Patent Publication Number: US-2011061023-A1

Title: Electronic apparatus including touch panel and displaying method of the electronic apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0085067, filed on Sep. 9, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus including a touch panel and a displaying method of the electronic apparatus, and more particularly, to an electronic apparatus including a touch panel which changes an image according to the characteristic of a touch manipulation, and a displaying method of the electronic apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Electronic apparatuses including a touch panel may conveniently perform various functions by a user touching a surface of the touch panel with a finger or stylus. The touch panel provides an environment by which a user may instinctively manipulate the electronic apparatuses, and thus, the touch panel may be used in various electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras, portable media players (PMPs), navigation devices, and public guidance devices using flat display devices. 
     Users using a touch panel typically select execution menus with the finger, etc., while viewing the executable menus displayed on the touch panel. When electronic apparatuses using a touch panel are designed, the arrangement and displaying order of execution menus, which are related to touch manipulation, are important factors in order to conveniently use the electronic apparatuses. However, general electronic apparatuses including a touch panel only check the execution of a touch manipulation, and a function corresponding to a menu selected by the touch manipulation is simply performed. Thus, user interfaces related to the checked touch manipulation are limited. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic apparatus including a touch panel in which an application scope is widened so that the electronic apparatus is conveniently used, and a displaying method of the electronic apparatus. 
     Embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic apparatus including a touch panel that provides a user interface according to a pressure, contact area or contact time of touching the touch panel, and a displaying method of the electronic apparatus. 
     Embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic apparatus that is controlled as aesthetically desired by a user using a touch panel so that a user interface of the electronic apparatus is conveniently used. 
     Embodiments of the present invention also provide an electronic apparatus including a touch panel that changes an image according to the characteristic of a touch manipulation, and a displaying method of the electronic apparatus. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, an electronic apparatus includes a touch panel that displays an image and detects a touch manipulation to a surface of the touch panel, and a controller that controls the touch panel to change the image displayed by the touch panel according to a characteristic of the touch manipulation detected by the touch panel. 
     The touch panel may detect a position where the touch manipulation is performed to generate a position signal, and may generate a characteristic signal representing the characteristic of the touch manipulation by sensing at least one of a pressure under which the surface of the touch panel is touched, a contact area of the surface of the touch panel, and a contact time. 
     The electronic apparatus may further include a vibration-generating device that generates vibration, wherein the controller adjusts a strength of the vibration generated by the vibration-generating device according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel. 
     The controller may control the touch panel according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel so as to change a size of a menu included in the image displayed on the touch panel. 
     The controller may control the touch panel according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel so as to change a velocity of displaying a menu included in the image displayed on the touch panel. 
     The controller may control the touch panel according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel so as to change a color of a menu selected from among menus displayed on the touch panel. 
     The electronic apparatus may further include a memory that stores images, wherein the controller controls the touch panel so that the images stored in the memory are sequentially displayed, and controls a velocity of changing the images displayed on the touch panel according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel. 
     The electronic apparatus may further include a lens assembly including a plurality of lenses; an image pickup unit that captures image light passing through the lens assembly and converts the image light into image data to be displayed on the touch panel; and a lens adjuster that adjusts relative positions of the lenses, wherein the controller controls the lens adjuster according to the characteristic of the characteristic signal of the touch panel. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a displaying method of an electronic apparatus includes a detecting operation of detecting a touch manipulation to a surface of a touch panel; a signal generating operation of generating a position signal indicating a position where the touch manipulation detected in the detecting operation is performed, and a characteristic signal indicating a characteristic of the touch manipulation; and an image changing operation of changing an image displayed on the touch panel according to the characteristic signal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus including a touch panel, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram for explaining a principle of operating the touch panel of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a displaying method of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus including a touch panel, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart of a displaying method of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 8 , according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of a touch panel operating according to the displaying method of  FIG. 9 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an electronic apparatus including a touch panel and a displaying method of the electronic apparatus will be described with regard to exemplary embodiments of the invention and with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus including a touch panel  10 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the electronic apparatus includes the touch panel  10  for displaying an image and detecting a touch manipulation to a surface of the touch panel  10 , and a controller  20  for controlling the touch panel  10  so as to change the image displayed on the touch panel  10  according to characteristics of the touch manipulation detected by the touch panel  10 . The electronic apparatus may be used as a digital camera, a portable media player, etc. 
