U.S. patent application number 13/417571 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-12 for digital camera having low power capture mode.
The applicant listed for this patent is Kazuhiro Joza, Keith Stoll Karn, Marc Krolczyk. Invention is credited to Kazuhiro Joza, Keith Stoll Karn, Marc Krolczyk.
Application Number | 20130235226 13/417571 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49113800 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130235226 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Karn; Keith Stoll ; et
al. |
September 12, 2013 |
DIGITAL CAMERA HAVING LOW POWER CAPTURE MODE
Abstract
A digital camera system providing a low-power image capture mode
includes an image capture system, an image display and a power
management system. The power management system is used to provide a
normal image capture mode wherein captured digital images are
displayed on the image display as they are captured, and a
low-power image capture mode wherein captured digital images are
not displayed on the image display as they are captured. A user
interface includes a first user control for selecting between the
normal image capture mode and the low-power image capture mode, and
a second user control for initiating a video capture operation. The
system is configured such that if the first user control is
activated while a digital video is being captured, the power
management system switches between the normal image capture mode
and the low-power image capture mode without interrupting the video
capture operation.
Inventors: |
Karn; Keith Stoll; (Avon,
NY) ; Krolczyk; Marc; (Spencerport, NY) ;
Joza; Kazuhiro; (Saitama-City, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Karn; Keith Stoll
Krolczyk; Marc
Joza; Kazuhiro |
Avon
Spencerport
Saitama-City |
NY
NY |
US
US
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
49113800 |
Appl. No.: |
13/417571 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
348/220.1 ;
348/E5.024 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/23206 20130101;
H04N 5/23293 20130101; H04N 5/23241 20130101; H04N 5/232411
20180801; H04N 5/232935 20180801; H04N 5/232939 20180801; H04N
5/2253 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
348/220.1 ;
348/E05.024 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/225 20060101
H04N005/225 |
Claims
1. A digital camera system providing a low-power image capture
mode, comprising: a first image capture system including: an image
sensor for capturing a digital image; and an optical system for
forming an image of a scene onto the image sensor; an image
display; a power management system providing a normal image capture
mode wherein captured digital images are displayed on the image
display as they are captured and a low-power image capture mode
wherein captured digital images are not displayed on the image
display as they are captured; a user interface including a
plurality of user controls, including a first user control for
selecting between the normal image capture mode and the low-power
image capture mode, and a second user control for initiating a
video capture operation; a data processing system; a storage memory
for storing captured images; and a program memory communicatively
connected to the data processing system and storing instructions
configured to cause the data processing system to implement a
method for capturing digital images, wherein the method includes:
setting the digital camera system to operate in either the normal
image capture mode or the low-power image capture mode in response
to user activation of the first user control; initiating a video
capture operation in response to user activation of the second user
control; and capturing a sequence of digital images and recording
the sequence of digital images in the storage memory; wherein if
the digital camera system is set to operate in the normal image
capture mode the sequence of captured digital images is displayed
on the image display as it is captured, and if the digital camera
system is set to operate in the low-power image capture mode the
sequence of captured digital images is not displayed on the image
display as it is captured, and wherein if the first user control is
activated while the sequence of digital images is being captured,
the power management system switches between the normal image
capture mode and the low-power image capture mode without
interrupting the video capture operation.
2. The digital camera system of claim 1 wherein if the digital
camera system is set to operate in the normal image capture mode a
sequence of preview images is displayed on the image display before
the video capture operation is initiated, and if the digital camera
system is set to operate in the low-power image capture mode the
sequence of preview images is not displayed on the image display
before the video capture operation is initiated.
3. The digital camera system of claim 1 further including: a second
image capture system including a second image sensor and a second
optical system, wherein the second image capture system is oriented
in a different capture direction from the first image capture
system; and a third user control for selecting between the first
image capture system and the second image capture system.
4. The digital camera system of claim 3 wherein the digital camera
system is automatically placed in the low-power image capture mode
in response to user activation of the third user control to select
the second image capture system.
5. The digital camera system of claim 3 wherein if the digital
camera system is operating in the low-power image capture mode and
the user activates the third user control, the digital camera
system is automatically set to operate in the normal image capture
mode.
6. The digital camera system of claim 1 wherein the digital camera
system automatically enters the low-power image capture mode when a
video capture operation is not being performed and if none of the
user controls have been activated for a predefined time
interval.
7. The digital camera system of claim 1 wherein the digital camera
system includes a battery operated power supply, and wherein the
digital camera system automatically enters the low-power image
capture mode when the battery power falls below a predefined
threshold.
8. The digital camera system of claim 1 further including a
wireless modem for receiving control signals from a remote control
unit using a wireless interface, and wherein at least some of the
first and second user controls are on the remote control unit.
9. The digital camera system of claim 8 wherein the remote control
module includes a status display for displaying status information
pertaining to the digital camera system.
10. The digital camera system of claim 9 wherein the displayed
status information includes battery level information pertaining to
a charge level for a battery in the digital camera system, signal
strength information pertaining to the wireless interface, memory
fullness information pertaining to the fullness of the storage
memory, or time information pertaining to a time provided by a
real-time clock in the digital camera system.
11. The digital camera system of claim 8 wherein the remote control
module includes one or more user controls enabling a user to
control one or more aspects of the digital camera system.
12. The digital camera system of claim 11 wherein the user controls
on the remote control module include an image capture control for
initiating an image capture operation, a status control for
requesting status information pertaining to the digital camera
system, or a bookmark control for marking important portions of a
captured video.
13. The digital camera system of claim 11 wherein the remote
control module enters a low-power state when none have the user
controls have been activated for a predefined time interval.
