# US 11,445,116 B2 · Imaging apparatus and display control method

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- Number: US 11,445,116 B2
- Document ID: US11445116B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/981,779
- Filed: 2018-12-27
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-26
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Applicants: Sony Corporation
- Inventors: Ayako Iwase; Shinji Kuriyama; Daisuke Yamamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445116B2

## CPC

- H04N 23/631: {Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters}
- G03B 17/02: Bodies
- G03B 17/18: Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light (indicating depth of field G03B13/30)
- H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
- G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

To perform appropriate display control, for example, according to automatic switching of a setting value of a setting item between a still image imaging mode and a moving image imaging mode during use of an imaging apparatus. Therefore, a display control unit is included that controls a display mode of a setting operation screen depending on whether a setting item related to imaging in a plurality of imaging modes is set to common setting for the plurality of imaging modes or independent setting for each imaging mode. In a case where the setting item is common setting, the display control unit performs control to display a setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes, and in a case where the setting item is independent setting, the display control unit performs control to display different setting operation screens for each imaging mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to:
control display of a first tab and a second tab, wherein each of the first tab and the second tab includes a setting item;
control display of a selection operation screen which includes a user selectable option for selection of the setting item as one of a common setting or an independent setting, wherein
the setting item is related to an imaging operation,
the common setting is commonly controlled for a plurality of imaging modes of the imaging apparatus, and
the independent setting is independently controlled for each imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
control, in a case where the setting item is selected as the common setting, display of a first setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes regardless of a current imaging mode of the imaging apparatus, wherein
the display of the first setting operation screen is controlled based on an instruction on an operation of the setting item included in both the first tab and the second tab, and
the first setting operation screen is configured to execute an operation of the setting item; and
control display of a second setting operation screen in a case where the setting item is selected as the independent setting, wherein
the display of the second setting operation screen is controlled based on the current imaging mode, and
the second setting operation screen is different from the first setting operation screen.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is further configured to control display of an icon indicating one of the common setting or the independent setting on a setting menu screen configured to display the setting item.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is further configured to control display of an icon that distinguishes a corresponding imaging mode based on display of the second setting operation screen of the independent setting.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is further configured to:
display a screen generated based on the imaging; and
based on an operation related to a target setting item on the displayed screen, control display of a first display mode in which display of the displayed screen is different based on whether the target setting item is the common setting or the independent setting.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein based on the setting item is the independent setting, the CPU is further configured to control display of a second display mode in which the second setting operation screen is different between a first case and a second case, wherein
in the first case, an operation to give an instruction on a setting operation of a first imaging mode for the setting item is performed in the first imaging mode,
in the second case, the operation to give the instruction on the setting operation of the first imaging mode for the setting item is performed in a second imaging mode, and
the plurality of imaging modes includes the first imaging mode and the second imaging mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the CPU is further configured to control display of the first tab and the second tab as a setting menu screen, wherein
the setting item of the first tab corresponds to a first imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes, and
the setting item of the second tab corresponds to a second imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein based on the setting item is the independent setting, the CPU is further configured to control display of an icon to distinguish that the setting item of the first tab corresponds to the first imaging mode and the setting item of the second tab corresponds to the second imaging mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein based on the setting item is the independent setting, the CPU is further configured to control display of different display modes in a first case and a second case,
in the first case, the setting item of the second tab is specified in the first imaging mode, and
in the second case, the setting item of the second tab is specified in the second imaging mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of imaging modes includes a still image imaging mode and a moving image imaging mode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a setting item that affects a captured image acquired by the imaging is selectable as the common setting and the independent setting.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a setting item that affects display of a screen generated based on the imaging is selectable as the common setting and the independent setting.

### Claim 12

An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to:
control display of a first tab and a second tab, wherein each of the first tab and the second tab includes a setting item;
control display of a selection operation screen which includes a user selectable option for selection of the setting item as one of a common setting or an independent setting, wherein
the setting item is related to an imaging operation,
the common setting is commonly controlled for a plurality of imaging modes of the imaging apparatus, and
the independent setting is independently controlled for each imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes; and
control selective storage of the setting item as the common setting or as the independent setting, wherein
in a case where the setting item of an operation target is selected as the common setting, the CPU is further configured to:
update a memory of a first setting value common to the plurality of imaging modes based on a first setting change operation; and
control display of a first setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes regardless of a current imaging mode of the imaging apparatus,
wherein the display of the first setting operation screen is controlled based on the first setting value and an instruction on an operation of the setting item included in both the first tab and the second tab, and
in a case where the setting item of the operation target is selected as the independent setting, the CPU is further configured to:
update the memory of a second setting value of an imaging mode of the operation target based on a second setting change operation of the imaging mode of the operation target; and
control display of a second setting operation screen based on the current imaging mode and the second setting value, wherein the second setting operation screen is different from the first setting operation screen.

