Dual touch panels on a SLR?

I have looked at this patent two or three times and attempted to fully decipher it.  This is one I think the translation between Japanese and English gets a little lost.

If I'm reading this correctly, Canon is applying for a patent that allows a DSLR to use the LCD as a touch panel interface, and also the back of the LCD (when you turn the LCD into the camera body to protect it) to be also used as a touch interface, sans LCD.

An example of where  you may use this, is when you want the LCD hidden because your face keeps mucking it up when you use the optical viewfinder, BUT you still want to use the touch panel for AF position.

I can see other uses, as an example; on the 5D and 7D series camera bodies, adding a fully articulated screen would require the removal of the buttons on the left hand side.  This would allow those buttons to be on the LCD as touch screen options, and also on the back of the screen as touch pads.

I'm not entirely sure this is a useful patent (or even if I'm reading it right!) .. however it's intriguing to think of the possiblities.

Japan Patent Application 2017-174029

If you have a better idea on this patent, drop me a line, or write a comment I'd be interested in hear what you have to say about it.

Richard CanonNewsRichard CanonNews

Richard has been using Canon cameras since the 1990s, with his first being the now legendary EOS-3. Since then, Richard has continued to use Canon cameras and now focuses mostly on infrared photography. Richard is the founder and editor of CanonNews since 2017, and has worked as a writer on CanonRumors and other websites in the past.

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