JP7834466B2 - Imaging device and its control method, program and storage medium - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an imaging device and a control method thereof , as well as a program and a storage medium, and more particularly to a technology for controlling the orientation of items displayed on a display screen according to the usage mode of the display device.

Techniques are known for changing the arrangement of items displayed on a display screen depending on whether the display device is oriented horizontally or vertically. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for setting the image display format and determining the arrangement of setting information to be displayed on the display unit based on the set display format. Patent Document 2 also describes a technique for changing the display area for items depending on whether the display screen is oriented horizontally or vertically.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-180931 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-125751

However, the aforementioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not consider scenarios where the display screen of the display device is facing the subject during imaging, and therefore, they do not describe any display control of the captured image and items in such scenarios. Furthermore, Patent Documents 1 and 2 assume a configuration where the display screen is located on the back of the imaging device body and faces backward, and they do not describe any display control of the captured image and items in a configuration where the display device is movable relative to the imaging device body and the orientation of the display screen can be changed. Moreover, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying items in the surplus area formed by arranging a rectangular captured image within a square display screen, but this technique is difficult to apply directly when the entire display screen has a rectangular shape.

The present invention aims to provide a technology that enables the orientation of captured images and items to be aligned and displayed on the display screen according to the usage mode of the display device.

The imaging device according to the present invention comprises a main body having an imaging unit having an image sensor, a first display device rotatably mounted to the main body, a first detection means for detecting the orientation of the display screen of the first display device with respect to the imaging direction of the imaging unit , which detects whether the orientation of the display screen is in a first state where it is facing in the opposite direction to the imaging direction, or a second state where the first display device has been rotated from the first state and the display screen is facing the imaging direction, a second detection means for detecting the orientation of the first display device, a setting means for setting whether or not to display the image on the display screen as a mirror image, and a means for superimposing a display item onto the image captured by the imaging unit and displaying it on the display screen. A control means for controlling the display of an image and a display item on a display screen, wherein the control means controls the display of the image and the display item on the display screen, and when the first detection means detects that the second state is being observed, the control means controls the display of the image so that it is inverted relative to the display of the image in the first state, according to the settings by the setting means and the orientation of the first display device detected by the second detection means, while controlling the display item so that it is inverted relative to the display of the display item in the first state, according to the orientation of the first display device detected by the second detection means, regardless of the settings by the setting means .

According to the present invention, the orientation of the captured image and the item can be aligned and displayed on the display screen according to the usage mode of the display device.

This is a perspective view of a digital camera according to an embodiment. This is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of a digital camera and lens unit. This is a diagram illustrating how the display panel is used. This diagram shows the most frequently used camera orientations when taking pictures with a digital camera. This figure shows an example of items displayed on the display panel. This figure shows a direction conversion table for controlling the display orientation of captured images and items and displaying them on a display panel. This is a flowchart of the display control based on whether the mirror display function is enabled or disabled. Figure 7 is the first figure showing an example of displaying captured images and display items according to the flowchart in Figure 7. This diagram illustrates the movement direction of the selected item for each directional key of the directional pad in the second embodiment.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, an example of applying the display control device according to the present invention to a digital camera, which is an example of an imaging device, will be described.

Figures 1(a) and 1(b) are external perspective views of the digital camera 100. Figure 1(a) is a perspective view showing the digital camera 100 from a diagonal front angle, and Figure 1(b) is a perspective view showing the digital camera 100 from a diagonal rear angle.

The digital camera 100 includes a display panel 128, an opening/closing hinge 131, a rotating hinge 132, a touch panel 170a, and an external display unit 143.

The display panel 128 is a display means for displaying images and various information (hereinafter referred to as "display items"). The opening/closing hinge 131 holds the display panel 128 rotatably between a closed position and an open position around a first rotation axis parallel to the height direction of the digital camera 100 (see Figure 3(a), which will be explained later). The rotating hinge 132 holds the display panel rotatably around a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis of the opening/closing hinge 131. Figure 1(b) shows the display panel 128 in the closed position, with the display screen of the display panel 128 facing rearward (outward) (the same state as in Figure 3(c)). Details of the closed position, open position, first rotation axis, and second rotation axis will be described later.

The touch panel 170a is one of the components included in the operation unit 270 (see Figure 2). The touch panel 170a is configured in a planar manner and superimposed on the display screen (operation surface) of the display panel 128, with a light transmittance that does not obstruct the display of the display panel 128. It serves as an operating means for detecting touch operations on the display screen of the display panel 128.

The input coordinates for the touch panel 170a are mapped to the display coordinates on the display screen of the display panel 128. This allows for the provision of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) that makes it appear as if images, display items, and icons displayed on the display panel 128 can be directly manipulated. The touch panel 170a can utilize any of the various touch panel types, including resistive, capacitive, surface acoustic wave, infrared, electromagnetic induction, image recognition, and optical sensor types. Furthermore, the touch panel 170a can detect touch operations by either finger or pen contact or by the proximity of a finger or pen; either method can be used.

The viewfinder-external display unit 143 is a display means provided on the top surface of the digital camera 100, and is capable of displaying various settings of the digital camera 100, such as shutter speed and aperture.

The digital camera 100 includes a shutter button 161, a mode selector switch 160, a main electronic dial 171, a power switch 172, a sub-electronic dial 173, a directional pad 174, and a SET button 175. The digital camera 100 also includes a video button 176, an AE lock button 177, a zoom button 178, a playback button 179, a menu button 181, and a multi-controller (MC) 165. These buttons and dials are included in the control unit 270 (see Figure 2), which receives user input for the digital camera 100.

