Electronic Apparatus Operation Amount Display and Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in identifying the amount of operation required to execute specific functions in electronic apparatuses, leading to erroneous setting values and unintended function execution due to unclear relationships between operation amounts and setting values.

Innovation Solution

The electronic apparatus displays the amount of operation on a custom setting screen, allowing users to intuitively assign zoom speeds based on depression levels, and adjusts setting values to maintain a consistent relationship between operation amounts and setting values, preventing unintended function changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If functions are assigned in advance to different amounts of operation, then function execution becomes immediate, but the user has difficulty identifying the amounts of operation required to execute specific functions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunction execution speedVSAvoidoperation amount identification
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays the amount of operation on the operation member (e.g., rotation angle of a dial) in real-time on the display unit. This visual feedback allows users to see exactly how much they have operated the control member, enabling them to identify the required operation amounts for executing specific functions while maintaining immediate function execution capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit acts as an intermediary that receives the operation amount from the operation member, processes it to determine the corresponding function, and displays the operation amount information to the user. This intermediary processing enables both immediate function execution and user awareness of operation amounts

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If parameters of setting items are set by the user, then customization is enabled, but the setting may fail to provide the user-desired function due to erroneous setting values

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesetting customizationVSAvoidsetting value accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays the current setting values and the relationship between operation amounts and setting values on the display unit. This visual feedback allows users to verify their settings and understand how different operation amounts correspond to different setting values, preventing erroneous settings while maintaining customization capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary display of the operation amount information and setting value relationships before the user finalizes their settings. This allows users to anticipate the results of their settings and make corrections if needed, ensuring reliable settings while maintaining adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3511812B1Electronic apparatus, method for controlling same, and program
Publication Date: 2021.06.23 CANON KK
  • EP3511812B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP3511812B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3511812B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Processing content is assigned and set for each of a plurality of levels of an amount of operation on a specific operation member. In response to a user operation made on the specific operation member, processing content set for a level corresponding to the amount of operation of the user operation is executed. A setting screen for assigning the processing content to be set to each of the plurality of levels of the amount of operation on the specific operation member based on a setting operation by a user is displayed. In response to a user operation made on the specific member while the setting screen is displayed, a display indicating the amount of operation of the user operation is provided.