Electronic apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

An electronic apparatus comprises a touch detection unit which detects a touch operation on a display unit, a display control unit which controls to display a specific display item on the display unit, and a control unit which controls to execute a specific function in response to a touch operation as a touch at a position in a first area, at least a portion of which is included in a display area of the specific display item, and controls not to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation as a touch at a position in a second area, at least a portion of which is included in a display area of the specific display item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic apparatus comprising:
 a touch-screen device which can display one or more icons;   a touch detection unit configured to detect a touch operation on the touch-screen device; and   a control unit configured to control, when a touch is made at a position in a specific area to which a specific function is assigned on the touch-screen device, to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation of the touch, and   to control, when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a direction of the move satisfies a predetermined condition, to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device, and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a direction of the move does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the control unit controls not to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the direction of the move satisfies the predetermined condition, the control unit controls to execute the specific function in response to a release of the touch from the specific area. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when a touch is made at a position outside a third area, to which a second function different from the specific function is assigned and which area is located at a position different from the specific area, on the touch-screen device, and a touch position of the touch moves into the third area without releasing the touch, the control unit controls to execute the second function in response to a touch operation by the touch irrespective of a direction of the move. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a condition that the direction of the move is not a first direction is the predetermined condition. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a condition that the direction of the move is one of second to fourth directions of first to the fourth directions is the predetermined condition. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first direction is a direction from an end of the touch-screen device close to the specific area toward an inner side of the touch-screen device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first direction is a direction from an end of the touch-screen device close to a grip portion of the electronic apparatus toward an inner side of the touch-screen device. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an image capturing unit; and   a shutter operation member configured to instruct the image capturing unit to capture an image,   wherein the first direction is a direction from an end of the touch-screen device close to the shutter operation member toward an inner side of the touch-screen device.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the control unit controls to display the specific display item on the touch-screen device together with a through-the lens-image as an image obtained by sequentially displaying an image captured by the image capturing unit. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic apparatus is at least one of a personal computer, a mobile phone terminal, a portable image viewer, a printer apparatus comprising a display, a digital photo frame, a music player, a game machine, and an electronic book reader. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an attitude detection unit configured to detect an attitude of the electronic apparatus,
 wherein the control unit controls to execute the control for areas to which different functions are assigned in accordance with the attitude detected by the attitude detection unit.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an attitude detection unit configured to detect an attitude of the electronic apparatus,
 wherein the control unit controls to change the predetermined condition according to the attitude detected by the attitude detection unit.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when a touch is continuously made on the specific area for not less than a predetermined time period, the control unit does not execute the specific function irrespective of a direction of movement of the touch. 
     
     
         15 . An electronic apparatus comprising:
 a touch-screen device which can display one or more icons;   a touch detection unit configured to detect a touch operation on the touch-screen device; and   a control unit configured to control, when a touch is made at a position in a specific area to which a specific function is assigned, on the touch-screen device to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch, and   to control, when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a start touch position of the touch is located on a predetermined area, not to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when the start touch position of the touch is not the predetermined area, the control unit controls to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein when a touch is made at a position in the specific area, and when a touch is made on an area which is not the predetermined area outside the specific area and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, the control unit controls to execute the specific function in response to a release of the touch from a position in the specific area. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein when a touch is made at a position outside a third area, to which a second function different from the specific function is assigned and which is located at a position different from the specific area, on the touch-screen device, and a touch position of the touch moves into the third area without releasing the touch, the control unit controls to execute the second function in response to a touch operation by the touch irrespective of a start touch position of the touch. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined area is an area closer to an end of the touch-screen device than the specific area. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined area is an area closer to an end of the touch-screen device, which end is close to a grip portion of the electronic apparatus, than the specific area. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an image capturing unit; and   a shutter operation member configured to instruct the image capturing unit to capture an image,   wherein the predetermined area is an area closer to an end of the touch-screen device, which end is close to the shutter operation member, than the specific area.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein a specific display item related to the specific function is displayed on an area, at least a portion of which overlaps the specific area, together with a through-the lens-image as an image obtained by sequentially displaying an image captured by the image capturing unit. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the electronic apparatus is at least one of a personal computer, a mobile phone terminal, a portable image viewer, a printer apparatus comprising a display, a digital photo frame, a music player, a game machine, and an electronic book reader. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising an attitude detection unit configured to detect an attitude of the electronic apparatus,
 wherein the control unit controls to execute the control for areas to which different functions are assigned in accordance with the attitude detected by the attitude detection unit.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , further comprising an attitude detection unit configured to detect an attitude of the electronic apparatus,
 wherein the control unit controls to change a positional relationship between the predetermined area and an area, which is located outside the specific area and is not the predetermined area, according to the attitude detected by the attitude detection unit.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein when a touch is continuously made on the specific area for not less than a predetermined time period, the control unit does not execute the specific function irrespective of a start touch position of the touch. 
     
     
         27 . A control method of an electronic apparatus, comprising:
 detecting a touch operation on the touch-screen device; and   controlling, when a touch is made at a position in a specific area to which a specific function is assigned on the touch-screen device, to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation of the touch, and   controlling, when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a direction of the move satisfies a predetermined condition, to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch.   
     
     
         28 . A control method of an electronic apparatus comprising:
 detecting a touch operation on the touch-screen device; and   controlling, when a touch is made at a position in a specific area to which a specific function is assigned, on the touch-screen device to execute the specific function, and   controlling, when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a start touch position of the touch is located on a predetermined area, not to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch.   
     
     
         29 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a touch detection unit and a control unit of an electronic apparatus comprising a touch-screen device which can display one or more icons, wherein
 the touch detection unit is configured to detect a touch operation on the touch-screen device, and   the control unit is configured to control, when a touch is made at a position in a specific area to which a specific function is assigned on the touch-screen device, to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation of the touch, and   to control, when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a direction of the move satisfies a predetermined condition, to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch.   
     
     
         30 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a touch detection unit and a control unit of an electronic apparatus which has a touch-screen device which can display one or more icons, wherein
 the touch detection unit is configured to detect a touch operation on the touch-screen device, and   the control unit is configured to control, when a touch is made at a position in a specific area to which a specific function is assigned, on the touch-screen device to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch, and   to control, when a touch is made at a position outside the specific area on the touch-screen device and a touch position of the touch moves into the specific area without releasing the touch, and when a start touch position of the touch is located on a predetermined area, not to execute the specific function in response to a touch operation by the touch.