     The touch panel  10  may be installed on various electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras, navigation devices, or portable media players (PMPs), in order to improve the user&#39;s manipulation convenience. The touch panel  10  is an input device for replacing a keyboard, a mouse, buttons, etc. Since a desired operation may be performed by touching the surface of the touch panel  10  with a finger or stylus, the touch panel  10  may facilitate an instinctive operation under a graphic user interface (GUI) environment. 
     A user may enjoy viewing an image through the touch panel  10 , and may select or execute various menus displayed on the touch panel  10  by touching the touch panel  10  with a finger or stylus. The touch panel  10  includes a displayer  11  that displays the image. An input unit  12  is disposed on the displayer  11 , and detects a touch manipulation of the touch panel  10 . 
     The controller  20  is electrically connected to the touch panel  10 , a vibration-generating device  30  and a memory  40 . In order to control operations of the touch panel  10 , the vibration-generating device  30 , and the memory  40 , the controller  20  may transmit and receive control signals to and from the touch panel  10 , the vibration-generating device  30 , and the memory  40 , or may process data. The controller  20  may include a display controller  21 , a receiver  22 , a vibration controller  23 , and a memory controller  24 . 
     The controller  20  may be embodied by a microchip or a circuit board including the microchip. Each component included in the controller  20  may be embodied by software included in a circuit board, a microchip, or circuits. 
     The displayer  11  is a display device controlled by the display controller  21  so as to display an image. Examples of the displayer  11  may include, but are not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an electroluminescent (EL) display device, or a field emission (FE) device. 
     The memory  40  is a storage in which an image or program to be displayed on the displayer  11  is stored. The memory  40  includes a semiconductor memory device such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), and functions as a recording medium for storing data of a captured image. The memory controller  24  controls recording the data of the captured image to the memory  40 , and reading the data of the captured image from the memory  40  or setting information recorded in the memory  40 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram for explaining a principle of operating the touch panel  10  of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     An input unit  12  is disposed on the displayer  11 , and detects a touch manipulation to a surface of the input unit  12 . The input unit  12  may generate a characteristic signal indicating a characteristic of the touch manipulation and a position signal indicating a position where the touch manipulation is performed. Various technologies such as a resistance detecting type, surface wave detecting type or a capacitance detecting type may be used in the input unit  12 . 
     The input unit  12  may include a resistance layer  13  disposed on a surface of the displayer  11 , and a signal generator  14  that is electrically connected to the resistance layer  13  and generates a signal. The signal generator  14  detects at least one of a pressure P A  at which the surface of the touch panel  10  is touched, a contact area S A  on which a touch manipulation is performed, and a contact time during which the touch is performed, and generates a characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the touch manipulation. For example, when the resistance layer  13  is compressed by the touch manipulation, the signal generator  14  may calculate a contact resistance based on the contact area S A , and generate the characteristic signal. The generated characteristic signal is transmitted to the receiver  22  of the controller  20 . 
     According to the present embodiment, the resistance layer  13  of the input unit  12 , as a separate element, is disposed on the surface of the displayer  11 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the resistance layer  13  of the input unit  12  may be disposed to form a transparent surface covering liquid crystal if the displayer  11  is an LCD. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the electronic apparatus including the touch panel may further include the vibration-generating device  30 . The vibration-generating device  30  is controlled by the vibration controller  23  of the controller  20 , so as to adjust the strength of the generated vibration of the vibration-generating device  30 . The vibration controller  23  may control the vibration-generating device  30  according to the characteristic signal indicating the touch manipulation detected by the touch panel  10 . For example, as a pressure of the touch manipulation is increased, the strength of the vibration may be increased. As a contact area of the touch manipulation is increased, the strength of the vibration may be increased. In addition, as a contact time of the touch manipulation is increased, the strength of the vibration may be increased. 
     By adjusting the strength of the vibration generated by the vibration-generating device  30  according to the characteristic of the touch manipulation, a user may feel vibration in response to the user&#39;s touch manipulation. Thus, it is convenient to manipulate the electronic apparatus using a GUI. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a displaying method of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the displaying method includes an image displaying operation (operation S 110 ) of displaying an image on a touch panel; a touch manipulation detecting operation (operation S 120 ) of detecting a touch manipulation to a surface of the touch panel; a signal generating operation (operation S 130 ) of generating a position signal indicating a position of the touch manipulation and a characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the touch manipulation; and an image changing operation (operation S 140 ) of changing the image displayed on the touch panel according to the characteristic signal of the touch manipulation. 