The shutter button 161 is an operating component used for instructing the camera to take a picture. The mode selector switch 160 is an operating component primarily used for switching between still image shooting mode and video shooting mode. The main electronic dial 171 is an operating component used to change settings (imaging parameters) such as shutter speed and aperture by rotation. The power switch 172 is an operating component used to turn the digital camera 100 on and off. The sub-electronic dial 173 is an operating component used to move the selection frame and advance images by rotation. The cross key 174 (four-way key) is configured so that each of its up, down, left, and right parts can be pressed, enabling the execution of actions corresponding to the pressed part. The SET button 175 is an operating component used to confirm selection items by pressing.

The video button 176 is an operating element for instructing the start/stop of video recording. The AE lock button 177 is an operating element for fixing the exposure state in shooting standby mode when pressed. The zoom button 178 is an operating element for switching the zoom mode on/off in live view display (hereinafter referred to as "LV display") in shooting mode. After turning on zoom mode, operating the main electronic dial 171 allows you to enlarge or reduce the live view image (hereinafter referred to as "LV image"). Furthermore, when playback mode is set, operating the zoom button 178 allows you to enlarge the playback image while adjusting the magnification ratio.

The playback button 179 is an operating element for switching between shooting mode and playback mode. When the playback button 179 is pressed during shooting mode, the camera switches to playback mode, and the latest image stored on the storage medium 200 (see Figure 2) can be displayed on the display panel 128. The menu button 181 is an operating element for displaying various menu screens on the display panel 128. The user can intuitively select and confirm items on the menu screen displayed on the display panel 128 using the directional keys 174, SET button 175, and MC 165 to perform various settings. The MC 165 can accept directional input in eight directions and a press operation in the center.

The digital camera 100 includes a communication terminal 110, a lens mount 111, a terminal cover 140, an eyepiece section 116, an eyepiece cup 117, an eyepiece detection section 157, a card cover 112, and a grip section 190.

The communication terminal 110 connects to the communication terminal 206 of the lens unit 210 (see Figure 2) when the lens unit 210 is attached to the digital camera 100, enabling communication between the digital camera 100 and the lens unit 210. The lens mount 111 is the part that allows the lens unit 210 (see Figure 2) to be attached and detached. The terminal cover 140 is a component that protects the connector (not shown) provided on the digital camera 100 for connecting external equipment (not shown) to the digital camera 100.

The eyepiece section 116 is the part where the user brings their eye close to the eyepiece viewfinder, which is a type of viewfinder that you look into. The user can view the image displayed on the EVF 229 (see Figure 2) located inside the digital camera 100 through the eyepiece section 116. The eyepiece cup 117 is a component that protects the eyepiece section 116.

The eyepiece detection unit 157 is a sensor that detects the approach (eye-to-eye contact) and departure (eye-away) of an eye (object) from the eyepiece unit 116. For example, an infrared proximity sensor can be used in the eyepiece detection unit 157 to detect the approach of an object to the eyepiece unit 116. When an object approaches the eyepiece unit 116, infrared light emitted from an unillustrated light-emitting unit of the eyepiece detection unit 157 is reflected by the approaching object and received by an unillustrated light-receiving unit of the eyepiece detection unit 157. At this time, the amount of infrared light received by the light-receiving unit allows for the determination of the eyepiece distance, that is, how close the approaching object is to the eyepiece unit 116.

The card cover 112 is a component that protects the slot for storing the storage medium 200 (see Figure 2). The grip portion 190 is the part that the user holds with their hand when holding the digital camera 100, and is shaped to be easily gripped with the right hand. With the digital camera 100 held by gripping the grip portion 190 with the little finger, ring finger, and middle finger of the right hand, the shutter button 161 and the main electronic dial 171 are positioned to be operated with the index finger of the right hand. Furthermore, in the same position, the sub-electronic dial 173 is positioned to be operated with the thumb of the right hand.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the digital camera 100 and the lens unit 210 attached to the digital camera 100. Note that the components of the digital camera 100 described with reference to Figure 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals used in Figure 2, and explanations of matters already described with reference to Figure 1 are omitted here.

The lens unit 210 is a so-called interchangeable lens. The lens unit 210 comprises an aperture 201, an aperture drive circuit 202, an AF drive circuit 203, a lens system control unit 204, a lens group 205, and a communication terminal 206.

The lens group 205 is composed of multiple lenses, but in Figure 2, the multiple lenses are simplified to a single lens. The aperture 201 adjusts the amount of light incident on the lens group 205. The aperture drive circuit 202 drives the aperture 201. The AF drive circuit 203 focuses on the subject by moving the focus lens included in the lens group 205 in the optical axis direction. The communication terminal 206 is connected to the communication terminal 110 of the digital camera 100 when the lens unit 210 is mounted on the lens mount 111 of the digital camera 100, enabling communication between the lens system control unit 204 and the system control unit 250 described later. The lens system control unit 204 receives control signals from the system control unit 250 and controls the driving of the aperture drive circuit 202 and the AF drive circuit 203.

The digital camera 100 comprises a shutter 211, an image sensor 222, an A/D converter 223, an image processing unit 224, a system control unit 250, a memory control unit 215, and a memory 232. The digital camera 100 also includes a display panel 128, an EVF 229, a viewfinder-external display unit drive circuit 244, and a viewfinder-external display unit 143.

