JP2012134861A - Electronic camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic camera capable of shooting a subject efficiently using a variety of functions without causing operational degradation and cost increase.SOLUTION: An electronic camera includes: an imaging part 14; a display unit 16 for displaying an image picked up by the imaging part 14; a touch panel 11 disposed on the display unit 16; a load detection part 13 for detecting a pressing load of an insertion pressure applied to a touch surface 11a of a touch panel 11; and a control part 17 for controlling the imaging operation carried out by the imaging part 14 based on the pressing load. Every time when satisfied are respective predetermined imaging preparation load standards having different respective pressing loads, the control part 17 performs different respective image preparation processing. Then, the control part 17 performs an image processing when the pressing load satisfies prescribed imaging execution load standard larger than the imaging preparation load standard.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic camera.

  As a conventional electronic camera, for example, a touch panel that detects a pressing force is provided on the upper surface of a liquid crystal monitor that displays captured images and playback images, and a touch on the area of the touch panel corresponding to the main subject displayed on the liquid crystal monitor is detected. Then, it is known that a shooting preparation operation for adjusting the focus and exposure of the main subject is performed, and a shooting operation is performed when a stronger touch is detected (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-11-355617

  The electronic camera disclosed in Patent Document 1 performs a shooting preparation operation when the pressing force of the touch panel is less than a predetermined pressing force, and performs a shooting operation when the pressing force is equal to or higher than the predetermined pressing force. That is, the photographing operation is performed by a two-stage pressing operation on the touch panel.

  However, in recent years, multi-functionalization of electronic cameras has been remarkable, and there are cases in which the desired shooting function of the camera cannot be performed by the two-step pressing operation of the touch panel as disclosed in Patent Document 1, As a result, operability may be reduced.

  An object of the present invention made in view of such a point is to provide an electronic camera that can reduce the possibility of a decrease in operability and can efficiently shoot a subject by using many functions at the time of shooting.

The invention of the electronic camera according to the first aspect of achieving the above object is as follows:
An imaging unit;
A display unit for displaying an image captured by the imaging unit;
A touch panel disposed on the display unit;
A load detection unit for detecting a pressing load due to a pressing input to the touch surface of the touch panel;
A control unit that controls a photographing operation by the imaging unit based on the pressing load,
The control unit executes a different shooting preparation process every time the pressing load satisfies a plurality of predetermined shooting preparation load standards, and then the predetermined shooting in which the pressing load is larger than the shooting preparation load standard. When the execution load standard is satisfied, the shooting process is executed.
It is characterized by this.

The invention according to a second aspect is the electronic camera according to the first aspect,
The shooting preparation process includes a focus lock process and a scene setting process for a pressing input position on the touch surface,
The controller is
When the pressing load satisfies the first shooting preparation load criterion, the focus lock process or the scene setting process is executed, and when the pressing load satisfies a second shooting preparation load criterion that is larger than the first shooting preparation load criterion. , Executing the scene setting process or the focus lock process,
It is characterized by this.

The invention according to a third aspect is the electronic camera according to the second aspect,
The display unit displays a focus mark indicating a focus area of the captured image,
The control unit executes the focus lock process and the scene setting process based on the pressing load on the pressing input detection area of the touch surface corresponding to the focus mark,
It is characterized by this.

The invention according to a fourth aspect is the electronic camera according to the third aspect,
In the scene setting process, the control unit is configured to capture a shooting scene based on at least one of movement of the pressing input position from the pressing input detection area, a moving amount, a staying time of the pressing input position, and a change in the pressing load. Set
It is characterized by this.

The invention according to a fifth aspect is the electronic camera according to any one of the first to fourth aspects,
The imaging unit includes a light emitting unit,
The shooting execution load criterion includes a first shooting execution load criterion and a second shooting execution load criterion that is greater than the first shooting execution load criterion.
The controller is
When the pressing load satisfies the first imaging execution load standard, the imaging process is executed without causing the light emitting unit to emit light,
When the pressing load satisfies a second imaging execution load standard, the light emitting unit is caused to emit light and the imaging process is executed.
It is characterized by this.

The invention according to a sixth aspect is the electronic camera according to the fifth aspect,
The first shooting execution load standard is larger than any of the plurality of shooting preparation load standards,
It is characterized by this.

  According to the present invention, in a series of pressing operations until the pressing load of the touch surface satisfies the shooting execution load standard for executing the still image shooting process, the shooting is different at each stage sequentially satisfying the plurality of shooting preparation load standards. Since the preparation process is executed, the possibility of a decrease in operability can be reduced, and a subject can be photographed by efficiently using many functions during photographing.