     An image including a menu, a picture, etc., is displayed on the touch panel of the electronic apparatus (operation S 110 ). A user may select the menu displayed on the touch panel, or may perform the touch manipulation of selecting a portion of the picture. In the touch manipulation detecting operation (operation S 120 ), the touch manipulation is detected. 
     In the signal generating operation (operation S 130 ), the characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the detected touch manipulation and the position signal indicating a position of the touch manipulation are generated. The characteristic signal is a signal including at least one of a pressure at which the surface of the touch panel is touched, a contact area on which a touch manipulation is performed, and a contact time during which the touch manipulation is performed. 
     In the image changing operation (operation S 140 ), the image displayed on the touch panel is changed according to the characteristic signal generated in the signal generating operation (operation S 130 ). In the image changing operation (operation S 140 ), the size of the menu included in the image, the moving velocity of the menu, and a color of the menu may be changed. 
     The display method of the electronic apparatus may further include a vibration generating operation (operation S 160 ) of generating vibration. If the electronic apparatus is set to be in a mode for generating vibration (operation S 150 ), the strength of the vibration may be adjusted according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel, which is generated in the signal generating operation (operation S 130 ). 
     According to the displaying method of the electronic apparatus, the user may feel the vibration in response to the user&#39;s touch manipulation or see a change in the image. Accordingly, it is convenient to manipulate the electronic apparatus using a GUI. 
       FIG. 4  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel  10  of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 4  illustrates a state of the touch panel  10  where an ISO setting menu  52  disposed between a white balance menu  51  and a fluctuation-adjusting menu  53  has been selected. 
     When the ISO setting menu  52  is selected, subordinate menus  71  corresponding respectively to ISO setting functions are displayed by being unfolded in a horizontal direction of the touch panel  10 . The subordinate menus  71  are arranged in the horizontal direction of the touch panel  10 . A velocity of displaying the subordinate menus  71  by unfolding them in the horizontal direction of the touch panel  10  may be controlled by the characteristic of the touch manipulation of pressing the ISO setting menu  52 . In order to perform this function, the display controller  21  may control the touch panel  10  according to the characteristic signal so as to increase or reduce the velocity of displaying the subordinate menus  71 . 
     When the user touches a detection region  74  divided so as to correspond to the subordinate menus  71 , at least one of the subordinate menus  71 , which corresponds to a portion of the detection region  74  where a touch manipulation is detected, is selected. The selected subordinate menu of the subordinate menus  71  may be enlarged to an enlarged menu  73 , and then the enlarged menu  73  may be displayed. When the enlarged menu  73  is displayed, the display controller  21  may control the touch panel  10  so as to increase or reduce a velocity of displaying the subordinate menus  71  according to the characteristic signal generated by detecting the touch manipulation performed on the selected subordinate menu of the subordinate menus  71 . Thus, for example, when the user strongly touches the subordinate menus  71 , the enlarged menu  73  may be displayed so as to have a larger size than normal. 
     According to an operation of the touch panel  10  of the present embodiment, even if the subordinate menus  71  are displayed so as to have a small size, the selected subordinate menu of the subordinate menus  71 , which is selected by a contact of a finger  60  on the detection region  74 , is changed to the enlarged menu  73  having a large size, and thus the user may easily perform the touch manipulation, and may easily recognize the selected subordinate menu through the enlarged menu  73 . 
       FIG. 5  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel  10  of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , subordinate menus  75  for guiding a user to select a function to be performed are displayed on the touch panel  10  in a vertical direction of the touch panel  10 . 
     Superior menus  77  and  76  are arranged close to a lower edge of the touch panel  10  in a horizontal direction of the touch panel  10 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a case where a user selects a filter-setting menu  77  of the superior menus  77  and  76 . When a finger  60  of the user touches a detection region  78  so as to select the filter-setting menu  77 , the display controller  21  of  FIG. 1  may change a color of the detection region  78  surrounding the filter-setting menu  77  according to the characteristic signal generated by the touch panel  10 . For example, as a pressure of the touch manipulation becomes stronger, which is determined according to the characteristic signal, the color of the detection region  78  may be displayed so as to have a darker color than normal. 
     When the filter-setting menu  77  is selected, at least one of the subordinate menus  75 , corresponding to a filter setting function, is displayed in a column extending in a direction indicated by an arrow  79  from a position corresponding to the filter-setting menu  77 . The subordinate menus  75  may be arranged in a vertical direction of the touch panel  10 . 