The shutter 211 is a focal-plane shutter that controls the exposure time of the image sensor 222. Incident light passing through the lens unit 210 forms an optical image on the imaging surface of the image sensor 222. The image sensor 222 is a photoelectric conversion device (image sensor) such as a CCD or CMOS that converts the optical image formed on the imaging surface into an analog electrical signal. The A/D converter 223 converts the analog signal output from the image sensor 222 into image data consisting of digital signals.

The image processing unit 224 performs predetermined image processing, such as pixel interpolation, resizing (including reduction), and color conversion, on the image data output from the A/D converter 223 and the image data supplied from the memory control unit 215. The image processing unit 224 also performs predetermined calculations using the image data acquired from the A/D converter 223, and the system control unit 250 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the obtained calculation results. Specifically, TTL-type AF (autofocus), AE (auto exposure), and EF (flash pre-flash) processing are performed. Furthermore, the image processing unit 224 performs predetermined calculations using the image data acquired from the A/D converter 223 and performs TTL-type AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained calculation results.

The memory control unit 215 controls the transmission and reception of data between the A/D converter 223, the image processing unit 224, and the memory 232. Image data output from the A/D converter 223 is written to the memory 232 via the image processing unit 224 and the memory control unit 215, or via the memory control unit 215. The memory 232 stores various image data, including image data output from the A/D converter 223, image data processed by the image processing unit 224, and image data for display on the display panel 128 and EVF 229, along with various associated information. The memory 232 has sufficient storage capacity to store a predetermined number of still images, a predetermined amount of moving images, and audio data.

Memory 232 also functions as video memory (image display memory). Display image data written to memory 232 is displayed as an image on the display panel 128 or EVF 229 via the memory control unit 215. The EVF 229 displays information on an LCD or OLED display according to the signal from the memory control unit 215. LV display can be performed by sequentially transferring image data output from the A/D converter 223 and stored in memory 232 to the display panel 128 or EVF 229 for display. The viewfinder external display drive circuit 244 displays various information, including shutter speed and aperture settings, on the viewfinder external display unit 143 in response to commands from the system control unit 250.

The system control unit 250 switches the display state and the EVF 229 between display and hidden states depending on the state detected by the eyepiece detection unit 157. For example, if the digital camera 100 is in shooting standby mode and the display destination setting for the LV image output from the image sensor 222 is set to automatic, the display destination is set to the display panel 128 and the EVF 229 is hidden when the eyepiece is not being used. On the other hand, when the eyepiece is being used, the display destination is set to the EVF 229 and it is displayed, while the display panel 128 is hidden.

The digital camera 100 includes a non-volatile memory 256, a system memory 252, a system timer 253, a power control unit 280, a power supply unit 230, a storage medium interface 218, a storage medium 200, and a communication unit 254.

The non-volatile memory 256 is a memory that can be electrically erased and stored, such as flash ROM. The non-volatile memory 256 stores constants for the operation of the system control unit 250 and computer programs for executing each process in the flowchart described later. The system control unit 250 is a control means consisting of at least one processor or circuit, and controls the overall operation of the digital camera 100, including each process in the flowchart described later, by executing the program stored in the non-volatile memory 256.

The system memory 252, for example, uses RAM, and stores constants, variables, and programs read from the non-volatile memory 256 for the operation of the system control unit 250. The system control unit 250 also controls the display by controlling the memory 232 and the display panel 128, and further detects various known operations on the touch panel 170a.

The system timer 253 measures the time used for various controls and the time of the built-in clock. The power control unit 280 consists of a battery detection circuit, a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit for switching power supply blocks, etc., and detects whether a battery is installed, the type of battery, and the remaining battery level. Furthermore, the power control unit 280 controls the DC-DC converter based on the detection results and instructions from the system control unit 250, supplying the necessary voltage to each part, including the storage medium 200, for the required period. The power supply unit 230 includes primary batteries such as alkaline batteries and lithium batteries, secondary batteries such as NiCd batteries, NiMH batteries, and lithium-ion batteries, and an AC adapter.

The storage medium interface 218 is an interface that enables communication between the storage medium 200 and the system control unit 250. The storage medium 200 is a memory card, semiconductor memory, magnetic disk, etc., and stores image data of captured images. The communication unit 254 is connected to external devices wirelessly or via wired cables, enabling communication and transmission of video and audio signals to and from external devices. For example, the communication unit 254 can transmit images (including LV images) captured by the image sensor 222 and images stored in the storage medium 200 to external devices, and can also receive images and other various information from external devices. Furthermore, the communication unit 254 enables connection to networks such as wireless LANs and the Internet. In addition, the communication unit 254 enables communication with external devices via Bluetooth® or Bluetooth Low Energy.

The digital camera 100 includes a housing orientation detection unit 255 and a panel orientation detection unit 265. The panel orientation detection unit 265 includes an opening/closing detection unit 267 and a rotation detection unit 268.

The housing is a box-like structure that contains various components of the digital camera 100, and in this embodiment, it can be considered substantially as the part of the digital camera 100 that does not include the display panel 128.

The housing orientation detection unit 255 detects the orientation of the housing relative to the direction of gravity. An acceleration sensor, gyroscope, or the like can be used in the housing orientation detection unit 255. Furthermore, it is also possible to detect the movement of the digital camera 100 (pan, tilt, lift, whether it is stationary or not, etc.) using an acceleration sensor or gyroscope.

