Image capture device and image capture device control method

Abstract

To provide an imaging apparatus which switches a display mode of a movable display part.SOLUTION: An imaging apparatus contains: a main body containing an imaging part; a display part including a plurality of display modes which can be moved against the main body; a detection part that detects a position of the display part against the main body; and a control part that controls a switch of the display mode in accordance with a combination of a current display mode of the display part and the change of the position. The control part switches the mode to a second display mode when an angle exceeds a first angle under the first display mode, and switches the mode to the first display mode when the angle is less than a second angle larger than that of the first angle under the second display mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification (hereinafter referred to as "the present disclosure") relates to an imaging device having a display unit that displays an image on the back of the main body, and a control method for the imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, digital cameras are equipped with a display panel on the back of the camera body that displays live-view images and captured images. When the display panel is movable and supported by the camera body, the photographer can easily take pictures by appropriately adjusting the rotation angle of the display panel relative to the camera body. Furthermore, such digital cameras can switch the display, such as flipping the image displayed on the display panel vertically or horizontally, depending on the rotation position of the display panel, allowing the photographer to view the displayed image without feeling uncomfortable.

[0003] Known methods for moving a display panel relative to a digital camera body include the vari-angle method and the tilt method. In either method, a sensor can be incorporated into the hinge mechanism or other mechanism to detect the rotational position of the display panel relative to the camera body and automatically change the orientation of the displayed image. Furthermore, in order to reduce costs and achieve this with a minimum sensor configuration, the display image orientation is often simplified to just a few patterns.

[0004] For example, an electronic device has been proposed in which a first magnet and a second magnet are arranged in the movable part of the electronic device, and a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor are arranged in the device body, and control is performed according to the movable state of the movable part relative to the device body based on the output signals of the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-42743 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an imaging device having a movable display unit on its main body and a method for controlling the imaging device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above problems, and a first aspect thereof is: a main body including an imaging unit; a display unit movable relative to the main body and having a plurality of display modes; a detection unit that detects the position of the display unit relative to the main body; a control unit that controls switching of the display mode in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the position; The imaging device is provided with:

[0008] The detection unit detects an angle between the imaging direction of the imaging unit and the display direction of the display unit, and the control unit controls switching of the display mode in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and a change in the angle.

[0009] The display unit includes a first display mode and a second display mode, and the control unit switches to the second display mode when the angle exceeds a first angle in the first display mode, and switches to the first display mode when the angle becomes less than a second angle that is greater than the first angle in the second display mode.

[0010] Here, the first display mode is a selfie display mode in which the display direction is oriented toward the imaging direction and the photographer is included in the subject of the photo, and the second display mode is a normal shooting mode in which the display direction is oriented opposite the imaging direction and normal shooting is performed.

[0011] A second aspect of the present disclosure is a control method for an imaging device including a main body including an imaging unit and a movable display unit, the method comprising: a detection step of detecting a position of the display unit relative to the main body; a control step of controlling switching of the display mode of the display unit in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the position; The present invention relates to a method for controlling an imaging apparatus having the above-mentioned features. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an imaging device and a control method for an imaging device that switch the display mode of a movable display unit so that the photographer can easily view the image.

[0013] It should be noted that the effects described in this specification are merely examples, and the effects brought about by the present disclosure are not limited to these. Furthermore, the present disclosure may also bring about additional effects in addition to the effects described above.

[0014] Further objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description based on the embodiments and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vari-angle digital camera 100. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation of opening the display unit 120 of the digital camera 100 to the left. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows the state of digital camera 100 with display unit 120 open for taking a selfie. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the operation of rotating the display unit 120 of the digital camera 100 downward. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows the digital camera 100 in a normal shooting state with the display unit 120 turned upside down. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the operation of closing the display unit 120 of the digital camera 100 to the right. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the digital camera 100 with the display unit 120 closed (display panel 121 hidden). [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a switching operation between the selfie display mode and the normal display mode in response to a rotation operation of the display unit 120. In FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of switching between the selfie display mode and the normal display mode in response to the rotation of the display unit 120, to which the present disclosure is applied. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the angle formed between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 and the display mode. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing mode transitions of the display panel 121 in the digital camera 100. As shown in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration within the digital camera 100. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the side of a vari-angle digital camera 1300 (normal position). [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the rear of a vari-angle digital camera 1300 (normal position). [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (selfie position). [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (selfie position). [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (low angle position). [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (low angle position). [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (sideways open position). [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (sideways open position). [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (high angle position). [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (high angle position). [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (panel off position). [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing the operation of the digital camera 1300 (panel off position). [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 30] FIG. 30 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 31] FIG. 31 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting left-right reversal of the display panel 1321. In FIG. [Figure 32] FIG. 32 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting left-right reversal of the display panel 1321. In FIG. [Figure 33] FIG. 33 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting left-right reversal of the display panel 1321. In FIG. [Figure 34] FIG. 34 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting left-right reversal of the display panel 1321. In FIG. [Figure 35] FIG. 35 is a diagram showing the relationship between each position of the display unit and the on / off operation of the MR sensor (in the case of a horizontal vari-angle type). [Figure 36]FIG. 36 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the MR sensor and the magnet at the selfie position. [Figure 37] FIG. 37 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the MR sensor and the magnet at the selfie position. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the MR sensors and magnets in the side-open position. [Figure 39] FIG. 39 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the MR sensors and magnets in the side-open position. [Figure 40] FIG. 40 is a diagram showing the on / off operation of the MR sensor in response to the rotation of the display unit. [Figure 41] FIG. 41 is a diagram showing the on / off operation of the MR sensor in response to the rotation of the display unit. [Figure 42] FIG. 42 is a diagram showing the operation of switching between the selfie display and normal display modes in response to the rotation of the display unit. [Figure 43] FIG. 43 is a diagram showing a side view of a multi-angle digital camera 4300 (normal position). [Figure 44] FIG. 44 is a diagram showing the back of a multi-angle digital camera 4300 (normal position). [Figure 45] FIG. 45 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 as viewed from the side (selfie position). [Figure 46] FIG. 46 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 as viewed from the side (low angle position). [Figure 47] FIG. 47 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 as viewed from the side (sideways open position). [Figure 48] FIG. 48 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 as viewed from the side (high angle position). [Figure 49] FIG. 49 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 as viewed from the side (panel off position). [Figure 50] FIG. 50 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side (normal position) with the second support plate 4332 tilted. [Figure 51] FIG. 51 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side with the second support plate 4332 tilted (opened by 90 degrees). [Figure 52] FIG. 52 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side in an attitude where the second support plate 4332 is tilted (selfie position). [Figure 53] FIG. 53 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side (low angle position) with the second support plate 4332 tilted. [Figure 54] FIG. 54 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side with the second support plate 4332 tilted (sideways open position). [Figure 55] FIG. 55 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side (high angle position) with the second support plate 4332 tilted. [Figure 56] FIG. 56 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side with the second support plate 4332 tilted (panel off position). [Figure 57] FIG. 57 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side (normal position) with the first support plate 4331 tilted. [Figure 58] FIG. 58 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side with the first support plate 4331 tilted (opened by 90 degrees). [Figure 59] FIG. 59 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side in an attitude where the first support plate 4331 is tilted (selfie position). [Figure 60] FIG. 60 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side (low angle position) with the first support plate 4331 tilted. [Figure 61] FIG. 61 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side with the first support plate 4331 tilted (sideways open position). [Figure 62] FIG. 62 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side (high angle position) with the first support plate 4331 tilted. [Figure 63] FIG. 63 is a diagram showing the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side with the first support plate 4331 tilted (panel off position). [Figure 64] FIG. 64 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 65] FIG. 65 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 66] FIG. 66 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 67] FIG. 67 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 68] FIG. 68 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 69] FIG. 69 is a diagram showing an example in which an MR sensor and a magnet are arranged in a digital camera 1300. [Figure 70] FIG. 70 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the opening / closing axis 4341. [Figure 71] FIG. 71 is a diagram showing the relationship between each position of the display unit and the on / off operation of the MR sensor (in the case of a multi-angle type). [Figure 72] FIG. 72 is a diagram showing the relationship between the vertical tilt position of the display unit and the on / off operation of the MR sensor (in the case of a multi-angle type). [Figure 73] FIG. 73 is a diagram showing the on / off operation of the MR sensor in response to the rotation of the display unit. [Figure 74] FIG. 74 is a diagram showing the on / off operation of the MR sensor in response to the rotation of the display unit. [Figure 75] FIG. 75 is a diagram showing the operation of switching between the selfie display and normal display modes in response to the rotation of the display unit. [Figure 76] FIG. 76 is a diagram showing the operation of switching between the selfie display and normal display modes in response to the rotation of the display unit at the tilt position. [Figure 77] FIG. 77 is a diagram showing the operation of switching between the selfie display and normal display modes in response to the rotation of the display unit at the tilt position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present disclosure will be described below in the following order with reference to the drawings.

[0017] A. Overview B.Basic operation C. Functional configuration of digital cameras D. Implementation example D-1. Example of implementation of the vari-angle method D-2. Example of multi-angle implementation

[0018] A. Overview Digital cameras generally have a display panel on the back of the camera body that displays live view images and captured images. Known methods for manipulating the display panel relative to the digital camera body include the vari-angle method and the tilt method.