14. The digital camera system of claim 8 wherein the remote control
module includes a wrist strap for attaching the remote control
module to the user's wrist.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Reference is made to commonly assigned, co-pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. ______ (Docket K000702), entitled:
"Digital camera system having remote control", by Karn et al.; and
to commonly assigned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
______ (Docket K000759), entitled: "Digital camera system having
multiple capture settings", by Cucci et al., each of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention pertains to the field of digital video
cameras, and more particularly to a digital camera having a low
power capture mode
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Digital capture devices, such as digital cameras and camera
phones typically capture and store both still digital images and
video clips. These digital capture devices typically include a
color display which is used to display captured still digital
images and video clips. In many situations, these digital capture
devices are held by the user, who uses the color display to compose
the images as they are captured. In some situations, the digital
capture device is mounted on a tripod or another type of camera
mounting device, so that it does not need to be held by the user.
In some situations, the digital capture device is controlled using
a remote control, in order to initiate and terminate the capture of
images.
[0004] It is known to provide rugged digital capture devices that
can be secured to various objects, such as a bike helmet or scuba
mask, or mounted to the handlebars of a motorcycle or the front of
a surfboard. For example, the GoPro HD Hero2 digital cameras, sold
by GoPro Inc, Half Moon Bay, California are sold as part of an
"Outdoor edition" package which includes various straps, pivot
arms, and adhesive mounts to enable the digital camera to capture
images while performing activities such as biking, skiing, skating
and kayaking. However, the HD Hero2 camera includes only a single
image capture system, which captures images using an optical axis
directed outward from the "front" of the camera. This can cause
excessive wind resistance and presents a high profile that is more
susceptible to damage and image artifacts from vibrations in some
situations.
[0005] It is also known to provide remote controls as accessories
for digital cameras. For example, U.S. Patent Application
Publication No. 2011/0058052 to Bolton, et al., entitled "Systems
and methods for remote camera control" describes a portable media
device (PMD) which includes a digital camera capable of capturing
still images and video that can be controlled remotely using an
accessory. The accessory can register with the PMD to automatically
receive notifications whenever there is a change in the camera
state. The camera states can include mode, operation status, and
configuration settings. The accessory can send instructions to a
camera application that interfaces with the camera to control the
camera. The accessory can remotely activate the digital camera,
change the digital camera's mode, and send instructions to operate
the digital camera. The accessory and the PMD can concurrently
control the camera. The PMD can send the captured still images and
recorded video to the accessory for preview and can receive
instructions from the accessory. Unfortunately, because the
accessory receives notifications whenever there is a change in the
camera state, power must be continuously supplied to ensure that a
notification can be received by the accessory. This can rapidly
deplete the batteries which control the accessory.
[0006] It is also known to provide a video camera having two lenses
pointing in perpendicular directions, as described in U.S. Pat. No.
6,288,742 to Ansari et al., entitled "Video Camera Including
Multiple Image Sensors." This patent describes a digital motion
camera useful in teleconferencing which includes two lenses and two
image sensors. The first lens is used to provide a relatively wide
angle view of a room and the second lens is used to provide high
resolution document transmission capability. During a video
telephone conference, the camera permits fast switching between an
image of the room as seen through the first lens or an image of a
document as seen through the second lens, without the need for pan
and tilt stages or a plurality of complete camera units. However,
this camera is always mounted in the same orientation, regardless
of which lens is used to capture images. The camera does not
include multiple camera mounts to enable the camera to be mounted
in different orientations when the second lens is used to capture
images.
[0007] It is also known to provide a camera carrying case that
includes more than one tripod screw socket on different sides of
the cases, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,258,437 "Camera carrying
case" to Nord. However, the case is designed for a camera having a
single lens with a single optical axis. The two tripod screw
sockets are used to capture landscape and portrait orientation
images in the direction of this single optical axis.
[0008] Thus, there remains a need to provide a digital camera that
can be used in a "conventional" capture mode, where the digital
camera is held by the user while capturing digital images, and
which can also be used in "streamlined" mounted mode, which
provides a lower profile and reduced wind resistance when the
digital camera captures images while mounted to moving object such
as a bicycle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A digital camera system providing a low-power image capture
mode, comprising:
[0010] a first image capture system including: [0011] an image
sensor for capturing a digital image; and [0012] an optical system
for forming an image of a scene onto the image sensor;
[0013] an image display;
[0014] a power management system providing a normal image capture
mode wherein captured digital images are displayed on the image
display as they are captured and a low-power image capture mode
wherein captured digital images are not displayed on the image
display as they are captured;
[0015] a user interface including a plurality of user controls,
including a first user control for selecting between the normal
image capture mode and the low-power image capture mode, and a
second user control for initiating a video capture operation;
[0016] a data processing system;
[0017] a storage memory for storing captured images; and
[0018] a program memory communicatively connected to the data
processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the
data processing system to implement a method for capturing digital
images, wherein the method includes: [0019] setting the digital
camera system to operate in either the normal image capture mode or
the low-power image capture mode in response to user activation of
the first user control; [0020] initiating a video capture operation
in response to user activation of the second user control; and
[0021] capturing a sequence of digital images and recording the
sequence of digital images in the storage memory; [0022] wherein if
the digital camera system is set to operate in the normal image
capture mode the sequence of captured digital images is displayed
on the image display as it is captured, and if the digital camera
system is set to operate in the low-power image capture mode the
sequence of captured digital images is not displayed on the image
display as it is captured, and wherein if the first user control is
activated while the sequence of digital images is being captured,
the power management system switches between the normal image
capture mode and the low-power image capture mode without
interrupting the video capture operation.
[0023] The present invention has the advantage that a reduced power
mode is provided for use when the digital camera system is mounted
in a configuration where the image display cannot be viewed by the
user.
[0024] It has the additional advantage that the user can enter the
reduced power mode without interrupting a video capture
operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a high-level diagram showing the components of a
digital camera including two image capture systems;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting typical image processing
operations used to process digital images in the digital camera of
FIG. 1;
[0027] FIGS. 3A-3C is a drawing depicting different views of a
digital camera in accordance with an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0028] FIG. 4A is a drawing depicting the digital camera of FIGS.
3A-3C mounted using a helmet mount.
[0029] FIG. 4B is a drawing depicting the helmet mount clip from
FIG. 4A.
[0030] FIG. 4C is a drawing depicting the helmet mount stud from
FIG. 4A.