The system control unit 250 determines, based on the orientation of the housing detected by the housing orientation detection unit 255, whether the image captured by the image sensor 222 was taken with the digital camera 100 held horizontally or vertically. The system control unit 250 can add the housing orientation information detected by the housing orientation detection unit 255 to the image file of the captured image. Furthermore, the system control unit 250 can rotate and store the image according to the housing orientation information detected by the housing orientation detection unit 255.

The opening/closing detection unit 267, which constitutes the panel orientation detection unit 265, is provided on the opening/closing hinge unit 131, and the rotation detection unit 268, which also constitutes the panel orientation detection unit 265, is provided on the rotation hinge unit 132. The configuration of the opening/closing detection unit 267 and the rotation detection unit 268, and the state of the display panel 128 detected by these detection units, will be described later with reference to Figure 3.

The digital camera 100 includes an operation unit 270 for the user to input various operation commands to the system control unit 250. Figure 2 shows only a portion of the components of the operation unit 270. Specific examples of buttons, switches, dials, etc., that constitute the operation unit 270 have already been explained with reference to Figure 1, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

Furthermore, the following additional information is provided regarding the shutter button 161. Specifically, the shutter button 161 has a first shutter switch 262 and a second shutter switch 264. The first shutter switch 262 turns on during the operation of the shutter button 161 (so-called half-press), generating a first shutter switch signal SW1. The system control unit 250 receives the first shutter switch signal SW1 and starts shooting preparation operations such as AF processing, AE processing, AWB processing, and EF processing. The second shutter switch 264 turns on when the operation of the shutter button 161 is completed (so-called full-press), generating a second shutter switch signal SW2. The system control unit 250 receives the second shutter switch signal SW2 and executes a series of shooting processes, from reading the signal from the image sensor 222 to writing the captured image as an image file to the storage medium 200.

Figures 3(a) to 3(d) illustrate the usage configurations of the display panel 128. In other words, Figure 3 shows typical usage configurations of the display panel 128 on the housing of the digital camera 100. The system control unit 250 detects whether the housing of the digital camera 100 is oriented horizontally or vertically based on the output signal from the housing orientation detection unit 255. In all configurations shown in Figures 3(a) to 3(d), the system control unit 250 detects that the digital camera 100 is oriented horizontally.

Figure 3(a) shows the state in which the display panel 128 is in the open position relative to the housing of the digital camera 100, and the display screen is facing the rear side of the housing (hereinafter referred to as "first embodiment"). Figure 3(b) shows the state in which the display panel 128 is in the open position relative to the housing of the digital camera 100, and the display screen is facing the front side (subject side) of the housing (hereinafter referred to as "second embodiment"). Figure 3(c) shows the state in which the display panel 128 is in the closed position, and the display screen is facing the rear side of the housing (hereinafter referred to as "third embodiment"). Figure 3(d) shows the state in which the display panel 128 is in the closed position, and the display screen is facing the front side of the housing (hereinafter referred to as "fourth embodiment").

The first to fourth embodiments described above define the relationship between the position and orientation of the housing and the display panel 128 in the digital camera 100. As will be described later with reference to Figure 4, in each of the first to fourth embodiments, horizontal shooting may be performed by holding the digital camera 100 horizontally, or vertical shooting may be performed by holding the digital camera 100 vertically.

As described above, the display panel 128 is attached to the housing via an opening/closing hinge 131 and a rotating hinge 132. The first axis of rotation of the opening/closing hinge 131 is parallel to the height direction shown in Figure 3(a), and the display panel 128 is rotatable about this first axis. Thus, the display panel 128 is movable (rotatable) between a closed position located on the rear side of the housing and an open position located on the outer right side of the housing when viewed from the front of the digital camera 100.

The opening/closing detection unit 267 provided on the opening/closing hinge 131 is, for example, a switch that switches on/off when the display panel 128 opens by a certain angle from the closed position to the open position. In this embodiment, the opening/closing detection unit 267 has no structural limitations as long as it can distinguish and detect the open position shown in Figures 3(a) and (b) and the closed position shown in Figures 3(c) and (d). It may be configured using a magnetic sensor, an optical sensor, or the like.

The second axis of rotation of the rotating hinge 132 is perpendicular to the first axis of rotation. Therefore, the display panel 128 can rotate around the second axis of rotation, allowing it to rotate between a rearward orientation (facing the back of the digital camera 100's housing) and a frontward orientation (facing the front of the housing, the imaging direction).

The rotation detection unit 268 provided on the rotating hinge 132 is, for example, a switch that switches on/off when the display panel 128 rotates by a certain angle from the rearward-facing to the frontward-facing position. In this embodiment, the rotation detection unit 268 has no structural limitations as long as it can distinguish and detect the rearward-facing position shown in Figures 3(a) and (c) and the frontward-facing position shown in Figures 3(b) and (d). It may be configured using a magnetic sensor, an optical sensor, or the like.

When the display panel 128 is in the first configuration, the four corners of the display panel are defined as corners a, b, c, and d, respectively, as shown in Figure 3(a). The positions of corners a, b, c, and d, as viewed from the back of the digital camera 100, change depending on the first to fourth configurations, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 4(a) is a rear view of the digital camera 100 in horizontal shooting mode, which is frequently used when taking images with the digital camera 100. Figure 4(b) is a rear view of the digital camera 100 in vertical shooting mode, which is also frequently used when taking images with the digital camera 100. Generally, shooting with the digital camera 100 is done in either horizontal shooting mode (Figure 4(a)) or vertical shooting mode (Figure 4(b)). Here, we are focusing on horizontal and vertical shooting in the first mode shown in Figure 3(a), but of course, horizontal and vertical shooting can also be performed in any of the second to fourth modes shown in Figures 3(b) to (d).

