Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same and camera

• US 9,571,715 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Furuyama, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US14/567,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20150092069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 396 50- 55, 396/502, 348/208.16, 700/14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0007 Movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur imaging systems in general using optical elements for stabilisation of the position of the image G02B27/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

This invention provides an information processing apparatus for allowing a user to perform operation without any confusion concerning a device which implements a plurality of functions for one operation member in accordance with operation methods for the operation member. A system controller performs control to execute a predetermined function in response to the start of operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the predetermined function in response to the end of the operation. A timer function unit measures the time from the start of operation on the operation member. When a given operation finishes before the time measured by the timer function unit exceeds a predetermined time after the start of the operation, a notification about the operation method for the operation member is output.

Claims

1. A camera control apparatus comprising:

a control unit configured to perform control to execute a camera control function in response to a start of a single operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the camera control function in response to an end of the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation;

a time measuring unit configured to measure a time from the start of the single operation; and

an output unit configured to output a notification about an operation method for continuously executing the camera control function using the operation member in response that the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time after the single operation starts,

wherein the notification is not output prior to the end of the single operation,

wherein, when the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time, the camera control function is executed in response to the start of the single operation, and is terminated in response to the end of the single operation, and then the notification, which indicates an operation method for continuously executing the terminated camera control function, is output.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to perform control to continuously execute the camera control function while the single operation on the operation member is being carried out regardless of whether the time measured by the time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time or not.

3. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a control unit configured to perform control to execute a predetermined function in response to a start of a single operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the predetermined function in response to an end of the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation;

a time measuring unit configured to measure a time from the start of the single operation on the operation member; and

an output unit configured to output a notification about an operation method for the operation member in response that the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time after the single operation starts,

wherein the notification is not output prior to the end of the single operation, and

wherein, when the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time, the predetermined function is executed in response to the start of the single operation, and is terminated in response to the end of the single operation, and then the notification, which indicates an operation method for continuously executing the terminated predetermined function, is output.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a display unit configured to display that the predetermined function is being executed, during execution of the predetermined function.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a selection unit configured to select, in accordance with an instruction from a user, a first operation mode of executing the predetermined function only in an interval between the start of the single operation and the end of the single operation and a second operation mode of switching between execution and termination of the predetermined function for every operation on the operation member,

wherein when said selection unit selects the first operation mode, said control unit, said time measuring unit, and said output unit operate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the operation member comprises a plurality of operation members, the predetermined function includes a plurality of functions respectively corresponding to the plurality of operation members, and said output unit outputs a notification corresponding to a function executed by one of the plurality of operation members which is operated.

7. A camera comprising an information processing apparatus defined in claim 3,

wherein the predetermined function includes an active image stabilization function of making an image stabilization effect stronger when turned ON, compared to being in the OFF state.

8. The camera according to claim 7, wherein the operation member is placed at an opposite side position of a portion held with one hand of a user through an image sensing unit and at which the operation member is held with the other hand.

9. The camera according to claim 8, further comprising a camera body including the image sensing unit, and a variable-angle display unit with which the angle can be freely changed with respect to the camera body,

wherein the portion held with one hand of a user is provided on the camera body, and the opposite side position at which the operation member is placed is provided on the variable-angle display unit.

10. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said output unit is configured not to output the notification when the single operation ends after the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time after the single operation starts.

11. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said output unit is configured to output the notification to a display unit to display the notification.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said output unit is configured to output a message as the notification, which indicates that the predetermined function is kept executed while the operation member being operated, to said display unit, when the operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time after the operation starts.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said output unit is configured to end the displaying of the notification upon elapse of a predefined time period after the notification is displayed.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said output unit is configured to end the displaying of the notification in response to the start of the single operation, even before the predefined time period elapses after the notification is displayed.

15. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control unit performs control to execute the predetermined function when the time measured by said measuring unit does not exceed the predetermined time, as well as when the single operation is still continued after the time measured by said measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time.

16. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is further configured to perform control to continuously execute the predetermined function while the single operation on the operation member is being carried out regardless of whether the time measured by the time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time or not.

17. A method for controlling a camera, the method comprising:

performing control to execute a camera control function in response to a start of a single operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the camera control function in response to an end of the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation;

measuring a time from the start of the single operation; and

outputting a notification about an operation method for continuously executing the camera control function using the operation member in response that the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation ends before the measured time exceeds a predetermined time after the single operation starts, wherein the notification is not output prior to the end of the single operation,

wherein, when the single operation ends before the measured time exceeds the predetermined time, the camera control function is executed in response to the start of the single operation, and is terminated in response to the end of the single operation, and then the notification, which indicates an operation method for continuously executing the terminated camera control function, is output.

18. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

performing control to execute a predetermined function in response to a start of a single operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the predetermined function in response to an end of the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation;

measuring a time from start of the single operation on the operation member; and

outputting a notification about an operation method for the operation member in response that the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation ends before the time measured in the time measuring step exceeds a predetermined time after the single operation starts,

wherein the notification is not output prior to the ending of the single operation, and

wherein, when the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time, the predetermined function is executed in response to the start of the single operation, and is terminated in response to the end of the single operation, and then the notification, which indicates an operation method for continuously executing the terminated predetermined function, is output.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of a camera control apparatus, the camera control apparatus comprising:

a control unit configured to perform control to execute a camera control function in response to a start of a single operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the camera control function in response to an end of the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation;

a time measuring unit configured to measure a time from the start of the single operation; and

an output unit configured to output a notification about an operation method for continuously executing the camera control function using the operation member in response that the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time after the single operation starts,

wherein the notification is not output prior to the end of the single operation,

wherein, when the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time, the camera control function is executed in response to the start of the single operation, and is terminated in response to the end of the single operation, and then the notification, which indicates an operation method for continuously executing the terminated camera control function, is output.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:

a control unit configured to perform control to execute a predetermined function in response to a start of a single operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the predetermined function in response to an end of the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation;

a time measuring unit configured to measure a time from the start of the single operation on the operation member; and

an output unit configured to output a notification about an operation method for the operation member in response that the single operation which has continued from the start of the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds a predetermined time after the single operation starts,

wherein the notification is not output prior to the end of the single operation, and

wherein, when the single operation ends before the time measured by said time measuring unit exceeds the predetermined time, the predetermined function is executed in response to the start of the single operation, and is terminated in response to the end of the single operation, and then the notification, which indicates an operation method for continuously executing the terminated predetermined function, is output.