### Claim 13

A display control method of an imaging apparatus, the display control method comprising:
controlling display of a first tab and a second tab, wherein each of the first tab and the second tab includes a setting item;
controlling display of a selection operation screen which includes a user selectable option for selection of the setting item as one of a common setting or an independent setting, wherein
the setting item is related to an imaging operation,
the common setting is commonly controlled for a plurality of imaging modes of the imaging apparatus, and
the independent setting is independently controlled for each imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
controlling, in a case where the setting item is selected as the common setting, display of a first setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes regardless of a current imaging mode of the imaging apparatus, wherein
the first setting operation screen is configured to execute an operation of the setting item, and
the display of the first setting operation screen is controlled based on an instruction on an operation of the setting item included in both the first tab and the second tab; and
controlling, in a case where the setting item is selected as the independent setting, display of a second setting operation screen, wherein
the display of the second setting operation screen is controlled based on the current imaging mode, and
the second setting operation screen is different from the first setting operation screen.

### Claim 14

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute operations, the operations comprising:
controlling display of a first tab and a second tab, wherein each of the first tab and the second tab includes a setting item;
controlling display of a selection operation screen which includes a user selectable option for selection of the setting item as one of a common setting or an independent setting, wherein
the setting item is related to an imaging operation,
the common setting is commonly controlled for a plurality of imaging modes, and
the independent setting is independently controlled for each imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
controlling, in a case where the setting item is selected as the common setting, display of a first setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes regardless of a current imaging mode, wherein
the first setting operation screen is configured to execute an operation of the setting item, and
the display of the first setting operation screen is controlled based on an instruction on an operation of the setting item included in both the first tab and the second tab; and
controlling, in a case where the setting item is selected as the independent setting, display of a second setting operation screen, wherein
the display of the second setting operation screen is controlled based on the current imaging mode, and
the second setting operation screen is different from the first setting operation screen.

### Claim 15

An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to:
control display of a first tab and a second tab as a setting menu screen, wherein
the first tab includes a setting item corresponding to a first imaging mode of a plurality of imaging modes of the imaging apparatus, and
the second tab includes a setting item corresponding to a second imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
control display of a selection operation screen which includes a user selectable option for selection of the setting item of the first tab or the second tab as one of a common setting or an independent setting, wherein
the setting item is related to an imaging operation,
the common setting is commonly controlled for the plurality of imaging modes, and
the independent setting is independently controlled for each imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
control, in a case where the setting item is the common setting, display of a first setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes regardless of a current imaging mode of the imaging apparatus, wherein
the first setting operation screen is configured to execute an operation of the setting item;
control display of a second setting operation screen in a case where the setting item is the independent setting, wherein
the display of the second setting operation screen is controlled based on the current imaging mode, and
the second setting operation screen is different from the first setting operation screen; and
control, in a case where the setting item is the independent setting, display of an icon to distinguish that the setting item of the first tab corresponds to the first imaging mode and the setting item of the second tab corresponds to the second imaging mode.

### Claim 16

An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a Central Processing Unit (CPU) configured to:
control display of a first tab and a second tab as a setting menu screen, wherein
the first tab includes a setting item corresponding to a first imaging mode of a plurality of imaging modes of the imaging apparatus, and
the second tab includes a setting item corresponding to a second imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
control display of a selection operation screen which includes a user selectable option for selection of the setting item of the first tab or the second tab as one of a common setting or an independent setting, wherein
the setting item is related to an imaging operation,
the common setting is commonly controlled for the plurality of imaging modes, and
the independent setting is independently controlled for each imaging mode of the plurality of imaging modes;
control, in a case where the setting item is the common setting, display of a first setting operation screen common to the plurality of imaging modes regardless of a current imaging mode of the imaging apparatus, wherein
the first setting operation screen is configured to execute an operation of the setting item;
control display of a second setting operation screen in a case where the setting item is the independent setting, wherein
the display of the second setting operation screen is controlled based on the current imaging mode, and
the second setting operation screen is different from the first setting operation screen; and
control, in a case where the setting item is the independent setting, display of different display modes in a first case and a second case,
in the first case, the setting item of the second tab is specified in the first imaging mode, and
in the second case, the setting item of the second tab is specified in the second imaging mode.