Display control system, display control apparatus and control method therefor

• US 8,786,751 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe, Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): YODER III, CHRISS S
• Application Number:
  US13/552,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20130027570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/73, 348 83- 85, 348/211.1, 348/211.8, 348/211.13, 348/211.14, 348/333.02, 348/333.03, 348/333.06, 348/333.07, 348/333.12, 348/333.01
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet

Abstract

A display control apparatus having a connecting portion communicably connected to an imaging apparatus obtains an inclination angle of the imaging apparatus, and displays a displayed item on a display unit based on the obtained inclination angle. At this time, the display control apparatus performs control for displaying the displayed item indicating an inclination angle whose positive and negative have been inverted relative to positive and negative of the obtained inclination angle.

Claims

1. A system in which an imaging apparatus is connected to a display control apparatus that controls a second display unit,

the imaging apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an inclination of the imaging apparatus;

a first display unit configured to display an image captured by the imaging apparatus; and

a first display control unit configured to cause a reference line indicating a horizontal or vertical direction to be displayed together with the image displayed on the display unit, the first display control unit causing the reference line rotated in accordance with the inclination of the imaging apparatus detected by the detection unit to be displayed,

the display control apparatus comprising;

an obtaining unit configured to obtain information on the inclination of the imaging apparatus and the image captured by the imaging apparatus; and

a second display control unit configured to cause a reference line rotated in accordance with the information on the inclination of the imaging apparatus to be displayed on the second display unit together with the image captured by the imaging apparatus,

on the second display unit so as to be rotated in an opposite direction to a rotational direction of the reference line to be displayed on the first display unit.

2. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the first display control unit causes a reference line to be displayed, the reference line being obtained by rotating a camera reference line indicating a horizontal or vertical direction of a body of the imaging apparatus in a first direction in accordance with the information on the inclination, and

the second display control unit causes a reference line to be displayed, the reference line being obtained by rotating the camera reference line in a second direction opposite to the first direction in accordance with the information on the inclination.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the first display control unit causes a gravity reference line indicating a horizontal or vertical direction based on gravity to be displayed as the reference line, and

the second display control unit causes a reference line that is neither the gravity reference line indicating the horizontal or vertical direction based on gravity nor a camera reference line indicating the horizontal or vertical direction of the body of the imaging apparatus to be displayed.

4. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the first display control unit and the second display control unit cause a camera reference line indicating the horizontal or vertical direction of the body of the imaging apparatus to be displayed together with the reference line.

5. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the display control apparatus further comprises a live view image obtaining unit configured to obtain a live view image from the imaging apparatus, and

the second display control unit causes the reference line to be displayed together with the image obtained by the live view image obtaining unit.

6. The system according to claim 5,

wherein the second display control unit causes the reference line to be displayed so as to be superimposed on the image obtained by the live view image obtaining unit.

7. A display control apparatus communicably connected to an imaging apparatus including a display unit that displays a captured image, the imaging apparatus detecting an inclination of the imaging apparatus, and causing a reference line indicating a horizontal or vertical direction to be rotated based on the detected inclination and displayed together with the captured image on the display unit,

the display control apparatus comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain information on the inclination of the imaging apparatus and the image captured by the imaging apparatus; and

a display control unit configured to perform control for causing the image captured by the imaging apparatus and a reference line rotated based on the information on the inclination obtained by the obtaining unit to be displayed on a display unit in the display control apparatus,

wherein the display control unit causes the reference line to be displayed, the reference line being rotated in an opposite direction to the rotational direction of the reference line displayed on the display unit in the imaging apparatus.

8. A display control apparatus that is connected to an imaging apparatus including a first display unit configured to display a display item rotated in accordance with an inclination of the imaging apparatus, the display control apparatus comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain an inclination of the imaging apparatus; and

a display control unit configured to display a display item rotated in accordance with inclination of imaging apparatus on a second display unit,

wherein the display control unit causes the display item to be displayed, the display item being rotated in an opposite direction to the rotational direction of the display item displayed on the first display unit in the imaging apparatus.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the obtaining unit further obtains a live view image from the connected imaging apparatus, and

the display control unit causes the display item to be displayed so as to be superimposed on the live view image.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the display control unit obtains an image feature value from the live view image obtained by the obtaining unit, and controls, based on the obtained image feature value, whether or not to perform display of the display item.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the obtaining unit further obtains a live view image from the connected imaging apparatus, and

the display control unit causes the live view image to be displayed, and also causes the display item to be displayed outside of a display area of the live view image.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the obtaining unit further obtains an operation state of the connected imaging apparatus, and

the display control unit removes the display item or increases a transmittance of the display of the display item while the connected imaging apparatus is performing a predetermined operation.

13. A method for controlling a system in which an imaging apparatus is connected to a display control apparatus that controls a second display unit,

the method comprising, in the imaging apparatus;

a detecting step of detecting an inclination of the imaging apparatus;

a first displaying step of displaying an image captured by the imaging apparatus; and

a first display control step of causing a reference line indicating a horizontal or vertical direction to be displayed together with the image displayed in the displaying step, the first display control step comprising causing the reference line rotated in accordance with the inclination of the imaging apparatus detected in the detecting step to be displayed,

and comprising, in the display control apparatus;

an obtaining step of obtaining information on the inclination of the imaging apparatus and the image captured by the imaging apparatus; and

a second display control step of causing a reference line rotated in accordance with the information on the inclination of the imaging apparatus to be displayed on the second display together with the image captured by the imaging apparatus,

wherein in the second display control step, the reference line is caused to be displayed so as to be rotated in an opposite direction to a rotational direction of the reference line displayed in the first display control step.

14. A method for controlling a display control apparatus communicably connected to an imaging apparatus including a display unit that displays a captured image, the imaging apparatus detecting an inclination of the imaging apparatus, and causing a reference line indicating a horizontal or vertical direction to be rotated based on the detected inclination and displayed together with the captured image on the display unit, the control method of a display control apparatus comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining information on the inclination of the imaging apparatus and the image captured by the imaging apparatus; and

a display control step of performing control for causing the image captured by the imaging apparatus and a reference line rotated based on the information on the inclination obtained in the obtaining step to be displayed on a display unit in the display control apparatus,

wherein in the display control step, the reference line rotated in an opposite direction to a rotational direction of the reference line displayed on the display unit in the imaging apparatus is caused to be displayed.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute each of the steps in the control method according to claim 14.

16. A method for controlling a display control apparatus that is connected to an imaging apparatus including a first display unit configured to display a display item rotated in accordance with an inclination of the imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining an inclination of the imaging apparatus; and

a display control step of displaying a display item rotated in accordance with inclination of imaging apparatus on a second display unit

wherein the display control step causes the display item to be displayed, the display item being rotated in an opposite direction to the rotational direction of the display item displayed on the display unit in the imaging apparatus.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute each of the steps in the control method according to claim 16.