JP3594130B2 - Interactive system and digital camera using the same - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an interactive system, a digital camera using the same, an interactive program, and an interactive method, and more specifically, to a GUI (Graphical User Interface) of an electronic device such as a digital camera.
[0002]
[Prior art]
FIG. 7 shows an example of a UI (User Interface) in a conventional digital camera. This figure shows the back of the digital camera operating in the shooting mode. The LCD 102 displays an image 101 of a subject formed on an area sensor such as a CCD by a lens (not shown), a function used at the time of shooting, and text indicating whether the function is valid or invalid. A key 104 selects whether to enable a flash shooting function, a key 105 selects whether to enable a macro shooting function, and a key 106 selects whether to enable a timer shooting function. Is the key. For example, each time the key 104 is pressed, the flash shooting function is switched between enabled and disabled, and the text “Strobe ON” or “Strobe OFF” is displayed near the key 104 accordingly.
[0003]
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, if text is used in the UI of the electronic device as shown in FIG. 7, the UI must be developed for each language of the user, which increases the manufacturing cost of the electronic device. Further, in order to display text for explaining a function or a state, it is necessary to secure a certain wide area on the screen. In addition, due to restrictions on the display area, it is not possible to display text that can sufficiently explain the function or state, and the UI may be difficult to understand.
[0004]
The present invention has been created in view of such a point, is independent of the language of the user, the display area is small, and an interactive system that realizes an easy-to-understand UI, a digital camera using the same, It is an object of the present invention to provide an interactive program and an interactive method.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1, wherein an initial display means for displaying a parent icon on a screen, and an operation for displaying a plurality of child icons symbolizing different functions in a first area of the screen by the parent icon on the screen. A menu display unit that accepts the displayed child icon, a menu selection unit that accepts an operation of selecting one of the plurality of child icons, and an operation that activates a function represented by the selected child icon. First operation receiving means for moving the child icon to a dedicated area of the child icon in the second area of the screen, and invalidating a function of the child icon displayed in the second area of the screen as an icon interactive system for the child icon with accepting the operation, characterized in that it and a second operation receiving means for moving the first region of the screen to It is.
[0006]
“Viewing the tools stored in the tool case” or “removing the tools stored in the tool case” is a metaphor of the operation accepted by the menu display means. “Select a tool” is a metaphor for an operation accepted by the menu selection means. “Using a tool” is a metaphor of an operation received by the operation receiving unit. “The tool is used” is defined as a metaphor of the movement of the child icon from the first area to the second area on the screen. The user can operate the system while interacting with the system according to the real-life behaviors of "looking at the tool stored in the tool case (taking out)", "selecting the tool", and "using the tool". Therefore, an easy-to-understand UI can be realized.
[0007]
Further, since the menu can be displayed and the setting state of each item of the menu can be guided by displaying and moving the child icons, there is no need to display text. Therefore, a UI with a narrow display area can be realized without depending on the language of the user. The operation in which the child icon is symbolized is, for example, an operation for enabling a certain function, specifically, for example, an operation for enabling a flash photography function in a digital camera.
[0008]
As in the second aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the parent icon be in a form that symbolizes a tool box that is reminiscent of accommodating a plurality of child icons that symbolize different operations.
[0009]
As in the invention according to claim 3, menu selection means, the selected child icon and, said and one or more sibling icons pictographic in different forms and child icon functions child icon is pictographic icons It is desirable that the display is cyclically displayed in the first area of the screen until an operation for enabling the function of symbolizing is received. Such a cyclic display makes it easier to determine which child icon is selected, and also allows the user to more easily understand the function of the child icon as an icon. Note that the cyclic display means that one of the plurality of icons is displayed in order and the other icons are hidden.
[0010]
As in the invention according to claim 4, the state where the child icon displayed in the second area is displayed in the second area is maintained and the child icon displayed in the first area is hidden. It is desirable to further include means for receiving an operation.
As in the invention according to claim 5, the initial display means displays a second parent icon in a form symbolizing a tool case with an open lid when the child icon is displayed in the first area of the screen, If the operation is accepted to hide the child icon displayed on the screen it is desirable to display first parent icon forms of pictographic a closed tool insertion of the lid. By setting “the lid of the tool case opens and closes” as a metaphor of the change of the parent icon, the operation accepted by the menu display means can be more easily understood.
