Electronic device and control method thereof

Abstract

To perform display on a rotatable display without reducing visibility, which is the purpose of the present invention.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus having a first display has: acquisition means that acquires a first display direction being the display direction of the first display; setting means that can set the display direction of a second display on an external device from a plurality of settings including display directions in which the angles of rotation when seen from a reference direction of the second display are 90 degrees and 270 degrees; and control means that, when the first display direction is the display direction in which the angle of rotation is 90 degrees and the display direction of the second display is the display direction in which the angle of rotation is 270 degrees, and when the first display direction is the display direction in which the angle of rotation is 270 degrees and the display direction of the second display is the display direction in which the angle of rotation is 90 degrees, controls to rotate an image to be displayed on the first display by 180 degrees to obtain an image to be displayed on the second display before displaying the image on the second display.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device and a control method thereof, and more particularly to a technique for displaying an image on a rotatable display unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Shooting with a composition in which the long side of the image is vertical, so-called vertical shooting, is becoming more common. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a first housing for shooting a subject and a second housing having a display unit are rotated 90 degrees relative to each other via a connecting shaft that connects them so that they can rotate relative to each other, and the captured image is displayed on the display unit with its aspect ratio reversed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-35219 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a display unit rotates 90 degrees, it may be possible to physically rotate it 90 degrees clockwise or 270 degrees. In this case, the method of Patent Document 1 may result in the captured image being displayed inverted. In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to provide an electronic device that can display an image on a rotatable display unit without reducing visibility. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the electronic device of the present invention comprises: An electronic device having a first display unit that displays an image and predetermined information superimposed on the image, the electronic device comprising: a control means that controls to output the image and the predetermined information to an external device; an acquisition means that acquires a first display orientation that is the display orientation of the first display unit; and a setting means that is capable of setting the display orientation of a second display unit in the external device from a plurality of settings including a display orientation that is rotated at an angle of 90 degrees from a reference orientation of the second display unit and a display orientation that is rotated at an angle of 270 degrees from the reference orientation of the second display unit, wherein when the first display orientation acquired by the acquisition means is a display orientation that is rotated at an angle of 90 degrees from the reference orientation of the first display unit and the display orientation of the second display unit is a display orientation that is rotated at an angle of 270 degrees from the reference orientation of the second display unit, the control means The predetermined information is rotated by 270 degrees and then superimposed on the image and displayed on the first display unit; Display on the first display unit was The image and the predetermined information Rotate 180 degrees hand and control the display unit to output the display orientation to the external device, and when the first display orientation acquired by the acquisition means is a display orientation with a rotation angle of 270 degrees as viewed from the reference orientation of the first display unit, and the display orientation of the second display unit is a display orientation with a rotation angle of 90 degrees as viewed from the reference orientation of the second display unit, The predetermined information is rotated by 90 degrees and then superimposed on the image and displayed on the first display unit; Display on the first display unit was The image and the predetermined information Rotate 180 degrees hand and a control means for controlling the output to the external device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, when a display is made on a rotatable display unit, the display can be made without deteriorating visibility. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a video camera as an example of an apparatus to which the configuration of this embodiment can be applied. [Figure 2] 1 is an external view of a video camera as an example of an apparatus to which the configuration of this embodiment can be applied. [Figure 3]1 is a flowchart showing a display process according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a menu screen according to the present embodiment; [Figure 5] 1 is a flowchart showing HDMI (registered trademark) display processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart showing LCD display processing according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the orientation of the image displayed on the LCD and monitor depending on the combination of camera and monitor orientation [Figure 8] Figure 10 shows examples of captured images and captured information displayed in different camera and monitor orientations. [Figure 9] Diagram showing the relationship between VRAM and read direction DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a video camera 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] The lens mount 102 is a connection portion for an external lens. The image sensor 110 is an image sensor configured with a CCD, CMOS element, or the like that converts a light beam that has passed through an external lens attached to the lens mount 102 into an electrical signal.

[0010] The video signal processing unit 121 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using signals from the image sensor 110 to generate image data. The CPU 131 performs exposure control and distance measurement control based on the calculation results obtained by the video signal processing unit 121. This results in TTL (through-the-lens) AF (autofocus) processing and AE (auto exposure) processing. The video signal processing unit 121 also performs predetermined arithmetic processing, and performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained calculation results.

[0011] The image data processed by the video signal processing unit 121 is stored in the memory 132 and then written to the recording medium 173 via the I / F 172. The image data stored in the memory 132 can be output from the HDMI output terminal 154 via the display control unit 151.

[0012] The nonvolatile memory 133 is a memory serving as an electrically erasable and recordable recording medium, and may be, for example, a Flash ROM. The nonvolatile memory 133 stores constants, programs, etc. for the operation of the CPU 131. The programs referred to here are computer programs for executing various flowcharts described later in this embodiment.

