Electronic device, digital still camera and display control method

• US 6,992,661 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ikehata, Tatsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US10/456,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/178, 345/179, 345/180, 345/181, 345/182, 345/183, 345/671, 345/660
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 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 electronic device comprises a touch screen configured to output coordinate information corresponding to the position where it is touched, a display unit configured to display an item indicating an operating area in a predetermined position on the touch screen, and a control unit configured to clear the item displayed on the display unit when an area of the touch screen other than the area indicated by the item is touched.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen configured to output coordinate information corresponding to the position where it is touched;

a display unit configured to display an image corresponding to input image data and display an item indicating an operating area in a predetermined position on the touch screen;

an enlargement display control unit configured to display, via the display unit, an enlarged image of a part of the image corresponding to the input image data, a first frame indicating an overall size of the image and through which the enlarged image is allowed to be seen, and a second frame indicating a position of the enlarged image relative to the image corresponding to the input image data within the first frame and through which the enlarged image is allowed to be seen, when placed in an image enlargement display mode; and

an item display control unit configured to clear the item displayed on the display unit when an area of the touch screen other than the operating area indicated by the item is touched, when placed in the image enlargement display mode.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the item display control unit causes the item to be displayed again on the display unit when the touch screen is not touched for more than a predetermined length of time in a state where the item is cleared.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the enlargement display control unit is configured to shift the position of the image displayed with enlargement by performing a dragging operation in the area of the touch screen other than the area indicated by the item and causing the second frame to shift the position to be displayed according to the dragging operation.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the item indicates the operating area for switching from the enlargement display mode to a normal display mode, and the first frame and the second frame are erased when switching from the enlargement display mode to the normal display mode by touching the operating area on the touch screen indicated by the item in a state where the item is displayed.

3. A digital still camera comprising:

an imaging unit configured to convert an optical image of a subject into an electrical signal;

a recording unit configured to record the electrical signal obtained from the imaging unit;

a touch screen configured to output coordinate information corresponding to the position where it is touched;

a display unit configured to display an image corresponding to the electrical signal from the imaging unit and an item indicating an operating area in a predetermined position on the touch screen;

an enlargement display control unit configured to display, via the display unit, an enlarged image of a part of the image corresponding to the electrical signal obtained from the imaging unit, a first frame which indicates the overall size of the image corresponding to the electrical signal and through which the enlarged image is allowed to be seen, and a second frame which indicates a position of the enlarged image displayed relative to the image corresponding to the electrical signal within the first frame and through which the enlarged image is allowed to be seen, when placed in an image enlargement display mode; and

an item display control unit configured to clear the item displayed on the display unit when an area of the touch screen other than the operating area indicated by the item is touched.

4. The digital still camera according to claim 3, wherein the item display control unit causes the item to be displayed again on the display unit when the touch screen is not touched for more than a predetermined length of time in a state where the item is cleared.

7. The digital still camera according to claim 3, wherein the enlargement display control unit is configured to shift the position of the image displayed with enlargement by performing a dragging operation in the area of the touch screen other than the area indicated by the item and causing the second frame to shift the position to be displayed according to the dragging operation.

8. The digital still camera according to claim 3, wherein the item indicates the operating area for switching from the enlargement display mode to a normal display mode, and the first frame and the second frame are erased when switching from the enlargement display mode to the normal display mode by touching the operating area on the touch screen indicated by the item in a state where the item is displayed.