[0011]
As in the invention according to claim 6 , the menu selecting means has a first selection key for accepting an operation of cyclically selecting the plurality of child icons, and the first operation accepting means is configured to determine whether the selected child icon is selected. It is desirable to have a second selection key that accepts a function to symbolize. By allowing the user to cyclically select a plurality of child icons, operation with a small number of keys becomes possible. Therefore, the UI can be easily understood, and the manufacturing cost of the interactive system can be reduced.
[0012]
Dialogue system according to claims 1 to 6, it is desirable to provide a digital camera as in the invention according to claim 7. This is because the display device of the digital camera desirably forms a UI for guiding operations and states while displaying a subject image, and thus it is necessary to configure a UI that is easy to understand in a narrow display area.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital camera as an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
2, 3, 4, and 5 are a front view, a rear view, a plan view, and a functional block diagram of the digital camera 1, respectively. The initial display unit, the menu display unit, the menu selection unit, and the operation reception unit described in the claims are all UI programs and controls recorded on a non-volatile storage medium such as a flash memory (not shown) executed by the CPU 20. The program and the display unit 22 controlled based on the execution results of the UI program and the control program are constituent elements. The interactive program described in the claims comprises a UI program and a control program. The parent icon described in the claims is composed of tool box icons 52 and 59. The child icon described in the claims includes a timer icon 54, a macro icon 55, and a backlight icon 56. The first selection key described in the claims comprises a key 37. The second selection key described in the claims comprises a key 35.
[0016]
The optical system 11 includes a strobe 40, an optical lens 34, an aperture mechanism, an infrared cut filter, an optical low-pass filter, and the like, and forms an image of a subject on the area sensor 12.
[0017]
The area sensor 12 is an optical sensor such as a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor having a photoelectric conversion element group, and each of the photoelectric conversion elements is any one of C (Cyan), M (Magenta), Y (Yellow), and G (Green). Such a complementary color filter is provided. The filter may be a primary color filter of R (Red), G (Green), or B (Blue). Each photoelectric conversion element is arranged in a matrix. The analog signal of each color output from the area sensor 12 is input to the AFE 13.
[0018]
The AFE 13 includes a program gain amplifier, a CDS circuit, an A / D converter, and the like, and samples an analog signal output from each photoelectric conversion element to generate digital data of 10 to 12 bits for each color of CMYG. Each digital data of CMYG is input to the image generation unit 14 directly or after being stored in the buffer memory.
[0019]
The image generation unit 14 is configured by a hardware method by controlling an ASIC in which a predetermined algorithm is implemented by a logic circuit by the CPU 20, or is configured by a software method using a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) engine. The image generation unit 14 includes an automatic exposure process (AE: Auto Exposure), an automatic white balance process (AWB: Auto White Balance), an image generation process, a conversion process from a CMYG color space to an RGB color space, a γ correction process, and the like. I do. The image generation processing referred to here mainly generates image data having four values of each color of CMYG for each pixel using digital data representing one of CMYG intensities corresponding to the output of each photoelectric conversion element. Processing. The conversion process from the CMYG color space to the RGB color space is performed by a hardware method using a 4 × 3 matrix operation processing circuit or a software method using the CPU 20 or the like using a multiplication circuit and an addition / subtraction circuit.
[0020]
The color space conversion unit 15 is configured by a 3 × 3 matrix operation processing circuit, or is configured by a software method in the CPU 20 or the like using a multiplication circuit and an addition / subtraction circuit, and performs RGB digital conversion by linear conversion using a 3 × 3 matrix. Digital pixel data of YCbCr is generated from the pixel data.
[0021]
The compression processing section 16 is generally configured by a hardware-based method using a dedicated chip for JPEG compression processing, but can also be configured by a software-based method using a DSP. The compression processing unit 16 performs JPEG compression processing by discrete cosine transform (DCT) and Huffman coding.
[0022]
The file unit 17 records the JPEG-compressed image data in a removable memory 18 such as a compact flash memory in an Exif file format or the like.
[0023]
The CPU 20 controls the optical system 11, the area sensor 12, the AFE 13, the image generation unit 14, the color space conversion unit 15, the compression processing unit 16, the file unit 17, the display unit 22, and the like by executing the control program and the UI program. . The various processes performed by the image generation unit 14, the color space conversion unit 15, and the compression processing unit 16 may be executed by a software method by causing the CPU 20 to execute a predetermined program.
[0024]
A program recorded in a flash memory (not shown) is called by the MS 19, and an execution result of the program and the like are temporarily stored. The MS 19 also temporarily stores main image data composed of YCbCr pixel data generated by the image generation unit 14 and its reduced image data.