[0013] The CPU 131 is a control unit having at least one processor or circuit, and controls the entire video camera 100 via the bus 150. By executing the programs recorded in the nonvolatile memory 133 described above, each process of this embodiment, which will be described later, is realized.

[0014] For example, a RAM is used as the memory 132. Constants, variables, etc. for the operation of the CPU 131 are loaded in the memory 132. The memory 132 also serves as a memory (VRAM) for image display. The CPU 131 also controls the memory 132 and the display control unit 151 to perform display control.

[0015] The GPU 152 reads character font data and icon image data from the non-volatile memory 133 and draws OSD (on-screen display) data in the VRAM of the memory 132. By rotating icons, characters, etc. by 90 degrees or 270 degrees and drawing them, it is also possible to draw VRAM specialized for vertical shooting. In other words, it is possible to draw in a display direction that is 90 degrees different from the reference direction.

[0016] The display control unit 151 reads the image and OSD VRAM from the memory 132, performs predetermined calculations such as VRAM composition, and then outputs a video signal to the LCD 153 and the HDMI terminal 155. As will be described later, the display control unit 151 can perform a 180-degree rotated display by reading the VRAM upside down and left and right. The display control unit 151 can also output a control signal from the HDMI terminal 154 to control the connected external monitor 301.

[0017] Hinge 155 is a connection part with a two-axis rotation mechanism located between LCD 153 and housing 101. Hinge 155 can realize at least two movable states: a state in which hinge 155 is operated so that LCD 153 is in a position in contact with housing 101 and the screen faces outward, and a state in which hinge 155 is operated so that LCD 153 is in a position away from housing 101 and the screen faces inward. Hinge 155 also has a function to detect which state it is in.

[0018] The touch panel 156 can detect a finger touching the LCD 153, and the CPU 131 can read the coordinates of the touch.

[0019] The power supply unit 157 supplies power to the entire video camera 100 .

[0020] The operation unit 164 is an operation unit made up of operation members such as various switches and buttons that accept various operations from the user, and is equipped with at least a power switch, menu key, direction keys, a decision key, an assignment button, and the like.

[0021] The external monitor 301 is an external monitor (external device) that can be connected to the video camera 100 via the HDMI input terminal 303 via a cable connected to the HDMI output terminal 154. The display unit 302 is the display unit of the external monitor 301, and can display (output) a video signal output from the video camera 100 under the control of the CPU 304. The external monitor 301 has a support and legs that are suitable for an orientation in which the long side of the display unit 302 is horizontal. In this embodiment, this orientation is treated as the reference direction of the external monitor. Note that the external monitor 301 may also have a support that can rotate so that the long side of the display unit 302 is vertical. Alternatively, the external monitor 301 may have an attachment unit that can be attached to the video camera 100 via the accessory shoe 104, which will be described later.

[0022] 1, the video camera 100 may be provided with an orientation detection unit capable of detecting the orientation of the video camera 100. In this case, the CPU 131 acquires the display orientation of the LCD 153 according to the result of the orientation detection unit.

[0023] 2(a) and 2(b) are external views of the video camera 100 according to this embodiment, and FIG.

[0024] FIG. 2(a) shows a state in which the hinge 155 is operated so that the LCD 153 is in contact with the housing 101 and the screen faces outward. In this position, the image sensor 110 and the LCD 153 are both oriented with their long sides horizontal, and the image displayed on the LCD 153 is also landscape-oriented. At this time, the display unit 302 of the external monitor 301 displays the same landscape-oriented image as the LCD 153. Because both the LCD 153 and the display unit 302 have landscape-oriented display areas, the respective display areas can be effectively utilized to display the landscape-oriented image. In this embodiment, the position of the video camera 100 at this time, i.e., the position in which the longitudinal direction of the LCD 153 is horizontal, is treated as the reference orientation of the video camera 100.

[0025] When the video camera 100 is rotated 90 degrees from the reference orientation on the display surface of the LCD 153, the long sides of both the image sensor 110 and the LCD 153 are oriented vertically. This orientation, i.e., vertical shooting, is desirable for capturing images of a vertically elongated subject, such as a person standing upright, with higher resolution. The same is true when the video camera 100 is rotated 270 degrees from the reference orientation on the display surface of the LCD 153. The user can select whether to use a 90-degree or 270-degree rotation orientation for vertical shooting, taking into consideration factors such as the presence of obstacles around the video camera 100, ease of operation of the operation unit 164, handling of attached accessories and cables, and fatigue of the user. Depending on the shooting situation, it may be possible to frequently switch between the 90-degree rotation orientation and the 270-degree rotation orientation to capture a series of shots.

[0026] On the other hand, if the external monitor 301 is rotated 90 degrees from the reference orientation on the display surface of the display unit 302, the screen of the external monitor will be oriented with its long side facing vertically. This orientation is desirable for monitoring images taken vertically with the video camera 100. The same is true when the external monitor is rotated 270 degrees from the reference orientation on the display surface of the external monitor. The user can select whether to rotate the external monitor 301 90 degrees or 270 degrees, taking into consideration the corresponding orientation of the rotation mechanism of the stand of the external monitor 301, which orientation is preferable for the operation unit of the external monitor 301 relative to the screen, and so on.