     A velocity of displaying the subordinate menus  75  by unfolding them in the vertical direction of the touch panel  10  may be controlled by the characteristic of the touch manipulation of pressing the filter-setting menu  77 . In order to perform this function, the display controller  21  may control the touch panel  10  according to the characteristic signal so as to increase or reduce the velocity of displaying the subordinate menus  75 . 
     According to an operation of the touch panel  10  according to the present embodiment, the colors and displaying velocity of menu items are changed according to the characteristic of the touch manipulation, and thus the user may easily perform the touch manipulation, and may easily recognize an enlarged menu. 
       FIG. 6  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel  10  of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  illustrates an operation of selecting a portion of an image  84  stored in the electronic apparatus in order to enlarge or edit the image  84  in the touch panel  10 . 
     By performing a touch manipulation to a surface of the touch panel  10  with a touch panel pen  61 , the portion of the image  84  displayed on the touch panel  10  may be selected. The touch manipulation of the touch panel  10  may be performed using a drag touch method that is performed by moving the touch panel pen  61  against the surface of the touch panel  10  by a predetermined distance. 
     The user performs the drag touch method with the touch panel pen  61  so as to select a first portion of the image  84  including a tree, and then a square indication  84   a  indicating the first region is displayed on the touch panel  10 . 
     When the user selects the square indication  84   a  positioned on the first region with the touch panel pen  61 , and moves the square indication  84   a  to a second region including a human&#39;s face, a square indication  84   b  indicating the second region is indicated by the touch manipulation. In order to move a square indication, the display controller  21  may control the touch panel  10  according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel  10  so as to increase or reduce a velocity of moving the square indication. 
     When the square indications  84   a  and  84   b  are indicated by selecting portions of the image  84  by using a drag touch method, a velocity of displaying the square indications  84   a  and  84   b  may be increased or reduced according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel  10 . 
     According to an operation of the touch panel  10  of the present embodiment, a velocity of moving a square indication displayed on the touch panel  10  is changed according to the characteristic of the touch manipulation, and thus the user may easily perform the touch manipulation, and may easily recognize a selected portion. 
       FIG. 7  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of the touch panel  10  of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1 , according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  illustrates a case where a function of sequentially displaying images  81  and  82  stored in the electronic apparatus is performed. 
     Electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras or PMPs may have a function of displaying captured images on a display device. A function of sequentially and automatically reproducing images stored in the electronic apparatus is referred to as a slide view function. 
     The electronic apparatus may sequentially and automatically reproduce a plurality of images stored in a storage device such as a memory. In addition, the electronic apparatus may sequentially reproduce a plurality of images when a user touches or selects a selection icon  83  displayed on the touch panel  10  with the touch panel pen  61 . The former reproducing method refers to an automatic reproducing function, and the latter reproducing method refers to a manual reproducing function. 
     During the performing of the automatic reproducing function or the manual reproducing function, the user may adjust a time taken to change the images  81  by changing the strength (a contact pressure, a contact area, or a contact time) of the touch manipulation with the selection icon  83 . In  FIG. 7 , a single thumbnail image (corresponding to the image  82 ) of a plurality of thumbnail images (corresponding to the images  81  and  82 ) is displayed as an output image  82   a . In this case, for example, when the touch panel pen  61  is strongly pressed against the selection icon  83 , subsequent images may be quickly changed. 
     According to an operation of the touch panel  10  of the present embodiment, since a velocity of changing images displayed on the touch panel  10  is changed according to a user&#39;s intention, a slide view function may be conveniently used. 
       FIG. 8  is a block diagram of an electronic apparatus including a touch panel  150 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an example where the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 1  is embodied as a digital camera. The electronic apparatus includes the touch panel  150  for displaying an image and detecting a touch manipulation to a surface of the touch panel  150 , a controller  140  for controlling the touch panel  150  so as to change the image displayed on the touch panel  150  according to the characteristics of the touch manipulation detected by the touch panel  150 , a memory  115 , a lens assembly  112  including a plurality of lenses, an image pickup unit  120  for capturing image light passing through the lens assembly  112  and converting the image light into image data to be displayed on the touch panel  150 , a zoom driver  111 , and a focus driver  113 . 
