JP2005244907A - Imaging device and function selecting method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device which can select a function used most frequently in each functional mode by only pushing an operation key once in the functional mode, even if an operation key allocated is only one, for example. <P>SOLUTION: In an imaging device having a CCD 13 converting an optical signal from a subject inputted through an optical system into an electrical signal to be outputted, a micro computer 1 makes a display device 9 display a plurality of function items corresponding to a plurality of functions which can be provided, and makes the display device 9 select a desired function item from among a plurality of function items displayed to be registered in an EEPROM 7. Thus, the imaging device is arranged so that the selected function item is allocated to a function key of a key operation portion 6 and a plurality of function items different according to a functional mode can be allocated to the same function key. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus such as an electronic camera provided with an image imaging means that converts an optical signal from a subject input via an optical system into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal, and in particular, a plurality of imaging apparatuses provided by the imaging apparatus. The present invention relates to a function selection technique for selecting a desired function item from among a plurality of function items corresponding to the function.

With the advance of semiconductor technology and information processing technology, various electronic devices and information devices are becoming multifunctional. This situation is the same in the field of imaging devices such as electronic cameras, and various photographing functions are provided. For example, there are still image shooting functions and movie shooting functions. The still image shooting function has an exposure compensation setting function, a white balance setting (adjusts white to appear white according to the light source), an ISO setting (set ISO high) This increases the sensitivity and enables shooting at a short shutter speed).
Along with this, there has been a situation in which it is not easy to select a shooting function in the imaging apparatus. The prior art described in Patent Document 1 has been provided in view of such a situation, and an object thereof is to make it possible to easily call a desired function in a multifunctional electronic camera. Specifically, a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of functions are stored in a hierarchical menu format, and one or more desired items are selected from the stored plurality of items, and the selected item is determined in advance. The items assigned to the switch can be displayed. In such an electronic camera, if a frequently used function is assigned to a predetermined switch, a desired function can be easily selected simply by pressing the switch.
JP 2002-344777 A

The desired function varies depending on the shooting mode. For example, even if the desired function is the exposure correction setting function in the still image shooting mode, this is not the desired function in the moving image shooting mode, but the white balance setting function is the desired function in the moving image shooting mode. However, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to be able to support each shooting mode, a desired function item in each shooting mode is assigned to each of the plurality of switches, and the switch is conscious of the shooting mode. There is a problem that must be selected.
An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem of the prior art. Specifically, for example, even if only one operation key is assigned, the function used most frequently in each function mode is concerned. An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus that can be selected by pressing the operation key once in the function mode.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the invention according to claim 1 can be provided in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit that converts an optical signal from a subject input via an optical system into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal. A function item display means for displaying a plurality of function items corresponding to a plurality of functions, an item selection means for selecting a desired function item from the plurality of function items displayed by the function item display means, and a selection And an item assigning means for assigning the function items assigned to predetermined operation keys, and the item assigning means can assign a plurality of function items to the same operation key depending on the function mode.
In the invention described in claim 2, in the invention described in claim 1, a plurality of function items of the same function mode are assigned to the same operation key.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the second aspect of the invention, when assigning function items, a plurality of functions are sequentially assigned to the operation keys by sequentially pressing the operation keys. Each time you press, the assigned function items are displayed in sequence.
According to the invention described in claim 4, in the invention described in claim 1, it is possible to select whether or not the item assigned to the operation key is changed depending on the function mode.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the operation key is pressed only once, the first assigned function item is selected, and it continues continuously at intervals within a predetermined time. It is assumed that the second assigned function item is selected when the button is pressed twice, and the Nth assigned function item is selected when the button is continuously pressed N times at intervals within a predetermined time.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, when assigning a function item to one operation key in a function selection method of an imaging apparatus that converts an optical signal from a subject input via an optical system into an electric signal and outputs the electric signal. After selecting the function mode, a process is performed in which one function item is selected from a plurality of function items that can be provided and the function item selected by pressing the one operation key is assigned to the operation key. When selecting a function by sequentially assigning a plurality of function items to the operation keys by repeating a plurality of times, among the plurality of function items assigned according to the number of times the operation key is pressed after selecting the function mode. Select one function.