[0027] The housing 101 is the housing of the video camera 100 and contains all the components except for the LCD 153 .

[0028] An external monitor 301 larger than LCD 153 can be attached to accessory shoe 104, allowing monitoring of images output from HDMI terminal 155. In this way, monitoring using a large monitor can be performed in a compact manner without the need to provide a separate installation location for the external monitor from video camera 100. In this configuration, when video camera 100 is rotated 90 degrees, the external monitor is also rotated 90 degrees, and when video camera 100 is rotated 270 degrees, external monitor 301 is also rotated 270 degrees.

[0029] FIG. 2(b) shows the state in which the camera 100 is in a reference position, the hinge 155 is rotated 180 degrees from the state in FIG. 2(a), and the LCD 153 is rotated so that it faces the same direction as in FIG. 1(a).

[0030] In this state, if the image displayed in the reference direction in Figure 2(a) is displayed on LCD 153 as is, the image displayed on LCD 153 will be upside down and left to right inverted. To achieve a preferable display form, CPU 131 rotates the image 180 degrees using display control unit 151 based on the rotation state of hinge 155 and outputs the image to LCD 153, thereby enabling display in the same apparent orientation as Figure 1(a). In this embodiment, both the orientation in Figure 2(a) and the orientation in Figure 2(b) are treated as orientations of the video camera 100 in the reference direction.

[0031] The display processing in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. This processing is realized by loading a program recorded in non-volatile memory 133 into memory 132 and executing it with CPU 131. Note that this processing starts when video camera 100 is powered on by operating a power switch included in operation unit 164, enabling display on LCD 153 and external monitor 301.

[0032] In S301, the CPU 131 determines whether or not a menu display has been requested by pressing a menu key included in the operation unit 164. If it is determined that the menu screen is to be displayed, the process proceeds to S302, and if not, the process proceeds to S319.

[0033] In S302, the CPU 131 displays a menu screen on the LCD 153. On the menu screen, items indicating settings such as time settings, settings related to AF (focusing) processing, and whether or not to superimpose information display on the LV (live view) screen are displayed on separate pages. As will be described later, the menu screen also displays items indicating settings related to the display orientation of the LCD 153 and the display orientation of the external monitor 301 via HDMI. The user can select an item to be set on the menu screen using directional keys included in the operation unit 164. Each menu setting can also be assigned to an assignable button included in the operation unit 164. By pressing an assignable button to which a menu setting is assigned, the setting can be changed at any time without opening the menu screen, according to a flow not shown.

[0034] Here, the items displayed on the menu screen will be described with reference to Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 4(a), the menu screen includes the following setting items. That is, an item 401 for setting the display direction of the LCD 153 (hereinafter referred to as LCD display direction) and an item 402 for setting the display direction of the video signal output from the HDMI output terminal 154 (hereinafter referred to as HDMI display direction) are displayed. This also makes it possible to set the display direction.

[0035] Here, the display orientation refers to the rotation direction of the output image, text, etc., and refers to the display angle or rotation angle relative to the display orientation when no rotation processing is performed. For example, when set to standard, it refers to a state in which the video camera 100 and external monitor 301 are in the standard orientation (video camera 100 in the state of FIG. 2(a) and external monitor 301 in the state of FIG. 2(c)), and the images and text are displayed in an orientation that is easy for the user to read. The standard orientations are those in which the longitudinal direction of the display surface is horizontal and the bottom of each device is facing the direction of gravity. For a monitor, the standard orientation is the direction set so that the longitudinal direction is horizontal with the feet facing up. In other words, the standard is to display and output without rotation processing. When set to 90-degree rotation, images, text, icons, etc. are rotated 90 degrees clockwise relative to the standard display state and displayed on the display unit. As a result, when the display unit is rotated 90 degrees clockwise, the images and text are displayed in an orientation that is easy for the user to read. The standard setting indicates the reference direction and indicates the display direction of 0 degrees rotation (output without rotation processing).

[0036] In S303, the CPU 131 determines whether the display orientation of the LCD 153 being set is standard. The set display orientation of the LCD 153 and the display orientation of the HDMI are recorded in the memory 132. The CPU 131 makes this determination by referring to the memory 132. If it is determined that the display orientation of the LCD 153 is standard, the process proceeds to S304, and if not, the process proceeds to S305.