[0019] The tilt-type display panel is moved up and down by pulling it out from the rear of the camera body. The advantages of the tilt-type display panel include quick adjustment of the display panel angle and the ability to move the display panel along the lens's optical axis, which simplifies framing by minimizing misalignment between the photographer's line of sight and the optical axis. The vari-angle type, on the other hand, rotates the display panel up and down by opening it to the left from the rear of the camera body. The advantages of the vari-angle type include a wide range of movement, as the display panel can be rotated up and down while still open, and the angle can be adjusted left and right, allowing for high and low positions in both horizontal and vertical shooting. In other words, with the vari-angle type, the rear display panel can be opened and closed around an opening / closing axis relative to the camera body, and the display panel can be rotated around the opening / closing axis in each opening / closing position, allowing the display panel screen to face either forward or backward from the camera body. More recently, a hybrid system (hereinafter also referred to as a "multi-angle system" in this specification) has emerged that combines the tilt system and the vari-angle system to increase the degree of freedom in the position of the display panel relative to the camera body.

[0020] Furthermore, such digital cameras can switch the display by flipping the image displayed on the display panel vertically or horizontally depending on the rotation position of the display panel, allowing the photographer to view the displayed image without feeling uncomfortable. For example, the vari-angle method allows for "normal photography," in which the screen of the display panel is directed toward the rear of the camera body and the photographer takes a photo while observing the displayed image from behind the camera body, and "selfie photography," in which the screen of the display panel is directed toward the camera's imaging direction and the photographer is included in the photo. Furthermore, by appropriately flipping the image taken by the camera vertically or horizontally during both normal photography and selfie photography, an image that feels natural to the photographer can be displayed on the display panel.

[0021] By incorporating a sensor into the hinge mechanism that connects the camera body and the display unit, it is possible to create a mechanism that detects the rotational position of the display panel relative to the camera body and automatically switches the orientation of the displayed image. Here, in order to achieve this with a minimum sensor configuration from the perspective of cost reduction, the orientation of the displayed image is often simplified to a few patterns. For example, a magnet is placed on the display panel side and a magnetic sensor is placed on the body side, and when the magnetic sensor is in the on state, it is determined that the display panel is facing in the direction for taking a selfie, and the display on the display panel is rotated up and down and left and right. Invert (See, for example, Patent Document 1.) However, with this structure, the display panel switches to the display for taking selfies only within a narrow range of rotation positions where the magnetic sensor is turned on, which can be inconvenient for photographers.

[0022] In response to this, the present disclosure controls the switching of the display mode according to a combination of the current display mode of the display panel and a change in the rotation angle of the display unit, thereby improving user convenience by lengthening the period during which selfie images can be displayed when the user intends to take a selfie, and lengthening the period during which normal images can be displayed when the user intends to take a normal photo.

[0023] B.Basic operation In this section B, the basic operation of a digital camera to which the present disclosure is applied will be explained using the vari-angle system as an example.

[0024] First, the movable range of the display panel and the display switching operation of the display panel in a vari-angle digital camera will be considered with reference to FIGS.

[0025] 1 includes a camera body 110 including an imaging unit, a display unit 120 including a display panel 121, and a hinge unit 130 that connects the display unit 120 to the camera body 110. Although the imaging unit is not shown in FIG. 1, the imaging lens 111 appears in front of the camera body 110. The hinge unit 130 includes an opening / closing shaft 131 that can open and close the display unit 120 in the left-right direction relative to the camera body 110, and a rotation shaft 132 that can rotate the display unit 120 in the up-down direction relative to the camera body 110 near the center of the opening / closing shaft 131. As shown in FIG. 1, the normal position is when the display panel 121 is oriented so as to be exposed on the rear side of the camera body 110 and the display unit 120 is closed by the camera body 110. In this normal position, the display direction of the display panel 121 faces in the exact opposite direction to the imaging direction of the digital camera 100, and the user's line of sight is aligned with the imaging direction of the digital camera 100, so the image captured by the digital camera 100 can be displayed as is, as shown in the lower half of Figure 1.

[0026] Next, as shown in FIG. 2, when the display unit 120 is opened leftward around the opening / closing axis 131 relative to the camera body 110, the display unit 120 rotates 180 degrees from the normal position around the opening / closing axis 131, as shown in FIG. 3, and the display direction of the display panel 121 faces substantially the same direction as the image capturing direction of the digital camera 100. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the user (photographer) observing the display panel 121 is in the image capturing direction, so it is possible to take a selfie with the photographer included in the subject. Then, as shown in the lower half of FIG. 3, if an image captured by the digital camera 100 is displayed on the display panel 121 with the left and right mirrored, the user can view an image that matches the left and right of the image captured by the digital camera 100. The display on the display panel 121 shown in FIG. 3 is referred to as a "selfie display."

[0027] 4, when display unit 120 is rotated downward (clockwise on the page) around rotation axis 132 relative to camera body 110, display unit 120 rotates 180 degrees around rotation axis 132, and the display direction of display panel 121 faces in a direction substantially opposite to the imaging direction of digital camera 100, as shown in FIG. 5. In the state shown in FIG. 5, the user's line of sight coincides with the imaging direction of digital camera 100, but the orientation of display panel 121 is inverted vertically and horizontally relative to the normal position shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, by inverting an image captured by digital camera 100 vertically and then horizontally, the user can view the same image as the image captured by digital camera 100. The display of display panel 121 shown in FIG. 5 is referred to as "normal display."

[0028] 6, when display unit 120 is closed to the right around opening / closing axis 131 relative to camera body 110, display unit 120 is closed to camera body 110, as shown in Fig. 7. In this state, display panel 121 faces toward camera body 110 and is hidden, preventing the user from observing the displayed image, so it is preferable to turn off the display on display panel 121.

[0029] 1 to 7, in the operating ranges shown in Figures 3 to 5, display unit 120 rotates around rotation axis 132 relative to camera body 110, and display panel 121 switches from selfie display to normal display depending on the angle of rotation. Figures 3 to 5 show an example in which display unit 120 rotates clockwise on the page, but if display unit 120 rotates counterclockwise, display panel 121 switches from normal display to selfie display.

[0030] 8 shows an example of the operation of switching between the selfie display and normal display modes in response to the rotation of the display unit 120, with reference to a left side view of the digital camera 100. As in FIG. 3, FIG. 8 shows a state in which the display direction of the display panel 121 is oriented in approximately the same direction as the imaging direction of the digital camera 100. Here, the rotation of the display unit 120 changes the angle θ between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100.th (for example, about 30 degrees) is set as the threshold for switching the display mode.

[0031] When the display panel 121 faces the imaging direction, the selfie display mode is active. When the display unit 120 is rotated clockwise relative to the camera body 110, the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 becomes equal to or exceeds the threshold angle θ th When the limit angle θ is reached, the display mode switches from selfie mode to normal mode. limit The display unit 120 can be rotated in the same direction until the limit angle θ is reached, during which the display panel 121 remains in the normal display mode. limit , that is, counterclockwise on the paper, until the angle formed by the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 reaches a threshold angle θ th When it reaches this level, it will switch from normal display mode to selfie display mode.

[0032] 8, the section occupied by the selfie display mode is too short within the rotatable range of the display unit 120. For this reason, even if a user intends to flip the display unit 120 upside down to switch from normal shooting to selfie shooting, the display panel 121 does not switch to the selfie display mode for a long time, which can be inconvenient for the user.

[0033] Therefore, in the present disclosure, the display mode is controlled to be switched in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display panel 121 and a change in the rotation angle of the display unit 120. According to the present disclosure, the period in which a selfie image can be displayed is lengthened when the user intends to take a selfie, and the period in which a normal image can be displayed is lengthened when the user intends to take a normal image, thereby improving user convenience.

[0034] 8 in that a threshold is set for the angle between the display direction of display panel 121 and the imaging direction of digital camera 100, but in the present disclosure, a second angle threshold θ2 at which the display panel 121 switches to the normal display mode when in the selfie display mode and a first angle threshold θ1 at which the display panel 121 switches to the selfie display mode when in the normal display mode are separately set. If the second angle threshold θ2 is set to a value greater than the first angle threshold θ1, a hysteresis interval is formed in which the rotational position of the display unit 120 can be in either the selfie display mode or the normal display mode between the first angle threshold θ1 and the second angle threshold θ2 depending on the current display mode of the display panel 121. This makes it possible to set a display mode according to the user's intention for shooting, improving user convenience.

[0035] 9 shows an example of the operation of switching between the selfie display mode and the normal display mode in response to the rotation of the display unit 120, to which the present disclosure is applied. As in FIG. 3, FIG. 9 also shows a state in which the display direction of the display panel 121 is oriented in approximately the same direction as the imaging direction of the digital camera 100. Here, when the display panel 121 is in the selfie display mode, a second angle θ2 (e.g., approximately 150 degrees) formed between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 is set as the threshold for switching to the normal display mode, and when the display panel 121 is in the normal display mode, a first angle θ1 (e.g., approximately 30 degrees) formed between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 is set as the threshold for switching to the selfie display mode.

[0036] When the display panel 121 faces the imaging direction, the selfie display mode is active. When the display unit 120 is rotated clockwise relative to the camera body 110, and the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 reaches the second angle threshold θ2, the selfie display mode switches to the normal display mode. When the display unit 120 is then rotated in the same direction, the angle reaches the limit angle θ limitThe display panel 121 remains in the normal display mode until the display panel 121 reaches the position shown in FIG. 1. When the user tries to change the direction of the display panel 121 when the display panel 121 is in the selfie shooting position, it is assumed that the user intends to take a selfie, and therefore, by keeping the display panel 121 in the selfie shooting mode for a long period of time, user convenience is improved.

[0037] 8 and 9, the rotation angle of the display unit 1320 around the rotation axis 132 is expressed as an angle of inclination from the rear surface of the camera body 110, which is equivalent to the angle of inclination of the display direction of the display panel 131 relative to the imaging direction of the imaging unit 111.