According to the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of function items corresponding to a plurality of functions that can be provided are displayed, a desired function item is selected from the displayed plurality of function items, and a selection is made. The assigned function item can be assigned to a predetermined operation key, and when assigning the item, a plurality of function items different depending on the function mode can be assigned to the same operation key. For example, only one operation key can be assigned. However, the function most frequently used in each function mode can be selected by pressing the operation key once in the function mode.
In the invention described in claim 2, in the invention described in claim 1, since a plurality of function items of the same function mode can be assigned to the same operation key, the number of functions that can be selected by one operation key increases. .
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the second aspect of the invention, when assigning function items, a plurality of functions are sequentially assigned to the operation keys by sequentially pressing the operation keys. Since a plurality of assigned function items can be sequentially displayed each time is pressed, even when assigning a plurality of functions of the same function mode to the same operation key, the assignment operation and the function selection operation are easy.
Further, in the invention described in claim 4, in the invention described in claim 1, since it is possible to select whether or not the item to be assigned to the operation key is changed depending on the function mode, the assigned function item is not changed depending on the situation depending on the situation. By doing so, it is not necessary to be aware of the current function mode when the function key is pressed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the operation key is pressed only once, the first assigned function item is selected, and it continues continuously at intervals within a predetermined time. The second assigned function item is selected when it is pressed twice, and the Nth assigned function item is selected when it is pressed N times consecutively within an interval of a predetermined time. Therefore, even when a plurality of function items that do not change depending on the function mode are assigned to one operation key, one of the assigned functions can be easily selected in an arbitrary function mode.
In the invention according to claim 6, when assigning a function item to one operation key of the imaging apparatus, after selecting the function mode, one function item is selected from a plurality of function items that can be provided. When selecting a function by sequentially assigning a plurality of function items to the operation key by repeating the process of assigning the function item selected by pressing the one operation key to the operation key a plurality of times, the function After the mode is selected, one function is selected from a plurality of assigned function items according to the number of times the operation key is pressed. Therefore, the same function mode is assigned to one operation key as in the invention of claim 3. Even when a plurality of functions are assigned, the assignment operation and the function selection operation are simple.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a digital still camera as an example. However, the components, types, combinations, shapes, relative positions, and the like described in this embodiment are not merely intended to limit the scope of this description unless otherwise specified, but are merely illustrative examples. .
FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of a digital still camera showing an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this digital still camera includes a microcomputer 1 that incorporates a program and controls the entire camera according to the program. Connected to the microcomputer 1 are an input device 2, a digital signal processing circuit 3, an image compression / decompression circuit 4, a data storage memory 5, a key operation unit 6, an EEPROM 7, and the like.
The input device 2 includes a lens unit 11, a mechanical shutter 12, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 13, a timing SG (control signal generator) 14 for driving the CCD 13, and an electrical signal output from the CCD 13. An A / D converter 15 that converts (analog image data) into digital data is provided. The lens unit 11 and the mechanical shutter 12 are driven by a motor driver 17. The CCD 13 is, for example, an interlaced type that can read all pixels by using the mechanical shutter 12 together. The total number of pixels is 3.26 million pixels (horizontal 2080 pixels, vertical 1568 pixels), and the number of effective pixels. Employs 3.14 million pixels (2048 pixels in the horizontal direction and 1536 pixels in the vertical direction).
The digital still camera also includes a frame memory 8 and a display device 9. The frame memory 8 is an image memory that can store image data (imaging data) of each imaging pixel of at least one screen. For example, a VRAM, SRAM, DRAM, or SDRAM (synchronous DRAM) is generally used. The semiconductor memory used is used. The frame memory 8 stores image data processed by the digital signal processing circuit 3 or the like.

The microcomputer 1 is a generally known microcomputer, a CPU that executes predetermined control such as imaging, recording, and reproduction based on a control program, a ROM that stores the control program, a working memory (working area) For example, a RAM used as a memory). The EEPROM 7 stores parameters and an allocation table to be described later, and the CPU refers to the parameters at the time of execution.
The data storage memory 5 is for storing (recording) the compressed data compressed by the image compression / decompression circuit 4 and includes a removable memory card and an internal memory. In addition, a configuration in which compressed data is recorded on a smart media, a compact flash (registered trademark), an SD (Secure Digital Memory) card, or the like is also possible.
The display device 9 is a liquid crystal display, for example, and displays an image obtained from the imaging data. A display control unit (not shown) controls the display of the imaged data subjected to the predetermined image processing in the digital signal processing circuit 3 and the like, sends the imaged data to the display device 9, and displays the image.
The digital signal processing circuit 3 executes image processing according to the image processing parameters stored in the EEPROM 7 based on instructions from the microcomputer 1. The image compression / decompression circuit 4 employs a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) system as an image compression encoding method. As this encoding algorithm, ADCT (Adaptive Discrete Cosine) is used, and a hierarchical encoding in which an image having a low resolution is first encoded and gradually becomes higher is also adopted.
The key operation unit 6 is for instructing operations in the digital still camera, and includes a release key for instructing photographing, a function key to be described later, buttons for performing various other settings from the outside, and the like. ing.
An OSD (On Screen Display) unit 16 generates information such as the number of remaining shots to be displayed on the screen during monitoring and the image size.

