JP2006140700A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability by adjusting operation buttons. <P>SOLUTION: A digital camera is provided which has a display screen, a means of detecting a position touched with a pen, and a means of performing an operation according to the touch state of the pen on the screen, which performs finder display on a portion of the display screen, and also has software buttons for operations in a space other than the finder display, and an application is provided for the digital camera. The digital camera is characterized in that some or all of the operation buttons can be changed in size and position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a digital camera having a finder display screen.

  Since conventional digital cameras have a small finder display screen, the finder display is generally performed over the entire screen area, and operations are generally performed using hardware keys.

On the other hand, along with the increase in the number of functions of personal digital assistants (hereinafter referred to as PDAs) and notebook personal computers (hereinafter referred to as notebook PCs) and the increase in screen definition, a camera module is added to the PDA or notebook PC, so that the viewfinder image of the camera can be displayed. Shooting was performed by operating the capture button of the camera module or the displayed button displayed on a PDA or notebook PC.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-268662

  However, when shooting with a camera module attached to a PDA or notebook PC, the position of the operation buttons is not necessarily an appropriate position as compared to a digital camera dedicated machine, and even if the buttons on the screen are operated, Each has its preferred position and size.

  In addition, digital cameras are becoming more and more multifunctional, and eventually integration with PDAs will progress.

  Based on the above, an object of the present invention is to improve operability by adjusting operation buttons in a digital camera capable of operating a screen.

  The digital camera and application of the present invention are characterized in that the size and position of some or all of the operation buttons can be changed.

  According to the present invention, first, the size and position of some or all of the operation buttons can be changed, so that the operation buttons can be arranged according to the user's preference and the usability is improved.

  In addition, it is possible to change the arrangement of the buttons as they are seen by having a means for pen-down on any button displayed on the screen, dragging, and moving the pen-down button to the pen-up position. Can be quickly and properly repositioned.

  In addition, by providing a threshold for the amount of dragging the button, and having means for moving the pen-down button when the distance of the pen from the button exceeds the threshold, canceling the button operation, It is possible to determine the difference in operation for changing the arrangement.

  In addition, by having a means for changing the size of the button following the position of the dragged pen of the pendown button by dragging the pendown on the corner or side of the displayed button and dragging the button, Not only can it be done while looking at the small size settings.

  In addition, the operation button has a means for detecting that the button to be changed overlaps with the existing button due to movement or size change, and it is detected that the button overlaps with the existing button. In this case, it is possible to prevent other buttons from being lost when the button arrangement is changed, by re-arranging other than the buttons whose movement or size has been changed, or by having means for changing the button size. By changing the arrangement of the main buttons, the trouble of rearranging other buttons can be reduced.

  In addition, there is a means for detecting that it is impossible to change the position of a button other than the button whose position and size are to be changed, and it is impossible to change a button other than the button to be changed. In addition, by having means for making it impossible to change the position and size of the button to be changed, it is possible to prevent meaningless button layout change.

  Also, if you drag an arbitrary button and perform a pen-up on the finder display screen, the finder display area becomes the above-mentioned dragged button, eliminating the need for an extra display area such as the capture button. The area on the screen for doing

  Further, by providing a means for allowing only the capture button to be moved on the finder display screen, it is possible to prevent buttons other than the capture button from being hidden behind the finder display area due to the movement.

  In addition, when the finder display screen is a button having an arbitrary function, a pen operation other than the location corresponding to the other function buttons is a means for executing the function of the button overlapping the finder display screen. Thus, for example, when the capture function is assigned to the finder display screen, when the other blank area is tapped with a pen, the same behavior as when the capture button is tapped can be performed.

  In addition, by having a means for preventing the button from moving or changing its size, it is possible to prevent an inadvertent change in button arrangement.

  Further, by providing means for returning the position and size of the operation button to the factory default settings, it is possible to return to the original state when an erroneous operation is performed.

  In addition, since the operation for returning to the factory default setting is a specific key operation, it is possible to prevent an inadvertent operation to return to the factory default state.

  Furthermore, when a capture reservation button is provided on the screen and the capture reservation button is pressed, the capture is performed no matter where the screen is touched next, so that an operation without missing a photo opportunity can be performed.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a digital camera and its application according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a hardware block diagram of a digital camera.