[0025]
The display unit 22 includes a video memory, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 38, a drive circuit, and the like. The display unit 22 displays the thumbnail image data generated by the CPU 20 on the LCD 38, and displays the thumbnail image data based on the execution result of the UI program executed by the CPU 20. Various icons are displayed on the LCD 38.
[0026]
The operation unit 21 includes a shutter button 30, a power switch 31, a dial switch 32, various setting keys 35, 36, 37, 39 provided around an LCD 38 provided on the upper surface of the case, an input control circuit, and the like. You.
[0027]
The hardware configuration of the digital camera 1 has been described above. Next, a UI program constituting the UI of the digital camera 1 will be described. This UI program is installed by reading it from a recording medium that can be exchanged between systems such as a memory card and transferring it to a nonvolatile recording medium such as a flash memory (not shown) of the digital camera 1. Further, the digital camera 1 is connected to communication terminals such as a personal computer and a mobile phone by a wired or wireless interface, and downloaded from a remote server computer via an electric communication line to these communication terminals, thereby enabling the flash memory of the digital camera 1 to be downloaded. Can also be recorded.
[0028]
The UI program communicates with a control program that controls the optical system 11, the area sensor 12, and the like, thereby enabling or disabling a flash photography function, a timer photography function, a macro photography function, and a backlight photography function according to a user's key operation. I do. The main operations when these functions are effective are as follows. When the flash photography function is enabled, the control program causes the flash 40 to emit light when the shutter button 30 is pressed. When the timer photographing function is enabled, the control program activates the area sensor 12 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the shutter button 30 was pressed to photograph the subject. When the macro shooting function is enabled, the control program activates the optical lens 34 to set the focal length to the shortest and enable shooting at a close distance. When the backlight shooting function is enabled, the control program activates the aperture mechanism to set the exposure amount to the minimum, and enables shooting under backlight conditions by enabling the strobe shooting function.
[0029]
The UI program sets the valid / invalid of the strobe photographing function, the timer photographing function, the macro photographing function, and the backlight photographing function and various states shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 showing whether these functions are valid or invalid. The user is guided by switching the display / non-display of the icon and the display position. Hereinafter, an operation that the UI program communicates with the control program and causes the CPU 20 to execute in response to a key operation of the user will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6.
[0030]
When the user operates the dial switch 32 to select the shooting mode, the LCD 38 displays the screen (A). The display and non-display of the LCD 38 and the display and non-display of various icons are cyclically switched every time the key 36 is pressed (STEP 1).
[0031]
The screen (A) includes a subject (not shown) occupying almost the entire screen, a tool box icon 52, and a strobe icon 51. A subject (not shown) is a real-time display of a subject formed on the area sensor 12. The tool box icon 52 constitutes a second parent icon described in the claims. The tool box icon 52 has a form in which the timer box 54, the macro icon 55, the backlight icon 56, and the setting icon 57 are stored in a closed state and the tool box is closed. The strobe icon 51 has a form that symbolizes strobe light.
[0032]
Since the flash photography function is a frequently used function, it is desirable to always display either the flash icon 51 or the flash off icon 53 on the LCD 38. In this embodiment, each time the key 39 is pressed, the strobe shooting function is enabled / disabled. When the strobe shooting function is enabled, a strobe icon 51 is displayed at the lower left of the LCD 38. When the strobe shooting function is disabled, the LCD 38 is displayed. The strobe off icon 53 is displayed at the lower left of the icon (STEPs 2 and 3).
[0033]
The UI program displays a menu of relatively frequently used functions by displaying a timer icon 54 or the like in the right end area or the left end area of the LCD 38, and a function in which each icon is symbolized depending on whether the icon is displayed in the left or right area. Inform the user whether it is valid or invalid. Therefore, in this embodiment, the right end area of the LCD 38 corresponds to the first area described in the claims, and the left end area of the LCD 38 corresponds to the second area described in the claims. Region may be the first region or the second region. However, the screen is configured such that the first area and the second area are located at both ends of the LCD 38 so that the validity / invalidity of various functions can be guided depending on whether the icon is displayed in the first area or the second area. It is desirable. Further, the meaning of the first and second regions may be further clarified by surrounding each region with a ruled line.
