Image capturing apparatus, electronic apparatus, display method, and program

• US 7,750,967 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takimoto, Yuuji, Koike, Tatsunobu, Nakagawa, Noriaki, Takahashi, Masahiro, Sasaki, Kayo
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US11/728,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/E5.047, 348/333.05, 348/333.11, 348/333.12
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus may include a function holding unit configured to hold functions of the image capturing apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories; an identifier holding unit configured to hold category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions; a category display control unit configured to allow the category identifiers to be displayed along the horizontal direction; a function display control unit configured to allow the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with an operation input to be displayed along the vertical direction; and an operation accepting unit configured to accept an operation input for selecting one of the function identifiers displayed by the function display control unit.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

function holding means for holding functions of the image capturing apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

identifier holding means for holding category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions;

category display control means for allowing the category identifiers to be displayed along the horizontal direction;

function display control means for allowing the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with an operation input to be displayed along the vertical direction;

operation accepting means for accepting an operation input for selecting one of the function identifiers displayed by the function display control means; and

function explanation display control means for allowing the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed,

in which the category display control means, the function display control means, and the function explanation display control means respectively enables the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed in a single display screen.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the category display control means allows the category identifiers to be displayed above the function identifiers.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the function display control means allows the function identifiers corresponding to the category identifier of the category to be operated by the operation input to be displayed under the category identifier.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the category display control means allows the category identifier corresponding to the category to be operated by the operation input to be displayed at a fixed position, and, upon change of the category to be operated by the operation input, the category display control means moves the category identifiers so that the category identifier corresponding to the category to be newly operated is displayed at the fixed position.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the category display control means allows all of the category identifiers to be displayed in an initial state.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation accepting means includes a menu button to activate or inactivate display of the category identifiers and the function identifiers controlled by the category display control means and the function display control means.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the operation accepting means further includes a special button to execute an assigned function.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

control means for executing a predetermined function on the basis of the operation input accepted by the operation accepting means,

wherein, in the control means, a function executed on the basis of selection of one of the function identifiers is equal to a function executed by an operation of the special button.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the categories of the image capturing apparatus include at least a category to capture an image of a subject, a category to play back a recorded image, and a category to transmit the recorded image through a network connected to the apparatus.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

function holding means for holding functions of the electronic apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

identifier holding means for holding category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions;

operation accepting means for accepting an operation input to select one of the function identifiers;

category display control means for performing control so that the category identifiers are displayed along the horizontal direction;

function display control means for performing control so that the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input are displayed along the vertical direction; and

function explanation display control means for allowing the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed,

in which the category display control means, the function display control means, and the function explanation display control means respectively enables the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed in a single display screen.

11. A display method in an electronic apparatus including function holding means for holding functions of the electronic apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

identifier holding means for holding category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions;

operation accepting means for accepting an operation input to select one of the function identifiers, the display method comprising;

accepting the operation input;

determining whether a menu button has been pressed in the operation input;

determining whether a menu is displayed if the menu button has been pressed;

performing control so as to display the category identifiers along the horizontal direction and to display the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input along the vertical direction and to display the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input as the menu if the menu is not displayed, such that the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input are displayed in a single display screen; and

performing control so as to inactivate display of the menu if the menu is displayed.

12. A computer readable recording medium having stored thereon a program allowing a computer to execute, in an electronic apparatus including function holding means for holding functions of the electronic apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

identifier holding means for holding category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions; and

operation accepting means for accepting an operation input to select one of the function identifiers,

accepting the operation input;

determining whether a menu button has been pressed in the operation input;

determining whether a menu is displayed if the menu button has been pressed;

performing control so as to display the category identifiers along the horizontal direction and to display the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input along the vertical direction and to display the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input as the menu if the menu is not displayed, such that the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input are displayed in a single display screen; and

performing control so as to inactivate display of the menu if the menu is displayed.

13. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

a function holding unit configured to hold functions of the image capturing apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

an identifier holding unit configured to hold category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions;

a category display control unit configured to allow the category identifiers to be displayed along the horizontal direction;

a function display control unit configured to allow the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with an operation input to be displayed along the vertical direction;

an operation accepting unit configured to accept an operation input for selecting one of the function identifiers displayed by the function display control unit; and

function explanation display control unit configured to allow the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed,

in which the category display control unit, the function display control unit, and the function explanation display control unit respectively enables the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed in a single display screen.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a function holding unit configured to hold functions of the electronic apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

an identifier holding unit configured to hold category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions;

an operation accepting unit configured to accept an operation input to select one of the function identifiers;

a category display control unit configured to perform control so that the category identifiers are displayed along the horizontal direction;

a function display control unit configured to perform control so that the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input are displayed along the vertical direction; and

function explanation display control unit configured to allow the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed,

in which the category display control unit, the function display control unit, and the function explanation display control unit respectively enables the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed in a single display screen.

15. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

function holding means for holding functions of the image capturing apparatus, the functions being classified into corresponding categories, and for holding function explanations corresponding to the functions;

identifier holding means for holding category identifiers indicating the categories and function identifiers indicating the functions;

category display control means for allowing the category identifiers to be displayed along a first direction;

function display control means for allowing the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with an operation input to be displayed along a second direction which is different from the first direction;

operation accepting means for accepting an operation input for selecting one of the function identifiers displayed by the function display control means; and

function explanation display control means for allowing the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed,

in which the category display control means, the function display control means, and the function explanation display control means respectively enables the category identifiers, the function identifiers corresponding to the category to be operated in accordance with the operation input, and the function explanation corresponding to the function selected by the operation input to be displayed in a single display screen.