  The digital camera according to the present embodiment is obtained by adding a camera module to a PDA, and includes a PDA portion surrounded by a broken line 100 and a camera module portion surrounded by a broken line 110.

  First, the PDA unit 100 includes a CPU 101 that controls the entire operation, a readable / writable memory (RAM) 102, a read-only memory (ROM) 103, an input device (InputMethod) 104 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display device (Display) 105. A real-time clock (RTC) 106 for supplying a clock, an external memory (Ext. Memory) 107 for storing objects, an I / O 108 for connecting to an external device, and a bus 109 for transmitting information between the respective devices. .

  The display device displays buttons for operation and has a built-in digitizer to detect pen behavior on the screen, and the CPU is notified that pen down, pen move, and pen up have occurred. The

  The camera module unit 101 includes a CPU 111 that controls the entire operation, a readable / writable memory (RAM) 112, a read-only memory (ROM) 113, an input device (InputMethod) 114 such as a capture key and a zoom key, and a lens module 115. , A CCD 116 for photoelectrically converting light passing through the lens, an I / O 117 serving as a connection interface with the PDA, and a bus 119 for transmitting information between the respective devices.

  Control of the camera module from the PDA and exchange of photographed data are performed through the I / O (108, 117).

  The application program of the digital camera of this embodiment is also stored in the ROM 103.

  FIG. 2 shows a screen configuration when the camera application is activated with the camera module attached to the PDA as shown in FIG.

  The camera application 200 is displayed on the entire display screen.

  The camera application 200 includes a finder image 201 photoelectrically converted by a CCD through a lens 155, a capture button 202 for capturing, a zoom tele 203 (a), a zoom wide 203 (b), and an application end button 204. Is done.

  While the zoom tele and wide buttons 203 (a) and (b) are being pressed, the zoom operation is performed.

  When the capture button is pressed, focusing is started, and when the capture button is released, the capture is actually performed and the captured image is stored in the designated medium.

  Now, pen down on the capture button on the display screen and drag. The coordinates (xo, yo) when moving outside the capture button while being dragged are stored, and further dragging, the Manhattan distance from the coordinates (xo, yo) is a threshold value (for example, 25 dots in this embodiment). When exceeded, as shown in FIG. 3, the capture button 202 is grayed out and a rubber band 202 ′ is displayed. Thereafter, the rubber band moves following the movement of the pen while dragging.

  When the pen is further raised, the capture button moves to the position where the rubber band is finally drawn. At the same time, the zoom tele and wide buttons 203 (a) and (b) are also moved to appropriate positions so as not to overlap with the viewfinder and capture buttons (FIG. 4).

  Similarly, from the state shown in FIG. 4, the pen button is dragged down at the lower left corner of the capture button and dragged. When the Manhattan distance of the current pen position (xc, yc) dragged from the pen-down position (xd, yd) exceeds the threshold value of 25 dots in this embodiment, the capture button is grayed out, and the upper left of the capture button and the current A rubber band is drawn so that the pen position is a rectangular diagonal line (FIG. 5). Drag further to redraw the rubber band to follow the current pen position. When pen-up occurs, the size of the capture button is changed so that the size and position of the rubber band drawn before pen-up becomes the capture button. At the same time, the zoom tele and wide buttons 203 (a) and (b) are also moved to an appropriate position and resized so as not to overlap with the viewfinder or capture button (FIG. 6).

  FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a part of the digital camera and the application for realizing the above operation and FIG. 8 shows the flow of the operation.

  First, when the digital camera and the application according to the present embodiment are activated, the button arrangement unit 701 arranges the GUI components constituting the digital camera application based on the button position information registered in the button arrangement database 705. . In the present embodiment, the GUI parts are a finder screen, a capture button, a zoom tele, and a zoom wide button.

  When the pen is down on the capture button displayed on the screen, the coordinates (xo, yo) for viewing the threshold are initialized in step 801, and the pen event is detected in the button operation recognition unit 702 (step s802). ). At the time of pen-down, it is neither pen-up nor pen-move based on the judgment of the conditions in steps s803 and s804.

  Next, when the drag of the pen is performed without leaving the capture button range, a pen event is detected in step s802. Since the pen event is a pen move, the process passes through step s804 to reach step s805. At this point in time, neither the movement of the button nor the change in size (resizing) is determined, so the next step s806 is executed.