As mentioned above, whether the image is horizontal or vertical can be detected by the housing orientation detection unit 255. However, it is not limited to this method; it can also be determined from the results of image processing of the captured image, detecting faces, structural edges, background, etc.

Figure 5 shows an example of display items shown on the display screen of the display panel 128 when the digital camera 100 is being operated. Figure 5(a) shows an example of various information being displayed as display items in a horizontal arrangement. The display panel 128 and the display screen have a rectangular shape. Horizontal arrangement refers to an arrangement of information so that the user can easily understand the displayed content when viewing the display panel 128 (display screen), which is oriented horizontally with its long sides positioned vertically.

Figure 5(b) shows an example of displaying various types of information as display items in a vertical arrangement. A vertical arrangement refers to a configuration in which information is displayed in a way that allows users to easily understand the content when viewing the display panel 128 (display screen), which is oriented vertically with its short sides positioned vertically. While the layout of the display items for each piece of information differs between Figure 5(a) and Figure 5(b), the same information is displayed.

Figure 5(c) shows an example of the menu screen display. In this embodiment, the menu screen is generated only in a horizontal orientation. This is because operations on the menu screen are often performed with the digital camera 100 (display panel 128) in landscape orientation; therefore, a menu screen with the layout of the various information displayed on the menu screen changed to a vertical orientation is not generated. The display configuration of the menu screen when the digital camera 100 (display panel 128) is in portrait orientation will be described later with reference to Figure 8.

Figure 6 shows a direction conversion table for controlling the display direction of the captured image and items displayed on the display panel 128, depending on the first to fourth modes and whether the shooting is horizontal or vertical. The system control unit 250 functions as a determination means to determine whether the digital camera 100 is horizontal (shooting state) or vertical (vertical shooting state) based on the output signal from the housing orientation detection unit 255. Furthermore, the system control unit 250 functions as a determination means to determine which of the first to fourth modes the housing and display panel 128 of the digital camera 100 are in, based on the output signals from the opening/closing detection unit 267 and the rotation detection unit 268.

The orientation conversion table defines values that indicate the display orientation of the captured image and display items. For convenience, the horizontal and vertical writing of "aiueo" is used for the captured image, and the horizontal and vertical writing of "ABCDE" is used for the display items. The horizontal "aiueo" represents the display direction as a whole and cannot be broken down into five individual characters. Similarly, the vertical "aiueo" also represents the display direction as a whole and cannot be broken down into five individual characters. Furthermore, the horizontal "ABCDE" represents the display direction as a whole and cannot be broken down into five individual characters, and the vertical "ABCDE" also represents the display direction as a whole and cannot be broken down into five individual characters. To clarify this, in Figure 6, for convenience, the font size and character spacing are changed between the horizontal and vertical "aiueo," and also between the horizontal and vertical "ABCDE."

In the first configuration of the housing and display panel 128, regardless of whether the image is captured horizontally or vertically, the captured image and display items are defined as being displayed in a forward rotation on the display panel 128. The system control unit 250 uses this forward rotation display as a reference and controls the display direction of the captured image and display items in the second and third configurations by performing vertical or horizontal inversions so that the user can easily understand the content.

In the second and third embodiments, whether the forward-rotating image is displayed as is or flipped vertically and horizontally is as shown in Figure 6. In the fourth embodiment, the display screen of the display panel 128 faces the housing, and the user cannot see the display screen; therefore, to save power, the display panel 128 is hidden.

The determination of whether to display the captured image and display items in the normal orientation or inverted horizontally and vertically is performed as follows: Specifically, the system control unit 250 detects which of the first to third orientations the display panel 128 is in relative to the housing, and also detects whether the digital camera 100 (its housing) is oriented horizontally or vertically. Based on these detection results, the system control unit 250 determines which of the eight possible states the display panel 128 is in, depending on whether it is in the closed or open position, facing forward or backward, and oriented vertically or horizontally.

The system control unit 250 determines whether it is necessary to invert the captured image and the display item in a predetermined direction in order to align their respective top edges with the top edge of the display panel 128. Based on this determination, the system control unit 250 performs forward display and inverted display in a predetermined direction for both the captured image and the display item, as shown in Figure 6. By performing this display control, it is possible to prevent situations where the orientation of the captured image and the display item does not match when they are displayed simultaneously on the display panel 128.

Specific examples of the captured image and displayed items are shown in Figure 8, which will be described later. The display modes of the menu screen will also be described later, referring to Figure 8. The values in the orientation conversion table in Figure 6 are examples and can be changed. The orientation conversion table in Figure 6 can also be configured to accept additional values for cases where the orientation of the display panel 128 differs from the first to third modes, or for orientations other than horizontal or vertical for the housing.

Next, we will describe the display control of captured images and display items when the digital camera 100 has a mirror display function. The mirror display function displays the captured image as a mirrored image, reversed horizontally as if reflected in a mirror. In this embodiment, the mirror display function can be enabled or disabled by operating the operation unit 270 while the menu screen is displayed on the display panel 128.

Even when the mirror display function is enabled, it is disabled in the first, third, and fourth modes of the display panel 128 and the housing, and is only enabled in the second mode. The system control unit 250 checks whether the mirror display function is enabled or disabled when displaying captured images and display items on the display panel 128, and controls the display of captured images, display items, and menu screens in the second mode based on the check result.

