Imaging apparatus and continuous shooting imaging methods using a continuous touch user input

• US 9,280,223 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Toida, Maki, Sakuma, Izumi, Ito, Kensei
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORALES FERNANDEZ, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US13/749,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20130194215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• 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 23/672 based on the phase difference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging part for capturing a subject image, a touch panel for acquiring a touch position input by a user, and a control part for controlling an imaging operation performed by the imaging part. The control part acquires the touch position to cause the imaging part to perform the imaging operation each time the touch position is displaced on the touch panel by a predetermined amount repeatedly during a continuous touch user input.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an imaging device having a touch screen display, the method comprising:

a) displaying, on the touch screen display, both (1) a live view of images captured by the imaging device and (2) a plurality of frames at intervals spaced by a predetermined amount;

b) determining whether the touch screen display is being touched at a position corresponding to one of the plurality of frames;

c) responsive to a determination that the touch screen display is being touched at the position corresponding to the one of the plurality of frames,

1) performing a first image capturing operation,

2) displaying a thumbnail of the first image in the one of the plurality of frames, and

3) storing the first image;

d) acquiring a new position of a continuous touch input via the touch screen display;

e) responsive to a determination that the new position of the continuous touch corresponds to a position of a next one of the plurality of frames,

1) performing another image capturing operation,

2) displaying a thumbnail of the other image in the next one of the plurality of frames, and

3) storing the other image,

otherwise, responsive to a determination that the new position of the continuous touch corresponds to a position of the one of the plurality of frames after the continuous touch had left the one of the plurality of frames,

1) removing the display of the thumbnail of the first image from the one of the plurality of frames, and

2) deleting the first image from storage,

and otherwise, responsive to a determination that the new position of the continuous touch corresponds to neither the position of a next one of the plurality of frames, nor a position of the one of the plurality of frames after the continuous touch had left the one of the plurality of frames, returning to the act of (d) acquiring a new position of a continuous touch input via the touch screen display.