It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the principal part of the electronic camera which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a photographing operation of the electronic camera in FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a photographing operation of the electronic camera in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows typically the relationship between the display mode of the display part in the example of imaging | photography operation | movement of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, and the press state of a touch surface. It is a figure which shows an example of the press load of a touch surface and a load threshold value in the imaging operation example of FIG. 2 and FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an electronic camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic camera shown in FIG. 1 includes a touch panel 11, a tactile sensation providing unit 12, a load detection unit 13, an imaging unit 14, a storage unit 15, a display unit 16, and a control unit 17.

  The touch panel 11 detects a touch input by a pressing target such as a finger or a stylus pen on the touch surface 11a, and has two touch positions (pressing target pressing positions) such as a resistance film type, a capacitance type, and an optical type. It consists of a known transparent touch panel that outputs dimension position information, and is arranged on the display unit 16. The position information from the touch panel 11 is supplied to the control unit 17.

  The tactile sensation providing unit 12 is configured using a known vibration element such as a piezoelectric element or an eccentric motor. When the piezoelectric element is used, the piezoelectric element is attached to the back surface (the surface opposite to the touch surface 11a) of the touch panel 11, and when a drive voltage is applied under the control of the control unit 17, the touch surface 11a is caused by the piezoelectric reverse effect. Vibrate. Note that the piezoelectric element has a known structure such as a monomorph, a unimorph, or a bimorph depending on the area of the touch panel 11, vibration amplitude, or the like.

  The load detection unit 13 detects a pressing load due to a pressing input to the touch surface 11a, and is configured using an element that reacts to a load such as a strain gauge sensor or a piezoelectric element, for example. When the tactile sensation providing unit 12 is configured using a piezoelectric element, it is possible to detect a pressing load on the touch surface 11a using the piezoelectric positive effect of the piezoelectric element. In this case, the control unit 17 can have the function of the load detection unit 13.

  The imaging unit 14 images a subject, and includes a known imaging lens, a zoom lens, a focus lens, an optical system such as a diaphragm, and a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Configured. The imaging unit 14 includes a flash light emitting unit 14a that selectively flash-illuminates the subject. Image data obtained from the imaging unit 14 is subjected to image processing by the control unit 17 and displayed on the display unit 16, and is stored in the storage unit 15 as necessary.

  The storage unit 15 stores various applications, various input information, captured still images and moving images, and also functions as a work memory for image processing and the like. In addition, the storage unit 15 stores various load thresholds for receiving an input at each stage and executing a photographing operation, and also drives the tactile sensation providing unit 12 to present various tactile sensations to the pressed object. Is stored.

  For example, when the tactile sensation providing unit 12 is configured using a piezoelectric element, the tactile sensation providing information is about 200 Hz to 500 Hz as a soft tactile sensation that allows the operator to feel “bull” or “buni”. Information for two to three periods of a triangular wave signal or a sine wave signal is stored. In addition, information for two to three periods of a rectangular wave signal of about 200 Hz to 500 Hz is stored as tactile sensation presentation information that presents a hard tactile sensation that the operator feels “katsu”. Further, information for one cycle of a sine wave signal or a rectangular wave signal of about 100 Hz to 200 Hz is stored as tactile sensation presentation information that presents a click tactile sensation that the operator feels like a “click” like a push button switch. The tactile sensation presentation information is an example, and tactile sensation presentation information such as various vibration amplitudes and vibration patterns is stored. Note that the storage unit 14 may be configured by a built-in memory of the control unit 17.

  The display unit 16 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal monitor, an organic EL monitor, or the like, and displays shooting conditions such as a shooting scene, a shot image taken by the imaging unit 14, and the like. Here, the display mode of the captured image by the display unit 16 includes a so-called live view image display mode in which the captured image is displayed as a moving image in real time, and an operation of releasing the shutter of the captured image (so-called still image acquisition operation). ) To display as a still image. Further, in the still image shooting mode, the display unit 16 displays a focus mark indicating the focus area of the shot image processed by the control unit 17 in a superimposed manner on the shot image. It should be noted that a touch due to a pressing target with respect to a captured image displayed on the display unit 16 by live view is detected by the control unit 17 based on position information output from the touch panel 11.