[0034]
The timer icon 54, the macro icon 55, the backlight icon 56, and the setting icon 57 each have a form that symbolizes a timer shooting function, a macro shooting function, a backlight shooting function, and a setting function. In addition, the screen is configured to symbolize an operation for enabling or disabling the function represented by each icon. In the present embodiment, the operation of enabling the function by moving each icon from the right end to the left end of the screen is symbolized, and the operation of disabling the function by moving each icon from the left end of the screen to the right end is symbolized. Configure the screen as follows.
[0035]
Hereinafter, the key operation and the change of the screen configuration will be specifically described.
When the key 35 or the key 37 is pressed while the screen (A) is displayed, the screen (A) is changed to the screen (B) (STEP 4). On the screen (B), a timer icon 54, a macro icon 55, a backlight icon 56, and a setting icon 57 are displayed above the screen of the tool box icon 59, that is, at the right end of the screen as the first area. On the screen (B), the tool box icon 59 changes the shape of the tool box with the lid open to a symbolic shape. This is for transmitting the information "the menu is displayed" to the user in analogy to the information "the tool case is open and the tool stored in the tool case is visible." On the screen (B), a ruled line 58 surrounding the tool box icon 59 is displayed. This is to clearly inform the user that none of the timer icon 54, the macro icon 55, the backlight icon 56, and the setting icon 57 have been selected, and that an operation on the tool box icon 59 has been performed.
[0036]
When the tool box icon 59 is displayed, the key 37 is used for selecting an item in the menu. Specifically, each time the key 37 is pressed while the tool box icon 59 is displayed, the tool box icon 59 → the timer icon 54 → the macro icon 55 → the backlight icon 56 → the setting icon 57 → the tool box icon 59 in this order. Switches the display position of the ruled line 58 so as to surround each icon, and guides the user that the icon surrounded by the ruled line 58 is selected (STEPs 6, 9, 12, and 15). In order to more easily guide the user of the contents of the item selected by the user, it is desirable to display an icon surrounded by the ruled line 58 as an animation. Specifically, for example, a sibling icon in which the icon surrounded by the ruled line forms an icon in a different form from the icon, and the icon are displayed cyclically at regular time intervals. For example, it is desirable that the sibling icon of the timer icon 54 has a form imitating a joint photograph of a plurality of persons. When the key 35 is pressed while the ruled line 58 is displayed at a position surrounding the tool box icon 59, the screen (B) is changed to the screen (A), thereby informing the user that the menu display has been completed. (STEP 5).
[0037]
In a state where any one of the timer icon 54, the macro icon 55, and the backlight icon 56 is selected, that is, in a state where any one of the screen (C), the screen (E), and the screen (G) is displayed on the LCD 38, The key 35 is used to switch the function represented by each icon into a valid / invalid state. A specific description will be given by taking an example of an operation for switching between enabling and disabling the timer shooting function.
[0038]
When the key 35 is pressed while the screen (C) is displayed on the LCD 38, the timer icon 54 is moved from the right end of the screen to the left end of the screen, and the screen (C) is changed to the screen (D) (STEP 7). At this time, the UI program sends a message to the control program to enable the timer shooting function. The control program receiving this message causes the CPU 20 to enable the timer shooting function. Therefore, it can be said that the operation in which the timer icon 54 displayed on the right end of the screen is symbolic enables the timer shooting function. That is, by moving the timer icon 54 to the left end of the screen, the user is notified that the operation in which the timer icon 54 at the right end of the screen is symbolized has been accepted.
[0039]
When the key 35 is pressed in a state where the screen (D) is displayed on the LCD 38, that is, in a state where the timer icon 54 is displayed at the left end of the screen and the timer shooting function in which the timer icon 54 is symbolized is enabled, the timer icon 54 is displayed on the screen. The screen (D) is moved to the screen (C) by moving from the left end to the right end of the screen (STEP 8). At this time, the UI program sends a message to the control program to invalidate the timer shooting function. The control program receiving this message causes the CPU 20 to disable the timer shooting function. Therefore, it can be said that the operation in which the timer icon 54 displayed on the left end of the screen is symbolic invalidates the timer shooting function. That is, by moving the timer icon 54 to the right end of the screen, the user is notified that the operation in which the timer icon 54 at the left end of the screen is symbolized has been received. The operation (STEPs 10, 11, 13, and 14) at the time of switching the macro photography function and the backlight photography function between valid and invalid conforms to the operation at the time of switching the validity / invalidity of the timer photography function.
