Electronic device and function assigning method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10992858-B2
Application number	US-201715421816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2004
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

At step ST2, an assign key changing item is selected from menu items. At step ST3, an assign key to which a function is assigned is selected. At step ST4, a function to be assigned is selected. The selected function is assigned to the selected assign key. At step ST5, a setting result indication screen appears. When one of two paired functions is assigned, a message which prompts a user to assign the other function. After the message has appeared for a predetermined time, the latest assigned states appear. At step ST6, the latest assign key information is stored to a non-volatile memory. To quit an assigning process, a menu button 8 is pressed and the menu is closed (at step ST8).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
an image processing circuitry configured to:
process an image signal output from an imager of a camera, and
cause a display device to display an image based on the processed image signal, and to selectively display a menu including a menu list for selecting from a plurality of menu items being associated with functions, the menu items representing candidates to assign to a part of a key device disposed on the camera in direct response to a manual input by a user and being related to one of a plurality of first camera operations; and

control circuitry configured to:
in response to a first input at the key device, set a mode for the camera, and
in response to a second input at the key device and while the camera is in the mode set in response to the first input at the key device, assign, as a first function, a first candidate to a first operation key of the key device, and automatically assign, as a second function, a second candidate to a second operation key of the key device, the first function and the second function being paired functions.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to cause the display device to display the image and the menu simultaneously.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to cause the display device to display the image and the menu alternately.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the key device includes the first operation key, the second operation key, and a menu key.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to cause the display device to display the menu in response to an input at the menu key.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the menu includes a first menu item for assigning a candidate to a part of the key device.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the menu includes a second menu item related to processing the image signal.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second menu item is related to a sharpness of the image.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the second menu item is related to a gain level of the image.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing circuitry is configured to cause the display device to display a first assigned state of the first operation key and a second assigned state of the second operation key.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to assign, as the first function, a plurality of candidates to the first operation key, the plurality of functions including at least a record starting function.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first function and the second function are related to a field of view.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first function and the second function are related to an increase and a decrease, respectively, in an image parameter.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the key device includes three operation keys.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the operation keys are the first operation key, the second operation key, and a dial key.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the dial key is pushable for accepting a selection input.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the dial key is rotatable for changing a selection input.

18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the key device includes a ring that controls a second camera operation, and the first operation key and the second operation key are disposed adjacent the ring.

19. The image processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the second camera operation is a zoom.

20. The image processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the first operation key and the second operation key are disposed along a plane, and an axis of the plane is parallel to a rotation axis of the ring.

21. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first operation key and the second operation key are hard keys.

22. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first operation key and the second operation key is a pushbutton key.

23. An image processing method, comprising:
processing, by an image processing circuitry, an image signal output from an imager of a camera;
causing, by the image processing circuitry, a display device to display an image based on the processed image signal, and to selectively display a menu including a menu list for selecting from a plurality of menu items being associated with functions, the menu items representing candidates to assign to a part of a key device disposed on the camera in direct response to a manual input by a user and being related to one of a plurality of camera operations; and
by a control circuitry:
in response to a first input at the key device, setting a mode for the camera, and
in response to a second input at the key device and while the camera is in the mode set in response to the first input at the key device, assigning, as a first function, a first candidate to a first operation key of the key device, and automatically assigning, as a second function, a second candidate to a second operation key of the key device, the first function and the second function being paired functions.

24. The image processing method according to claim 23 , wherein the first and second functions are related to a field of view.

25. The image processing method according to claim 23 , further comprising causing the display device to display a first assigned state of the first operation key and a second assigned state of the second operation key.

26. An image processing method, comprising:
processing, by an image processing circuitry, an image signal output from an imager of a camera;
causing, by the image processing circuitry, a display device to display an image based on the processed image signal;
in response to a first input at a menu key of a key device disposed on the camera, causing the display device to display a menu and the image simultaneously, and to selectively display the menu including a menu list for selecting from a plurality of menu items being associated with functions, the menu items representing candidates to assign to a part of the key device in direct response to a manual input by a user and being related to one of a plurality of camera operations; and
by a control circuitry:
in response to a first input at the key device, setting a mode for the camera, and
in response to a second input at the key device and while the camera is in the mode set in response to the first input at the key device, assigning, as a first function, a first candidate to a first operation key of the key device, the first function being related to an image setting, and automatically assigning, as a second function, a second candidate to a second operation key of the key device, the first function and the second function being paired functions.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Ohashi Hisashi

Classifications

• H04N23/617 Primary

  Upgrading or updating of programs or applications for camera control · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/0238 Primary

  Programmable keyboards (key guide holders G06F3/0224) · CPC title

• H03M11/04

  Coding of multifunction keys · CPC title