Image input system having image pickup device capable of mirror-direction panning

An image input system comprising:

• (a) an image pickup means for picking up an image of an object and being movable up-and-down and from side-to-side;
• (b) a support means for supporting the image pickup means such that switching is possible between a first image pickup mode for picking up an image of an object placed on a base, and a second image pickup mode for taking an image of an object that is not placed on said base;
• (c) image pickup direction designating means for designating the direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side of the image pickup means;
• (d) display mode switching means for switching the display form for an image picked up by the image pickup means between a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is and a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed top-to-bottom;
• (e) image pickup mode discriminating means for discriminating the image pickup mode of the image pickup means;
• and
• (f) control direction changing means which changes the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up and down and from side to side, given by the image pickup designating means, and (ii) the direction of up-and-down and side-to-side movement effected, in response to the designation.

A method for controlling an image pickup device movable from side-to-side, comprising the steps of:

• designating a direction of movement of the image pickup device;
• switching a display form for the image picked-up by the image pickup means between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed left-to-right;
• and
• changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of side-to-side movement, in response to the designation when the display form is switched in the switching step.

A method for controlling an image pickup device movable up-and-down and from side-to-side, comprising the steps of:

• designating a direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side of the image pickup device;
• switching the display form for an image picked-up by the image pickup device between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed top-to-bottom;
• discriminating the image pickup mode of the image pickup device;
• and
• changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of up-and-down and side-to-side movement effected, in response to the designation.

A computer-readable storage medium having instructions for causing a computer to control an image pickup device which is movable from side-to-side, the storage medium instructions causing the computer to perform the steps of:

• designating a direction of movement of the image pickup device;
• switching a display form for the image picked-up by the image pickup means between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed left-to-right;
• and
• changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of side-to-side movement, in response to the designation when the display form is switched in the switching step.

A computer-readable storage medium having instructions for causing a computer to control an image pickup device which is movable up-and-down and from side-to-side, the storage medium instructions causing the computer to perform the steps of:

• designating a direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side of the image pickup device;
• switching the display form for an image picked-up by the image pickup device between (i) a first image display form in which the image is displayed as it is, and (ii) a second image display form in which the image is displayed reversed top-to-bottom;
• discriminating the image pickup mode of the image pickup device;
• and
• changing the correspondence between (i) the designation regarding the direction of movement up-and-down and from side-to-side, given by the designating step, and (ii) the direction of up-and-down and side-to-side movement effected, in response to the designation.