     The image pickup unit  120  includes an image pickup device  110  for capturing an image of a subject and converting the image into an electrical signal, and an image converter  141  for converting the electrical signal of the image pickup device  110  into the image data. 
     The lens assembly  112  disposed in front of the image pickup device  110  includes the lenses, and images external image light on an image pickup surface of the image pickup device  110 . The lenses are arranged at variable intervals. When the intervals between the lenses are changed, the zoom magnification ratio and focus of the lens assembly  112  may be adjusted. 
     The intervals between the lenses may be changed by controlling the lenses by the focus driver  113  and a zoom driver  111  including a driver such as a zoom motor or a focus motor. The lenses may include a zoom lens for enlarging or reducing the size of the subject, and a focus lens for adjusting a focus on the subject. The zoom driver  111  and the focus driver  113  operate by a control signal output from a driving circuit unit  142  of the controller  140 . Thus, the zoom driver  111  may drive the lens assembly  112  to have one of a plurality of magnification ratios. 
     The zoom driver  111  and the focus driver  113  are collectively an example of a lens adjuster for adjusting relative positions of the lenses. The present invention is not limited to the lens adjuster, and thus the lens adjuster may have various forms. For example, the lens adjuster may be embodied as a shake corrector for adjusting relative positions of the lenses in order to correct a shake. 
     The image pickup device  110  includes a photoelectric transformation element such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and converts the image light emitted through the lens assembly  112  into an image signal that is an electrical signal. A method of converting the image light into the electrical signal may be performed by signal processing operations including converting the image light into an analog signal, converting the analog signal into a digital signal, correcting pixel errors with respect to a digital signal, performing gain correction, and performing gamma correction. 
     The controller  140  is electrically connected to the image pickup device  110 , the zoom driver  111 , the focus driver  113 , the touch panel  150 , and the memory  115 . In order to control operations of the image pickup device  110 , the zoom driver  111 , the focus driver  113 , the touch panel  150 , and the memory  115 , the controller  140  may transmit and receive control signals to and from the image pickup device  110 , the zoom driver  111 , the focus driver  113 , the touch panel  150 , and the memory  115 , or may process data. The controller  140  includes the image converter  141 , the driving circuit unit  142 , a memory controller  143 , a display controller  144 , and a receiver  145 . 
     The controller  140  may be embodied by a microchip or a circuit board including the microchip. Each component included in the controller  140  may be embodied by software included in the controller  140 . 
     The touch panel  150  may display an image captured by the image pickup device  110 , and may detect a touch manipulation to the surface of the touch panel  150  to generate a signal corresponding to a detected position. The touch panel  150  includes a displayer  151  and an input unit  152 . 
     Examples of the displayer  151  may include a LCD and organic light emitting diode (OLED) device. The displayer  151  is controlled by the display controller  144  so as to display image data generated by the image pickup unit  120  or image data stored in the memory  115 . 
     The receiver  145  is electrically connected to the input unit  152 , and may receive from the input unit  152  a characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the touch manipulation and a position signal indicating a position where the touch manipulation is performed. 
     The memory controller  143  controls recording the image data in the memory  115 , and reading the image data or setting information recorded in the memory  115 . The memory  115  includes a semiconductor memory device such as SDRAM, and may store the image data. 
       FIG. 9  is a flowchart of a displaying method of the electronic apparatus of  FIG. 8 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the displaying method includes a touch manipulation detecting operation (operation S 270 ) of detecting a touch manipulation to a surface of a touch panel; a signal generating operation (operation S 280 ) of generating a position signal indicating a position of the touch manipulation and a characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the touch manipulation; and a focus adjusting operation (operation S 290 ) of adjusting a focus according to the characteristic signal of the touch panel. 
       FIG. 10  is a conceptual diagram for explaining an operation of a touch panel  150  operating according to the displaying method of  FIG. 9 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the displaying method will be described with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
     When a digital camera is manipulated and an image is captured, the live view displaying operation (operation S 210 ) of displaying an image to be captured is performed. In the live view displaying operation (operation S 210 ), image light captured by an image pickup device is converted into a live view image, and then the live view image is displayed on the touch panel  150 , and thus a user may adjust the composition of an image to be captured or adjust a focus through the live view image. 
     When the focus setting function is selected (operation S 220 ), focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  are displayed on the touch panel  150 , as illustrated in  FIG. 10  (operation S 230 ). The focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  are a portion of an image displayed on the touch panel  150 , rather than a hardware button. A focus-setting menu may include an AF menu  92  indicating an automatic focus adjusting function, a MF menu  93  indicating a manual focus adjusting function, and a multi-point AF menu  94  indicating a multi-point automatic focus adjusting function. 
