Imaging apparatus and method of controlling imaging apparatus

• US 8,400,474 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoshida, Michiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Xiao M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Phi
• Application Number:
  US12/645,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 735/141, 715/764, 369/1, 725/38, 725/87
• US Class Current: 345/650
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03542 Light pens for emitting or receiving light
• 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: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

An imaging apparatus comprises a remote controller including no operating button and an imaging instrument including a display screen portion capable of displaying a first graphical user interface in association with movement of the remote controller. Selection item of the first graphical user interface is selected and determined on the basis of anteroposterior movement of the remote controller.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a remote controller including a motion detecting portion detecting movement of a remote controller body and an actuating signal transmission portion transmitting an actuating signal corresponding to said movement on the basis of a result of detection of said motion detecting portion and not including an operating button; and

an imaging instrument including an actuating signal receiving portion receiving said actuating signal transmitted from said actuating signal transmission portion and a display screen portion capable of displaying a first graphical user interface successively selectably displaying a plurality of selection items in association of movement, other than anteroposterior movement, of said remote controller on the basis of said actuating signal, and

said imaging instrument further includes a control portion controlling said actuating signal receiving portion and said display screen portion, wherein

said selection item of said first graphical user interface is selected and determined on the basis of said actuating signal corresponding to the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said control portion controls so as to successively selectably display said plurality of selection items while said first graphical user interface rotates in the same direction as a rotational direction of said remote controller in association with rotational motion of said remote controller, and controls so as to select and determine any of said plurality of selection items on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said control portion is formed so as to display said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion to continuously rotate said first graphical user interface when said remote controller performs rotational motion at a constant angular speed or more, and so as to display said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion to stop rotation of said first graphical user interface when said remote controller is rotated in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of said first graphical user interface in a state where said first graphical user interface is displayed to continuously rotate.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control portion is formed so as to display said first graphical user interface constituted by a rotating body having a plurality of display surfaces on said display screen portion, so as to display one of said plurality of selection items on each of said plurality of display surfaces, and so as to be capable of selecting the selection item displayed on the display surface located on a front side among said plurality of display surfaces.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control portion is formed so as to display said first graphical user interface having a shape corresponding to a shape of said remote controller on said display screen portion.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said remote controller has a polygonal prism shape, and

said control portion is formed so as to display said first graphical user interface having the polygonal prism shape corresponding to the shape of said remote controller on said display screen portion, and so as to display one of said plurality of selection items on each of said plurality of display surfaces of the polygonal prism shape of said first graphical user interface.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control portion is formed so as to display said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller in a state where said first graphical user interface is not displayed on said display screen portion.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

said display screen portion is enabled to display a first selection screen on which said first graphical user interface is displayed and a second selection screen selectably displaying a plurality of second graphical user interfaces corresponding to said selection item, selected and determined on said first selection screen, of said first graphical user interface, and

said control portion is formed so as to select and determine a prescribed second graphical user interface selected by a pointer on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller on said second selection screen after selecting and determining a prescribed selection item of said first graphical user interface on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller on said first selection screen.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said display screen portion is enabled to display said second selection screen selectably displaying said plurality of second graphical user interfaces and a third selection screen including a third graphical user interface corresponding to selected and determined said second graphical user interface and successively selectably displaying a plurality of detailed selection items in association with the movement, other than the anteroposterior movement, of said remote controller, and

said control portion is formed so as to select and determine detailed selection item of said third graphical user interface on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller on said third selection screen after selecting and determining said second graphical user interface by said pointer on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller on said second selection screen.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control portion is formed so as to display a pointer on said display screen portion on the basis of continuous movement of said remote controller in either one of upward and downward directions a plurality of times.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said remote controller further includes a slide portion for displaying a pointer on said display screen portion by sliding.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said imaging instrument is a television receiving television broadcasting and including a storage portion capable of recording received said television broadcasting.