  Since the pen position is still inside the button, the process returns to step s802 to wait for the next pen event. When the pen is further dragged and dragged out of the capture button, a pen event is detected in step s802, and step s806 is reached in the same manner as the drag in the capture button described above. Next, in step s806, since the pen position is outside the capture button, step s807 is executed. At this time, since the coordinates (xo, yo) are not set, in step s808, the coordinates of the current pen are set to the coordinates (xo, yo). Next, in s809, it is determined whether or not the current pen coordinate is more than 25, which is the threshold value of the present embodiment, of the Manhattan distance from the coordinate (xo, yo). When (xo, yo) is set in step s808, since the Manhattan distance is 0, the process returns to step s802 to wait for the pen move.

  Further, a pen move is detected, and step s807 is evaluated. Since (xo, yo) is set at this point, step s809 is evaluated next. If the Manhattan distance between the current coordinate position and the coordinates (xo, yo) is 25 or more, it is determined in step s810 that the button is moved or resized. Furthermore, if the pen-down position is inside the capture button, the button is moved, and if the pen-down position is the side or corner of the capture button, it is determined that the button is resized, and the capture button is grayed out accordingly. A rubber band is displayed to show the user the position and size of the current button. Thereafter, each time a pen move is detected before pen up is detected, the rubber band is displayed again.

  Next, when pen-up is detected in step s803, it is evaluated in step s811 whether the button is being moved or resized. If the button is being moved or resized, the button position is determined in step s812. At this time, the button arrangement determining means in FIG. 7 evaluates whether or not it overlaps with other parts such as a finder screen, zoom tele, and wide button in 804. If they overlap, each part is moved or resized. Automatic shaping is performed so as not to overlap, and the determined coordinates are registered in the button arrangement database 805.

  In the flow of FIG. 8, when the button is not moved or resized, the camera is operated normally (703).

  Here, there may be provided means for allowing the user to set so as not to allow movement or resizing of the button.

  PDAs usually have keys, but for example, means for returning to the screen configuration at the time of shipment from the factory by providing a special operation such as pressing the capture button while pressing the menu key may be provided.

  Alternatively, a means for returning to the screen configuration at the time of factory shipment may be provided by pen-tapping a position that is relatively difficult to operate such as the lower right corner of the screen.

  As described above, the shooting screen can be customized as desired by the user without interrupting the operation of the camera with the camera application started.

(Second Embodiment)
The second preferred embodiment of the digital camera and its application according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 9 shows the flow of processing in the same configuration as that of the first embodiment.

  Only the capture button can be overlapped with the viewfinder screen.

  If it is determined in step s912 that the capture button is moved when the pen is up in the processing flow, or if the coordinates when the pen is up are within the area of the finder display screen, the capture button for the finder area is displayed. And

  As shown in FIG. 10, the screen at this time is a capture button alone and does not exist on the screen, but when the finder image is tapped with a pen, it behaves in the same manner as the capture button.

  That is, when the pen is down on the finder image, focusing starts, and when the pen is up, the shutter is released and the image is captured.

  At this time, since the display area required for the capture button is reduced, the display area of the finder screen may be enlarged and the screen layout may be changed.

  As a result, the finder region can be used as a capture button, and an operation that is much easier to use than pressing a small button such as a capture button can be realized.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1005, it may be mounted so that a narrow area is provided at a position where it is difficult for the user to press with the pen, and when the user taps the pen, the moved button returns to the factory default position.

(Third embodiment)
In the following, a third preferred embodiment of the digital camera and its application according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration and flow of the equipment are the same as in the second embodiment.

  The flow of processing is shown in FIG.

  When a pen event is detected in step s1101, it is determined in step s1102 whether or not the button has been moved or resized. If button movement or resize processing is to be performed, the corresponding processing is performed in step s1103. The method of determining and moving or resizing follows the flow of FIG. 8 as described in the first embodiment.

  If the button is not moved or resized in s1102, it is evaluated in step s1104 whether the event is for the button. If it is an event for a button, the behavior of the corresponding button is performed as it is in step s1105.

  If it is determined in s1104 that the event is not for the button, the behavior of the capture button is executed.