  The control part 17 consists of CPU etc., for example, and controls operation | movement of each part based on the positional information from the touch panel 11, and the press load information from the load detection part 12. FIG. Further, the control unit 17 controls the optical system of the imaging unit 14 based on the image data from the imaging unit 14 and performs autofocus processing for automatically adjusting the focus on the subject. As the autofocus process, various known autofocus processes can be applied. By this autofocus processing, a focus mark indicating a focused area (focused area) is displayed on the display unit 16 so as to be superimposed on the captured image. Further, the control unit 17 automatically sets a shooting scene based on the image data from the imaging unit 14 and displays the set shooting scene on the display unit 16.

  Next, still image shooting modes by the electronic camera according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 are flowcharts illustrating an example of a still image capturing operation. 4A to 4G are diagrams schematically illustrating the relationship between the display mode of the display unit 16 and the pressed state of the touch surface 11a. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pressing load on the touch surface 11a and a load threshold. In this example of the photographing operation, four load thresholds of the first load P1, the second load P2, the third load P3, and the fourth load P4 are set as the load threshold values. However, it is assumed that the load thresholds have a relationship of P1 <P2 <P3 <P4. Hereinafter, an example of a still image shooting operation will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the still image shooting mode, the control unit 17 performs image processing on the image data from the imaging unit 14 and displays a live view image on the display unit 16 (step S201). FIG. 4A shows a display example of the live view image in this case. And the control part 17 performs an autofocus process with respect to a live view image, and displays the focus mark M which shows an in-focus area | region on the display part 16, as shown in FIG.4 (b) (step S203). . FIG. 4B illustrates a state in which the face portions of a plurality of persons as subjects are focused by autofocus processing based on face recognition.

  When the focus mark M is displayed, the control unit 17 detects the coordinate position of the touch surface 11a corresponding to the focus mark M (step S205), and sets the detected coordinate position of the touch surface 11a as the press input detection region. (Step S207).

  Thereafter, the control unit 17 monitors whether or not the position of the focus mark has moved, that is, whether or not the subject or the shooting composition has been changed (step S209). As a result, when it is detected that the position of the focus mark has moved, the process proceeds to step S205. In step S209, when the position of the focus mark has not moved, the control unit 17 monitors whether or not there is a press on the press input detection area. Furthermore, the control unit 17 determines that the set pressure load P in the press input detection area of the touch surface 11a is P1 ≦ P <based on the position information of the press input position from the touch panel 11 and the press load P by the load detection unit 13. It is monitored whether or not P2 is satisfied, that is, whether or not the first photographing preparation load standard is satisfied (step S211).

  As a result, when detecting that P1 ≦ P <P2 is satisfied, the control unit 17 executes focus lock processing (step S213), and fixes the focus state of the imaging unit 14 to the current state. In addition, the control unit 17 drives the tactile sensation providing unit 12 with predetermined tactile sensation presentation information, and presents a first tactile sensation to the pressing target pressing the touch surface 11a (step S215). As a result, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), a one-step pressing input to the touch surface 11a corresponding to the focus mark M is received, the focus is locked, and the touch target F is presented with a tactile sensation to focus. Notify the photographer that it has been locked.

  Thereafter, the control unit 17 monitors whether or not the pressing load P satisfies P2 ≦ P <P3 under the pressing state of the pressing input detection area, that is, whether or not the second imaging preparation load criterion is satisfied (step S1). S217). As a result, when the criterion is satisfied, the control unit 17 executes an automatic scene setting process based on the focus-locked image data (step S219). As a result, the shooting scene is automatically set, and the set shooting scene is displayed in a predetermined area of the display unit 16 as shown in FIG. FIG. 4D shows an example in which the fact that the shooting scene is set to “person” is displayed in the upper left part of the display unit 16.

  In addition, when the automatic scene setting process ends, the control unit 17 drives the tactile sensation providing unit 12 with predetermined tactile sensation presentation information to present the second tactile sensation to the pressing target that is pressing the touch surface 11a (step S221). ). Thus, the photographer is notified that the automatic scene setting process has been completed. Note that the second tactile sensation presented in this case may be the same tactile sensation as the first tactile sensation presented at the time of focus lock, or may be a different tactile sensation.

  Thereafter, the control unit 17 monitors the presence or absence of movement (sweep operation) of the pressure input position from the pressure input detection area within a predetermined time after setting the shooting scene while monitoring the pressure load P of the pressure input detection area. (Step S223). As a result, when a sweep operation is detected in a state where the pressing load P satisfies P2 ≦ P <P3, the control unit 17 executes a scene switching process (step S225), and proceeds to step S221. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 4E, the display of the shooting scene on the display unit 16 is switched to the switched shooting scene. FIG. 4E shows a display example when the setting of the shooting scene is changed to “indoor”. Further, in synchronization with the setting change of the shooting scene, in step S221, the second tactile sensation is presented to notify the photographer that the setting of the shooting scene has been changed.