Figure 7 is a flowchart of the display control of captured images and display items depending on whether the mirror display function is enabled or disabled. The processes (steps) indicated by the number S in Figure 7 are realized by the system control unit 250 loading a predetermined program read from the non-volatile memory 256 into the system memory 252, and then comprehensively controlling the operation of each part of the digital camera 100.

In S701, the system control unit 250 detects the usage mode of the display panel 128 (which of the first to fourth modes it is in). In S702, the system control unit 250 determines whether the usage mode of the display panel 128 detected in S701 is the second mode. If the system control unit 250 determines that it is the second mode (YES in S702), it proceeds to S703.

In S703, the system control unit 250 detects the orientation of the digital camera 100 (housing). In other words, S703 detects whether the camera is shooting horizontally (landscape orientation) or vertically (portrait orientation). In S704, the system control unit 250 determines whether S703 detected the digital camera 100 as being in a horizontal orientation. If the system control unit 250 determines that the digital camera 100 is in a horizontal orientation (YES in S704), it proceeds to S705. In S705, the system control unit 250 branches the processing depending on whether the display target is an captured image or a display item.

In S705, the system control unit 250 proceeds to S706 if the display target is an captured image. In S706, the system control unit 250 determines whether the mirror display function is enabled. If the system control unit 250 determines that the mirror display function is enabled (YES in S706), it proceeds to S707. If it determines that the mirror display function is disabled (NO in S706), it proceeds to S708.

In S707, the system control unit 250 displays the captured image upside down, and then terminates this process. In S708, the system control unit 250 displays the captured image upside down and leftside down, and then terminates this process.

In S705, if the display target is a display item, the system control unit 250 proceeds to S709. In S709, regardless of whether the mirror display function is enabled or disabled, the display item is flipped vertically and horizontally, and then the process is terminated.

In S704, if the system control unit 250 determines that the digital camera 100 is in a vertical orientation (NO in S704), it proceeds to S710. In S710, the system control unit 250 branches the processing depending on whether the display target is an captured image or a display item.

In S710, the system control unit 250 proceeds to S711 if the display target is an captured image. In S711, the system control unit 250 determines whether the mirror display function is enabled. If the system control unit 250 determines that the mirror display function is enabled (YES in S711), it proceeds to S712. If it determines that the mirror display function is disabled (NO in S711), it proceeds to S713.

In S712, the system control unit 250 displays the captured image upside down, and then terminates this process. In S713, the system control unit 250 displays the captured image in its normal orientation, and then terminates this process.

In S710, if the system control unit 250 determines that the display target is a display item, it proceeds to S714. In S714, regardless of whether the mirror display function is enabled or disabled, the display item is displayed in the forward direction, and then the process is terminated.

In S702, if the system control unit 250 determines that the usage mode of the display panel 128 is not the second mode (but rather one of the first, third, or fourth modes) (NO in S702), the process proceeds to S715. In S715, since the mirror display function is disabled, the captured image and display items are displayed on the display panel 128 according to the display direction table shown in Figure 6, and then the process is terminated.

Furthermore, if the shutter button 161 is pressed while display control is being performed according to the flowchart in Figure 7, the imaging process will begin. Specifically, in response to the first shutter switch 262 being turned on, shooting preparation processes such as AF, AE, and AWB are performed at the AF frame display position. In response to the second shutter switch 264 being turned on, a series of shooting processes are performed until the captured image is recorded as an image file on the storage medium 200.

Figure 8 shows examples of the display of captured images and display items according to the flowchart in Figure 7. Note that Figure 8 shows display examples for each of the first to fourth embodiments, from the viewpoint of complementing the display direction table in Figure 6 and the display control in S715.

In Figure 8, the display example of the display item in the first mode and horizontal shooting shows the same display state as in Figure 5(a) (a scaled-down version of Figure 5(a)). Similarly, in Figure 8, the display example of the display item in the first mode and vertical shooting shows the same display state as in Figure 5(b) (a scaled-down version of Figure 5(b)).

As shown in Figure 8, the display control prevents situations where the orientation of the captured image and the displayed item does not match when the captured image and the displayed item are simultaneously displayed on the display panel 128, even when a mirror display function is available.

Figure 8 shows an example of the menu screen display when the digital camera 100 is held vertically. As mentioned earlier, the menu screen is only displayed in a horizontal orientation. Therefore, although not shown, when the digital camera 100 is held horizontally, the display control of the menu screen is performed in the same way as the display control of the display items, and the user facing the display panel 128 can always view it in the state shown in Figure 5(c).

In the first embodiment, suppose the digital camera 100 is rotated 90° vertically from a horizontal position with the menu screen displayed on the display panel 128 as shown in Figure 5(c). In this case, the display state of the menu screen on the display panel 128 does not change. In other words, when the display panel 128 is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the display screen of the display panel 128, the display state of the menu screen is maintained regardless of the rotation angle of the display panel 128. Therefore, a user facing the display panel 128 will see the menu screen as shown in Figure 5(c), rotated in accordance with the rotation direction of the digital camera 100 (display panel 128), and this is the correct display of the menu screen in a vertical orientation.

The system control unit 250 then controls the horizontally oriented menu screen to display inverted orientation (up, down, left, and right) regardless of whether the mirror display function is enabled or disabled in the second state. In other words, even if the mirror display function is enabled, it does not affect the display control of the menu screen. Furthermore, in the third state, the menu screen is also controlled to display inverted orientation (up, down, left, and right). In other words, in both the second and third states, even if the display panel 128 changes from horizontal to vertical orientation, the display state of the menu screen is maintained as it was when the display panel 128 was horizontal. This allows the user to easily understand the contents of the menu screen regardless of the orientation of the digital camera 100.

