Electronic device

• US 7,831,143 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okazaki, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval; Melissa J
• Assistant Examiner(s): RHODES, JR, LEON W
• Application Number:
  US12/053,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 396/50, 396297-300, 396/425, 396/535, 396/540, 396/388, 396/544
• US Class Current: 396/540
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces

Abstract

An electronic device includes an operation member which is arranged within a range where a particular finger of right hand gripping the electronic device in a vertical orientation reaches and in which assigned functions can be customized, a storage unit adapted to store information on a first function and a second function which are set in the operation member as the assigned functions, an orientation information obtaining unit adapted to obtain information on an orientation related to the electronic device, a function assignment control unit adapted to assign the first function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in a horizontal orientation and assign the second function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in the vertical orientation.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a camera main body;

an interchangeable system image pickup lens unit detachably provided to the camera main body;

a grip unit provided on the camera main body that includes a first shutter button;

a vertical position control grip detachably provided to the camera main body that provides the electronic device a grip position separate from the grip unit for use in a vertical orientation;

an operation member provided on the camera main body which is arranged within a range where a particular finger related to right hand gripping the vertical position control grip in the vertical orientation reaches and in which assigned functions can be customized;

storage means for storing information on a first function and a second function which are set in the operation member as the assigned functions;

orientation information obtaining means for obtaining information on an orientation related to the electronic device;

function assignment control means for assigning the first function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in a horizontal orientation and assign the second function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in the vertical orientation,

wherein the horizontal orientation and the vertical orientation respectively correspond to a standard orientation and a non-standard orientation during use of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the grip unit provides a grip position for use in the horizontal orientation, and

wherein the operation member is arranged within a range where the particular finger related to the right hand gripping the grip unit in the horizontal orientation reaches.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the vertical position control grip is an auxiliary tool which can be attached to the electronic device when the electronic device is used in the non-standard orientation, and

wherein the operation member is arranged within a range where the particular finger related to the right hand gripping the electronic device to which the auxiliary tool is attached in the vertical orientation reaches.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the orientation information obtaining means includes

an orientation detection sensor adapted to detect an orientation of the electronic device, and

means for obtaining information on the orientation based on a detection result in the orientation detection sensor.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1,

wherein the operation member enables a press operation and a detection through a distinction between a first press state and a second press state in accordance with a difference in pressed periods of time related to the press operation, and

wherein the orientation information obtaining means includes means for obtaining information on the orientation by associating the first press state with the horizontal orientation and associating the second press state with the vertical orientation.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first press state corresponds to a comparatively shorter pressed period of time than a pressed period of time that corresponds to the second press state.

7. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a back face monitor provided substantially at a center of a back face of the camera main body,

wherein the operation member is provided on the back face of the camera main body at a position between the back face monitor and the grip unit.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the operation member includes a plurality of custom keys arranged adjacent to an edge of the back face monitor in a vertical direction of the camera main body.

9. The electronic device according claim 1, wherein the vertical position control grip is detachably provided to a bottom surface of the camera main body and the vertical position control grip includes a second shutter button.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a camera main body;

an interchangeable system image pickup lens unit detachably provided to the camera main body;

a grip unit provided on the camera main body that includes a first shutter button;

a vertical position control grip detachably provided to the camera main body that provides the electronic device a grip position separate from the grip unit for use in a vertical orientation;

an operation member provided on the camera main body which is arranged within a range where a particular finger related to right hand gripping the vertical position control grip in the vertical orientation reaches and in which assigned functions can be customized;

a storage unit adapted to store information on a first function and a second function which are set in the operation member as the assigned functions;

an orientation information obtaining unit adapted to obtain information on an orientation related to the electronic device;

a function assignment control unit adapted to assign the first function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in a horizontal orientation and assign the second function to the operation member when it is determined based on the information on the orientation that the electronic device is in the vertical orientation,

wherein the horizontal orientation and the vertical orientation correspond to a standard orientation and a non-standard orientation during use of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10,

wherein the grip unit provides a grip position for use in the horizontal orientation, and

wherein the operation member is arranged within a range where the particular finger related to the right hand gripping the grip unit in the horizontal orientation reaches.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10,

wherein the orientation information obtaining unit includes

an orientation detection sensor adapted to detect an orientation of the electronic device, and

means for obtaining information on the orientation based on a detection result in the orientation detection sensor.

13. The electronic device according to claim 10,

wherein the operation member enables a press operation and a detection through a distinction between a first press state and a second press state in accordance with a difference in pressed periods of time related to the press operation, and

wherein the orientation information obtaining unit obtains information on the orientation by associating the first press state with the horizontal orientation and associating the second press state with the vertical orientation.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the first press state corresponds to a comparatively shorter pressed period of time than a pressed period of time that corresponds to the second press state.

15. The electronic device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a back face monitor provided substantially at a center of a back face of the camera main body,

wherein the operation member is provided on the back face of the camera main body at a position between the back face monitor and the grip unit.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the operation member includes a plurality of custom keys arranged adjacent to an edge of the back face monitor in a vertical direction of the camera main body.

17. The electronic device according claim 10, wherein the vertical position control grip is detachably provided to a bottom surface of the camera main body and the vertical position control grip includes a second shutter button.