  In the present embodiment, the setting of the shooting scene is changed each time the pressing input position is taken in and out of the pressing input detection area in a state where the pressing load P satisfies P2 ≦ P <P3. Thus, a shooting scene is set by two-step pressing subsequent to focus locking by one-step pressing, and a tactile sensation is presented to the pressed object F to notify the photographer that the shooting scene has been set.

  Note that the shooting scene can be set and changed in accordance with the amount of movement of the pressing input position from the pressing input detection area in a state where the pressing load P satisfies P2 ≦ P <P3. Alternatively, the setting can be changed according to the residence time of the pressure input position in a state where the pressure load P satisfies P2 ≦ P <P3. In this case, the press input position may be in the press input detection area or an area outside the press input detection area, but by selecting a shooting scene outside the press input detection area and returning to the press input detection area. The selected shooting scene may be confirmed.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 17, after the automatic setting of the shooting scene, after the change setting of the automatically set shooting scene, or after the end of the focus lock process, as shown in FIG. It is monitored whether or not the pressing load P at P3 <P <P4 has passed and P ≦ P3 is satisfied, that is, whether or not the first imaging execution load standard is satisfied (step S227), and P4 <P has passed. Whether or not P ≦ P4 is satisfied, that is, whether or not the second imaging execution load standard is satisfied is monitored (step S229).

  As a result, when the first imaging execution load standard is satisfied in step S227, the control unit 17 executes shutter processing (imaging processing) (step S231). In addition, the control unit 17 drives the tactile sensation providing unit 12 with predetermined tactile sensation presentation information, and presents a third tactile sensation to the pressing target pressing the touch surface 11a (step S233). As a result, as shown in FIG. 4 (f), the photographer has taken a still image by shooting the three-stage pressing subsequent to the scene setting by pressing the two-step pressing and presenting the tactile sensation to the pressed object F. Notify Note that the third tactile sensation presented in this case may be the same or different tactile sensation as the first tactile sensation or the second tactile sensation presented during focus lock or scene setting.

  Thereafter, the control unit 17 executes a process of compressing the captured still image into image data such as JPEG data and storing it in the storage unit 15 (step S235), and further displays data and a press input detection area for the display unit 16. The initialization process is executed (step S237), and the photographing operation for one still image is finished, and the next photographing is prepared.

  On the other hand, if the second imaging execution load standard is satisfied in step S229, the control unit 17 drives the flash light emitting unit 14a to emit flash light to execute shutter processing (step S239), and the process proceeds to step S233. . As a result, as shown in FIG. 4 (g), a still image is flash-photographed and a tactile sensation is presented to the pressed object F by four-stage pressing after passing through three-stage pressing following scene setting by two-step pressing. The photographer is notified that is executed. A shutter sound may be generated in a pseudo manner together with the presentation of the third tactile sensation in step S233 or instead of the presentation of the third tactile sensation.

  On the other hand, when both the first imaging execution load standard and the second imaging execution load standard are not satisfied, for example, when the focus lock state has passed a predetermined time, or in FIG. When the load falls below the second load without exceeding the third load P3, the control unit 17 releases the focus lock and the scene setting (step S241), and proceeds to step S237 without performing the still image shooting process. Prepare for the next shooting.

  As described above, according to the electronic camera according to the present embodiment, a series of pressings until the shutter process for capturing a still image and the flash shutter process are performed by pressing the press input detection area of the touch panel 11. During the operation, the focus lock process is executed based on the first-stage load reference, and the scene setting process is executed based on the second-stage load reference. That is, in a series of pressing operations leading to the photographing process, a plurality of processes necessary for photographing are sequentially executed with different load standards. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide a separate hard key, a subject can be photographed efficiently using a number of functions without causing a decrease in operability and an increase in cost.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to the said embodiment, Many deformation | transformation or a change is possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the shooting scene setting is changed every time the pressing load P outside the pressing input detection area or the pressing input detection area exceeds P2 while P1 <P <P3. It is also possible to change. The press input detection area is not limited to the area corresponding to the focus mark, and can be set at an arbitrary position on the touch panel 11. For example, a release button may be displayed on the display unit 16, and an area of the touch panel 11 corresponding to the release button may be set as a press input detection area.

