Image processor and control method

• US 7,821,563 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Kentaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoder, III; Chriss S
• Application Number:
  US11/674,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20070195354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/222.1, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/333.04, 348/333.05, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/373, 348/374
• US Class Current: 348/333.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A control method for an image processor having an operation member and an image display unit that displays images, wherein it is determined whether a touch wheel button has been operated according to a first operation method or whether it has been operated according to a second operation method, wherein functions executable by instructions from the touch wheel button include a first function allocated if it is determined to be the first operation method and a second function allocated if it is determined to be the second operation method, and wherein an image is displayed in the first display mode on the display unit if it is determined to be the first operation method and an image is displayed in the second display mode different from the first display mode if it is determined to be the second operation method.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a display unit that displays an image,

an operation member, arranged at a position different from the display unit, to which a plurality of different functions are allocated respectively in accordance with a plurality of different operation methods,

a touch detection unit that detects an operation of the operation member including a touch to the operation member as a first operation method,

a physical manipulation detection unit that detects an operation of the operation member including a predetermined physical manipulation of the operation member as second operation method, and

a controller that exercises control such that

when said touch detection unit detects that said operation member is touched, a guide showing functions to be executed when said physical manipulation unit detects the manipulation of the operation member is displayed on said display unit together with the image displayed on said display unit before said operation member being operated, and

when said operation member is operated according to a third operation method which is different from the first and second operation methods, an image which is different from the image displayed before said operation member being operated is displayed on said display unit.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller exercises control such that, when said touch detection unit detects that said operation member is touched, the guide is superimposed on the image displayed before said operation member being operated, and, when said operation member is operated according to the third operation method, a plurality of images generated and stored in advance are displayed simultaneously.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third operation method includes an operation method, in which a continuous moving amount of a touched point on said operation member used for operating said operation member is smaller than a preset threshold value, and an operation method, in which the continuous moving amount of the touched point is not less than the preset threshold value.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein said controller determines the movement of the touched point based on the touched point detected by said touch detection unit.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

said physical manipulation detection unit detects as the predetermined physical manipulation whether said operation member has been pressed, and

said touch detection unit detects a touched point on said operation member,

wherein said controller provides, among a plurality of functions displayed in the guide, an enhanced display of a function to be performed when the operation member is depressed at the touched point detected by said touch detection unit compared to the other functions when said touch detection unit detects that said operation member is touched.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third operation method includes an operation method, in which a rate of travel of a touched point on said operation member used for operating said operation member is not more than a preset threshold value, and an operation method, in which the rate of travel of the touched point is greater than the preset threshold value.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said touch detection unit detects the touched point,

wherein said controller determines the movement of the touched point based on the touched point detected by said touch detection unit.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said physical manipulation detection unit detects as the predetermined physical manipulation whether said operation member has been pressed, and

said apparatus further comprising an execution unit that executes the function allocated to a position of depression of said operation unit in a case where a depression of said operation member is detected by said physical manipulation detection unit during the display of the guide.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 wherein

said physical manipulation detection unit detects as the predetermined physical manipulation whether said operation member has been pressed;

and

said touch detection unit detects a touched point on said operation member,

wherein said controller provides, among a plurality of functions displayed in the guide, an enhanced display of a function to be performed when the operation member is depressed at the touched point detected by said touch detection unit compared to the other functions when said touch detection unit detects that said operation member is touched.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1

wherein said physical manipulation detection unit detects as the predetermined physical manipulation whether said operation member has been pressed, and

said apparatus further comprising an execution unit that executes the function allocated to a position of depression of said operation unit in a case where a depression of said operation member is detected by said physical manipulation detection unit during the display of the guide.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the case where touching to said operation unit has been stopped during display of the guide, said controller continues to provide display of the guide for a prescribed time after stopping the operation.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the images are of image files recorded on a recording medium.

13. A control method for an image processing apparatus having a display unit that displays images, an operation member arranged at a position different from the display unit, a touch detection unit that detects an operation of the operation member including a touch to the operation member as a first operation method, and a physical manipulation detection unit that detects an operation of the operation member including a predetermined physical manipulation of the operation member as second operation method, the control method comprising:

a determination step of determining whether the operation member has been touched or whether it has been operated according to a third operation method different from the first and second operation methods,

a first display step of displaying a guide showing functions to be executed when said physical manipulation unit detects the manipulation of the operation member on said display unit together with the image displayed on said display unit before said operation member being operated if it is determined that the operation member is touched,

a second display step of displaying an image which is different from the image displayed before said operation member being operated if it is determined to be the third operation method.

14. The control method according to claim 13, wherein control is exercised such that, if it is determined that the operation member is touched, the guide is superimposed on the image displayed before the operation member being operated, and, if it is determined to be the third operation method, a plurality of images generated and stored in advance are displayed simultaneously.

15. The control method according to claim 13, wherein the third operation method includes an operation method, in which the continuous moving amount of a touched point on the operation member used for operating the operation member is smaller than a preset threshold value, and an operation method, in which the continuous moving amount of the touched point is not less than the preset threshold value.

16. The control method according to claim 15, further comprising a detection step of detecting the touched point by said touch detection unit,

wherein the movement of the touched point is determined based on the touched point detected in said detection step.

17. The control method according to claim 15, further comprising:

a detection step of detecting whether the operation member has been pressed by the physical manipulation detection unit; and

a step of executing the function allocated to a position of depression of the operation unit in a case where a depression of said physical manipulation operation member is detected during the display of the guide.

18. The control method according to claim 15 further comprising:

a first detection step of detecting whether the operation member has been pressed by the physical manipulation detection unit;

a second detection step of detecting a touched point on said operation member by the touch detection unit; and

,

a step of providing, among a plurality of functions displayed in the guide, an enhanced display of a function to be performed when the operation member is depressed at the touched point if it is determined that the operation unit is touched.

19. The control method according to claim 13, wherein the third operation method includes an operation method, in which a rate of travel of a touched point on the operation member used for operating the operation member is not more than a preset threshold value, and an operation method, in which the rate of travel of the touched point is greater than the preset threshold value.

20. The control method according to claim 19, further comprising a detection step of detecting the touched point by the touch detection unit,

wherein the travel of the touched point is determined based on the touched point detected in said detection step.

21. The control method according to claims 19, further comprising:

a detection step of detecting whether the operation member has been pressed by the physical manipulation detection unit; and

a step of executing the function allocated to a position of depression of the operation unit in a case where a depression of said operation member is detected by the physical manipulation detection unit during the display of the guide.

22. The control method according to claim 13, further comprising:

a step of determining whether touching to the operation unit has been stopped during display of the guide, and

a step of, in the case where touching to the operation unit has been stopped, continuing the display of the guide for a preset time, and stopping the display of the guide if the prescribed time has elapsed without operation.

23. A recording medium readable by an information processing apparatus, which stores a program executable by the information processing apparatus, comprising a program code used for carrying out the steps of the control method of claim 13.