[0040]
When the setting icon 57 is selected, that is, when the screen (I) is displayed on the LCD 38, the key 35 is used to shift to the setting mode. The setting mode is a mode for switching valid / invalid of special photographing functions other than the functions already described, such as timer photographing. The special photographing function is, for example, a function for photographing a night scene beautifully, a function for disabling automatic exposure correction, and the like. When the key 35 is pressed while the screen (I) is displayed on the LCD 38, the screen (I) is changed to the screen (J). The screen (J) includes a background, text display of a menu, and text display of a set value of each item. The menu items are selected with the key 37 (STEP 19), and the setting values of the respective items are changed with the key 35 (STEP 18). Specifically, for example, the UI program is selected so that the item of automatic exposure correction is selected when the key 37 is pressed, and the set value of the item of automatic exposure correction is switched from automatic to manual when the key 35 is pressed next. Constitute. The key 39 is used to return from the setting mode to the photographing mode (STEP 17).
[0041]
1 and 6 do not accurately show the screen displayed when the key 37 is pressed while the timer icon 54 and the like are displayed at the left end of the screen for simplification of the description. For example, when the key 37 is pressed while the screen (D) is displayed on the LCD 38, the ruled line is moved to a position surrounding the macro icon 55 with the timer icon 54 left at the left end of the screen. Further, the key 37 is repeatedly pressed to select the tool box icon 59, and when the key 35 is further pressed, the screen macro icon 55, the backlight icon 56 and the setting icon 57 are hidden, and the tool box icon 59 with the cover is opened is displayed. The screen is changed to a closed tool box icon 52 and a screen displaying a timer icon 54 at the upper left of the screen (A).
[0042]
According to the present embodiment, the UI program guides the user to enable or disable the timer photographing function, the flash photographing function, and the macro photographing function using only the icons, so that the UI of the digital camera 1 is easily understood. Further, according to the present embodiment, since text is not used to guide the operation of enabling or disabling these functions, the development cost of a UI program to be provided to users in each country can be reduced. Further, according to the present embodiment, since the area occupied by the icons such as the timer icon 54 and the like on the screen is small, the subject that is the background of these icons can be easily displayed on the LCD 38.
[0043]
In the embodiment described above, only the UI of the digital camera 1 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the digital camera, and can be applied to various electronic devices such as an electronic rice cooker, a copying machine, and a car navigation device. In particular, the present invention is suitable for a UI related to an operation for enabling or disabling a predetermined function provided in an electronic device.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a UI of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a digital camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the digital camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a digital camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing a digital camera according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a UI of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a rear view showing a conventional digital camera.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 digital camera 21 operation unit 22 display unit 32 dial switches 35, 36, 37, 39 keys 38 LCD
51 strobe icon 52, 59 tool box icon 53 strobe off icon 54 timer icon 55 macro icon 56 backlight icon 57 setting icon 58 ruled line

Claims (7)

Initial display means for displaying the parent icon on the screen;
Menu display means for receiving an operation of displaying a plurality of child icons symbolizing different functions in a first area of the screen while the parent icon is displayed on the screen;
Menu selection means for receiving an operation of selecting any one of the plurality of child icons,
A first operation receiving unit that receives an operation for enabling a function that the selected child icon forms as a symbol and moves the child icon to a dedicated area of the child icon in a second area of the screen,
A second operation accepting unit that accepts an operation for invalidating a function of the child icon displayed in the second area of the screen and that moves the child icon to the first area of the screen,
An interactive system comprising: The interactive system according to claim 1, wherein the parent icon has a form that symbolizes a tool case. The menu selection means activates the selected child icon and one or more sibling icons that symbolize the function of the child icon in a different form from the child icon, and activates the function of the child icon. 3. The interactive system according to claim 1, wherein a cyclic display is performed in a first area of the screen until an operation to make the screen is received. 4. The apparatus further includes means for receiving an operation of maintaining the state in which the child icons displayed in the second area are displayed in the second area and hiding the child icons displayed in the first area. The interactive system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein The initial display means, when the child icon is displayed in a first area of the screen, displays a second parent icon in a form symbolizing a tool case with an open lid, and is displayed in the first area. 5. The interactive system according to claim 4, wherein when an operation for hiding the child icon is received, a first parent icon in a form symbolizing a tool case with a closed lid is displayed. The menu selection unit has a first selection key for receiving an operation of cyclically selecting the plurality of child icons,
The interaction according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first operation accepting unit has a second selection key for accepting an operation for enabling a function represented by the selected child icon. system. A digital camera comprising the interactive system according to claim 1.

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