[0038] Next, in the normal display mode, the display unit 120 is rotated counterclockwise on the page, and even if the angle between the display orientation of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 reaches the second angle threshold θ2, the display mode does not change. After that, when the display unit 120 is rotated in the same direction and reaches the first angle threshold θ1, the display mode changes from the normal display mode to the selfie display mode. When the user tries to change the orientation of the display panel 121 with the display panel 121 in the normal shooting position, it is presumed that the user intends to take a normal photo, and therefore, by maintaining the display panel in the normal shooting mode for a long period of time, user convenience is improved.

[0039] From the viewpoint of cost reduction, the first angle threshold θ1 and the second angle threshold θ2 should be detected using a minimum sensor configuration, but details of the sensor configuration will be discussed in Section D below.

[0040] FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the angle between the display direction of display panel 121 and the imaging direction of digital camera 100, and the display mode of the display panel, in the example of operation of digital camera 100 shown in FIG.

[0041] When the display unit 120 is rotated clockwise relative to the camera body 110 in the selfie display mode and the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 reaches the second angle threshold θ2, the display panel 121 switches from the selfie display mode to the normal display mode. The operation of the display panel 121 reaching the second angle threshold θ2 corresponds to the operation of turning the display panel 121 in the opposite direction to the imaging direction and switching to normal shooting. Thereafter, when the display unit 120 is rotated in the same direction, the limit angle θ limit In the section until the display panel 121 reaches the normal display mode, the display panel 121 remains in the normal display mode.

[0042] 9 in the normal display mode, even if the angle between the display orientation of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 reaches the second angle threshold θ2, the display mode remains unchanged. Then, when the display unit 120 is rotated in the same direction and reaches the first angle threshold θ1, the display mode switches from the normal display mode to the selfie display mode. The operation of the display panel 121 reaching the first angle threshold θ1 corresponds to the operation of orienting the display panel 121 in the imaging direction to switch to selfie photography. Then, when the display unit 120 is rotated in the same direction, the display panel 121 remains in the selfie display mode until the display orientation of the display panel 121 becomes substantially the same as the imaging direction of the digital camera 100.

[0043] After the display unit 120 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 9 to return to the selfie display mode, when the display unit 120 is again rotated clockwise in FIG. 9 relative to the camera body 110, the same operation as above is repeated.

[0044] According to the present disclosure, the second angle threshold θ2 for switching the display panel 121 to the normal display mode when the display panel 121 is in the selfie display mode and the first angle threshold θ1 for switching the display panel 121 to the selfie display mode when the display panel 121 is in the normal display mode can be individually set. Therefore, by setting the second angle threshold θ2 to a value greater than the first angle threshold θ1 as shown in FIG. 9, a hysteresis interval is formed in which the display panel 121 can switch to either the selfie display mode or the normal display mode, as shown in FIG. 10. This allows the display mode to be set according to the user's intention for shooting, improving user convenience. Of course, setting the first angle threshold θ1 for switching the display panel 121 to the selfie display mode when the display panel 121 is in the normal display mode to a value greater than the second angle threshold θ2 for switching the display panel 121 to the normal display mode when the display panel 121 is in the selfie display mode when the display panel 121 is tilted 30 degrees from the selfie display mode facing the camera, which would otherwise switch the display panel 121 to the normal display mode, but this allows the display panel 121 to remain in the selfie display mode over a wider range.

[0045] 11 shows a mode transition diagram of the display panel 121 in the digital camera 100 to which the present disclosure is applied. As described above, in this embodiment, the display modes of the display panel 121 include a selfie display mode and a normal display mode. In addition to displaying live view video, the display panel 121 is also used to display recorded captured images, and to display settings for imaging conditions and the remaining battery power; however, for the sake of simplicity, display modes for other uses will be omitted here.

[0046] In both the selfie display mode and the normal display mode, the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 is monitored. However, in order to achieve this with a minimum sensor configuration from the viewpoint of cost reduction, the angle is monitored by simplifying it to a few patterns. Specifically, the angle is monitored at a coarse granularity of whether or not it is within the range of 0 degrees to θ1, and whether or not it is within the range of θ2 to 180 degrees.

[0047] In the selfie display mode, even if the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 exceeds a first angle threshold θ1, no mode transition occurs and the selfie display mode is maintained. While the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 is less than a second angle threshold θ2, no mode transition occurs and the selfie display mode is maintained. When the angle between the display direction of the display panel 121 and the imaging direction of the digital camera 100 becomes equal to or greater than the second angle threshold θ2, a switch from the selfie display mode to the normal display mode is triggered. The operation of reaching the second angle threshold θ2 corresponds to an operation of turning the display panel 121 in the opposite direction to the imaging direction and switching to normal imaging.

[0048] Furthermore, in normal display mode, even if the angle between the display direction of display panel 121 and the imaging direction of digital camera 100 becomes less than second angle threshold θ2, no mode transition occurs and normal display mode is maintained. Then, when the angle between the display direction of display panel 121 and the imaging direction of digital camera 100 becomes equal to or less than first angle threshold θ1, a switch from normal display mode to selfie display mode is triggered. The action of reaching first angle threshold θ1 corresponds to the action of orienting display panel 121 in the imaging direction and switching to selfie mode.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 9, if the second angle threshold θ2 is set to a value greater than the first angle threshold θ1, a hysteresis interval (see FIG. 10) is formed that can be either the selfie display mode or the normal display mode, making it possible to set a display mode according to the user's intention for taking a photo, thereby improving user convenience.

[0050] The transition of the display modes as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 can also be realized by hardware using flip-flops, for example.

[0051] C. Functional configuration of digital cameras In this section C, the functional configuration of the digital camera 100 that realizes the display mode switching operation and image capturing operation described in section B above will be described.

[0052] 12 shows an example of the functional configuration within the digital camera 100. The illustrated digital camera 100 includes a control unit 1201, a display unit 1202, an imaging unit 1203, a detection unit 1204, a recording unit 1205, and an operation unit 1206. Each unit will be described below.

[0053] The display unit 1202 includes the above-mentioned display panel. The display panel is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, with a touch panel superimposed on the screen. The display unit 1202 is movably connected to the body of the digital camera 100 via a hinge unit (not shown in FIG. 12). As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, for example, the hinge unit supports the display unit 1202 so that it can be opened and closed about an opening / closing axis 131 relative to the body of the digital camera 100 and can rotate about a rotation axis 132 relative to the opening / closing axis, but this is not necessarily a limitation to the configuration with such degrees of freedom. A drive signal for the liquid crystal panel and a detection signal for the touch panel pass through the hinge unit, but details are omitted here.

[0054] The image capturing unit 1203 includes an image capturing element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxyde Semiconductor), an optical system that forms an image of reflected light from a subject on the imaging surface of the image capturing element, etc. The image capturing unit 1203 generates an image signal by capturing an image of the subject through photoelectric conversion, and outputs the image signal to the control unit 1201.

[0055] The detection unit 1204 detects the relationship between the display unit 1202 and the imaging unit 1203. Specifically, for example, when the display unit 1202 is connected to the body of the digital camera 100 using a vari-angle system or a multi-angle system, the detection unit 1204 detects whether the display direction of the display unit 1202 and the imaging direction of the imaging unit 1203 are at a predetermined angle (the first angle threshold θ1, the second angle threshold θ2, etc. described above). From the perspective of cost reduction, the detection unit 1204 is configured with a minimum number of sensors, but details will be described later.

[0056] The operation unit 1206 includes mechanical operators such as function buttons and a release button, and functions as a user interface for operating the digital camera 100. The operation unit 1206 may also include various menu buttons presented on the display screen of the display unit 1202, and an external control device such as a remote controller. An operation signal corresponding to a user's input operation received by the operation unit 1206 is output to the control unit 1201.

[0057] The control unit 1201 is a processing device including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), and controls each unit in the digital camera 100, such as the image capturing operation by the image capturing unit 1203, processing of captured images, and screen display on the display unit 1202. The control unit 1201 also controls each unit based on an operation signal from an operation unit 1206.

[0058] Memory elements such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) (neither of which is shown in FIG. 12) are arranged within the control unit 1201. The ROM stores important data such as unique information of the digital camera 100, as well as control programs, in a non-volatile manner. The RAM is used to load control programs to be executed by a processor such as a CPU from the ROM or the recording unit 1205, and to temporarily store working data while a program is running.

[0059] Furthermore, the control unit 1201 functionally includes, for example, a display control unit 1211, an image processing unit 1212, and an image recording unit 1213. These functional modules may be configured as hardware, or may be realized in the form of a processor such as a CPU executing a predetermined control program.

[0060] The display control unit 1211 performs display control for displaying various data on the display unit 1202. The display control unit 1211 causes the display unit 1202 to display the current captured image acquired from the imaging unit 1203, recorded images captured in the past (or read from the recording unit 1205), and the like. The display control unit 1211 also causes the display unit 1202 to display icons indicating internal states such as the remaining battery level and the remaining capacity of the recording unit 1205, as well as data such as the current time and the setting values ​​of parameters used for imaging.

[0061] Furthermore, the display control unit 1211 controls switching of the display mode of the display unit 1202 in accordance with the detection result by the detection unit 1204. In this embodiment, when displaying an image being captured by the imaging unit 1203, the display unit 1202 has at least two display modes: a selfie display mode and a normal display mode. Then, based on the detection result by the detection unit 1204, the display control unit 1211 controls switching between the selfie display mode and the normal display mode in accordance with the mode transition diagram shown in FIG.

[0062] The image processing unit 1212 performs predetermined signal processing on the image signal output from the image capturing unit 1203. Examples of the signal processing mentioned here include digital gain adjustment, gamma correction, color correction, and contrast correction.

[0063] The image recording unit 1213 compresses and encodes the image signal after signal processing by the image processing unit 1212 using a predetermined compression encoding method such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) or MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group), and stores the compressed image data in the recording unit 1205.