[0037] In S304, the CPU 131 grays out item 402 on the menu screen displayed on the LCD 153. A grayed-out item is visually distinguishable from other items and indicates that a setting change is not accepted. The standard LCD display orientation means that the video camera 100 is oriented in the reference direction and is oriented to capture landscape images. Therefore, if the orientation of the external monitor 301 is also in the reference direction, the user can view the captured image in the direction captured by the video camera 100. In other words, since there is no need to change the display orientation to 90 degrees or 270 degrees, when the LCD display orientation is set to the standard, the HDMI display orientation is also set to the reference direction. Thus, graying out item 402 prevents the user from selecting settings that do not need to be changed, thereby avoiding additional setting operations and confusion. Note that when item 402 is grayed out, the setting cannot be changed even by pressing the assign button to which item 402 is assigned. For example, when shooting vertically with video camera 100, the HDMI display setting may be set to 90 degrees or 270 degrees, as described below. When changing from this state to shooting horizontally, the user is likely to change the display orientation of LCD 153 to standard and then change the orientation of external monitor 301 to the reference direction. In this case, since it is desirable for the HDMI display orientation to be the same as the display orientation of LCD 153, item 402 is grayed out and the image is output without rotation processing regardless of the state of the HDMI display setting, as described below. This makes it possible to output images in an orientation that is easy for the user to view, while reducing the number of setting operations required by the user.

[0038] In S305, the CPU 131 cancels the graying out of the menu item 402 on the menu screen being displayed on the LCD 153.

[0039] In S306, CPU 131 determines whether an instruction to change the LCD display orientation has been given on the menu screen. That is, it determines whether item 401 has been selected on the menu screen. Selection of items 401 and 402 can be performed by operating the direction keys and enter key included in operation unit 164 or by touching LCD 153. If it is determined that an instruction to change the LCD display orientation has been given, the process proceeds to S307; otherwise, the process proceeds to S311.

[0040] In S307, the CPU 131 displays LCD display orientation options on the LCD 153. Specifically, standard, rotated 90 degrees, and rotated 270 degrees are displayed as options. FIG. 4B shows an example of LCD display orientation options. Item 403 indicates the standard LCD display orientation, item 404 indicates the rotated 90 degrees LCD display orientation, and item 405 indicates the rotated 270 degrees LCD display orientation, and the user can select any of them. Both the 90-degree and 270-degree orientations are rotated 90 degrees from the standard orientation. An item can be selected by operating the direction keys and the enter key included in the operation unit 164. Setting the LCD 153 display orientation to the standard is a setting for capturing landscape images with the video camera 100 in the standard orientation. Setting the LCD 153 display orientation to rotate 90 degrees is a setting for capturing portrait images with the video camera 100 rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the standard orientation. Furthermore, the setting to rotate the display orientation of LCD 153 by 270 degrees is a setting for when a portrait image is captured with video camera 100 rotated 270 degrees clockwise from the reference orientation. In other words, the display orientation setting depends on the orientation of video camera 100, but by allowing the user to set the shooting orientation on a menu screen on location, etc., the user can be aware of the shooting settings, which makes it easier to set other related items correctly.

[0041] In S308, the CPU 131 determines whether the currently set LCD display orientation has been changed by the user. If it is determined that the LCD display orientation has been changed, the process proceeds to S309; otherwise, the process proceeds to S310.

[0042] In S309, the CPU 131 records the LCD display direction setting in the memory 132.

[0043] In S310, the CPU 131 determines whether or not to end the setting of the LCD display orientation. The setting of the LCD display orientation can be ended by pressing the back button 73. If it is determined that the setting of the LCD display orientation is to be ended, the process returns to S303; otherwise, the process returns to S307. The processing of S310 does not have to be performed. Instead of setting the display orientation of the LCD 153 via a menu in the flow from S306 to S310, a configuration is also possible in which this setting is changed automatically. For example, if the video camera 100 is equipped with an orientation detection unit such as a gravity sensor, the orientation can be determined. Based on the orientation detection result, the CPU 131 can determine whether the video camera 100 is in the reference orientation, rotated 90 degrees, or rotated 270 degrees, and automatically set the display orientation according to that orientation.

[0044] In S311, the CPU 131 determines whether an instruction to change the HDMI display direction has been given on the menu screen. That is, it determines whether the item 402 has been selected on the menu screen. If it is determined that an instruction to change the HDMI display direction has been given, the process proceeds to S312; otherwise, the process proceeds to S317.

[0045] In S312, the CPU 131 determines whether the current LCD display orientation setting is standard. If standard is set, the process proceeds to S306; if not, the process proceeds to S313. If the LCD display orientation is set to standard, the HDMI display orientation setting is grayed out as described above, so the setting change process is not performed and the process proceeds to S306.