Furthermore, if the digital camera 100 has a display means other than the display panel 128, and the orientation of the display screen differs between the display panel 128 and the other display means, different inversion processes may be performed for the display panel 128 and the other display means. For example, this could occur if the display panel 128 is in the second mode, but the other display means is in the first mode. This resolves the problem of different item display directions between the display panel 128 and the other display means. Examples of other display means include an EVF 229, an external monitor connected via external video output such as HDMI® or SDI, etc.

The usage mode of the EVF 229 can be considered to correspond to either the first or third mode of the display panel 128, and which mode is considered can be predetermined in the digital camera 100 by default settings or user settings. Similarly, the usage mode of the external monitor can generally be considered to correspond to either the first or third mode, and which mode is considered can be predetermined in the digital camera 100 by default settings or user settings. The system control unit 250 exclusively controls the display between the display panel 128 and other display means according to the usage mode.

Next, we will explain the relationship between the movement of selected items on the display panel 128 and the four directional control keys of the cross-shaped keypad 174 located on the back of the digital camera 100 when used in the second embodiment. Examples of selected items include items selected on the menu screen and cursors displayed overlaid on the OSD.

In the second embodiment of the digital camera 100, when moving a selected item using the directional pad 174, it is necessary to prevent the selected item from moving in the opposite direction to the direction specified by the directional pad 174. Therefore, the system control unit 250 controls the relationship between the movement direction of the selected item and each directional key of the directional pad 174 as follows.

Figure 9 illustrates the movement direction of the selected item in relation to each directional key of the directional pad 174 in the second embodiment. The directional pad 174 has an up directional key 901, a right directional key 902, a down directional key 903, and a left directional key 904. Note that in the first and third embodiments, the operation direction of each directional key of the directional pad 174 coincides with the movement direction of the selected item, so that explanation is omitted.

First, let's explain the case where the display items are arranged horizontally. When the directional pad 174 is viewed from the back of the digital camera 100, the up-direction key 901 points upwards. In the second embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the top and bottom of the display panel 128 are reversed, and the display items are also reversed in the vertical direction. Therefore, just as in the first embodiment the up-direction key 901 moves the selected item from the bottom to the top of the screen, the up-direction key 901 also moves the selected item from the bottom to the top of the screen in the second embodiment. The same applies to the down-direction key 903. In other words, regarding the vertical direction, the directions indicated by the up-direction key 901 and the down-direction key 903 coincide with the movement direction of the selected item displayed on the display panel 128. Therefore, the system control unit 250 controls the operation of the up-direction key 901 to move the selected item upwards, and the operation of the down-direction key 903 to move the selected item downwards.

In contrast, the right-direction key 902 points to the right when the directional keys 174 are viewed directly. In the second embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the display panel 128 is inverted vertically but not horizontally, and the displayed items are inverted horizontally. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the right-direction key 902 moves the selected item from left to right on the screen, but in the second embodiment, the right-direction key 902 moves the selected item from left to right on the screen. The same applies to the left-direction key 904. In other words, with respect to the left and right directions, the directions indicated by the right-direction key 902 and the left-direction key 904 are reversed from the movement direction of the selected item displayed on the display panel 128. Therefore, the system control unit 250 controls the operation of the right-direction key 902 to move the selected item to the left, and the operation of the left-direction key 904 to move the selected item to the right.

Next, we will explain the case where the displayed items are arranged vertically. When switching from horizontal to vertical shooting, the up arrow key 901, right arrow key 902, down arrow key 903, and left arrow key 904, which were used in horizontal shooting, change to the right arrow key 901a, down arrow key 902a, left arrow key 903a, and up arrow key 904a, respectively, in vertical shooting.

The basic control method when the display items are arranged vertically is the same as when the display items are displayed horizontally. That is, in the left-right direction, the directions indicated by the right-direction key 901a and the left-direction key 903a are reversed from the movement direction of the selected item displayed on the display panel 128. Therefore, the system control unit 250 controls the operation of the right-direction key 901a to move the selected item to the left, and the operation of the left-direction key 903a to move the selected item to the right. On the other hand, in the up-down direction, the directions indicated by the up-direction key 904a and the down-direction key 902a coincide with the movement direction of the selected item displayed on the display panel 128. Therefore, the system control unit 250 controls the operation of the up-direction key 904a to move the selected item upward, and the operation of the down-direction key 902a to move the selected item downward. By implementing this control, it is possible to prevent the selected item from moving in the opposite direction to the direction indicated by each directional key on the 174 directional pad, thereby improving usability (enhancing user experience).

The present invention has been described in detail above based on its preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms that do not depart from the spirit of the invention are also included. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are merely examples of one embodiment, and it is possible to combine these embodiments as appropriate.

For example, in the above embodiment, display control was described as being performed by the system control unit, but various controls may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or display control may be performed by multiple pieces of hardware (e.g., multiple processors or circuits) sharing the processing.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment described the application of the display control device according to the present invention to a digital camera, the present invention is not limited to digital cameras and can be applied to the control of electronic devices that frequently change the orientation of their display screens. For example, the present invention can be applied to the control of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, mobile phone terminals, PDAs, portable image viewers, digital photo frames, music players, game consoles, and e-book readers.