[0064] The recording unit 1205 is used to save images captured by the imaging unit 1203. The recording unit 1205 can also store control programs executed by the control unit 1201 for controlling each unit within the digital camera 100, as well as data other than images. The digital camera 100 includes an internal recording device fixed inside the digital camera 100 and an external recording device detachable from the digital camera 100. The internal recording device is configured, for example, by a hard disk or flash memory. The external recording device is externally connected to the digital camera 100 via a predetermined interface, for example, HDMI (registered trademark) (High Definition Multimedia Interface) or USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0065] D. Implementation example As mentioned above, the movable display panel methods for digital cameras include the tilt method, in which the display unit including the display panel is tilted vertically or up and down, the vari-angle method, in which the display unit is opened to the left from the rear of the camera body and further tilted up and down, and the multi-angle method, which combines the tilt method and the vari-angle method to allow the display unit to be opened and closed left and right relative to the camera body and tilted up and down. This section D explains, using the vari-angle method and multi-angle method digital cameras as examples, specific implementation methods of a detection unit that detects the relationship between the display unit and the imaging unit, and display mode switching control based on the detection results.

[0066] D-1. Example of implementation of the vari-angle method FIGS. 13 and 14 show the left side and rear views, respectively, of a vari-angle digital camera 1300. The digital camera 1300 is composed of a camera body 1310 including an imaging unit 1311 at the front, and a display unit 1320 including a display panel 1321. The display unit 1320 is connected to the left edge of the rear of the camera body 1310 via a two-degree-of-freedom hinge mechanism 1330 that can open and close left and right around an opening / closing axis 1331 and rotate up and down around a rotation axis 1332. In the example shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the display unit 1320 is closed against the rear of the camera body 1310 with the display panel 1321 facing the rear, which is referred to as the normal position. In this state, the user can take a picture while observing a subject in the imaging direction. 13 and 14, an electronic viewfinder (hereinafter also simply referred to as "finder") 1340 is disposed on the top surface of the camera body 1310 at a position approximately in the center of the display panel 1321. The user can also observe the subject in the imaging direction through the finder 1340 instead of the display panel 1321.

[0067] In each of the figures referred to in the following description, when depicting the side of the display unit 1320, the display unit 1320 is depicted in cross section and the hinge mechanism 1330 is omitted so as to make it easier to understand the surface (display direction) to which the display panel 1321 faces.

[0068] 15 and 16 show the left side and rear views, respectively, of the digital camera 1300 with the display unit 1320 rotated 90 degrees around the opening / closing axis 1331 from the normal position described above.

[0069] 17 and 18 show the left side and rear views, respectively, of the digital camera 1300 in a state where the display unit 1320 has been further rotated 90 degrees in the opening direction about the opening / closing axis 1331 from the state shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , and the display unit 1320 has been opened 180 degrees about the opening / closing axis 1331 from the normal position described above. In this state, the display panel 1321 faces forward, in a selfie position where the display direction is the same as the imaging direction, and the user (photographer) observing the display panel 1321 is in the imaging direction, so the imaging unit 1311 can take an image that includes the photographer as a subject. In this state, if the mode is switched to a selfie display mode in which the image captured by the imaging unit 1311 is displayed horizontally inverted on the display panel 1321, the user can take a selfie while observing an image that matches the image captured by the imaging unit 1311 in terms of vertical and horizontal alignment.

[0070] 19 and 20 respectively show the left side and rear of the digital camera 1300 in a state where the display unit 1320 has been rotated downward by 90 degrees about the rotation axis (clockwise on the page) from the selfie display state shown in Figures 17 and 18, with the display panel 1321 facing upward. In this state, even if the digital camera 1300 is moved to a low position, the user can view the image captured by the imaging unit 1311 on the display panel 1321 in a comfortable position, looking downward, making it easier to take low-angle shots.

[0071] 21 and 22 show the left side and rear views, respectively, of the digital camera 1300 in a state where the display unit 1320 has been rotated another 90 degrees around the rotation axis in the same direction (clockwise on the page) from the low-angle display state shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, turning the display panel 1321 upside down. In the state shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the display panel 1321 is contained within the rear of the camera body 1310, whereas in the state shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the display panel 1321 is in a horizontally opened position, opened to the side from the camera body 1310. In this horizontally opened position, if an image captured by the imaging unit 1311 is displayed on the display panel 1321 with the image flipped upside down and left to right, the user can take a photo while observing an image that matches the image captured by the imaging unit 1311 in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0072] 23 and 24 show the left side and rear views, respectively, of the digital camera 1300 in a state where the display unit 1320 has been rotated downward by 90 degrees about the rotation axis (clockwise on the page) from the side-open position shown in Fig. 21 and 22, with the display panel 1321 facing downward. In this state, even if the digital camera 1300 is moved to a higher position, the user can observe the image captured by the imaging unit 1311 on the display panel 1321 in a comfortable position facing upward, making it easier to take high-angle shots.

[0073] 25 and 26 respectively show the left side and rear of the digital camera 1300 in a state where the display unit 1320 has been rotated 180 degrees in the closing direction around the opening / closing axis 1331 from the side-open position shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, and the display unit 1320 is closed on the rear of the camera body 1310. In this state, the display panel 1321 is hidden and cannot be observed by the user. Since it is preferable to turn off the display on the display panel 1321 to save power, this is referred to as the panel-off position. In this state, the user observes the subject through the viewfinder 1340 and takes a photograph.

[0074] As described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 26, in the vari-angle digital camera 1300, the display unit 1320 can be in at least six positions: normal position, selfie position, low-angle position, sideways position, high-angle position, and panel-off position. To control automatic switching of the display mode of the display panel 1321 depending on the position of the display unit 1320, it is necessary for the detection unit to identify at least these six positions. Furthermore, from the perspective of cost reduction, it is preferable to realize position detection of the display unit 1320 with a minimum sensor configuration.

[0075] Therefore, a method for detecting the position of the display unit 1320 using a minimum number of magnets and magnetic sensors will be described below. Note that the magnetic sensors referred to here are assumed to be sensors that detect changes in a magnetic field in a predetermined direction, such as MR sensors (magnetoresistive effect elements).

[0076] 27 to 30 show examples of MR sensors and magnets arranged in a digital camera 1300. However, FIGS. 27 and 28 show a state in which the display unit 1320 is in the normal position, while FIGS. 29 and 30 show a state in which the display unit 1320 is inverted and in the panel-off position. In the examples shown in each figure, four MR sensors 2701A, 2701B, 2701C, and 2701D are arranged on the camera body 1310 side, and four magnets 2711A, 2711B, 2711C, and 2711E are arranged on the display unit 1320 side. The arrows drawn within the square blocks representing each MR sensor indicate the direction of the detectable magnetic field. Each magnet basically consists of a pair of north and south poles, and generates a magnetic field from the north pole toward the south pole. Therefore, when a magnet generating a detectable magnetic field approaches within a predetermined distance of a certain MR sensor, the MR sensor turns on, and when the magnet moves away from the predetermined distance, the MR sensor turns off. These four MR sensors 2701A, 2701B, 2701C, and 2701D and four magnets 2711A, 2711B, 2711C, and 2711E constitute the detection unit 1204 in the functional block diagram shown in Fig. 12. Note that for the convenience of explaining the arrangement of each MR sensor and magnet, each MR sensor and magnet are drawn relatively larger than the digital camera 1300.

[0077] The MR sensor 2701A and the MR sensor 2701D are used to detect rotation of the display unit 1320 around the rotation axis 1332, i.e., upside-down of the display panel 1321, by detecting the magnet 2711A. As can be seen from FIGS. 27 and 28, the MR sensor 2701A and the magnet 2711A are positioned facing each other near the left edges of the camera body 1310 and the display unit 1320 when the display unit 1320 is in the normal position, and the magnet 2711A is arranged so that the direction of the magnetic field that the MR sensor 2701A can detect is oriented in the direction of the magnetic field that the MR sensor 2701A can detect. Therefore, in the normal position as shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the MR sensor 2701A detects the magnetic field of the magnet 2711A and turns on. Although not shown, even while the display unit 1320 is opening and closing around the opening / closing axis 1331, the MR sensor 2701A continues to detect the magnet 2711A, i.e., is in the on state, as long as the display unit 1320 does not rotate up or down.

[0078] 27 and 28, the MR sensor 2701D is disposed at a position on the camera body 1310 that is vertically symmetrical to the MR sensor 2701A with respect to the rotation axis 1332. Therefore, when the display unit 1320 rotates around the rotation axis 1332 and the display panel 1321 is turned upside down as shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, the MR sensor 2701D detects the magnetic field of the magnet 2711A and turns on. Although not shown, even while the display unit 1320 is opening and closing around the opening / closing axis 1331 with respect to the camera body 1311, the MR sensor 2701D continues to detect the magnet 2711A, i.e., is in the on state, as long as the display unit 1320 does not rotate up and down.

[0079] The MR sensor 2701C is used to detect a state in which the display unit 1320 is closed to the back surface of the camera body 1310 by detecting either the magnet 2711C or the magnet 2711E. As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the MR sensor 2701C is disposed near the upper end of the closed display unit 1320 on the camera body 1310 side. The magnet 2711C is disposed so as to face the MR sensor 2701C in the normal position and in the direction of a magnetic field that the MR sensor 2701C can detect. Therefore, in the normal position as shown in FIG. 28, the MR sensor 2701C detects the magnetic field of the magnet 2711C and turns on. Although not shown, when the display unit 1320 opens around the opening / closing axis 1331 and the magnetic field of the magnet 2711C goes out of the detection range, the MR sensor 2701C turns off.