[0031] FIG. 5A is a drawing depicting a bar mount for a digital
camera.
[0032] FIG. 5B is an exploded view depicting the components of the
bar mount of FIG. 5A.
[0033] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing steps for controlling a
digital camera having a low-power image capture mode;
[0034] FIG. 7A is a high-level diagram showing the components of a
remote control module in accordance with the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 7B is a drawing depicting a front view of the remote
control module of FIG. 7A; and
[0036] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing steps for managing the power
in a digital camera system including a remote control module.
[0037] It is to be understood that the attached drawings are for
purposes of illustrating the concepts of the invention and may not
be to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] In the following description, a preferred embodiment of the
present invention will be described in terms that would ordinarily
be implemented as a software program. Those skilled in the art will
readily recognize that the equivalent of such software can also be
constructed in hardware. Because image manipulation algorithms and
systems are well known, the present description will be directed in
particular to algorithms and systems forming part of, or
cooperating more directly with, the system and method in accordance
with the present invention. Other aspects of such algorithms and
systems, and hardware or software for producing and otherwise
processing the image signals involved therewith, not specifically
shown or described herein, can be selected from such systems,
algorithms, components and elements known in the art. Given the
system as described according to the invention in the following
materials, software not specifically shown, suggested or described
herein that is useful for implementation of the invention is
conventional and within the ordinary skill in such arts.
[0039] Still further, as used herein, a computer program for
performing the method of the present invention can be stored in a
non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium, which
can include, for example; magnetic storage media such as a magnetic
disk (such as a hard drive or a floppy disk) or magnetic tape;
optical storage media such as an optical disc, optical tape, or
machine readable bar code; solid state electronic storage devices
such as random access memory (RAM), or read only memory (ROM); or
any other physical device or medium employed to store a computer
program having instructions for controlling one or more computers
to practice the method according to the present invention.
[0040] Because digital cameras employing imaging devices and
related circuitry for signal capture and processing, and display
are well known, the present description will be directed in
particular to elements forming part of, or cooperating more
directly with, the method and apparatus in accordance with the
present invention. Elements not specifically shown or described
herein are selected from those known in the art. Certain aspects of
the embodiments to be described are provided in software. Given the
system as shown and described according to the invention in the
following materials, software not specifically shown, described or
suggested herein that is useful for implementation of the invention
is conventional and within the ordinary skill in such arts.
[0041] The invention is inclusive of combinations of the
embodiments described herein. References to "a particular
embodiment" and the like refer to features that are present in at
least one embodiment of the invention. Separate references to "an
embodiment" or "particular embodiments" or the like do not
necessarily refer to the same embodiment or embodiments; however,
such embodiments are not mutually exclusive, unless so indicated or
as are readily apparent to one of skill in the art. The use of
singular or plural in referring to the "method" or "methods" and
the like is not limiting. It should be noted that, unless otherwise
explicitly noted or required by context, the word "or" is used in
this disclosure in a non-exclusive sense.
[0042] The following description of a digital camera will be
familiar to one skilled in the art. It will be obvious that there
are many variations of this embodiment that are possible and are
selected to reduce the cost, add features or improve the
performance of the camera.
[0043] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a digital photography
system, including a digital camera 10. Preferably, the digital
camera 10 is a portable battery operated device, small enough to be
easily handheld by a user when capturing and reviewing images, as
will be described later in reference to FIGS. 3A-3C. The digital
camera 10 produces digital images that are stored as digital image
files using image memory 30. The phrase "digital image" or "digital
image file," as used herein, refers to any digital image file, such
as a digital still image or a digital video file.
[0044] In some embodiments, the digital camera 10 captures both
motion video images and still images. In some embodiments, the
digital camera 10 can also be used to capture burst image sequences
or time-lapse image sequences, where a plurality of digital images
are captured at predefined or selectable time intervals. The
digital camera 10 can also include other functions, including, but
not limited to, the functions of a digital music player (e.g. an
MP3 player), a mobile telephone, a GPS receiver, or a programmable
digital assistant (PDA).
[0045] In some embodiments, the digital camera 10 includes a first
image capture system 1A and a second image capture system 1B. The
first image capture system 1A includes a first image sensor 14A and
a first optical system comprising first lens 4A for forming an
image of a scene (not shown) onto the first image sensor 14A, for
example, a single-chip color CCD or CMOS image sensor. The first
image capture system 1A has an optical axis A directed outward from
the front of the first lens 4A. In some embodiments, the first lens
4A is a fixed focal length, fixed focus lens. In other embodiments,
the first lens 4A is a zoom lens having a focus control and is
controlled by zoom and focus motors or actuators (not shown). In
some embodiments, the first lens 4A has a fixed lens aperture, and
in other embodiments the lens aperture is controlled by a motor or
actuator (not shown). The output of the first image sensor 14A is
converted to digital form by Analog Signal Processor (ASP) and
Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter 16A, and the digital data is
provided to a multiplexer (MUX) 17.
[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the second image capture system
1B includes a second image sensor 14B and a second optical system
comprising a second lens 4B for forming an image of a scene (not
shown) onto the second image sensor 14B, for example, a single-chip
color CCD or CMOS image sensor. The second image capture system 1B
has an optical axis B directed outward from the front of the second
lens 4B. In some embodiments, the second lens 4B has the same focal
length as the first lens 4A. In other embodiments, the second lens
4B has a different focal length (or a different focal length range
if the first lens 4A and the second lens 4B are zoom lens). The
second lens 4B can have a fixed lens aperture, or can have an
adjustable aperture controlled by a motor or actuator (not shown).
The output of the second image sensor 14B is converted to digital
form by Analog Signal Processor (ASP) and Analog-to-Digital (A/D)
converter 16B, and the digital data is provided to the multiplexer
17.
[0047] In other embodiments, the second image capture system 1B may
use some or all of the same components as the first image capture
system 1A. For example, the first image sensor 14A can be used for
both the first and second image capture systems 1A and 1B, and a
pivoting mirror can be used to direct light from the first lens 4A
or the second lens 4B onto the first image sensor 14A.
