Control device for image input apparatus

Claim 2

A control device for an image input apparatus, comprising: a) display means for displaying, in an image window, image information obtained by an image pickup of an image inputting device, and in a control window not in visual coincidence with said image window, information for permitting control over a predetermined function of said image inputting device; b) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and c) control means for receiving output signals of said operator controllable means and responsive thereto upon preselected disposition of said cursor for displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said image window, said control window where said control window coincides with said image window being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said control window to appear approximately in a middle part of said image window.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said control means is further arranged to control at least one of condition of said image input apparatus, including a panning or tilting movement, a focal length, and exposure and a zooming ratio of an optical system.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mouse, said mouse being a component of said operator controllable means and said control means.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a mouse, said mouse being a component of said operator controllable means and said control means.

Claim 7

A control device for image input apparatuses, comprising: a) display means for displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows; b) first control means for permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through a control window displayed on a screen of said display means; c) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and d) second control means for receiving said operator control input from said operator controllable means and responsive thereto upon preselected disposition of said cursor for displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of only one of said image windows, said control window where said control window coincides with said one of said image windows being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 8

A control device for image input apparatuses, comprising: a) display means for displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows; b) first control means for permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through a control window displayed on a screen of said display means; c) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and d) second control means for receiving said operator control input from said operator controllable means and responsive thereto upon preselected disposition of said cursor for displacing said control window into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of only one of said image windows, said control window where said control window coincides with said one of said image windows being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 6, wherein said first control means is arranged to control at least one of conditions of each of said image input apparatuses, including a panning or tilting movement, a focal length, an exposure and a zooming ratio of an optical system.

Claim 10

A control device for image input apparatuses, comprising: a) display means for displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows; b) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; c) first control means for permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through control windows displayed on a screen of said display means; and d) second control means responsive to output signals of said operator controllable means for displacing said control windows into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said corresponding image windows and for varying the transparency of each of the control windows, each control window where that control window coincides with the corresponding image window being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 11

A control device for image input apparatuses, comprising: a) display means for displaying image information obtained from a plurality of image input apparatuses respectively in corresponding image windows; b) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; c) first control means for permitting control over a predetermined function of each of said image input apparatuses through control windows displayed on a screen of said display means; and d) second control means responsive to output signals of said operator controllable means for displacing said control windows into visual coincidence with and on the inner wall of said corresponding image windows and for varying the transparency of each of the control windows, each control window where that control window coincides with the corresponding image window being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 8, wherein said first control means is arranged to control at least one of conditions of each of said image input apparatuses, including a panning or tilting movement, a focal length, an exposure and a zooming ratio of an optical system.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 9, further comprising a mouse, said mouse being a component of said operator controllable means and said second control means.

Claim 14

A display system, comprising: a) display means having a display screen; b) imaging means for viewing an object and generating output signals indicative of the viewed object; c) an imaging means controller for generating output signals indicative of a plurality of controls for said imaging means; d) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and e) control means having (1) a first display control unit for display on said display screen of a first visual image corresponding with the viewed object indicated in said imaging means output signals, and (2) a second display control unit for display on said display screen of a second visual image corresponding with the plurality of controls for said imaging means indicated in said imaging means controller output signals, said control means being responsive to output signals of said operator controllable means for effecting display of said first and second visual images along a common line of sight with respect to said display screen and such that said first visual image is displayed in a first area of said display screen and said second visual image is displaced so as to be displayed in a second area of said display screen, said second area being on the inner wall of and only in said first area, said second visual image being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 15

A display system, comprising: a) display means having a display screen; b) imaging means for viewing an object and generating output signals indicative of the viewed object; c) an imaging means controller for generating output signals indicative of a plurality of controls for said imaging means; d) operator controllable means for variably positioning a cursor on said display means and for receiving operator control input; and e) control means having (1) a first display control unit for display on said display screen of a first visual image corresponding with the viewed object indicated in said imaging means output signals, and (2) a second display control unit for display on said display screen of a second visual image corresponding with the plurality of controls for said imaging means indicated in said imaging means controller output signals, said control means being responsive to output signals of said operator controllable means for effecting display of said first and second visual images along a common line of sight with respect to said display screen and such that said first visual image is displayed in a first area of said display screen and said second visual image is displaced so as to be displayed in a second area of said display screen, said second area being on the inner wall of and only in said first area, said second visual image being semitransparently displayed.

Claim 16

The display system claimed in claim 11, wherein said control means displays said second visual image in superimposition with said first visual image such that said first visual image is visible through the display of said second visual image.