[0080] 27 and 28, the magnet 2711E is disposed on the display unit 1320 at a position that is vertically symmetrical to the magnet 2711C with respect to the rotation axis 1332. That is, when the display unit 1320 is turned upside down to the panel-off position, the magnet 2711E is disposed in a location that faces the MR sensor 2701C and in a direction of a magnetic field that the MR sensor 2701C can detect. Therefore, as can be seen from FIG. 30, in the panel-off position, the MR sensor 2701C detects the magnetic field of the magnet 2711E and turns on. Although not shown, when the display unit 1320 opens around the opening / closing axis 1331 and the magnetic field of the magnet 2711E goes out of the detection range, the MR sensor 2701C turns off.

[0081] The MR sensor 2701B is used to detect the magnet 2711B, thereby detecting the opening and closing operation of the display unit 1320 about the opening and closing axis 1331, i.e., the left-right reversal of the display panel 1321. Since it is difficult to understand from FIGS. 27 to 30, the arrangement of the MR sensor 2701B and the magnet 2711B and the operation of the MR sensor 2701B will be explained with reference to the top views of the vicinity of the opening and closing axis 1331, which are enlarged, shown in FIGS. 31 shows the display unit 1320 in the normal position (closed on the camera body 1310 with the display panel 1321 facing backward), FIG. 32 shows the display unit 1320 opened 135 degrees from the normal position around the opening / closing axis 1331, FIG. 33 shows the display unit 1320 in the selfie position with the display unit 1320 opened 180 degrees from the normal position around the opening / closing axis 1331, and FIG. 34 shows the display unit 1320 in the side-open position with the display unit 1320 flipped upside down around the opening / closing axis 1332 from the selfie position (opened from the camera body 1310 with the display panel 1321 facing backward).

[0082] The MR sensor 2701B is disposed on the camera body 1310 side, slightly closer to the center than the opening / closing axis 1331. On the other hand, the magnet 2711B is disposed near the opening / closing axis 1331 of the display panel 1321. The magnet 2711B rotates together with the opening / closing axis 1331 when the display unit 1320 is opened or closed, but does not move around the rotation axis 1332, being integrated with the opening / closing axis 1331, when the display unit 1320 is rotated (in other words, turned upside down).

[0083] 31, when the display panel 1321 is in the normal position, the magnet 2711B is disposed near the opening / closing axis 1331 so as to be on the substantially opposite side of the opening / closing axis 1331 from the MR sensor 2701B. In this state, the MR sensor 2701B is turned off because it is separated from the magnet 2711B and cannot detect sufficient magnetic flux.

[0084] As shown in Fig. 32, when the display unit 1320 is opened 135 degrees from the normal position around the opening / closing axis 1331, the magnetic field generated by the magnet 2711B reaches the MR sensor 2701B, and the MR sensor 2701B turns on. In the selfie position shown in Fig. 33, where the display unit 1320 is opened 180 degrees, the MR sensor 2701B remains on. Furthermore, until the display unit 1320 is rotated around the rotation axis 1332 (in other words, turned upside down) and changes to the side-open position shown in Fig. 34, the magnet 2711B does not move integrally with the opening / closing axis 1331, and the MR sensor 2701B remains on.

[0085] 35 summarizes the relationship between the on / off operations of the four MR sensors 2701A, 2701B, 2701C, and 2701D and the magnets 2711A, 2711B, 2711C, and 2711E as shown in FIGS. 27 to 34 are arranged in the digital camera 1300. Based on the on / off operations of the MR sensors 2701A, 2701B, 2701C, and 2701D, the six positions of the display unit 1320 relative to the camera body 1310 can be identified.

[0086] Specifically, it is possible to determine whether the display panel 1321 is upside down by the on / off states of the MR sensors 2701A and 2701D. It is also possible to determine whether the display panel 1321 is open from the camera body 1310 by the on / off state of the MR sensor 2701B. It is also possible to determine whether the display unit 1320 is open or closed from the camera body 1310 by the on / off state of the MR sensor 2701C. In short, it should be understood that the orientation of the display panel 1321 can be simplified to six patterns and detected with a small number of sensors, thereby achieving cost reduction.

[0087] Next, switching control between the selfie display mode and the normal display mode based on the detection result of the MR sensor in the digital camera 1300 will be described.

[0088] As described above, it is possible to determine whether the display panel 1321 is upside down or not by the on / off states of the MR sensors 2701A and 2701D. When the display unit 1320 is opened from the camera body 1310, it is possible to determine the selfie position and the sideways-open position by the on / off states of the MR sensors 2701A and 2701D.

[0089] 36 and 37 show the left side and back of the digital camera 1300 with the display unit 1320 in the selfie position, along with the MR sensors 2701A and 2701D and the magnet 2711A. As can be seen from FIGS. 36 and 37, the MR sensor 2701A is on and the MR sensor 2701D is off. In the selfie position, the display unit 1320 is flipped left and right from the normal position, so the display panel 1321 is in a selfie display mode (see FIG. 3, for example) in which a captured image is displayed flipped left and right.

[0090] 38 and 39 show the left side and rear views of the digital camera 1300 with the display unit 1320 in the side-open position, along with the MR sensors 2701A and 2701D and the magnet 2711A. As can be seen from each figure, the MR sensor 2701A is off and the MR sensor 2701D is on. In the side-open position, the display unit 1320 is inverted vertically and horizontally from the normal position, so the display panel 1321 is in the normal display mode (see FIG. 5, for example), which displays a captured image inverted vertically and horizontally.

[0091] 40 and 41, the on / off operation of the MR sensor 2701A and the MR sensor 2701D in response to the rotation operation of the display unit 1320 will be described. Here, however, the angle by which the display unit 1320 rotates clockwise on the page from the selfie position around the rotation axis 1332 is defined as θ.

[0092] 40, when the rotation angle θ of the display unit 1320 is in the range of 0 degrees to approximately 30 degrees, the MR sensor 2701A detects sufficient magnetic flux from the magnet 2711A and turns on, but when the rotation angle θ exceeds 30 degrees, the magnetic flux decreases and the MR sensor 2701A switches from on to off. Furthermore, when the rotation continues and the rotation angle θ of the display unit 1320 exceeds approximately 150 degrees as shown in FIG. 41 (in other words, when the display unit 1320 is tilted approximately 30 degrees in the opposite direction to that in FIG. 40), the MR sensor 2701D detects sufficient magnetic flux from the magnet 2711A and switches from off to on.

[0093] Therefore, in the digital camera 1300, as shown in Fig. 42, the second angle threshold θ2 for switching from the normal display mode to the selfie display mode is set to 150 degrees, and the first angle threshold θ1 for switching from the selfie display mode to the normal display mode is set to 30 degrees, thereby realizing the display mode switching operation shown in Fig. 9, the hysteresis characteristics shown in Fig. 10, and the display mode transitions shown in Fig. 11. As a result, it becomes possible to set a display mode according to the user's intention for shooting, improving user convenience. However, the first angle threshold θ1 of 30 degrees and the second angle threshold θ2 of 150 degrees are design values ​​that vary depending on the sensitivity of each MR sensor used, the magnetic force of the magnet, and the placement locations of the MR sensors and magnets (distance from the rotation axis 1322), etc.

[0094] Furthermore, by setting the first angle threshold θ1 for switching from normal display mode to selfie display mode to a value greater than the second angle threshold θ2 for switching from selfie display mode to normal display mode, another level of user convenience is improved. For example, tilting the display panel 1321 30 degrees from selfie display mode facing the camera directly would switch to normal display mode, but now the selfie display mode can be maintained over a wider range.

[0095] 40 to 42, the rotation angle of the display unit 1320 around the rotation axis 1332 is expressed as an angle of inclination from the rear surface of the camera body 1310, which is equivalent to the angle of inclination of the display direction of the display panel 1321 relative to the imaging direction of the imaging unit 1311.

[0096] D-2. Example of multi-angle implementation 43 and 44 show the left side and rear views, respectively, of a multi-angle digital camera 4300. The digital camera 4300 is composed of a camera body 4310 including an imaging unit 4311 at the front, and a display unit 4320 including a display panel 4321. The display unit 4320 is connected to the camera body 4310 via a vertical tilt mechanism 4330 that tilts the display unit 4320 vertically (or up and down) relative to the rear of the camera body 4310, and a horizontal vari-angle mechanism 4340 that can be opened and closed in the left-right direction at the left edge of the vertical tilt mechanism 4330 and can rotate in the up and down direction.

[0097] The vertical tilt mechanism 4330 comprises, in this order from the rear of the camera body 4310, a first support plate 4331 and a second support plate 4332, the lower edge of which is rotatably supported on the rear of the camera body 4310 via a first tilt shaft 4333, and the upper edge of which rotatably supports the second support plate 4332 via a second tilt shaft 4334. The horizontal vari-angle mechanism 4340 has two degrees of freedom with respect to the second support plate 4332 of the vertical tilt mechanism 4330, namely, an opening / closing shaft 4341 and a rotation shaft 4342.

[0098] 43 and 44, the display unit 4320 is closed on the back of the camera body 4310 with the display panel 4321 facing the back, which is referred to as the normal position. In this state, the user can take a picture while observing the display panel 4321 in the imaging direction.

[0099] In the multi-angle digital camera 4300, when the vertical tilt mechanism 4330 is fixed, the display unit 4320 can be opened and closed left and right and rotated up and down relative to the camera body 4310 by two degrees of freedom, the opening / closing axis 4341 and the rotation axis 4342 of the horizontal vari-angle mechanism 4340. That is, when the vertical tilt mechanism 4330 is fixed, the display unit 4320 can be positioned in six ways relative to the camera body 4310 (or relative to the second support plate 4332): normal position, selfie position, low-angle position, sideways opening position, high-angle position, and panel-off position. The normal position is as shown in FIG. 43. 45 to 49 show the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side when the vertical tilt mechanism 4330 is fixed and the display unit 4320 is in the selfie position, low-angle position, side-open position, high-angle position, and panel-off position, respectively.