[0048] The multiplexer 17 provides either the output of ASP and A/D
converter 16A or the output of ASP and A/D converter 16B to a
buffer memory 18, which stores the image data from either the first
image capture system 1A or the second image capture system 1B. The
image data stored in buffer memory 18 is subsequently manipulated
by a processor 20, using embedded software programs (e.g.,
firmware) stored in firmware memory 28. The processor 20 controls
the multiplexer 17 in response to user inputs provided using user
controls 34 in order to determine whether the first image capture
system 1A or the second image capture system 1B is used to capture
images.
[0049] In some embodiments, the software program is permanently
stored in firmware memory 28 using a read only memory (ROM). In
other embodiments, the firmware memory 28 can be modified by using,
for example, Flash EPROM memory. In such embodiments, an external
device can update the software programs stored in firmware memory
28 using a wired interface 38 or a wireless modem 50. In such
embodiments, the firmware memory 28 can also be used to store image
sensor calibration data, user setting selections and other data
which must be preserved when the camera is turned off. In some
embodiments, the processor 20 includes a program memory (not
shown), and the software programs stored in the firmware memory 28
are copied into the program memory before being executed by the
processor 20.
[0050] It will be understood that the functions of processor 20 can
be provided using a single programmable processor or by using
multiple programmable processors, including one or more digital
signal processor (DSP) devices. Alternatively, the processor 20 can
be provided by custom circuitry (e.g., by one or more custom
integrated circuits (ICs) designed specifically for use in digital
cameras), or by a combination of programmable processor(s) and
custom circuits. It will be understood that connectors between the
processor 20 from some or all of the various components shown in
FIG. 1 can be made using a common data bus. For example, in some
embodiments the connection between the processor 20, the buffer
memory 18, the image memory 30, and the firmware memory 28 can be
made using a common data bus.
[0051] The processed images are then stored using the image memory
30. It is understood that the image memory 30 can be any form of
memory known to those skilled in the art including, but not limited
to, a removable Flash memory card, internal Flash memory chips,
magnetic memory, or optical memory. In some embodiments, the image
memory 30 can include both internal Flash memory chips and a
standard interface to a removable Flash memory card, such as a
Secure Digital (SD) card. Alternatively, a different memory card
format can be used, such as a micro SD card, Compact Flash (CF)
card, MultiMedia Card (MMC), xD card or Memory Stick.
[0052] The first image sensor 14A and the second image sensor 14B
are controlled by a timing generator 12, which produces various
clocking signals to select rows and pixels and synchronizes the
operation of the ASP and A/D converters 16A and 16B. The first
image sensor 14A can have, for example, 12.4 megapixels (e.g.,
4088.times.3040 pixels) in order to provide a still image file of
approximately 4000.times.3000 pixels. To provide a color image, the
image sensor is generally overlaid with a color filter array, which
provides an image sensor having an array of pixels that include
different colored pixels. The different color pixels can be
arranged in many different patterns. As one example, the different
color pixels can be arranged using the well-known Bayer color
filter array, as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No.
3,971,065, entitled "Color imaging array," to Bayer, the disclosure
of which is incorporated herein by reference. As a second example,
the different color pixels can be arranged as described in commonly
assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0024931 to
Compton and Hamilton, entitled "Image sensor with improved light
sensitivity," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference. These examples are not limiting, and many other color
patterns may be used. The second image sensor 14B can have the same
number of pixels as the first image sensor 14A, or can have a
different number of pixels.
[0053] It will be understood that the first image sensor 14A, the
timing generator 12, and ASP and A/D converter 16A can be
separately fabricated integrated circuits, or they can be
fabricated as a single integrated circuit as is commonly done with
CMOS image sensors. In some embodiments, this single integrated
circuit can perform some of the other functions shown in FIG. 1,
including some of the functions provided by processor 20.
[0054] When selected by the multiplexer 17, the first image sensor
14A or the second image sensor 14B are effective when actuated in a
first mode by timing generator 12 for providing a motion sequence
of lower resolution sensor image data, which is used when capturing
video images and also when previewing a still image to be captured,
in order to compose the image. This preview mode sensor image data
can be provided as HD resolution image data, for example, with
1280.times.720 pixels, or as VGA resolution image data, for
example, with 640.times.480 pixels, or using other resolutions
which have significantly columns and rows of data, compared to the
resolution of the image sensor.
[0055] The preview mode sensor image data can be provided by
combining values of adjacent pixels having the same color, or by
eliminating some of the pixels values, or by combining some color
pixels values while eliminating other color pixel values. The
preview mode image data can be processed as described in commonly
assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,218 to Parulski et al., entitled
"Electronic camera for initiating capture of still images while
previewing motion images," which is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0056] The first image sensor 14A and the second image sensor 14B
are also effective when actuated in a second mode by timing
generator 12 for providing high resolution still image data. This
final mode sensor image data is provided as high resolution output
image data, which for scenes having a high illumination level
includes all of the pixels of the image sensor, and can be, for
example, a 12 megapixel final image data having 4000.times.3000
pixels. At lower illumination levels, the final sensor image data
can be provided by "binning" some number of like-colored pixels on
the image sensor, in order to increase the signal level and thus
the "ISO speed" of the sensor.
[0057] The exposure level is controlled by controlling the exposure
periods of the first image sensor 14A and the second image sensor
14B via the timing generator 12, and the gain (i.e., ISO speed)
setting of the ASP and A/D converters 16A and 16B. In some
embodiments, the processor 20 also controls one or more
illumination systems (not shown), such as a flash unit or an LED,
which are used to selectively illuminate the scene in the direction
of optical axis A or optical axis B, to provide sufficient
illumination under low light conditions.