[0046] In S313, the CPU 131 displays selection options for the HDMI display orientation on the LCD 153. Specifically, LCD-linked, 90-degree rotation, and 270-degree rotation are displayed as selection options. FIG. 4C shows an example of selection options for the HDMI display orientation. Item 406 indicates that the HDMI display orientation is LCD-linked, item 407 indicates that the HDMI display orientation is rotated 90 degrees, and item 408 indicates that the HDMI display orientation is rotated 270 degrees, and the user can select any of these. Both 90 degrees and 270 degrees indicate a rotation angle that differs by 90 degrees from the reference orientation and are displayed in portrait orientation. The selection operation in S313 can be performed by operating the direction keys and enter key included in the operation unit 164. The setting of rotating the HDMI display orientation by 90 degrees is for displaying an image in portrait orientation with the external monitor 301 rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the reference orientation. Furthermore, the setting for rotating the HDMI display orientation by 270 degrees is a setting for displaying an image in a portrait orientation in which the external monitor 301 is rotated 270 degrees clockwise from the reference orientation. In other words, the setting for the HDMI display orientation indicates the orientation of the external monitor 301. In this way, by allowing the orientation of the external monitor 301 to be selected from camera-linked, 90 degrees, and 270 degrees, and by performing display output accordingly, the number of setting operations can be reduced when the external monitor 301 is attached integrally with the video camera 100 or when the orientation is changed in conjunction with the video camera 100. In other words, setting the orientation to camera-linked eliminates the hassle of having to reset the display orientation of the external monitor 301 every time the orientation of the video camera 100 is changed. Otherwise, setting the display orientation allows appropriate output according to the orientation of the external monitor 301.

[0047] In S314, the CPU 131 determines whether the currently set HDMI display direction has been changed by the user. If it is determined that the HDMI display direction has been changed, the process proceeds to S315; otherwise, the process proceeds to S316.

[0048] In S315, the CPU 131 records the HDMI display direction setting in the memory 132.

[0049] In S316, the CPU 131 determines whether or not to end the setting of the HDMI display direction. The setting of the HDMI display direction can be ended by pressing the back button 73. If it is determined that the setting of the HDMI display direction is to be ended, the process returns to S306; otherwise, the process returns to S313. Note that the process of S316 does not have to be performed. In S317, the CPU 131 determines whether or not to end the menu screen. The menu screen can be displayed by pressing a menu key included in the operation unit 164. If it is determined that the menu screen is to be ended, the process returns to S301; otherwise, the process proceeds to S318.

[0050] In S318, the CPU 131 changes the settings of other items, such as settings related to WB (white balance) processing and settings related to image capture resolution.

[0051] In S319, the CPU 131 determines whether or not the mode has been switched to the shooting mode. The shooting mode can be switched by pressing the shutter button, using a mode changeover switch, etc. If it is determined that the mode has been switched to the shooting mode, the process proceeds to S320; otherwise, the process proceeds to S323. In S320, the CPU 131 performs the HDMI display process of FIG.

[0052] In S321, the CPU 131 performs the LCD display process of Fig. 6. That is, the captured image is displayed on the LCD 153 without being rotated.

[0053] In S322, the CPU 131 performs a photographing process. In the photographing process, still images and videos can be photographed.

[0054] In S323, CPU 131 determines whether or not to end the display process. The display process ends when an instruction to turn off the power is given by operating a power switch included in operation unit 164. If it is determined that the display process should be ended, the process of FIG. 3 ends; otherwise, the process returns to S301.

[0055] In the embodiment described above, the user can set the LCD display direction and the HDMI display direction on the menu screen.

[0056] Next, the HDMI display processing in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. This processing is realized by the CPU 131 controlling each unit of the video camera 100 based on a program recorded in the non-volatile memory 133. The HDMI display processing starts by proceeding to S320 in Fig. 3.

[0057] In S501, the CPU 131 acquires the display directions of the LCD and HDMI from the memory 132.

[0058] In S502, the CPU 131 determines whether or not the display orientation of the LCD is set to the standard. If it is determined that the display orientation of the LCD is set to the standard, the process proceeds to S503, and if not, the process proceeds to S504.

[0059] In S503, the CPU 131 outputs the image and OSD (On Screen Display, information superimposed on the image) to the HDMI without rotating them. Therefore, the external monitor 301 displays a captured image 801 and captured information 802 as shown in FIG. 8(a). FIG. 8(a) shows that the LCD 153 of the video camera 100 and the external monitor 301 are both oriented in the reference direction. The captured image 801 and captured information 802 are both displayed in the same orientation as seen by the user.

[0060] In S504, the CPU 131 determines whether or not the display orientation of the LCD is set to be rotated 90 degrees. If the display orientation of the LCD is set to be rotated 90 degrees, the process proceeds to S505; if not, the process proceeds to S509.

[0061] In S505, the CPU 131 determines whether or not the display direction of the HDMI is set to LCD-linked. If it is set to LCD-linked, the process proceeds to S507, and if not, the process proceeds to S506.

[0062] In S506, the CPU 131 determines whether or not the display direction of the HDMI is set to rotate by 90 degrees. If it is set to rotate by 90 degrees, the process proceeds to S507, and if not, the process proceeds to S508.