Next, the operation of the digital still camera configured as described above will be described.
First, the outline will be described. First, the input device 2 captures image data, and temporarily stores the image data in the frame memory 8. Subsequently, the digital signal processing circuit 3 processes the image data stored in the frame memory 8 on the basis of the image processing parameter instructed from the microcomputer 1 and stores it in the frame memory 8 again. Note that this processing includes face recognition processing and the like. Further, the display control unit sends the image data stored in the frame memory 8 to the display device 9 and displays the captured image. Further, the image compression / decompression unit 4 encodes the captured image data by the JPEG method, and records (accumulates) the compression result in the data storage memory 5.
In the above operation, the CPU of the microcomputer 1 uses the RAM as a work area in accordance with a control program stored in the ROM, and uses an external terminal device such as a key operation unit 6, a remote controller (not shown), or a personal computer. Control all the operations of the digital still camera. Specifically, the microcomputer 1 performs imaging operation control, setting of image processing parameters in the digital signal processing circuit 3, memory control, display control, and the like.
In this embodiment, the image pickup means described in claim 1 is realized by the CCD 13, the function item display means is realized by the microcomputer 1, and the item selection means is made by the microcomputer 1, the key operation unit 6, and the display device 9. The item assignment means is realized by the microcomputer 1 and the EEPROM 7.

In this embodiment, the digital camera as described above includes an operation key (button) to which a desired function item can be assigned to the key operation unit 6. When a function is selected, by pressing the operation key, the screen changes to the screen of the function item assigned to the operation key. Here, this key is called a function key. FIG. 2 shows an external view of a digital still camera provided with function keys 21. Hereinafter, an operation example using the function key 21 will be described. The function modes include a still image shooting mode, a moving image shooting mode, and a playback mode.
For function assignment to the function key 21, the menu key 22, OK key 23, up key 24, down key 25, and left key 26 are used.
When the menu key 22 is pressed while the still image shooting mode is selected, a menu screen 30 of the still image shooting mode shown in FIG. 3A is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor on the back of the camera. When the menu key 22 is pressed again while the still image shooting mode menu screen is displayed, the display on the liquid crystal monitor returns to the state before the menu key 22 was pressed.
When selecting the function key assignment, the upper key 24 and the lower key 25 are pressed, the item “function key assignment” is selected, and the left key 26 is pressed.
When pressed, the functions “exposure correction setting”, “WB (white balance) setting”, and “ISO setting” that can be assigned to the function keys shown in FIG. 3B are displayed. Press 25 to select, and press the OK key 23 to confirm.
When the OK key 23 is pressed and confirmed, the number corresponding to the selected function is written in the address storing the function assigned to the function key of the EEPROM 7 shown in FIG. The numbers corresponding to the selected function may be, for example, exposure correction setting: 0, WB (white balance) setting: 1, ISO setting: 2.
When the function key function assignment in the still image shooting mode is completed in this way, when the function key is pressed in the still image shooting mode, the function key is stored in the address for storing the function assigned to the function key of the EEPROM 7. The number is read and the function corresponding to the read number is executed.
In this description, the case where the function mode is the still image shooting mode has been described. However, by preparing a function to be assigned for each function mode and performing the same function assignment, the function key can have a function for each function mode. It becomes possible to assign.
Thus, according to this embodiment, the function used most frequently can be executed in the current function mode only by pressing the function key.

In this embodiment, the function key operation is not assigned only one function as in the first embodiment, but all functions that can be assigned in advance can be executed.
Switching between the function key embodiment 1 and this embodiment is realized by setting the function key operation to “fixed” or “cyclic”.
When the function key operation is set to fixed, when the function key described in the first embodiment is pressed, the function assigned to the function key is executed.
When the function key operation is set to cyclic, every time the cyclic key is pressed, functions prepared in advance that can be assigned function keys are sequentially called and executed.
Calling and executing function keys that can be assigned in advance, in order, is the number of times the function key is pressed after the digital still camera is turned on or the function mode is switched. It can be realized by counting.
For example, the functions “exposure correction setting”, “WB (white balance) setting”, and “ISO setting” that can be assigned to the function keys shown in FIG. When is pressed (number of times of pressing = 1), the exposure correction setting is executed, and the exposure correction screen is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. When the function key is pressed again with the exposure compensation screen displayed (number of times of pressing = 2), a screen for setting the WB (white balance) setting is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. Next, when the function key is pressed (number of times pressed = 3), a screen for setting the ISO sensitivity is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor. Next, when the function key is pressed (number of times of pressing = 4), the liquid crystal monitor returns to the state before displaying the exposure correction screen. Here, in the still image function mode, since there are three functions that can be assigned in advance and the function keys can be assigned, the number of times of pressing may be cleared to zero.
It goes without saying that the number of times of pressing is cleared to 0 when the power is turned on or when the function mode is switched.