[0058] In some embodiments, the first lens 4A and the second lens
4B of the digital camera 10 can be focused in the first mode by
using "through-the-lens" autofocus, as described in
commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,597, entitled "Electronic
Camera with Rapid Automatic Focus of an Image upon a Progressive
Scan Image Sensor" to Parulski et al., which is incorporated herein
by reference. This is accomplished by using the zoom and focus
motor drivers (not shown) to adjust the focus position of the first
lens 4A or the second lens 4B to a number of positions ranging
between a near focus position to an infinity focus position, while
the processor 20 determines the closest focus position which
provides a peak sharpness value for a central portion of the image
captured by the corresponding first image sensor 14A or second
image sensor 14B. The focus distance can be stored as metadata in
the image file, along with other lens and camera settings.
[0059] The processor 20 produces menus and low resolution color
images that are temporarily stored in display memory 36 and are
displayed on image display 32. The image display 32 is typically an
active matrix color liquid crystal display (LCD), although other
types of displays, such as organic light emitting diode (OLED)
displays, can be used. In some embodiments, the display 32 may be
detachable from the main body of the digital camera 10, or can be
on a separate unit. A video interface 44 provides a video output
signal from the digital camera 10 to a video display 46, such as a
flat panel HDTV display. In preview mode, or video mode, the
digital image data from buffer memory 18 is manipulated by
processor 20 to form a series of motion preview images that are
displayed, typically as color images, on the image display 32. In
review mode, the images displayed on the image display 32 are
produced using the image data from the digital image files stored
in image memory 30.
[0060] The graphical user interface displayed on the image display
32 includes various user control elements which can be selected by
user controls 34. The user controls 34 are used to select the first
image capture system 1A or the second image capture system 1B, to
select various camera modes, such as video capture mode, still
capture mode, and review mode, and to initiate capture of still
images and the recording of motion images. The user controls 34 are
also used to turn on the camera and initiate the image/video
capture process. User controls 34 typically include some
combination of buttons, rocker switches, joysticks, or rotary
dials. In some embodiments, some of the user controls 34 are
provided by using a touch screen overlay on the image display 32
having one or more touch-sensitive user control elements.
[0061] An audio codec 22 connected to the processor 20 receives an
audio signal from a microphone 24 and provides an audio signal to a
speaker 26. These components can be to record and playback an audio
track, along with a video sequence or still image. If the digital
camera 10 is a multi-function device such as a combination camera
and mobile phone, the microphone 24 and the speaker 26 can also be
used for other purposes such as telephone conversation. In some
embodiments, microphone 24 is capable of recording sounds in air
and also in an underwater environment when the digital camera 10 is
used to record underwater images. In other embodiments, the digital
camera 10 includes both a conventional air microphone as well as an
underwater microphone (hydrophone) capable of recording underwater
sounds.
[0062] In some embodiments, the speaker 26 can be used as part of
the user interface, for example to provide various audible signals
which indicate that a user control has been depressed, or that a
particular mode has been selected. In some embodiments, the
microphone 24, the audio codec 22, and the processor 20 can be used
to provide voice recognition, so that the user can provide a user
input to the processor 20 by using voice commands, rather than user
controls 34. The speaker 26 can also be used to inform the user of
an incoming phone call. This can be done using a standard ring tone
stored in firmware memory 28, or by using a custom ring-tone
downloaded from a wireless network 52 and stored in the image
memory 30. In addition, a vibration device (not shown) can be used
to provide a silent (e.g., non audible) notification of an incoming
phone call.
[0063] The processor 20 also provides additional processing of the
image data from the image sensor 14, in order to produce rendered
sRGB still image data which is compressed and stored within a
"finished" image file, such as a well-known Exif-JPEG still image
file, in the image memory 30 and also to produce rendered video
image data which is compressed and stored within a digital video
file, such as the well-known H.264 video image file.
[0064] The digital camera 10 can be connected via the wired
interface 38 to an interface/recharger 48, which is connected to a
computer 40, which can be a desktop computer or portable computer
located in a home or office. The wired interface 38 can conform to,
for example, the well-known USB 2.0 interface specification. The
interface/recharger 48 can provide power via the wired interface 38
to recharge a set of camera batteries 43 which supply power to a
camera power manager 42 in the digital camera 10.
[0065] The camera power manager 42 provides both a normal image
capture mode and a low-power image capture mode. In the normal
image capture mode, power is supplied to the image display 32 as
images are captured, since the viewer is typically using the image
display 32 to compose the captured images while holding the digital
camera 10. In the low-power image capture mode, power is not
supplied to the image display 32 in order to conserve battery power
by not displaying images on the image display 32. Since the digital
camera 10 is typically mounted (e.g. to a bike or another moving
device) when the low-power image capture mode is used, the user is
not in a position to view the image display 32, so providing images
to the image display 32 is wasteful.
[0066] The digital camera 10 includes a wireless modem 50, which
communicates with a remote control module 200 over a wireless
network 52. The wireless modem 50 can use various wireless
interface protocols, such as the well-known Bluetooth wireless
interface or the well-known 802.11 wireless interface, or various
proprietary protocols. In some embodiments, the digital camera 10
can communicate over the wireless network 52 with a wireless modem
(not shown) in computer 40, in order to transfer captured digital
images to the computer 40. In some embodiments, the digital camera
10 can transfer images (still or video) to a wireless access point
74 in order communicate via the Internet 70 with a service provider
72, such as Facebook, Flickr, YouTube or the Kodak EasyShare
Gallery, to transfer images. Other devices (not shown) can access
the images stored by the service provider 72 via the Internet 70,
including the computer 40.
[0067] In alternative embodiments, the wireless modem 50
communicates over a radio frequency (e.g., wireless) link with a
mobile phone network (not shown), such as a 3GSM network, which
connects with the Internet 70 in order to upload digital image
files from the digital camera 10. These digital image files can be
provided to the computer 40 or the service provider 72.
[0068] In some embodiments, the digital camera 10 is a water proof
digital camera capable of being used to capture digital images
underwater and under other challenging environmental conditions,
such as in rain or snow conditions. For example, the digital camera
10 can be used by scuba divers exploring a coral reef or by
children playing at a beach. To prevent damage to the various
camera components, in these embodiments the digital camera 10
includes a watertight housing (not shown).