[0063] In S507, the CPU 131 rotates the shooting information by 90 degrees and displays it, but does not rotate the image to be output to the HDMI output terminal 154, and outputs the image to the HDMI in the same display orientation as the LCD 153. The display state at this time is as shown in FIG. 8(b). FIG. 8(b) shows that the video camera 100 and the external monitor 301 are both rotated 270 degrees clockwise from the reference orientation. The shot image 801 and the shooting information 802 are both displayed in the same orientation when viewed from the user.

[0064] In S508, the CPU 131 rotates the image capture information 802 by 90 degrees and renders it, while rotating the image to be output to the HDMI output terminal 154 by 180 degrees and outputting it. The display state at this time is as shown in FIG. 8(c). FIG. 8(c) shows that the video camera 100 is at an angle of 270 degrees from the reference direction and the external monitor 301 is at an angle of 90 degrees from the reference direction. The captured image 801 and the captured image information 802 are both displayed in the same orientation as seen by the user. The captured image information 802 is not simply rotated for display; rather, its display position is changed so that it is positioned in the upper right corner of the screen as seen by the user, as in FIG. 8(a). The process of rotating the HDMI display direction by 180 degrees can be realized by changing the VRAM read order, which will be described later. Note that instead of rotating the image by changing the VRAM read order, a control signal for rotating the image by 180 degrees may be output from the display control unit 151 to the HDMI output terminal 154. If the external monitor connected to HDMI output terminal 154 supports the 180-degree rotation signal, the image can be rotated 180 degrees using the external monitor's functions. In this way, video camera 100 does not need a function to change the VRAM read order for HDMI output. On the other hand, when rotating an image by changing the VRAM read order, the external monitor does not need a function to receive a 180-degree rotation signal and display the rotated image, so 180-degree rotation display can be achieved on a general monitor. In S509, CPU 131 determines whether the HDMI display direction is set to LCD-linked. If it is set to LCD-linked, proceed to S511; if not, proceed to S510.

[0065] In S510, the CPU 131 determines whether or not the display direction of the HDMI is set to 270-degree rotation. If it is set to 270-degree rotation, the process proceeds to S511, and if not, the process proceeds to S512.

[0066] In S511, the CPU 131 rotates the shooting information 802 by 270 degrees and displays it, but does not rotate the image output to the HDMI output terminal 154, and outputs the same content as on the LCD 153 to the HDMI. The display state at this time is as shown in FIG. 8(d). FIG. 8(d) shows that the video camera 100 and the external monitor 301 are both rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the reference orientation. The shot image 801 and the shooting information 802 are both displayed in the same orientation when viewed from the user.

[0067] In S512, the CPU 131 rotates the shooting information 802 by 270 degrees and displays it, while rotating the image to be output to the HDMI output terminal 154 by 180 degrees and outputting it. The display state at this time is as shown in FIG. 8(e). FIG. 8(e) shows that the video camera 100 is at an angle of 90 degrees from the reference direction and the external monitor 301 is at an angle of 270 degrees from the reference direction. The shot image 801 and the shooting information 802 are both displayed in the same orientation as seen by the user. Next, the LCD display processing in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. This processing is realized by the CPU 131 controlling each unit of the video camera 100 based on a program recorded in the non-volatile memory 133. The LCD display processing starts by proceeding to S321 in FIG. 3.

[0068] In S601, the CPU 131 acquires the operating state of the hinge 155 and determines whether the hinge is in the state shown in Fig. 2(a). If it is in the state shown in Fig. 2(a), the process proceeds to S602, and if not, the process proceeds to S603.

[0069] In S602, the CPU 131 displays the image being captured on the LCD 153 without rotating it.

[0070] In S603, the CPU 131 rotates the image being captured by 180 degrees and displays it on the LCD 153.

[0071] By the above flow, regardless of whether the LCD 153 is in the state shown in FIG. 2(a) or FIG. 2(b), it is possible to display an image on the LCD 153 in a direction that is preferable for the user.

[0072] Figure 9 illustrates the relationship between VRAM and readout direction. VRAM can be represented as a two-dimensional plane, such as 901(a). Video data is typically read out sequentially, starting from the upper-left pixel 902(a) and moving to the right. Once the right edge is reached, the readout position shifts to the left edge one line below. Repeating this process until the bottom-right pixel 903(a) is reached marks the completion of reading one screen's worth of VRAM data. Reading this data in the same order as the drawing sequence and displaying it on the external monitor 301 results in a standard, unrotated display (901(b)). On the other hand, if the readout sequence is performed in the exact opposite order to the drawing sequence, starting from the bottom-right pixel 903a toward the top-left pixel 902(a), the external monitor 301 can display a 180-degree rotated image (901(c)). In other words, by reading the VRAM in the reversed vertical and horizontal directions, a 180-degree rotated image can be output to the external monitor 301. Note that the CPU 304 of the external monitor 301 may control the rotation process.

[0073] According to the embodiment described above, a determination is made as to whether or not to perform image rotation processing when outputting to HDMI depending on the display orientation of the LCD and HDMI set by the user, and if rotation processing is required, the image is rotated 180 degrees before being output.

