Imaging device

• US 8,214,761 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Isao, Nagatsuka, Riuzou, Arakawa, Emi, Asai, Tetsuya, Mikamo, Masaki, Nunomaki, Takashi, Ohashi, Hisashi, Tsushio, Kenji, Kamiya, Mayumi, Yoshida, Kenji, Harada, Takeshi, Fukuda, Keiki
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/554,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20060238625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,967 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/811, 715/748, 715/789, 715/825, 715/826, 715/835, 715/841
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00416 Multi-level menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00509 Personalising for a particular user or group of users, e.g. a workgroup or company
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications

Abstract

The present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus superior in operability and visibility at the time of setting and adjusting functions thereof.

The apparatus includes GUI screen image generating means for generating a GUI screen image for operating the imaging apparatus to display the GUI screen image on image display means; operating means for operating the GUI screen image displayed on the image display means; controlling means for controlling the imaging apparatus in accordance with the operation of the GUI screen image by the operating means; storing means for storing hierarchy type main menu information; menu generating means; and menu editing means capable of editing the unique menu information generated by the menu generating means. The controlling means controls the GUI screen image generating means when detecting a predetermined operation by the operating means, and the GUI screen image generating means generates the GUI screen image in which the index information to operate the menu editing means is included in the unique menu information, in accordance with the control by the controlling means, and displays the GUI screen image on the image display means.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus having:

GUI screen image generating means for generating a GUI screen image having graphical user interface means for operating the apparatus and displaying the GUI screen image on image display means;

operating means for operating the GUI screen image displayed on said image display means according to user selections; and

controlling means for controlling the apparatus in accordance with the operation of the GUI screen image by said operating means, characterized by having;

storing means having stored therein hierarchy type main menu information which is configured to set and operate desired functions by classifying functions settable and operable in said imaging apparatus on the basis of a predetermined category, displaying index information of the classified functions in stages, and selecting the displayed index information in accordance with a selection made by said user;

menu generating means configured to select desired index information among the main menu information in said storing means to generate unique menu information; and

menu editing means configured to edit the unique menu information generated by said menu generating means, and characterized in that;

said controlling means controls said GUI screen image generating means on detection of a predetermined operation by said operating means,

said GUI screen image generating means generates the GUI screen image including the index information for operating the menu editing means in said unique menu information, in accordance with the control by said controlling means, to display the GUI screen image on said image display means, and

said GUI screen image generating means generates a GUI screen image including the index information for operating said main menu information in said unique menu information to display the GUI screen image on said image display means.

2. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that:

said menu editing means has a function of adding the index information to said unique menu information;

a function of deleting the index information;

a function of rearranging a displayed position of the index information; and

a function of initializing the unique menu information to predetermined menu information.

3. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that:

said GUI screen image generating means has a function of adding the unique menu information generated by said menu generating means to the index information displayed at an arbitrary hierarchy of said main menu information.

4. An imaging apparatus having:

GUI screen image generating means for generating a GUI screen image having graphical user interface means for operating the apparatus and displaying the GUI screen image on image display means;

operating means for operating the GUI screen image displayed on said image display means according to user selections; and

controlling means for controlling the apparatus in accordance with the operation of the GUI screen image by said operating means, characterized by having;

storing means having stored therein hierarchy type main menu information which is configured to set and operate desired functions by classifying functions settable and operable in said imaging apparatus on the basis of a predetermined category, displaying index information of the classified functions in stages, and selecting the displayed index information in accordance with a selection made by said user;

menu generating means configured to select desired index information among the main menu information in said storing means to generate unique menu information; and

menu editing means configured to edit the unique menu information generated by said menu generating means, and characterized in that;

said controlling means controls said GUI screen image generating means on detection of a predetermined operation by said operating means,

said GUI screen image generating means generates the GUI screen image including the index information for operating the menu editing means in said unique menu information, in accordance with the control by said controlling means, to display the GUI screen image on said image display means, and

said GUI screen image generating means has a function of adding the unique menu information generated by said menu generating means to the index information of said main menu information.

5. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that:

said menu editing means has a function of adding the index information to said unique menu information;

a function of deleting the index information;

a function of rearranging a displayed position of the index information; and

a function of initializing the unique menu information to predetermined menu information.

6. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that:

said GUI screen image generating means has a function of adding the unique menu information generated by said menu generating means to the index information displayed at an arbitrary hierarchy of said main menu information.

7. An imaging apparatus having:

GUI screen image generating means for generating a GUI screen image having graphical user interface means for operating the apparatus to display the GUI screen image on image display means;

operating means for operating the GUI screen image displayed on said image display means; and

controlling means for controlling the apparatus in response to the operation of the GUI screen image by said operating means, characterized by having;

storing means having stored therein hierarchy type main menu information which is configured to set and operate desired functions by classifying functions settable and operable in the imaging apparatus on the basis of a predetermined category, displaying index information of the classified functions in stages, and selecting the displayed index information, and list information in which setting items corresponding to the index information are arranged in accordance with a display order of the main menu information and are displayed seamlessly, and characterized in that;

said controlling means controls said GUI screen image generating means on detection of a predetermined operation by said operating means,

said GUI screen image generating means generates the GUI screen image for displaying setting items corresponding to the index information selected by said operating means from the list information in said storing means in response to the control by said controlling means to display the GUI screen image on said image display means, and

said GUI screen image for displaying the setting item corresponding to said index information carries out a graphic display indicative of its boundary in a case where a setting item of adjacent index information in said main menu is displayed.

8. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that:

said GUI screen image for displaying the setting item corresponding to said index information has a function of scroll-displaying the setting items in accordance with a layout of said list information.

9. An imaging apparatus having:

GUI screen image generating means for generating a GUI screen image having graphical user interface means for operating the apparatus to display the GUI screen image on image display means;

operating means for operating the GUI screen image displayed on said image display means; and

controlling means for controlling the apparatus in response to the operation of the GUI screen image by said operating means, characterized by having;

storing means having stored therein hierarchy type main menu information which is configured to set and operate desired functions by classifying functions settable and operable in the imaging apparatus on the basis of a predetermined category, displaying index information of the classified functions in stages, and selecting the displayed index information, and list information in which setting items corresponding to the index information are arranged in accordance with a display order of the main menu information and are displayed seamlessly, and characterized in that;

said controlling means controls said GUI screen image generating means on detection of a predetermined operation by said operating means,

said GUI screen image generating means generates the GUI screen image for displaying setting items corresponding to the index information selected by said operating means from the list information in said storing means in response to the control by said controlling means to display the GUI screen image on said image display means, and

said GUI screen image for displaying the setting item corresponding to said index information displays graphic information indicating the index information from which a setting item is able to be selected in a case where setting items of adjacent index information in said main menu is displayed.

10. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that:

said GUI screen image for displaying the setting item corresponding to said index information has a function of scroll-displaying the setting items in accordance with a layout of said list information.

11. A display apparatus comprising:

a storing section that stores program instructions to operate predetermined functions of an electronic device, hierarchy type menu information that classifies the functions into categories, index information corresponding to the functions, and list information in which setting items corresponding to the index information are arranged in accordance with a display order of the main menu information;

a menu generator configured to generate unique menu information by selecting desired index information from the menu information in accordance with function-selecting input; and

a menu editor configured to edit the unique menu information in accordance with menu-editing input, and

a graphic user interface (GUI) configured to receive the function-selecting input and menu-editing input,

the GUI generates a screen image including the index information for operating the main menu information within the unique menu information to display the screen image on an image display section.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the index information is displayed on a display screen of the display apparatus.

13. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the storing section further stores table information that defines an order of display of the index information.

14. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the menu editor is configured to edit the unique menu information, in accordance with menu-editing input, by adding the desired index information to the unique menu information, deleting undesired index information from the unique menu information, rearranging a displayed position of index information of the unique menu information, and executing an initialization process of creating default unique menu information.

15. An imaging apparatus comprising the display apparatus according to claim 11.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the menu information and the list information and are displayed seamlessly.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 11, the GUI has a function of adding the unique menu information generated by the menu generator to the index information of the main menu information.