11. A method of controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising steps of:

displaying a first graphical user interface successively selectably displaying a plurality of selection items in association with movement, other than anteroposterior movement, of a remote controller including no operating button on a display screen portion of an imaging instrument; and

selecting and determining selection item of said first graphical user interface displayed on said display screen portion on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, wherein,

said step of displaying said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion includes a step of successively selectably displaying said plurality of selection items of said first graphical user interface while rotating said first graphical user interface in the same direction as a rotational direction of said remote controller in association with rotational motion of said remote controller, and

said step of selecting and determining the selection item of said first graphical user interface includes a step of selecting and determining any of said plurality of selection items on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said step of successively selectably displaying said plurality of selection items includes steps of;

displaying said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion to continuously rotate said first graphical user interface when said remote controller performs rotational motion at a constant angular speed or more, and

displaying said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion to stop rotation of said first graphical user interface when said remote controller rotates in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of said first graphical user interface.

12. The method of controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said step of displaying said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion includes steps of:

displaying said first graphical user interface constituted by a rotating body having a plurality of display surfaces, each of which having one of said plurality of selection items displayed thereon, on said display screen portion, and

allowing selection of the selection item displayed on the display surface located on a front side among said plurality of display surfaces.

13. The method of controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said step of displaying said first graphical user interface on said display screen portion includes a step of displaying said first graphical user interface having a shape corresponding to a shape of said remote controller on said display screen portion.

14. The method of controlling an imaging apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising steps of:

displaying a plurality of second graphical user interfaces corresponding to selected and determined said selection item of said first graphical user interface after said step of selecting and determining the selection item of said first graphical user interface; and

selecting and determining a prescribed second graphical user interface selected by a pointer on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller.

15. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a remote controller including a motion detecting portion detecting movement of a remote controller body and an actuating signal transmission portion transmitting an actuating signal corresponding to said movement on the basis of a result of detection of said motion detecting portion and not including an operating button; and

an imaging instrument including an actuating signal receiving portion receiving said actuating signal transmitted from said actuating signal transmission portion and a display screen portion capable of displaying a first graphical user interface successively selectably displaying a plurality of selection items in association of movement, other than anteroposterior movement, of said remote controller on the basis of said actuating signal, and

said imaging instrument further includes a control portion controlling said actuating signal receiving portion and said display screen portion, wherein

said selection item of said first graphical user interface is selected and determined on the basis of said actuating signal corresponding to the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said control portion controls so as to successively selectably display said plurality of selection items while said first graphical user interface rotates in the same direction as a rotational direction of said remote controller in association with rotational motion of said remote controller, and controls so as to select and determine any of said plurality of selection items on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said control portion is formed so as to display said first graphical user interface constituted by a rotating body having a plurality of display surfaces on said display screen portion, so as to display one of said plurality of selection items on each of said plurality of display surfaces, and so as to be capable of selecting the selection item displayed on the display surface located on a front side among said plurality of display surfaces, and

said control portion is so formed that the selection item adjacent to the selection item which was located on said front side is located on said front side and can be selected in the place of said selection item which was located on said front side when said remote controller performs rotational motion at an angular speed smaller than a constant angular speed.

16. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a remote controller including a motion detecting portion detecting movement of a remote controller body and an actuating signal transmission portion transmitting an actuating signal corresponding to said movement on the basis of a result of detection of said motion detecting portion and not including an operating button; and

an imaging instrument including an actuating signal receiving portion receiving said actuating signal transmitted from said actuating signal transmission portion and a display screen portion capable of displaying a first graphical user interface successively selectably displaying a plurality of selection items in association of movement, other than anteroposterior movement, of said remote controller on the basis of said actuating signal, and

said imaging instrument further includes a control portion controlling said actuating signal receiving portion and said display screen portion, wherein

said selection item of said first graphical user interface is selected and determined on the basis of said actuating signal corresponding to the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said control portion controls so as to successively selectably display said plurality of selection items while said first graphical user interface rotates in the same direction as a rotational direction of said remote controller in association with rotational motion of said remote controller, and controls so as to select and determine any of said plurality of selection items on the basis of the anteroposterior movement of said remote controller, and

said control portion is formed so as to select and determine the selection item of said first graphical user interface on the basis of a first directional movement of the anteroposterior direction of said remote controller, and so as to cancel display of said first graphical user interface on the basis of a second directional movement of the anteroposterior direction of said remote controller.