[0069] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram depicting image processing
operations that can be performed by the processor 20 (FIG. 1) in
the digital camera 10 (FIG. 1) in order to process color sensor
data 100 from the first image sensor 14A output by the ASP and A/D
converter 16A or from the second image sensor 14B output by the ASP
and A/D converter 16B. In some embodiments, the processing
parameters used by the processor 20 to manipulate the color sensor
data 100 for a particular digital image are determined by various
user settings 175, which are typically associated with photography
modes that can be selected via the user controls 34 (FIG. 1), which
enable the user to adjust various camera settings 185 in response
to menus displayed on the image display 32 (FIG. 1). In a preferred
embodiment, the user control elements available in the menus are
adjusted responsive to sensed environmental conditions.
[0070] The color sensor data 100 which has been digitally converted
by the ASP and A/D converter 16A or the ASP and A/D converter 16B
is manipulated by a white balance step 95. In some embodiments,
this processing can be performed using the methods described in
commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,542,077 to Miki, entitled "White
balance adjustment device and color identification device," the
disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. The white
balance can be adjusted in response to a white balance setting 90,
which can be manually set by a user, or can be automatically set to
different values when the camera is used in different environmental
conditions.
[0071] The color image data is then manipulated by a noise
reduction step 105 in order to reduce noise from the first image
sensor 14A or the second image sensor 14B. In some embodiments,
this processing can be performed using the methods described in
commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,056 to Gindele et al.,
entitled "Noise cleaning and interpolating sparsely populated color
digital image using a variable noise cleaning kernel," the
disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. In some
embodiments, the level of noise reduction can be adjusted in
response to an ISO setting 110, so that more filtering is performed
at higher ISO exposure index setting.
[0072] The color image data is then manipulated by a demosaicing
step 115, in order to provide red, green and blue (RGB) image data
values at each pixel location. Algorithms for performing the
demosaicing step 115 are commonly known as color filter array (CFA)
interpolation algorithms or "deBayering" algorithms. In some
embodiments of the present invention, the demosaicing step 115 can
use the luminance CFA interpolation method described in
commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,621, entitled "Adaptive color
plane interpolation in single sensor color electronic camera," to
Adams et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference. The demosaicing step 115 can also use the chrominance
CFA interpolation method described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat.
No. 4,642,678, entitled "Signal processing method and apparatus for
producing interpolated chrominance values in a sampled color image
signal," to Cok, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by
reference.
[0073] In some embodiments, the user can select between different
pixel resolution modes, so that the digital camera can produce a
smaller size image file. Multiple pixel resolutions can be provided
as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,335, entitled
"Single sensor color camera with user selectable image record
size," to Parulski et al., the disclosure of which is herein
incorporated by reference. In some embodiments, a resolution mode
setting 120 can be selected by the user to be full size (e.g.,
3,000.times.2,000 pixels), medium size (e.g., 1,500.times.1000
pixels) or small size (e.g., 750.times.500 pixels).
[0074] The color image data is color corrected in color correction
step 125. In some embodiments, the color correction is provided
using a 3.times.3 linear space color correction matrix, as
described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,511, entitled
"Method and apparatus for improving the color rendition of hardcopy
images from electronic cameras" to Parulski, et al., the disclosure
of which is incorporated herein by reference. In some embodiments,
different user-selectable color modes can be provided by storing
different color matrix coefficients in firmware memory 28 of the
digital camera 10. For example, four different color modes can be
provided, so that the color mode setting 130 is used to select one
of the following color correction matrices:
Setting 1 ( normal color reproduction ) ( 1 ) [ R out G out B out ]
= [ 1.50 - 0.30 - 0.20 - 0.40 1.80 - 0.40 - 0.20 - 0.20 1.40 ] [ R
in G in B in ] Setting 2 ( saturated color reproduction ) ( 2 ) [ R
out G out B out ] = [ 2.00 - 0.60 - 0.40 - 0.80 2.60 - 0.80 - 0.40
- 0.40 1.80 ] [ R in G in B in ] Setting 3 ( de - saturated color
reproduction ) ( 3 ) [ R out G out B out ] = [ 1.25 - 0.15 - 0.10 -
0.20 1.40 - 0.20 - 0.10 - 0.10 1.20 ] [ R in G in B in ] Setting 4
( monochrome ) ( 4 ) [ R out G out B out ] = [ 0.30 0.60 0.10 0.30
0.60 0.10 0.30 0.60 0.10 ] [ R in G in B in ] Setting 5 ( nominal
underwater color reproduction ) ( 5 ) [ R out G out B out ] = [
3.00 - 0.30 - 0.20 - 0.80 1.80 - 0.40 - 0.40 - 0.20 1.40 ] [ R in G
in B in ] ##EQU00001##
[0075] The color image data is also manipulated by a tone scale
correction step 135. In some embodiments, the tone scale correction
step 135 can be performed using a one-dimensional look-up table as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,511, cited earlier. In some
embodiments, a plurality of tone scale correction look-up tables is
stored in the firmware memory 28 in the digital camera 10. These
can include look-up tables which provide a "normal" tone scale
correction curve, a "high contrast" tone scale correction curve,
and a "low contrast" tone scale correction curve. A user selected
contrast setting 140 is used by the processor 20 to determine which
of the tone scale correction look-up tables to use when performing
the tone scale correction step 135.
[0076] The color image data is also manipulated by an image
sharpening step 145. In some embodiments, this can be provided
using the methods described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No.
6,192,162 entitled "Edge enhancing colored digital images" to
Hamilton, et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference. In some embodiments, the user can select between various
sharpening settings, including a "normal sharpness" setting, a
"high sharpness" setting, and a "low sharpness" setting. In this
example, the processor 20 uses one of three different edge boost
multiplier values, for example 2.0 for "high sharpness," 1.0 for
"normal sharpness," and 0.5 for "low sharpness" levels, responsive
to a sharpening setting 150 selected by the user of the digital
camera 10. In some embodiments, different image sharpening
algorithms can be manually or automatically selected, depending on
the environmental condition.