[0074] That is, if the determination in S506 or S510 is No, the image is rotated 180 degrees and output to the HDMI output terminal 154. As a result, even if the orientation of the video camera 100 and the orientation of the external monitor 301 differ by 180 degrees, the image can be displayed appropriately on the external monitor 301 without being upside down. Whether the image is rotated 180 degrees and output is controlled depending on whether it is rotated 90 degrees from the reference orientation or 270 degrees, which is 180 degrees different from 90 degrees. If the image is not rotated 180 degrees, the image is not rotated. That is, the orientation of the video camera 100 and the orientation of the external monitor 301 can be selected on the menu screen, and whether the image is rotated 180 degrees is determined depending on the selection. As a result, even if the user shoots or displays the image in portrait orientation by rotating it 90 degrees or 270 degrees, the image can be displayed in an orientation that is easy for the user to view.

[0075] Furthermore, if the determination in S506 is Yes or if the determination in S510 is Yes, the image is output to the HDMI output terminal 154 without being rotated. FIG. 7 shows a table that separates cases where the image is rotated 180 degrees and output to HDMI from cases where it is not. If the HDMI display orientation is set in advance to 90 degrees or 270 degrees to match the installation orientation of the external monitor 301, there is no need to reset the HDMI display orientation even if the user frequently changes the LCD display orientation between 90 degrees and 270 degrees depending on the shooting situation. Furthermore, it is possible to continue displaying the image and OSD on the external monitor 301 in the desired orientation without having to reinstall the external monitor 301.

[0076] Furthermore, if S502 returns Yes, the image is output via HDMI without being rotated, regardless of the HDMI display orientation setting. This allows the external monitor 301 to output the same image as the LCD 153 without changing the HDMI display orientation setting, even if the user wishes to switch to landscape mode during portrait shooting. On the other hand, if S502 returns No, i.e., the LCD display orientation is portrait, the user is shooting portrait mode, and the external monitor 301 is likely also set to portrait orientation. When used landscape mode, the external monitor 301 is installed with its feet facing the ground. On the other hand, when the external monitor 301 is set to portrait orientation, it is unclear whether the image will be rotated 90 degrees or 270 degrees from the standard orientation. If the LCD display orientation is 90 degrees and the HDMI display orientation is 270 degrees, or if the LCD display orientation is 270 degrees and the HDMI display orientation is 90 degrees, the captured image and capture information may appear upside down to the user unless the image is rotated. Therefore, when the LCD display orientation is set to portrait orientation, the HDMI display orientation setting is determined and the corresponding rotation processing is performed, so that the captured image and capture information can be displayed in an orientation that is easy for the user to view.

[0077] Regardless of the display orientation setting, images are output via HDMI without being rotated. This improves operability even when the external monitor is attached to the accessory shoe 104 and the orientation of the video camera 100 and the external monitor 301 always match. In other words, it is not necessary to reset the HDMI display orientation every time the display orientation of the LCD 153 is changed, and images can always be displayed in the desired orientation on the external monitor.

[0078] Note that even if the video camera 100 does not perform rotation processing when outputting to HDMI, the image may be output to the HDMI side along with an instruction to rotate the image, and the image may be rotated and displayed on the external monitor 301.

[0079] The various controls described above as being performed by the CPU 131 may be performed by a single piece of hardware, or the entire device may be controlled by a plurality of pieces of hardware sharing the processing.

[0080] Furthermore, although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention are also included in the present invention. Furthermore, each of the above-described embodiments merely represents one embodiment of the present invention, and each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

[0081] The HDMI terminal 154 can be replaced with a terminal that supports a different video output standard, such as SDI. The present invention can also be applied to cases where images are transmitted to an external monitor via IP using Ethernet or wireless LAN.

[0082] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to an imaging control device, but the present invention is not limited to this example and can be applied to any electronic device that can output video to an external device. That is, the present invention can be applied to mobile phone terminals, portable image viewers, printer devices with viewfinders, digital photo frames, music players, game consoles, electronic book readers, and the like.

[0083] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by executing the following process. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or various recording media, and the computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or device reads and executes the program code. In this case, the program and the storage medium on which the program is stored constitute the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic device having an image and a first display unit that displays predetermined information superimposed on the image, a control means for controlling the image and the predetermined information to be output to an external device; an acquisition means for acquiring a first display direction, which is a display direction of the first display unit; a setting means for setting the display orientation of the second display unit of the external device from a plurality of settings including a display orientation in which the angle of rotation of the second display unit is 90 degrees from a reference orientation of the second display unit and a display orientation in which the angle of rotation of the second display unit is 270 degrees from the reference orientation of the second display unit; The control means when the first display orientation acquired by the acquisition means is a display orientation with a rotation angle of 90 degrees as viewed from a reference orientation of the first display unit, and the display orientation of the second display unit is a display orientation with a rotation angle of 270 degrees as viewed from a reference orientation of the second display unit, control is performed so that the predetermined information is rotated 270 degrees and then superimposed on the image and displayed on the first display unit, and the image and the predetermined information displayed on the first display unit are rotated 180 degrees and then output to the external device, and a control means for controlling the display of the image and the predetermined information displayed on the first display unit by rotating the predetermined information by 90 degrees and then superimposing the predetermined information on the image when the first display direction acquired by the acquisition means is a display direction having a rotation angle of 270 degrees from the reference direction of the first display unit and the display direction of the second display unit is a display direction having a rotation angle of 90 degrees from the reference direction of the second display unit, and for controlling the display of the image and the predetermined information displayed on the first display unit by rotating the predetermined information by 180 degrees and then outputting the predetermined information to the external device.

2. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising a selection means for allowing a user to select, as the first display orientation, at least one of a display orientation having a rotation angle of 90 degrees from a reference orientation of the first display unit and a display orientation having a rotation angle of 270 degrees from a reference orientation of the first display unit.

3. The control means when the first display orientation acquired by the acquisition means is a display orientation rotated by 90 degrees from a reference orientation of the first display unit, and the display orientation of the second display unit is a display orientation rotated by 90 degrees from a reference orientation of the second display unit, control is performed so that the predetermined information is rotated by 270 degrees and then superimposed on the image and displayed on the first display unit, and the image and the predetermined information displayed on the first display unit are output to the external device without being rotated, 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the first display orientation acquired by the acquisition means is a display orientation in which the angle of rotation is 270 degrees from the reference orientation of the first display unit, and the display orientation of the second display unit is a display orientation in which the angle of rotation is 270 degrees from the reference orientation of the second display unit, the specified information is rotated 90 degrees and then superimposed on the image and displayed on the first display unit, and the image and the specified information displayed on the first display unit are output to the external device without being rotated.

4. further comprising an orientation detection means capable of detecting the orientation of the first display unit; The electronic device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquiring means acquires the first display orientation in accordance with the orientation detected by the orientation detecting means.

5. 5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the image to be output to the external device to be rotated 180 degrees by reading the VRAM in the upside-down and left-right reversed orientation before outputting the image to the external device.

6. the setting means is capable of setting whether the display orientation of the second display unit is linked to the display orientation of the first display unit; The electronic device described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the control means has a control means that, when the setting means sets the display orientation of the second display unit to be linked to the display orientation of the first display unit, controls the external device to output an image in the same orientation as the image displayed on the first display unit, regardless of the orientation of the electronic device.

7. a first selection means for selecting whether a first display direction, which is a display direction of the first display unit, is a reference direction, a direction rotated by 90 degrees from the reference direction, or a direction rotated by 270 degrees from the reference direction; further comprising a second selection means for selecting a display direction of a second display unit in the external device; The control means When the first display orientation selected by the first selection means is the reference orientation, the second selection means is prevented from selecting the display orientation of the second display unit; 7. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the first display orientation selected by the first selection means is an orientation that is rotated 90 degrees from the reference orientation or an orientation that is rotated 270 degrees from the reference orientation, the second selection means is controlled to select the display orientation of the second display unit.

8. 8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the control means displays a first item for changing the first display orientation of the first display unit and a second item for changing the display orientation of the second display unit on a menu screen, and controls the display form of the second item to be changed when the first display orientation is selected as the reference orientation.

9. 9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the reference direction is a direction in which the longitudinal direction of the first display unit or the second display unit is horizontal.

10. 1. A method for controlling an electronic device having a first display unit that displays an image and predetermined information superimposed on the image, a control step of controlling the image and the predetermined information to be output to an external device; an acquisition step of acquiring a first display orientation that is a display orientation of the first display unit; a setting step for setting the display orientation of the second display unit of the external device from a plurality of settings including a display orientation in which the angle of rotation seen from a reference orientation of the second display unit is 90 degrees and a display orientation in which the angle of rotation seen from the reference orientation of the second display unit is 270 degrees; The control step when the first display orientation acquired in the acquiring step is a display orientation with a rotation angle of 90 degrees as viewed from a reference orientation of the first display unit, and the display orientation of the second display unit is a display orientation with a rotation angle of 270 degrees as viewed from a reference orientation of the second display unit, control is performed so that the predetermined information is rotated 270 degrees and then superimposed on the image and displayed on the first display unit, and the image and the predetermined information displayed on the first display unit are rotated 180 degrees and then output to the external device; a control step of controlling the image and the specified information displayed on the first display unit to be rotated 180 degrees and then output to the external device when the first display direction acquired in the acquisition step is a display direction having a rotation angle of 270 degrees from the reference direction of the first display unit and the display direction of the second display unit is a display direction having a rotation angle of 90 degrees from the reference direction of the second display unit, and rotating the specified information by 90 degrees and then superimposing it on the image and displaying it on the first display unit, and rotating the image and the specified information displayed on the first display unit by 180 degrees and outputting them to the external device.

11. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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