[0100] The selfie position shown in FIG. 45 is a position where the display unit 4320 is opened 180 degrees to the left around the opening / closing axis 4341 from the normal position shown in FIG. 43. The low-angle position shown in FIG. 46 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated 90 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 with respect to the second support plate 4332 from the selfie position shown in FIG. 45. The side-open position shown in FIG. 47 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated another 90 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 with respect to the second support plate 4332 from the selfie position shown in FIG. 46, thereby being turned upside down. The high-angle position shown in FIG. 48 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated another 90 degrees from the side-open position shown in FIG. 47 around the rotation axis 4342 with respect to the second support plate 4332 (clockwise on the page). The panel-off position shown in FIG. 49 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated 180 degrees clockwise around the opening / closing shaft 4341 from the side-open position shown in FIG.

[0101] Furthermore, in the multi-angle digital camera 4300, the camera body 4310 supports the display unit 4320 via the vertical tilt mechanism 4330, so that the display unit 4320 can be tilted up and down relative to the camera body 4310 by vertical tilting of the first support plate 4331 about a first tilt axis 4333 relative to the camera body 4310, and vertical tilting of the second support plate 4332 about a second tilt axis 4334 relative to the first support plate 4331. Furthermore, in a vertically tilted position, the display unit 4320 can be opened and closed left and right and rotated up and down relative to the second support plate 4332 by the two degrees of freedom of the opening / closing axis 4341 and the rotation axis 4342 of the horizontal vari-angle mechanism 4340. That is, even when tilted, the display unit 4320 can take six positions relative to the second support plate 4332: normal position, selfie position, low-angle position, sideways position, high-angle position, and panel-off position.

[0102] 50 to 56 show the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side when the second support plate 4332 is tilted relative to the first support plate 4331 and the display unit 4320 is in the normal position relative to the second support plate 4332, a position opened 90 degrees to the left from the normal position, a selfie position, a low-angle position, a sideways-open position, a high-angle position, and a panel-off position.

[0103] The normal position shown in FIG. 50 is a position where the second support plate 4332 is tilted relative to the first support plate 4331 from the position shown in FIG. 43. Then, as shown in FIG. 51, the display unit 4320 can be opened and closed around the opening / closing axis 4341. The selfie position shown in FIG. 52 is a position where the display unit 4320 is opened 180 degrees to the left around the opening / closing axis 4341 from the normal position shown in FIG. 50. The low-angle position shown in FIG. 53 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated 90 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 relative to the second support plate 4332 from the selfie position shown in FIG. 52. The side-open position shown in FIG. 54 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated 180 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 relative to the second support plate 4332 from the selfie position shown in FIG. 52, and turned upside down. The high-angle position shown in Fig. 55 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated by a further 90 degrees from the side-open position shown in Fig. 54 around the rotation axis 4342 (clockwise on the page) relative to the second support plate 4332. The panel-off position shown in Fig. 56 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated by 180 degrees to the right around the opening / closing axis 4341 from the side-open position shown in Fig. 54 and closed by the second support plate 4332.

[0104] 57 to 63 show the digital camera 4300 viewed from the side when the first support plate 4331 is tilted further relative to the camera body 4310, and the display unit 4320 is in the normal position relative to the second support plate 4332, the position opened 90 degrees to the left from the normal position, the selfie position, the low-angle position, the side-open position, the high-angle position, and the panel-off position.

[0105] The normal position shown in FIG. 57 is a position where the first support plate 4331 is further tilted with respect to the camera body 4310 from the position shown in FIG. 50. Then, as shown in FIG. 58, the display unit 4320 can be opened and closed around the opening / closing axis 4341. The selfie position shown in FIG. 59 is a position where the display unit 4320 is opened 180 degrees to the left around the opening / closing axis 4341 from the normal position shown in FIG. 57. The low-angle position shown in FIG. 60 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated 90 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 with respect to the second support plate 4332 from the selfie position shown in FIG. 59. The side-open position shown in FIG. 61 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated 180 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 with respect to the second support plate 4332 from the selfie position shown in FIG. 59, and is turned upside down. The high-angle position shown in Fig. 62 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated by an additional 90 degrees upward (clockwise on the page) around the rotation axis 4342 relative to the second support plate 4332 from the side-open position shown in Fig. 61. The panel-off position shown in Fig. 63 is a position where the display unit 4320 is rotated by 180 degrees rightward around the opening / closing axis 4341 from the side-open position shown in Fig. 61 and closed by the second support plate 4332.

[0106] As described with reference to FIGS. 43 to 63, in the multi-angle digital camera 4300, the display unit 4320 can be in at least six positions: normal position, selfie position, low-angle position, horizontally opened position, high-angle position, and panel-off position, at each vertical tilt position using the vertical tilt mechanism 4330. To control automatic switching of the display mode of the display panel 4321 depending on the position of the display unit 4320, it is necessary for the detection unit to identify at least these six positions. Furthermore, from the perspective of cost reduction, it is preferable to realize position detection of the display unit 4320 with a minimum sensor configuration.

[0107] Therefore, a method for detecting the position of the display unit 4320 using a minimum number of magnets and MR sensors will be described below, even in the multi-angle method. However, for convenience, the following description will be limited to detecting the position of the display unit 4320 relative to the second support plate 4332. It is also possible to detect the position of the second support plate 4332 relative to the first support plate 4331 or the position of the second support plate 4332 relative to the camera body 4310 using a minimum number of magnets and MR sensors, but this point will not be mentioned in this specification.

[0108] 64 to 69 show examples of MR sensors and magnets arranged in a digital camera 4300. However, FIGS. 64 to 66 show a state in which the display unit 4320 is in the normal position, while FIGS. 67 to 69 show a state in which the display unit 4320 is inverted upside down and in the panel-off position. In the examples shown in each figure, MR sensors 6401A, 6401B, 6401C, and 6401D are arranged on the second support plate 4332, magnets 6411A, 6411B, 6411C, 6411D, and 6411F are arranged on the display unit 4320, MR sensor 6401E is arranged on the back side of the camera body 4310, and magnet 6411E is arranged on the second support plate 4332. The arrows drawn in the square blocks representing each MR sensor indicate the direction of the detectable magnetic field. Each magnet is basically composed of a pair of north and south poles, and generates a magnetic field from the north pole toward the south pole. Therefore, when a magnet that generates a detectable magnetic field approaches within a predetermined distance of a certain MR sensor, the MR sensor turns on, and when the magnet moves away from the predetermined distance, the MR sensor turns off. These five MR sensors 6401A, 6401B, 6401C, 6401D, and 6401E and six magnets 6411A, 6411B, 6411C, 6411D, 6411E, and 6411F constitute the detection unit 1204 in the functional block diagram shown in FIG. 12. Note that for ease of explanation of the arrangement of each MR sensor and magnet, the MR sensors and magnets are drawn relatively larger than the digital camera 4300.

[0109] The MR sensor 6401A and the MR sensor 6401D are used to detect rotation of the display unit 4320 around the rotation axis 4342, i.e., upside-down of the display panel 4321, by detecting the magnets 6411A and 6411D, respectively. As can be seen from Fig. 66, the MR sensor 6401A and the magnet 6411A are disposed in positions facing each other near the left edges on the second support plate 4332 side and the display unit 4320 side when the display unit 4320 is in the normal position, and the magnet 6411A is disposed in the direction of a magnetic field that can be detected by the MR sensor 6401A. Therefore, when in the normal position as shown in Fig. 66, the MR sensor 6401A detects the magnetic field of the magnet 6411A and turns on. Although not shown, even while the display unit 4320 is opening and closing around the opening and closing axis 4341 relative to the second support plate 4332, the MR sensor 6401A continues to detect the magnet 6411A, i.e., is in the ON state, as long as the display unit 4320 does not rotate in the vertical direction.

[0110] On the other hand, the MR sensor 6401D is disposed adjacent to the MR sensor 6401A so that the direction of detection of the magnetic field is opposite to that of the MR sensor 6401. Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 66, the magnet 6411D is disposed on the display unit 4320 so that it is vertically symmetrical to the magnet 6411A with respect to the rotation axis 4342 and has the same polarity. Therefore, when the display unit 4320 rotates around the rotation axis 4342 and the display panel 4321 is turned upside down as shown in FIG. 69, the MR sensor 6401A no longer detects the magnetic field of the magnet 6411A and is turned off, whereas the MR sensor 6401D detects the magnetic field of the magnet 6411D and is turned on. Although not shown, while the display unit 4320 is opening and closing around the opening and closing axis 4341 relative to the second support plate 4332, the MR sensor 6401D continues to detect the magnet 6411D, i.e., is in the on state, as long as the display unit 4320 does not rotate up and down.

[0111] The MR sensor 6401C is used to detect a state in which the display unit 4320 is closed by the second support plate 4332 by detecting either the magnet 6411C or the magnet 6411F. As shown in FIGS. 65 and 66, the MR sensor 6401C is disposed near the upper end of the closed display unit 4320 on the second support plate 4332 side. The magnet 6411C is disposed so as to face the MR sensor 6401C in the normal position and in the direction of a magnetic field that the MR sensor 6401C can detect. Therefore, in the normal position as shown in FIGS. 65 and 66, the MR sensor 6401C detects the magnetic field of the magnet 6411C and turns on. Although not shown, when the display unit 4320 is opened around the opening / closing axis 4341 and the magnetic field of the magnet 6411C goes out of the detection range, the MR sensor 6401C turns off.