[0077] The color image data is also manipulated by an image
compression step 155. In some embodiments, the image compression
step 155 can be provided using the methods described in
commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,574, entitled "Adaptive block
transform image coding method and apparatus" to Daly et al., the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In some
embodiments, the user can select between various compression
settings. This can be implemented by storing a plurality of
quantization tables, for example, three different tables, in the
firmware memory 28 of the digital camera 10. These tables provide
different quality levels and average file sizes for the compressed
digital image file 180 to be stored in the image memory 30 of the
digital camera 10. A user selected compression mode setting 160 is
used by the processor 20 to select the particular quantization
table to be used for the image compression step 155 for a
particular image.
[0078] The compressed color image data is stored in a digital image
file 180 using a file formatting step 165. The image file can
include various metadata 170. Metadata 170 is any type of
information that relates to the digital image, such as the model of
the camera that captured the image, the size of the image, the date
and time the image was captured, and various camera settings, such
as the lens focal length, the exposure time and F/# of the lens,
and whether or not the camera flash fired. In some embodiments, the
metadata 170 can also include one or more environmental readings
190 provided by appropriate environmental sensors associated with
the digital camera 10. For example, an underwater sensor (not
shown) can be used to provide an environmental reading indicating
whether the digital camera 10 is being operated underwater.
Similarly, a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor (not shown) can
be used to provide an environmental reading indicating a
geographical location, or an inertial motion sensor such as a
gyroscope or an accelerometer can be used to provide an
environmental reading indicating a camera motion or orientation. In
a preferred embodiment, all of this metadata 170 is stored using
standardized tags within the well-known Exif-JPEG still image file
or within the H.264 video image file.
[0079] FIGS. 3A-3C are drawings which depict the camera body 400 of
the digital camera 10. FIG. 3A is a drawing depicting a rear view
of the camera body 400, FIG. 3B is a drawing depicting a front and
top view of the camera body 400, and FIG. 3C is a drawing depicting
a rear and bottom view of the camera body 400.
[0080] The camera body 400 of the digital camera 10 includes a
first surface 410 having an image display 32, as shown in FIG. 3A.
The image display 32 is used for displaying captured digital
images, as described earlier in reference to FIG. 1.
[0081] The camera body 400 of the digital camera 10 also includes a
second surface 420, opposite to the first surface 410, as shown in
FIG. 3B. The first image capture system 1A (FIG. 1), which includes
the first image sensor 14A (FIG. 1) and the first lens 4A that
forms an image of a scene onto the first image sensor 14A (FIG. 1),
has an optical axis A directed outward from the second surface
420.
[0082] The camera body 400 of the digital camera 10 also includes a
third surface 430 transverse to the first surface 410 and the
second surface 420. The third surface 430 has a smaller surface
area than the first surface 410 (and likewise the second surface
420). Generally, the surface area of the third surface should be
less than 40% of the surface area of the first surface 410.
Preferably, the surface area of the third surface is between 5% and
20% of the surface area of the first surface 410. The second image
capture system 1B (FIG. 1), which includes the second image sensor
14B (FIG. 1) and the second lens 4B that forms an image of a scene
onto the second image sensor 14B (FIG. 1), has an optical axis B
directed outward from the third surface 430.
[0083] The camera body 400 of the digital camera 10 also includes a
fourth surface 440 opposite to the third surface 430. A first
camera mount 415 is positioned on the fourth surface 440 to
facilitate the camera body 400 being mounted to a support (as will
be described later in reference to FIGS. 4 and 5) such that the
first optical axis A is oriented in a substantially horizontal
direction. In other embodiments, the first camera mount 415 can
alternatively be positioned on the third surface 430.
[0084] A second camera mount 425 is positioned on the second
surface 420 to facilitate the camera body 400 being mounted to a
support such that the second optical axis B is oriented in a
substantially horizontal direction. In other embodiments, the
second camera mount 425 can alternatively be positioned on the
first surface 410.
[0085] The smaller surface area of the third surface 430 provides a
lower profile when the camera body 400 is positioned such that the
optical axis B is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction.
This is advantageous for applications where the digital camera 10
is used in a situation where the user is in motion, such as when it
is mounted to a user's helmet while they are skiing, or when it is
mounted to a bike handlebar. The lower profile provides a reduced
wind resistance and a reduced risk of damage (e.g., due to
interference with overhanging branches) The reduced wind resistance
has the additional advantage that it provides reduced wind noise in
the audio tracks of captured videos. Preferably the camera body 400
has a streamlined profile having rounded edges to further reduce
wind resistance. The camera body 400 also has a lower center of
gravity in this orientation. The reduced center of gravity is
advantageous for reducing vibrations.
[0086] In some embodiments, the first lens 4A and the second lens
4B have different focal lengths for capturing different
fields-of-view of the scene. Likewise, the first image sensor 14A
and the second image sensor 14B can have different resolutions
(i.e., different numbers of light-sensitive image pixels) and
quality levels. For example, the first image capture system 1A with
the first lens 4A and first image sensor 14A will be more likely to
be used in a hand-held still photography mode where a
high-resolution, high-quality image sensor is of great importance.
Similarly, the second image capture system 1B with the second lens
4B and second image sensor 14B will be more likely to be used in an
action video capture mode where a wide-angle lens having a wider
field of view is generally desirable and where a high
resolution/quality image sensor is not as critical. The wider
field-of-view has the advantage that it captures a larger portion
of the scene which is generally preferred during action shots, and
is also less sensitive to image stability problems. The use of a
lower resolution/quality sensor has the advantage that it will
typically have a lower cost, and can also have a smaller physical
size (which is desirable for mechanical design considerations),
while still providing adequate image quality for capturing a
good-quality HD video.
[0087] In some embodiments, the first camera mount 415 and the
second camera mount 425 are tripod mounting screws conforming to
the well-known international standard ISO 1222:2010,
Photography-Tripod connections, which is available from the
International Organization for Standardization, Geneva,
Switzerland. In other embodiments, the first camera mount 415 or
the second camera mount 425 can use other types of mounting
interfaces, including proprietary custom interfaces using
connection means such as screws, pins, clips, latches or
magnets.
