Image pickup device and image pickup method

• US 9,648,228 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishihara, Takashi, Yamamoto, Kazutaka, Ito, Katsuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pasiewicz, Daniel M
• Application Number:
  US15/340,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• 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 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• 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 23/73 : by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus performs at least one exposure adjusting operation on the image captured by the camera. While the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, the touch panel has a first region with a width, in a peripheral portion of the display, and a second region which is disposed at an inner side of the first region in the display. While the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects a touch in the second region, at least an exposure adjusting operation starts to be performed. After the exposure adjusting operation has started, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects a touch in the first region, any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation is not performed, and the started exposure adjusting operation is maintained.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display the image captured by the camera; and

a touch panel that overlaps the display,

wherein the image pickup apparatus is configured to perform at least one exposure adjusting operation on the image captured by the camera,

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, the touch panel has a first region with a width, in a peripheral portion of the display, and a second region which is disposed at an inner side of the first region in the display, and

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects a touch in the second region, at least an exposure adjusting operation starts to be performed,

after the exposure adjusting operation has started to be performed, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects a touch in the first region, any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation is not performed, and the started exposure adjusting operation is maintained.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller, wherein

the controller performs the at least one exposure adjusting operation on the image captured by the camera,

while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, the controller causes the touch panel to have the first region with the width, in the peripheral portion of the display, and the second region which is disposed at the inner side of the first region in the display,

while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects the touch in the second region, the controller starts at least the exposure adjusting operation, and

after the exposure adjusting operation has started to be performed, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects the touch in the first region, the controller maintains the started exposure adjusting operation and does not perform any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, after the exposure adjusting operation has started to be performed, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects the touch in the first region, any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation is not performed, and the exposure adjusting operation which has started to be performed is maintained, unless an icon displayed in the first region is touched.

4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, the display displays an icon adjacent to the first region, and

wherein, after the exposure adjusting operation has started to be performed, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects the touch in the first region without touching the icon, any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation is not performed, and the exposure adjusting operation which has started to be performed is maintained.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the first region surrounds at least a part of a circumference of the icon.

6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the exposure adjusting operation comprises a selection of an object to adjust exposure.

7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein a position of the touch in the second region corresponds to the object to adjust exposure.

8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display has a quadrangular shape, and the first region is disposed along at least one side of the quadrangular shape.

9. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the first region is disposed along at least two opposing sides of the quadrangular shape.

10. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the first region is disposed along four sides of the quadrangular shape.

11. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display has a rectangular shape, and the first region is disposed along at least two short sides of the rectangular shape.

12. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display has a rectangular shape, and the first region is disposed along at least two long sides of the rectangular shape.

13. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the display has a rectangular shape, and the first region is disposed along four sides of the rectangular shape, and

a width of the first region along a short side of the rectangular shape is larger than a width of the first region along a long side of the rectangular shape.

14. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein an area of the image being captured by the camera and displayed on the display is 80% or greater of a total area of the display.

15. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein an area of the touch panel overlapping the display is 90% or greater of a total area of the touch panel.

16. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing including at least a first surface and a second surface,

wherein the display and the touch panel are disposed on the first surface, and an edge portion is provided between the display and a corner which is between the first surface and the second surface, and

wherein a width of the edge portion corresponding to the first region is greater than 0 mm and less than 3.5 mm.

17. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing including at least a first surface and a second surface,

wherein the display and the touch panel are disposed on the first surface, and an edge portion is provided between the display and a corner which is between the first surface and the second surface, and

wherein a width of the edge portion corresponding to the first region is equal to 0 mm.

18. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display the image captured by the camera; and

a touch panel that overlaps the display,

a housing including at least a first surface and a second surface,

wherein the image pickup apparatus is configured to perform at least one exposure adjusting operation on the image captured by the camera,

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, the touch panel has a first region with a width, in a peripheral portion of the display, and a second region which is disposed at an inner side of the first region in the display,

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects a touch in the second region, at least an exposure adjusting operation starts to be performed,

after the exposure adjusting operation has started to be performed, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects the touch in the first region, any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation is not performed, and the exposure adjusting operation which has started to be performed is maintained, unless an icon displayed in the first region is touched,

wherein the exposure adjusting operation comprises a selection of an object to adjust exposure,

wherein a position of the touch in the second region corresponds to the object to adjust exposure,

wherein the display has a rectangular shape, and the first region is disposed along four sides of the rectangular shape, and a width of the first region along a short side of the rectangular shape is larger than a width of the first region along a long side of the rectangular shape

wherein the display and the touch panel are disposed on the first surface, an edge portion is provided between the display and a corner which is between the first surface and the second surface, and a width of the edge portion corresponding to the long side of the rectangular shape is equal to or greater than 0 mm and less than 3.5 mm

wherein an area of the image being captured by the camera and displayed on the display is 80% or greater of a total area of the display, and

wherein an area of the touch panel overlapping the display is 90% or greater of a total area of the touch panel.

19. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display the image captured by the camera; and

a touch panel that overlaps the display,

a housing including at least a first surface and a second surface,

wherein the image pickup apparatus is configured to perform at least one exposure adjusting operation on the image captured by the camera,

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, the touch panel has a first region with a width, in a peripheral portion of the display, and a second region which is disposed at an inner side of the first region in the display,

wherein, while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects a touch in the second region, at least an exposure adjusting operation starts to be performed,

after the exposure adjusting operation has started to be performed, and while the display is displaying the image which the camera is capturing, when the touch panel detects the touch in the first region, any operation relating to the exposure adjusting operation is not performed, and the exposure adjusting operation which has started to be performed is maintained, unless an icon displayed in the first region is touched,

wherein the exposure adjusting operation comprises a selection of an object to adjust exposure,

wherein a position of the touch in the second region corresponds to the object to adjust exposure,

wherein the first region is disposed along four sides of a quadrangular shape,

wherein the display and the touch panel are disposed on the first surface, an edge portion is provided between the display and a corner which is between the first surface and the second surface, and a width of the edge portion corresponding to at least one side of the quadrangular shape is equal to or greater than 0 mm and less than 3.5 mm

wherein an area of the image being captured by the camera and displayed on the display is 80% or greater of a total area of the display, and

wherein an area of the touch panel overlapping the display is 90% or greater of a total area of the touch panel.