i) the designation of the direction of movement from side to side, given by the image pickup direction designating means, and (ii) the direction of movement from side to side in response to the designation.

5. An image input system according to claim 4, further comprising a ROM storing said correspondence table.

6. An image input system comprising:

(a) an image pickup means for picking up an image of an object and being movable up-and-down and from side-to-side;

(b) a support means for supporting the image pickup means such that switching is possible between a first image pickup mode for picking up an image of an object placed on a base, and a second image pickup mode for taking an image of an object that is not placed on said base;

(c) image pickup direction designating means for designating the direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side of the image pickup means;

(d) display mode switching means for switching the display form for an image picked up by the image pickup means between a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is and a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed top-to-bottom;

(e) image pickup mode discriminating means for discriminating the image pickup mode of the image pickup means; and

(f) control direction changing means which changes the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up and down and from side to side, given by the image pickup designating means, and (ii) the direction of up-and-down and side-to-side movement effected, in response to the designation.

7. An image input system according to claim 6, further comprising a display for displaying images picked up by said image pickup means.

8. An image input system according to any one of claims 6 and 7, further comprising a line interface for connecting said system to a communication line.

9. An image input system according to claim 6, wherein said control direction changing means has a correspondence table relating (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up and down and from side to side, given by the image pickup direction designating means, and (ii) the direction of movement up and down and from side to side in response to the designation.

10. An image input system according to claim 9, further comprising a ROM storing said correspondence table.

11. An image input system according to claim 6, wherein said display mode switching means is further capable of being switched to a third display mode for displaying an image picked up by said image pickup means in which the image is displayed reversed left to right.

12. An image input system according to claim 6, wherein said image pickup mode discriminating means has a sensor for detecting the position of said image pickup means on said support means.

13. A method for controlling an image pickup device movable from side-to-side, comprising the steps of:

designating a direction of movement of the image pickup device;

switching a display form for the image picked-up by the image pickup means between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed left-to-right; and

changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of side-to-side movement, in response to the designation when the display form is switched in the switching step.

14. A method for controlling an image pickup device movable up-and-down and from side-to-side, comprising the steps of:

designating a direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side of the image pickup device;

switching the display form for an image picked-up by the image pickup device between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed top-to-bottom;

discriminating the image pickup mode of the image pickup device; and

changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of up-and-down and side-to-side movement effected, in response to the designation.

15. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions for causing a computer to control an image pickup device which is movable from side-to-side, the storage medium instructions causing the computer to perform the steps of:

designating a direction of movement of the image pickup device;

switching a display form for the image picked-up by the image pickup means between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed left-to-right; and

changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of side-to-side movement, in response to the designation when the display form is switched in the switching step.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions for causing a computer to control an image pickup device which is movable up-and-down and from side-to-side, the storage medium instructions causing the computer to perform the steps of:

designating a direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side of the image pickup device;

switching the display form for an image picked-up by the image pickup device between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed top-to-bottom;

discriminating the image pickup mode of the image pickup device; and

changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of up-and-down and side-to-side movement effected, in response to the designation.