  In the above embodiment, the tactile sensation providing unit 12 presents a tactile sensation in each step of processing. However, instead of the tactile sensation providing unit 12, a sound source unit is provided to execute the processing of each step. It is also possible to notify by voice. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the scene setting process is executed after the focus lock process as the shooting preparation process. However, the order may be reversed and the focus lock process may be executed after the scene setting process. In addition, the shooting preparation process is not limited to the focus lock process and the scene setting process, and other items such as resolution (image quality) can be set, and a series of pressing operations can be performed by setting three or more load standards. Among them, it is possible to set more shooting conditions.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to acquisition of still images, and may be used for acquisition of moving images as appropriate, for example. In this case, a light emitting unit (light source) that is always lit for illumination may be used instead of the flash light emitting unit.

  In addition, the display unit 16 and the touch panel 11 in the description of the above embodiment may be configured by an integrated device, for example, by giving both functions of the display unit 16 and the touch panel 11 to a common substrate. . As an example of the configuration of the device in which both functions of the display unit 16 and the touch panel 11 are integrated as described above, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements such as photodiodes are regularly arranged in a matrix electrode array of pixel electrodes included in the liquid crystal panel. Can be mentioned. This device displays an image with a liquid crystal panel structure, while reflecting the light of a backlight for liquid crystal display at the tip of a pen that touches and inputs a desired position on the surface of the panel. The reflected light is reflected by peripheral photoelectric conversion elements. The touch position can be detected by receiving the light.

  In the above embodiment, the tactile sensation providing unit 12 is driven when the pressing load detected by the load detecting unit 13 satisfies a predetermined standard. However, the pressing load detected by the load detecting unit 13 is predetermined. The time when the standard of the load is satisfied may be when the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 13 reaches a predetermined value, or when the pressing load detected by the load detection unit 13 exceeds a predetermined value. Alternatively, the predetermined value may be detected by the load detection unit 13.

  Therefore, in the description of the above embodiment, for example, the meaning of the technical idea of the expression such as the load threshold “greater than” or the load threshold “less than” is not necessarily a strict meaning. The meaning when the reference value is included or not included is included. For example, the load threshold “above” may imply not only when the pressing load reaches the load threshold but also when the load threshold is exceeded. Further, for example, the load threshold “less than” may imply not only when the pressing load falls below the load threshold but also when the load threshold is reached, that is, when the load threshold is lower than the load threshold.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Touch panel 11a Touch surface 12 Tactile sense presentation part 13 Load detection part 14 Imaging part 14a Flash light emission part 15 Memory | storage part 16 Display part 17 Control part

Claims (6)

An imaging unit;
A display unit for displaying an image captured by the imaging unit;
A touch panel disposed on the display unit;
A load detection unit for detecting a pressing load due to a pressing input to the touch surface of the touch panel;
A control unit that controls a photographing operation by the imaging unit based on the pressing load,
The control unit executes a different shooting preparation process every time the pressing load satisfies a plurality of predetermined shooting preparation load standards, and then the predetermined shooting in which the pressing load is larger than the shooting preparation load standard. When the execution load standard is satisfied, the shooting process is executed.
An electronic camera characterized by that. The shooting preparation process includes a focus lock process and a scene setting process for a pressing input position on the touch surface,
The controller is
When the pressing load satisfies the first shooting preparation load criterion, the focus lock process or the scene setting process is executed, and when the pressing load satisfies a second shooting preparation load criterion that is larger than the first shooting preparation load criterion. , Executing the scene setting process or the focus lock process,
The electronic camera according to claim 1. The display unit displays a focus mark indicating a focus area of the captured image,
The control unit executes the focus lock process and the scene setting process based on the pressing load on the pressing input detection area of the touch surface corresponding to the focus mark,
The electronic camera according to claim 2. In the scene setting process, the control unit is configured to capture a shooting scene based on at least one of movement of the pressing input position from the pressing input detection area, a moving amount, a staying time of the pressing input position, and a change in the pressing load. Set
The electronic camera according to claim 3. The imaging unit includes a light emitting unit,
The shooting execution load criterion includes a first shooting execution load criterion and a second shooting execution load criterion that is greater than the first shooting execution load criterion.
The controller is
When the pressing load satisfies the first imaging execution load standard, the imaging process is executed without causing the light emitting unit to emit light,
When the pressing load satisfies a second imaging execution load standard, the light emitting unit is caused to emit light and the imaging process is executed.
The electronic camera according to claim 1, wherein: The first shooting execution load standard is larger than any of the plurality of shooting preparation load standards,
The electronic camera according to claim 5.

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