To set the function key operation, the menu key 22, the OK key 23, the up key 24, the down key 25, and the left key 26 are used as in the first embodiment.
As in the first embodiment, when the menu key 22 is pressed while the still image shooting mode is selected, the menu screen of the still image shooting mode shown in FIG. When the menu menu key 22 is pressed again while the shooting mode menu screen is displayed, the display on the liquid crystal monitor returns to the state before the menu key 22 is pressed.
When selecting the function key operation, the upper key 24 and the lower key 25 are pressed, the item “function key operation” is selected, and the left key 26 is pressed.
When pressed, the function key operations “fixed” and “cyclic” shown in FIG. 3C are displayed. Select the function to be assigned by pressing the up key 24 and the down key 25 and then press the OK key 23. To confirm.
When the OK key 23 is pressed and confirmed, a number corresponding to the selected function is written in the address storing the function key operation of the EEPROM 7 shown in FIG. The numbers corresponding to the selected function may be, for example, fixed: 0, cyclic: 1, for example.
In this way, when the operation of the function key is set to cyclic, every time the function key is pressed, the number of times of pressing is counted, and the function prepared in advance in the current function mode corresponding to the number of times of pressing. Execute functions that can be assigned to keys.
It should be noted that function key operation can be set for each function mode if the EEPROM 7 has enough memory areas for each function mode so that the function key operation settings can be set for each function mode. It becomes.
Thus, according to this embodiment, all the functions of the function keys prepared in advance can be executed with one function key according to the current function mode according to the number of times the function key is pressed.
If the functions that can be assigned to the function keys prepared in advance in the function mode are stored in the EEPROM instead of the ROM and can be rewritten, via the communication from the external device or the data storage memory, Functions that can be assigned to function keys prepared in advance in the function mode can be updated.

1 is a configuration block diagram of a digital still camera showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an external view of a digital still camera showing a first embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the menu screen which shows the 1st, 2nd Example of this invention. 1 is a data configuration diagram of a main part of a digital still camera showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microcomputer 2 Input device 3 Digital signal processing circuit 5 Data storage memory 6 Key operation part 7 EEPROM
8 Frame memory 9 Display device 13 CCD
21 Function keys

Claims (6)

  Function item display for displaying a plurality of function items corresponding to a plurality of functions that can be provided in an imaging apparatus including an imaging unit that converts an optical signal from a subject input via an optical system into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal Means, item selection means for selecting a desired function item from among the plurality of function items displayed by the function item display means, and item assignment means for assigning the selected function item to a predetermined operation key. In addition, the item assigning means can assign a plurality of different function items to the same operation key depending on the function mode.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of function items in the same function mode are assigned to the same operation key.   3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when assigning the function items, the plurality of functions are sequentially assigned to the operation keys by sequentially pressing the operation keys, and when the function is selected, the plurality of functions assigned each time the operation key is pressed. An imaging apparatus characterized by sequentially displaying function items.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it is possible to select whether or not an item to be assigned to the operation key is changed according to a function mode.   5. The imaging device according to claim 4, wherein the first assigned function item is selected when the operation key is pressed only once, and the second is assigned when the operation key is pressed twice continuously within an interval within a predetermined time. An imaging apparatus characterized in that the Nth assigned function item is selected, and the Nth assigned function item is selected when pressed N times consecutively at intervals within a predetermined time. When assigning function items to one operation key in the function selection method of the imaging device that converts the optical signal from the subject input via the optical system into an electrical signal and outputs it, it can be provided after selecting the function mode A function item is selected from a plurality of function items, and the function item selected by pressing the one operation key is assigned to the operation key by repeating the process a plurality of times. When sequentially assigning to the operation keys and selecting a function, after selecting the function mode, one function is selected from a plurality of assigned function items according to the number of times the operation key is pressed. A function selection method for the imaging apparatus.

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