The display control device according to the present invention does not necessarily need to be installed in a device equipped with a display device; it can be applied to any control device capable of controlling image display (item display) on the display device using wired or wireless communication. Examples of such control devices include smartphones, tablet PCs, laptop PCs, and desktop PCs. In this case, the device equipped with the display device can be remotely controlled by notifying the device of commands to perform various operations and settings based on operations and processing performed by the control device. As an example, the control device acquires an LV image from an imaging means and orientation information from the display device. It then transmits image display data, with the orientation of the LV image adjusted according to the acquired orientation information, to the display device via wired or wireless communication. This allows the orientation of the display screen to match the orientation of the image or item displayed on it.

The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. Furthermore, it can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

100 Digital camera 128 Display panel 210 Lens unit 222 Image sensor 250 System control unit 255 Housing orientation detection unit 265 Panel orientation detection unit 267 Open/close detection unit 268 Rotation detection unit

Claims (10)

A main body unit equipped with an imaging unit having an image sensor,
A first display device is rotatably mounted to the main body,
A first detection means for detecting the orientation of the display screen of the first display device with respect to the imaging direction of the imaging unit , the first detection means for detecting whether the orientation of the display screen is in a first state where it is facing in the opposite direction to the imaging direction, or whether it is in a second state where the first display device has been rotated from the first state and the display screen is facing the imaging direction,
A second detection means for detecting the orientation of the first display device,
A setting means for setting whether or not to display the image on the aforementioned display screen as a mirror image,
A control means for controlling the display of a display item superimposed on an image captured by the imaging unit and displayed on the display screen, comprising a control means for controlling the display of the image and the display item on the display screen ,
The imaging apparatus is characterized in that, when the first detection means detects that the second state is being observed, the control means controls the image to be displayed in an inverted state relative to the display of the image in the first state, according to the settings by the setting means and the orientation of the first display device detected by the second detection means, while controlling the display item to be displayed in an inverted state relative to the display of the display item in the first state, according to the orientation of the first display device detected by the second detection means, regardless of the settings by the setting means. The second detection means detects whether the orientation of the first display device is horizontal or vertical.
The control means controls the display items to be displayed in different arrangements depending on whether the second detection means detects that the orientation is horizontal or vertical.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that when the first detection means detects that the second state is being observed, and the second detection means detects that the orientation is horizontal, the control means controls the display item to be displayed in an inverted state that is vertically and horizontally reversed compared to the display of the display item when the orientation is horizontal in the first state, and when the second detection means detects that the orientation is vertical, the control means controls the display item to be displayed in the same inverted state as the display item when the orientation is vertical in the first state. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that when the control means displays a menu screen on the display screen, it controls the display of the menu screen in an inverted state corresponding to the orientation of the display screen detected by the first detection means, regardless of the settings made by the setting means and the orientation detected by the second detection means. The aforementioned display screen has a rectangular shape,
When the orientation of the first display device is horizontal, the longer side of the display screen is positioned vertically, and when the orientation of the first display device is vertical, the shorter side of the display screen is positioned vertically.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control means acquires whether the arrangement of the display items is a horizontal arrangement with the long side of the display screen as the top and bottom, or a vertical arrangement with the short side of the display screen as the top and bottom, and displays the display items on the display screen in the horizontal arrangement when the orientation of the first display device is horizontal, and displays the display items on the display screen in the vertical arrangement when the orientation of the first display device is vertical . The first display device is positioned on the main body so as to be rotatable around a first rotation axis between a closed position on the back side of the main body and an open position extending from the side of the main body , and so as to be rotatable around a second rotation axis perpendicular to the first rotation axis so as to be able to orient the display screen in the imaging direction or the opposite direction .
Even if the mirrored image display is enabled, the control means disables the mirrored image display of the captured image and the display item if the display screen is facing the opposite direction.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the control means controls the display of the captured image and the display items so that when the display screen is viewed while facing the display screen, the display items can be viewed in the same display state, whether the display screen is facing the opposite direction or the first display device is in the open position and the display screen is facing the imaging direction. The aforementioned display item includes a selectable item that is movable on the display screen,
The main body includes an operating member for moving the selected item within the display screen.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the control means controls the movement direction of the selected item to coincide with the operating direction of the operating member , based on the orientation of the display screen and the orientation of the first display device . When the captured image and the display items are displayed on the display screen of the second display device in addition to the display screen of the first display device,
The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 6 , characterized in that the control means performs display control similar to the display control for the first display device exclusively with respect to the display control for the first display device . An imaging step in which an image is acquired by an imaging unit having an image sensor ,
A first detection step to detect whether the orientation of the display screen of a display device rotatably mounted to a main body having the imaging unit is in a first state where the orientation of the display screen is facing in the opposite direction to the imaging direction, or a second state where the display screen is facing in the imaging direction, obtained by rotating the display device from the first state ,
A second detection step for detecting the orientation of the display device,
A setting step to set whether or not to display the image on the aforementioned display screen as a mirror image,
The system includes a control step that controls the system to superimpose display items onto the captured image captured by the imaging unit and display them on the display screen.
A control method for an imaging device, characterized in that, when the second state is detected by the first detection step, the captured image is displayed in a reversed state relative to the display of the captured image in the first state, according to the settings in the setting step and the orientation of the display device detected in the second detection step, while the display items are displayed in a reversed state relative to the display of the display items in the first state, according to the orientation of the display device detected in the second detection step, regardless of the settings in the setting step, thereby controlling the display of the captured image and the display items on the display screen . A program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of an imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as one of the means of the imaging apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 7 .