[0112] 65 and 66, the magnet 6411F is disposed on the display unit 4320 at a position that is vertically symmetrical to the magnet 6411C with respect to the rotation axis 4342. That is, when the display unit 4320 is turned upside down to the panel-off position, the magnet 6411F is disposed in a location that faces the MR sensor 6401C and in a direction of a magnetic field that can be detected by the MR sensor 6401C. Therefore, as can be seen from FIGS. 68 and 69, in the panel-off position, the MR sensor 6401C detects the magnetic field of the magnet 6411F and turns on. Although not shown, when the display unit 4320 is opened around the opening / closing axis 4341 and the magnetic field of the magnet 6411F goes out of the detection range, the MR sensor 6401C turns off.

[0113] The MR sensor 6401B is used to detect the opening / closing operation of the display unit 4320 about the opening / closing axis 4341, i.e., the left-right reversal of the display panel 4321, by detecting the magnet 6411B. Since this is difficult to understand from FIGS. 64 to 69, referring to the top view of FIG. 70, which is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the opening / closing axis 4341, the MR sensor 6401B is disposed on the second support plate 4332 side, slightly closer to the center from the opening / closing axis 4341. On the other hand, the magnet 6411B is disposed near the opening / closing axis 4341 of the display panel 4321. However, FIG. 70 shows the display unit 4320 in the normal position (a state in which the display panel 4321 is facing backward and closed on the second support plate 4332).

[0114] The magnet 6411B rotates together with the opening / closing shaft 4341 when the display unit 4320 is opened or closed, but when the display unit 4320 is rotated (in other words, turned upside down), it becomes one with the opening / closing shaft 4341 and does not move around the rotation shaft 4342. Although not shown in the figures, the operation of the MR sensor 6401B accompanying the opening / closing operation of the display panel 4321 around the opening / closing shaft 4341 is similar to the operation of the MR sensor 2701B described in Section D-1 above with reference to FIGS.

[0115] As shown in FIG. 70 , when the display panel 4321 is in the normal position, the magnet 6411B is disposed near the opening / closing axis 4341 so as to be on the substantially opposite side of the opening / closing axis 4341 from the MR sensor 6401B. In this state, the MR sensor 6401B is turned off because it is separated from the magnet 6411B and cannot detect sufficient magnetic flux. When the display unit 4320 is opened 135 degrees from the normal position around the opening / closing axis 4341, the magnetic field generated by the magnet 6411B reaches the MR sensor 6401B, and the MR sensor 6401B turns on. When the display unit 4320 is opened 180 degrees to the selfie position, the MR sensor 6401B remains on. Furthermore, until the display unit 4320 is rotated around the rotation axis 4342 (in other words, turned upside down) and changed to the horizontally opened position, the magnet 6411B does not move integrally with the opening / closing axis 4341, and the MR sensor 6401B remains on.

[0116] In summary, the MR sensors 6401A, 6401B, 6401C, and 6401D are all arranged on the second support plate 4332 and turn on and off by detecting the magnetic fields of the magnets 6411A, 6411B, and 6411C or 6411F and 6411D arranged on the display unit 4320. Figure 71 summarizes the relationship between the on and off operations of the four MR sensors 6401A, 6401B, 6401C, and 6401D at six positions of the display unit 4320 relative to the second support plate 4332. Based on the on and off operations of the MR sensors 6401A, 6401B, 6401C, and 6401D, the six positions of the display unit 1320 relative to the second support plate 4332 can be identified.

[0117] Specifically, the on / off states of the MR sensors 6401A and 6401D make it possible to determine whether the display panel 4321 is upside down with respect to the second support plate 4332. The on / off states of the MR sensor 6401B make it possible to determine whether the display panel 4321 is open from the second support plate 4332. The on / off states of the MR sensor 6401C make it possible to determine whether the display unit 4320 is open or closed with respect to the second support plate 4332. In short, it should be understood that the orientation of the display panel 4321 with respect to the second support plate 4332 can be simplified to six patterns and detected with a small number of sensors, thereby achieving cost reduction.

[0118] Furthermore, the MR sensor 6401E is disposed on the rear side of the camera body 4310 and detects the magnetic field of a magnet 6411E disposed on the second support plate 4332 to perform on / off operation. FIG. 72 summarizes the relationship between the vertical tilt positions of the first support plate 4331 and the second support plate 4332 relative to the camera body 4310 and the on / off operation of the MR sensor 6401E. The vertical tilt positions of the first support plate 4331 and the second support plate 4332 can be identified based on the on / off operation of the MR sensor 6401E. Specifically, when the first support plate 4331 and the second support plate 4332 are closed to the rear of the camera body 4310, the MR sensor 6401E is on, and when the first support plate 4331 and the second support plate 4332 are opened from the rear of the camera body 4310, the MR sensor 6401E is off.

[0119] Next, switching control between the selfie display mode and the normal display mode based on the detection result of the MR sensor in the digital camera 4300 will be described.

[0120] When the display unit 4320 is in the selfie position, the MR sensor 6401A is on and the MR sensor 6401D is off regardless of the vertical tilt state shown in Fig. 45, Fig. 52, and Fig. 59. In the selfie position, the display unit 4320 is flipped left and right from the normal position, so the display panel 4321 is in a selfie display mode (see Fig. 3, for example) in which a captured image is displayed flipped left and right.

[0121] On the other hand, when the display unit 4320 is in the horizontally opened position, the MR sensor 6401A is off and the MR sensor 6401D is on regardless of the vertical tilt state shown in Fig. 47, Fig. 54, and Fig. 61. In the horizontally opened position, the display unit 4320 is inverted vertically and horizontally from the normal position, so the display panel 4321 is in the normal display mode (see Fig. 5, for example) in which the captured image is displayed inverted vertically and horizontally.

[0122] 73 to 77, the on / off operation of the MR sensor 6401A and the MR sensor 6401D in response to the rotation operation of the display unit 4320 will be described. Here, however, θ is the angle by which the display unit 4320 rotates clockwise on the page about the rotation axis 4342 from the selfie position.

[0123] 73, when the rotation angle θ of the display unit 4320 is in the range of 0 to approximately 30 degrees, the MR sensor 6401A detects sufficient magnetic flux from the magnet 6411A and turns on, but when the rotation angle θ exceeds 30 degrees, the magnetic flux decreases and the MR sensor 6401A switches from on to off. Furthermore, when the rotation continues and the rotation angle θ of the display unit 4320 exceeds approximately 150 degrees as shown in FIG. 74 (in other words, when the display unit 4320 is tilted approximately 30 degrees in the opposite direction to that in FIG. 73), the MR sensor 6401D detects sufficient magnetic flux from the magnet 6411A and switches from off to on.

[0124] Therefore, in the digital camera 4300, as shown in Fig. 75, by setting the second angle threshold θ2 for switching from the normal display mode to the selfie display mode to 150 degrees and setting the first angle threshold θ1 for switching from the selfie display mode to the normal display mode to 30 degrees (i.e., by setting the second angle threshold θ2 to a value greater than the first angle threshold θ1), it is possible to realize the display mode switching operation shown in Fig. 9, the hysteresis characteristics shown in Fig. 10, and the display mode transitions shown in Fig. 11. As a result, it becomes possible to set a display mode according to the user's intention for shooting, improving user convenience.

[0125] 73 to 75, the rotation angle of the display unit 4320 around the rotation axis 4342 is expressed as an angle of inclination from the rear surface of the camera body 4310, which is equivalent to the angle of inclination of the display direction of the display panel 4321 relative to the imaging direction of the imaging unit 4311.

[0126] However, the first angle threshold θ1 of 30 degrees and the second angle threshold θ2 of 150 degrees are design values ​​that vary depending on the sensitivity of each MR sensor used, the magnetic force of the magnet, and the placement location of the MR sensor and magnet (distance from the rotation axis 1322).

[0127] 73 to 75 show a state in which the display unit 4320 is not tilted vertically relative to the camera body 4310, but when the second support plate 4332 is tilted relative to the first support plate 4331, or when the first support plate 4331 is tilted relative to the camera body 4310, a display mode transition with hysteresis characteristics can be achieved, as shown in FIGS. 76 and 77, respectively.

[0128] Furthermore, by setting the first angle threshold θ1 for switching from normal display mode to selfie display mode to a value greater than the second angle threshold θ2 for switching from selfie display mode to normal display mode, another user convenience improvement is achieved. For example, tilting the display panel 4321 30 degrees from selfie display mode facing the camera directly would cause the display to switch to normal display mode, but this allows the selfie display mode to be maintained over a wider range. This is particularly evident in the vertical tilt and horizontal open states. For example, in the display mode transition shown in FIG. 77, tilting the display panel 4321 clockwise from 0 degrees would switch to normal display before the display panel 4321 faces the camera directly. However, this problem can be resolved by swapping the magnitude relationship between the first angle threshold θ1 and the second angle threshold θ2. [Industrial Applicability]

[0129] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make modifications or substitutions to the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0130] The present disclosure can be suitably applied to digital cameras equipped with a movable display panel on the back of the device body, such as digital still cameras and digital video cameras. Although the present specification has mainly described an embodiment in which the present disclosure is applied to a digital camera, the gist of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The present disclosure can also be applied to various types of information devices and electronic devices (e.g., information terminals such as smartphones, game consoles, etc.) equipped with a movable display panel on the body and capable of switching the display, such as flipping the displayed image vertically or horizontally, depending on the orientation of the display panel.

[0131] In short, the present disclosure has been described in the form of examples, and the contents of the specification should not be interpreted as limiting. To determine the gist of the present disclosure, the claims should be taken into consideration.

[0132] The present disclosure may also be configured as follows.

