Digital camera

• US 7,675,563 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shirakarwa, Masanobu, Tsuji, Shuji, Nakajima, Yasumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US11/129,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.05, 348/333.02, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/231.99, 348/231.3
• US Class Current: 348/333.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3277 The additional information being stored in the same storage device as the image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

A digital camera is characterized by an optical system for forming an optical image of a subject, conversion means for converting the formed optical image of the subject into a digital image, selection means for selecting a layout at the playback time of the digital image output by the conversion means, a display, determination means for determining the playback orientation of the digital image output by the conversion means with respect to the selected layout, display control means for combining an object indicating how to hold the digital camera at the ready in response to the determined playback orientation and a digital moving image output by the conversion means into one for display on the display in a state in which a still image record command can be entered, and image record means for storing a digital still image output by the conversion means in nonvolatile memory in association with the selected layout when a still image record command is entered.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

an optical system for forming an optical image of a subject;

a conversion unit that converts the formed optical image of the subject into a digital image;

a selection unit that selects a layout at the playback time of the digital image output by the conversion unit;

a display;

a determination unit that determines whether playback orientation of the digital image output by the conversion unit is portrait or landscape based on an orientation of a whole thumbnail representing entirety of the layout and an orientation of a frame for placing the digital image, which are described in subordinate information of a camera thumbnail for displaying the layout on the display, and the determination unit that determines a display position of an object indicating how to hold the digital camera at the ready based on the determination result and the selected layout;

a display controller that combines the object and an image output by the conversion unit to display on the display based on the determined display position in a state in which a still image record command can be entered; and

an image recorder that stores a digital still image output by the conversion unit in nonvolatile memory in association with the selected layout when a still image record command is entered.

2. The digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the playback orientation of the digital image output by the conversion unit by information defining the playback orientation of the digital image output by the conversion unit.

3. The digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the playback orientation of the digital image output by the conversion unit by coordinates defining a placement area of the digital image output by the conversion unit at the playback time of the digital image.

4. The digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object is a pattern indicating an upper direction in a state in which said digital camera is correctly held at the ready.

5. The digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object is a belt-like pattern displayed in a margin of a screen as an upper margin in a state in which said digital camera is correctly held at the ready.

6. The digital camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object is an arrow indicating an upper direction in a state in which said digital camera is correctly held at the ready.

7. The digital camera as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an attitude detection unit that detects an attitude of a cabinet housing said optical system; and

a warning unit that issues a warning in response to the detected cabinet attitude and the determined playback orientation.

8. A display control method of a digital camera comprising an optical system for forming an optical image of a subject, a conversion unit for converting the formed optical image of the subject into a digital image, a selection unit for selecting a layout at the playback time of the digital image output by the conversion unit, and a display, the method comprising:

determining whether playback orientation of the digital image output by the conversion unit is portrait or landscape based on an orientation of a whole thumbnail representing entirety of the layout and an orientation of a frame for placing the digital image, which are described in subordinate information of a camera thumbnail for displaying the layout on the display;

determining a display position of an object indicating how to hold the digital camera at the ready based on the determination result and the selected layout;

combining the object and an image output by the conversion unit to display on the display based on the determined display position in a state in which a still image record command can be entered; and

storing a digital still image output by the conversion unit in nonvolatile memory in association with the selected layout when a still image record command is entered.