  That is, when a pen operation is performed at coordinates other than buttons, a capture operation is performed.

  As a result, areas other than the function buttons can be handled in the same manner as the capture buttons, and an operation that is much easier to use than pressing a small button such as the capture button can be realized.

(Fourth embodiment)
Hereinafter, a fourth preferred embodiment of a digital camera and its application according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  In this embodiment, the initial screen of the digital camera and its application has a capture reservation button 1205 in addition to the state shown in FIG.

  When the capture reservation button 1205 is pressed, the capture reservation button 1205 changes to a reservation cancel button 1305 as shown in FIG. 13, and the other operation buttons disappear.

  In this state, if you perform a pen operation on an area other than the reservation cancel button, it behaves in the same way as if you operated the capture button. On the contrary, when the reservation cancel button is pressed, the initial state is restored as shown in FIG.

  As a result, areas other than the function buttons can be handled in the same manner as the capture buttons, and an operation that is much easier to use than pressing a small button such as the capture button can be realized.

  In addition, it is possible to cancel the capture reservation and provide an easy-to-use user interface.

The apparatus structure in embodiment of this invention. The initial screen in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The example in the middle of the movement of the button in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The example after the movement of the button in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The example in size change of the button in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The example after the magnitude | size change of the button in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The structure of the operation | movement in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The operation | movement flow in 1st Embodiment of this invention. The flow of the operation | movement in 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The example which gave the capture button in 2nd Embodiment of this invention to the finder screen. The flow of operation in a 3rd embodiment of the present invention. The initial screen in 4th Embodiment of this invention. The screen in capture reservation in 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Claims (17)

It has a means to detect the display screen and the position where the pen contacts, and has means to operate according to the pen contact state on the screen,
Finder display on a part of the display screen,
In digital camera and digital camera applications in which software buttons for operation are arranged in the finder-displayed margin, the size and position of some or all of the operation buttons can be changed,
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein one of the operation buttons is a capture button.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein one of the operation buttons is a zoom button.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein
It is characterized by having a means for pen-down on an arbitrary button displayed on the screen, dragging, and the pen-down button moves to a pen-up position.
Digital camera. 5. The digital camera according to claim 4, wherein a threshold is provided for an amount dragged from the button, and means for moving the pen-down button when the dragged amount exceeds a certain amount. To
Digital camera. 5. The digital camera according to claim 4, wherein the size of the button changes by following the position of the dragged pen of the pendown button by dragging down and dragging on the corner or side of the displayed button. It is characterized by having
Digital camera. 7. The digital camera according to claim 6, further comprising means for detecting an overlap between the button to be changed and the existing button due to movement or size change of the operation button, When it is detected that an overlap occurs, a button other than a button whose movement or size has been changed is rearranged, or a means for changing the size of the button is provided.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 7, further comprising means for detecting that it is impossible to change a position of a button other than a button whose position or size is to be changed.
When it is impossible to change a button other than the button to be changed, it has means for making it impossible to change the position and size of the button to be changed.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 4, wherein when a button is dragged and pen-up is performed on the finder display screen, the finder display area becomes the dragged button.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 9, further comprising means for allowing only the capture button to be moved on the viewfinder display screen.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 9, wherein when the finder display screen is a button having an arbitrary function, a pen operation other than a place corresponding to another function button is a button that overlaps the finder display screen. Characterized in that it has means for performing the functions of
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 9, further comprising means for preventing movement of the button or change in size.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 9, further comprising means for returning the position and size of the operation button to the factory settings.
Digital camera. In the digital camera further having a hardware key in the digital camera according to claim 9 and its application, the operation for returning to the factory default setting is a specific key operation.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the screen has a capture reservation button on the screen, and when the capture reservation button is pressed, it is captured no matter where the screen is touched next.
Digital camera. The digital camera according to claim 15, wherein
When the capture reservation button is pressed, all the operation buttons have means for erasing from the screen, and there is means for displaying a button for canceling the capture reservation,
When the button for canceling the capture reservation is pen-tapped, the capture reservation is canceled, and when an area on the screen other than the capture reservation button is pen-tapped, it has means to be captured.
Digital camera. 17. The digital camera according to claim 16, wherein in the digital camera further having a hardware key and its application, release of the capture reservation is a specific key operation.
Digital camera.

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