Condition changing device

• US 8,466,996 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakai, Koji, Nonaka, Osamu, Sakuma, Izumi
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, TRUNG T
• Application Number:
  US12/838,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207.99, 348/333.01, 348/333.02, 348/333.05, 348/333.07, 348/333.11, 345/173
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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: 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 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

A condition change unit of the present invention changes operating conditions of a device. The condition change unit comprises a display section for displaying images, a touch panel provided on the display section, a detection section for detecting input operations to the touch panel, a change condition setting section for setting types of change conditions, based on form of the input operations detected by the detection section, an operation guide image display section for displaying guidance images, for setting specific parameters of the change conditions, on the display section, in accordance with the type of change condition that has been set, and a parameter change section for changing parameters of the change condition based on an input operation to a screen on which the operation guidance operation images are displayed that has been detected by the detection section.

Claims

1. A condition change unit for changing operating conditions of a device, comprising:

a display section for displaying images;

a touch panel provided on the display section;

a detection section for detecting input operations to the touch panel;

a change condition setting section for setting types of change conditions, based on a mode of the input operations detected by the detection section;

an operation guide image display section for displaying guidance images, for setting specific parameters of the change conditions, on the display section, in accordance with the type of change condition that has been set; and

a parameter change section for changing parameters of the change condition based on an input operation to a screen on which the operation guidance operation images are displayed that has been detected by the detection section,

wherein when the mode of the input operation includes a rotation operation, the change condition setting section switches and changes the change condition in accordance with a magnitude of a radius of the rotation operation, and

the operation image guidance section displays two circular type objects so as to indicate the radius of the rotation operation, as the operation guide images.

2. The condition change unit of claim 1, wherein as a further mode of the input operation, the change condition setting section sets the type of change condition in accordance with whether simultaneous inputs to the touch panel at one place or a number of places.

3. The condition change unit of claim 1, wherein as a further mode of the input operation, the change condition setting section changes and sets the type of change condition in accordance with differences between operations using a finger of one hand and simultaneous inputs using fingers of both hands, to the touch panel, and the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images on the screen at a side operated by a finger in the case of operation using a finger of one hand, and displays the operation guide images on both sides of the screen in the case of an operation using fingers of both hands.

4. The condition change unit of claim 1, wherein as a further mode of the input operation, the change condition setting section changes and sets the type of change condition when there is simultaneous operations using fingers of both hands to the touch screen, and also depending on whether a rotation operation using the fingers of both hands has started, and the operation guide image display section displays circular type objects on the screen when a rotation operation using fingers of both hands has started.

5. A camera in which the change condition unit of claim 1 is installed, wherein:

the touch panel is provided on a rear surface of a housing of the camera;

the change condition change section sets shooting conditions as the change conditions; and

the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images overlaid on a live view image.

6. A camera in which the change condition unit of claim 1 is installed, comprising:

a view-through type second display section for displaying images; and

a control section for selecting whether to display on the display section, or to display on the second display section, wherein the operation image display section has a different display format for a case where the operation guide images are displayed on the display section, and a case where the operation guide images are displayed on the second display section.

7. A camera of claim 6, comprising a camera body having the display section fixedly provided on a rear surface, and having the second display section removably attached thereto.

8. A camera in which the change condition unit of claim 1 is installed, wherein a second view through type display section for displaying images is provided, the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images on either the display section or the second display section, and the parameter change section switches a change amount for a parameter in accordance with amount of an input operation, in response to a display destination for the operation guide images being the display section or the second display section.

9. A camera of claim 8, wherein the display section is fixedly provided on a rear surface, and the second display section is removably attached to a camera body.

10. A camera of claim 8, comprising:

a camera body to which an interchangeable lens selected from a plurality of prepared lenses is connected; and

a control section for setting a type of parameter to be changed according to a type of the interchangeable lens connected to the camera body.

11. The condition change unit of claim 1, wherein the condition change unit is fitted in a portable device.

12. A condition change unit for changing operating conditions of a device, comprising:

a display section for displaying images;

a touch panel provided on the display section;

a detection section for detecting input operations to the touch panel;

a change condition setting section for setting types of change conditions, based on a mode of the input operations detected by the detection section;

an operation guide image display section for displaying guidance images, for setting specific parameters of the change conditions, on the display section, in accordance with the type of change condition that has been set; and

a parameter change section for changing parameters of the change condition based on an input operation to a screen on which the operation guidance operation images are displayed that has been detected by the detection section,

wherein when the mode of the input operation includes a rotation operation, the change condition setting section changes and sets the type of the change condition in accordance with a center position of the rotation operation on the screen, and

the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images in accordance with position of a finger performing the rotation operation.

13. The condition change unit of claim 12, wherein the parameter change section changes a parameter using the rotation operation, and switches an amount of a parameter to be changed in accordance with a radius of a circle traced by the rotation operation on the screen.

14. The condition change unit of claim 12, wherein as a further mode of the input operation, the change condition setting section sets the type of change condition in accordance with whether simultaneous inputs to the touch panel at one place or a number of places.

15. The condition change unit of claim 12, wherein as a further mode of the input operation, the change condition setting section changes and sets the type of change condition in accordance with differences between operations using a finger of one hand and simultaneous inputs using fingers of both hands, to the touch panel, and the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images on the screen at a side operated by a finger in the case of operation using a finger of one hand, and displays the operation guide images on both sides of the screen in the case of an operation using fingers of both hands.

16. The condition change unit of claim 12, wherein as a further mode of the input operation, the change condition setting section changes and sets the type of change condition when there is simultaneous operations using fingers of both hands to the touch screen, and also depending on whether a rotation operation using the fingers of both hands has started, and the operation guide image display section displays circular type objects on the screen when a rotation operation using fingers of both hands has started.

17. A camera in which the change condition unit of claim 12 is installed, wherein:

the touch panel is provided on a rear surface of a housing of the camera;

the change condition change section sets shooting conditions as the change conditions; and

the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images overlaid on a live view image.

18. A camera in which the change condition unit of claim 12 is installed, comprising:

a view-through type second display section for displaying images; and

a control section for selecting whether to display on the display section, or to display on the second display section, wherein the operation image display section has a different display format for a case where the operation guide images are displayed on the display section, and a case where the operation guide images are displayed on the second display section.

19. A camera of claim 18, comprising a camera body having the display section fixedly provided on a rear surface, and having the second display section removably attached thereto.

20. A camera in which the change condition unit of claim 12 is installed, wherein a second view through type display section for displaying images is provided, the operation guide image display section displays the operation guide images on either the display section or the second display section, and the parameter change section switches a change amount for a parameter in accordance with amount of an input operation, in response to a display destination for the operation guide images being the display section or the second display section.

21. A camera of claim 20, wherein the display section is fixedly provided on a rear surface, and the second display section is removably attached to a camera body.

22. A camera of claim 20, comprising:

a camera body to which an interchangeable lens selected from a plurality of prepared lenses is connected; and

a control section for setting a type of parameter to be changed according to a type of the interchangeable lens connected to the camera body.

23. The condition change unit of claim 12, wherein the condition change unit is fitted in a portable device.