     A user may select at least one of these focus adjusting functions by manipulating the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  with the touch panel pen  61 , etc. When the user touches the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  of the touch panel  150 , the touch manipulation detecting operation (operation S 240 ) is performed, and then the signal generating operation (operation S 250 ) of generating a characteristic signal indicating the characteristic (e.g., a contact pressure, a contact area, or a contact time) of the touch manipulation and a position signal indicating a position where the touch manipulation is performed. 
     In order to select at least one of the focus adjusting functions, a user may touch menu regions of the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94 . Alternatively, it may be recognized that any one of the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  is selected according to the characteristic signal of the touch manipulation. For example, when a pressure of the touch manipulation is the weakest, the AF menu  92  is recognized as selected. When the pressure of the touch manipulation is medium strength, the MF menu  93  is recognized as selected. When the pressure of the touch manipulation is the strongest, the multi-point AF menu  94  is recognized as selected. 
     In addition, for example, the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  may be set to be sequentially selected according to a contact time of the touch manipulation. That is, when the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  are continually pressed with the touch panel pen  61 , the AF menu  92 , the MF menu  93  and the multi-point AF menu  94  may be sequentially selected. 
     When any one of the focus-setting menus  92 ,  93  and  94  is selected, the color or size of a corresponding region may be changed. When the AF menu  92  or the multi-point AF menu  94  is selected, the digital camera may perform an automatic focus function using some circuits or software. 
     When the MF menu  93  corresponding to the manual focus function is selected (operation S 260 ), a user may perform the focus adjusting operation (operation S 290 ). To achieve this, the touch manipulation detecting operation (operation S 270 ) detects when the user continually pushes the MF menu  93  of the touch panel  150 . The characteristic signal generating operation (operation S 280 ) of generating a characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the touch manipulation is then performed. 
     In the focus adjusting operation (operation S 290 ), relative intervals between lenses may be changed according to a contact time of the touch manipulation. When a desired focus state is obtained, the user stops the touch manipulation to finish a manual focus manipulation. 
     The focus adjusting operation (operation S 290 ) is an example of a lens adjusting operation, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the lens adjusting operation may be replaced by a zoom function of adjusting relative positions of lenses or a shake correction function of correcting a shake. 
     For example, the user may perform the zoom function by performing the touch manipulation with a zoom menu  91  displayed on the touch panel  150  so as to adjust relative intervals between lenses. When the touch manipulation is performed with the zoom menu  91 , the touch panel  150  may generate the characteristic signal indicating the characteristic of the touch manipulation, and the digital camera may adjust the relative intervals between the lenses to perform the zoom function according to the characteristic signal. 
     According to the displaying method of the present embodiment, a user may see a change in an image in response to a user&#39;s touch manipulation, and may change the characteristic of the touch manipulation, such as a contact pressure, a contact area or a contact time, and thus a zoom function and a focus adjusting function may be conveniently performed. 
     In addition, an image displayed on a touch panel may be changed according to characteristics such as a contact pressure, a contact area or a contact time of the touch manipulation to the touch panel. Thus, since an electronic apparatus may be controlled as aesthetically desired by a user using the touch panel, the application scope of a user interface is widened, and thus the electronic apparatus may be conveniently used. 
     The device described herein may comprise a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data, a permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communications port for handling communications with external devices, and user interface devices, including a display, keys, etc. When software modules are involved, these software modules may be stored as program instructions or computer readable codes executable on the processor on a computer-readable media such as read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. This media can be read by the computer, stored in the memory, and executed by the processor. 
     All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended by this specific language, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The present invention may be described in terms of functional block components and various processing steps. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present invention may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, where the elements of the present invention are implemented using software programming or software elements, the invention may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, assembler, or the like, with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or other programming elements. Functional aspects may be implemented in algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the present invention could employ any number of conventional techniques for electronics configuration, signal processing and/or control, data processing and the like. The words “mechanism” and “element” are used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical embodiments, but can include software routines in conjunction with processors, etc. 
     The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional electronics, control systems, software development and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural. It will be recognized that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” as used herein, are specifically intended to be read as open-ended terms of art. Furthermore, recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. Finally, the steps of all methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.