[0133] (1) a main body including an imaging unit; a display unit movable relative to the main body and having a plurality of display modes; a detection unit that detects the position of the display unit relative to the main body; a control unit that controls switching of the display mode in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the position; An imaging device comprising:

[0134] (2) the detection unit detects an angle between the imaging direction of the imaging unit and the display direction of the display unit; the control unit controls switching of the display mode in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the angle. The imaging device according to (1) above.

[0135] (3) the display unit includes a first display mode and a second display mode; the control unit switches to the second display mode when the angle exceeds a first angle under the first display mode, and switches to the first display mode when the angle becomes less than a second angle that is greater than the first angle under the second display mode. The imaging device according to (2) above.

[0136] (4) The first display mode is a selfie display mode for taking a photograph including the photographer himself / herself as a subject, with the display direction facing the imaging direction, the second display mode is a normal imaging mode for performing normal imaging with the display direction facing the opposite side to the imaging direction; The imaging device according to (3) above.

[0137] (5) A connecting part is further provided to movably connect the display part to the rear surface of the main body, The detection unit detects a position of the display unit in response to an operation of the connection unit. The imaging device according to any one of (1) to (4) above.

[0138] (6) The connecting portion includes a hinge portion that connects the display unit to the main body so that the display unit can be opened and closed in the left-right direction around an opening / closing axis and can be rotated in the up-down direction around a rotation axis relative to the opening / closing axis, the detection unit detects an angle by which the display unit has rotated around the rotation axis from a position where the display unit is open relative to the main body around the opening / closing axis, the control unit controls switching of the display mode in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the angle. The imaging device according to (5) above.

[0139] (7) The display unit includes a first display mode and a second display mode; the control unit switches to the second display mode when the angle exceeds a first angle under the first display mode, and switches to the first display mode when the angle becomes less than a second angle that is greater than the first angle under the second display mode. The imaging device according to (6) above.

[0140] (8) In the first display mode, the control unit displays the image captured by the imaging unit on the display unit by flipping the image horizontally, and in the second display mode, the control unit further flips the image displayed in the first display mode upside down and displays the image on the display unit. The imaging device according to (7) above.

[0141] (9) The detection unit includes a magnet disposed in the display unit, and a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor disposed in the main body, the first magnetic sensor is disposed near the opening / closing axis on the main body side, and the second magnetic sensor is disposed at a position substantially symmetrical to the first magnetic sensor across the rotation axis, the magnet is disposed at a position where it approaches the first magnetic sensor when the display unit does not rotate around the opening / closing axis, and where it approaches the first magnetic sensor when the display unit rotates around the opening / closing axis and is turned upside down, the first magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the magnet when the angle is equal to or smaller than the first angle, and the second magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the magnet when the angle is equal to or larger than the second angle; The imaging device according to any one of (7) and (8) above.

[0142] (10) The connecting portion includes a vertical tilt mechanism portion that tilts the display portion vertically relative to the main body, and a hinge portion that connects the display portion to the vertical tilt mechanism portion so that the display portion can be opened and closed in the left-right direction around an opening / closing axis and can be rotated in the up-down direction around a rotation axis relative to the opening / closing axis, the detection unit detects an angle by which the display unit has rotated around the rotation axis from a position where the display unit is open relative to the vertical tilt mechanism unit around the opening / closing axis, the control unit controls switching of the display mode in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the angle. The imaging device according to (5) above.

[0143] (11) The display unit includes a first display mode and a second display mode, the control unit switches to the second display mode when the angle exceeds a first angle under the first display mode, and switches to the first display mode when the angle becomes less than a second angle that is greater than the first angle under the second display mode. The imaging device according to (10) above.

[0144] (12) In the first display mode, the control unit displays the image captured by the imaging unit on the display unit by flipping the image horizontally, and in the second display mode, the control unit further flips the image displayed in the first display mode upside down and displays the image on the display unit. The imaging device according to (11) above.

[0145] (13) The detection unit includes a first magnet and a second magnet arranged on the display unit, and a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor arranged on the vertical tilt mechanism unit side, the first magnet is disposed near the opening / closing axis on the display unit side, and the second magnet is disposed at a position substantially symmetrical to the first magnet across the rotation axis so that their magnetic fields are directed in opposite directions; the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are disposed adjacent to the opening / closing axis of the vertical tilt mechanism so as to detect magnetic fields in opposite directions to each other; the first magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the first magnet when the angle is equal to or less than the first angle, and the second magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the second magnet when the angle is equal to or greater than the second angle; The imaging device according to any one of (11) and (12) above.

[0146] (14) A control method for an imaging device having a main body including an imaging unit and a movable display unit, a detection step of detecting a position of the display unit relative to the main body; a control step of controlling switching of the display mode of the display unit in accordance with a combination of the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the position; A control method for an imaging device having the above features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0147] 100...digital camera, 110...camera body, 111...imaging lens 120...display unit, 121...display panel, 130...hinge unit 131...opening / closing shaft, 132...rotating shaft 1201...control unit, 1202...display unit, 1203...imaging unit 1204: detection unit, 1205: recording unit, 1206: operation unit 1211: Display control unit, 1212: Image processing unit 1213...Image recording unit 1300...digital camera, 1310...camera body, 1311...imaging unit 1320...display unit, 1321...display panel, 1330...hinge mechanism 1331...opening / closing shaft, 1332...rotating shaft, 1340...viewfinder 2701...MR sensor, 2711...magnet 4300...digital camera, 4310...camera body, 4311...imaging unit 4320...display unit, 4321...display panel, 4330...vertical tilt mechanism unit 4331...first support plate, 4332...second support plate 4333...First tilt axis, 4334...Second tilt axis 4340...Horizontal vari-angle mechanism 4341...opening and closing shaft, 4342...rotating shaft 6401...MR sensor, 6411...magnet

Claims

1. a main body including an imaging unit; a display unit that displays an image captured by the imaging unit; a connecting portion that connects the display unit to the rear surface of the main body via an opening / closing shaft that opens and closes in the left-right direction relative to the main body and a rotation shaft that rotates the display unit in the up-down direction relative to the opening / closing shaft; a detection unit that detects an angle by which the display unit rotates around the rotation axis when the display unit is in an open position relative to the main body around the opening / closing axis; a control unit that controls the display unit in accordance with the angle; Equipped with the display unit has a selfie display mode in which an image captured by the imaging unit is displayed in a horizontally inverted manner so that the photographer can take a photograph including the photographer himself / herself as a subject, and a normal display mode in which an image captured by the imaging unit is displayed in a vertically and horizontally inverted manner so that the same image as the image captured by the imaging unit can be observed; the control unit determines whether the photographer intends to switch to selfie photography or normal photography based on the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the angle, and lengthens the angle section for the selfie display mode if the photographer intends to switch to selfie photography, and lengthens the angle section for the normal display mode if the photographer intends to switch to normal photography. Imaging device.

2. The control unit switches to the normal display mode when the angle exceeds a second angle under the selfie display mode, and switches to the selfie display mode when the angle becomes less than a first angle that is smaller than the second angle under the normal display mode. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

3. The detection unit includes a magnet arranged in the display unit, and a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor arranged on the main body side; the first magnetic sensor is disposed near the opening / closing axis on the main body side, and the second magnetic sensor is disposed at a position substantially symmetrical to the first magnetic sensor across the rotation axis, the magnet is disposed at a position where it approaches the first magnetic sensor when the display unit does not rotate around the opening / closing axis, and where it approaches the second magnetic sensor when the display unit rotates around the opening / closing axis and is turned upside down, the first magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the magnet when the angle is equal to or smaller than the first angle, and the second magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the magnet when the angle is equal to or larger than the second angle; The imaging device according to claim 1 .

4. The connecting portion includes a vertical tilt mechanism portion that tilts vertically relative to the main body, and a hinge portion that connects the display portion to the vertical tilt mechanism portion so that the display portion can be opened and closed in the left-right direction around the opening / closing axis and can rotate up and down around the rotation axis relative to the opening / closing axis, the detection unit detects an angle by which the display unit has rotated around the opening / closing axis from an open position relative to the vertical tilt mechanism unit. The imaging device according to claim 1 .

5. The detection unit comprises a first magnet and a second magnet arranged on the display unit, and a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor arranged on the vertical tilt mechanism unit side; the first magnet is disposed near the opening / closing axis on the display unit side, and the second magnet is disposed at a position substantially symmetrical to the first magnet across the rotation axis so that their magnetic fields are directed in opposite directions; the first magnetic sensor and the second magnetic sensor are disposed adjacent to the opening / closing axis of the vertical tilt mechanism so as to detect magnetic fields in opposite directions to each other; the first magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the first magnet when the angle is equal to or less than the first angle, and the second magnetic sensor can detect the magnetic force of the second magnet when the angle is equal to or greater than the second angle; The imaging device according to claim 4 .

6. A method for controlling an imaging device comprising: a main body including an imaging unit; a display unit that displays an image captured by the imaging unit; an opening / closing axis that opens and closes left and right relative to the main body; and a connecting part that connects the display unit to the back of the main body via an opening / closing axis that rotates the display unit up and down relative to the opening / closing axis, wherein the display unit has a selfie display mode in which an image captured by the imaging unit is displayed in a left-right inverted manner so that the photographer can include himself or herself in the photographic subject; and a normal display mode in which an image captured by the imaging unit is displayed in a top-down and left-right inverted manner so that the same image as the image captured by the imaging unit can be observed, a detection step of detecting an angle by which the display unit has rotated around the rotation axis in a position where the display unit is opened relative to the main body around the opening / closing axis; a control step of determining whether the photographer intends to switch to selfie photography or normal photography based on the current display mode of the display unit and the change in the angle, and lengthening the angle section for the selfie display mode if the photographer intends to switch to selfie photography, and lengthening the angle section for the normal display mode if the photographer intends to switch to normal photography; A control method for an imaging device having the above features.

Images