[0088] The camera body 400 of the digital camera 10 provides a
camera user interface including an image path control 401 for
selecting between the first image capture system 1A and the second
image capture system 1B. In some embodiments, the image path
control 401 can also be used to select an image capture mode where
both the first image capture system 1A and the second image capture
system 1B are simultaneously used to capture images. A capture
operation control 402 is also provided for initiating an image
capture operation using the selected first image capture system 1A
or second image capture system 1B, and a power control 403 which
enables the user to turn the digital camera 10 off and on. In some
embodiments, the image path control 401 enables the user to select
a low power mode, and in other embodiments, the power control 403
enables the user to select a low power mode, as will be described
later in reference to FIG. 6.
[0089] In some embodiments, when the image path control 401 is used
to select between the first image capture system 1A and the second
image capture system 1B, various camera settings can be adjusted
accordingly. For example, a different default image capture mode
can be automatically selected in each case. In some embodiments,
when the user selects a particular image capture system, the camera
settings are set to the values that the user had selected the last
time that the digital camera 10 had been set to use that image
capture system. This enables the user to define different default
settings for the first image capture system 1A and the second image
capture system 1B without needing to manually reset them each time
that the image capture system is changed.
[0090] The camera body 400 of the digital camera 10 includes a
memory card access door 444 for accessing a removable memory card
442. The removable memory card 442 provides the image memory 30
(shown in FIG. 1) which is used as a storage memory for storing
digital images captured using the selected first image capture
system 1A or the second image capture system 1B. The camera body
400 of the digital camera 10 includes a connector access door 446
that can be used to access various connectors such as a power cable
connector or a USB cable connector.
[0091] FIG. 4A is a drawing depicting the camera body 400 of the
digital camera 10 mounted using a helmet mounting clip 460 which is
attached to the second camera mount 425 (FIG. 3B) on the second
surface 420 (FIG. 3B) of the camera body 400 using a quick release
tab 450.
[0092] FIG. 4B is a drawing depicting the helmet mounting clip 460.
The helmet mounting clip 460 can be attached to a protective helmet
(not shown), such as a bike helmet, motorcycle helmet, skate board
helmet, skydiving helmet, or ski helmet, using Velcro, double-sided
tape, or a strap (not shown). The helmet mounting clip 460 includes
a slot 462 into which the quick release tab 450 can slide. While
the helmet mounting clip 460 is nominally adapted for mounting the
digital camera 10 to a helmet, it should be noted that the helmet
mounting clip 460 can be attached to many other types of objects as
well, such as a surfboard or a car bumper.
[0093] FIG. 4C is a drawing depicting the quick release tab 450. A
screw 452 is used to secure the quick release tab 450 to the second
camera mount 425 on the second surface 420 (or the first camera
mount 415 on the fourth surface 440) of the camera body 400. The
edge portion 454 of the quick release tab 450 has a reduced
thickness, relative to the thickness of a central portion 456 of
the quick release tab 450, to enable the quick release tab 450 to
be inserted in the slot 462 of the helmet mounting clip 460, or
into a bar mount, which will be described later relative to FIGS.
5A-5B.
[0094] If the low-power mode test 510 determines that the digital
camera 10 is in the low-power image capture mode, the captured
images are not displayed on the image display 32 in order to reduce
the power consumption, and the process proceeds to the record
captured images step 525. This is appropriate, for example, when
the digital camera 10 is mounted to a user's bike helmet while
capturing a still image or a video clip, since, in this case, the
user is unable to view the image display 32.
[0095] If the low-power mode test 510 determines that the digital
camera 10 is in the low-power image capture mode, the captured
images are not displayed on the image display 32 in order to reduce
the power consumption, and the process proceeds to the record
captured images step 525. This is appropriate, for example, when
the digital camera 10 is mounted to a user's bike helmet while
capturing a still image or a video clip, since, in this case, the
user is unable to view the image display 32.
[0096] FIG. 5A is a drawing depicting a bar mount 470 for use to
attach the camera body 400 (FIG. 3A) of the digital camera 10 to a
bar 474. The bar 474 can be, for example, the handlebar of a bike
or a motorcycle, or can be a ski pole, roof rack pole, or the mast
of a sailboat or windsurfer. In some embodiments, the bar mount 470
is attached to the bar 474 using straps 476. In other embodiments,
the bar mount can be attached using some other mounting mechanism
such as cable ties or bolts.
[0097] FIG. 5B is an exploded view depicting the components of the
bar mount 470. The bar mount 470 includes a mount rail 480 which
includes a slot 482 into which the quick release tab 450 (FIG. 4C)
can slide. The bar mount 470 also includes a mount base 490. In a
preferred embodiment, the lower surface of the mount base includes
elastomar strips (not shown) for gripping the bar 474 (FIG. 5A).
The bar mount 470 is secured to the bar 474 using straps 476 (FIG.
5A) or some other mounting mechanism.
[0098] The mount rail 480 is attached to the mount base 490 using a
screw 495, a washer 494, and a spring 493. The spring 493 enables
the mount rail 480 to be lifted and then rotated relative to the
mount base 490 in the direction generally shown by arrow 484. This
enable the mount rail 480 to be positioned above the mount base 490
into one of 16 detent positions, corresponding to the positions of
the 16 holes 492.
[0099] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing steps for controlling the
digital camera 10 (FIGS. 3A-3C) according to a normal image capture
mode and a low-power image capture mode. In set capture mode step
500, the digital camera 10 is set to operate in either the normal
image capture mode or the low-power image capture mode.
[0100] In some embodiments, the image capture mode is set in
response to user activation of the image path control 401 (FIG.
3B), which also selects the first image capture system 1A or the
second image capture system 1B (FIG. 1). In such embodiments, when
the first image capture system 1A is selected, the normal image
capture mode is preferably used and when the second image capture
system 1B is selected, the low power image capture mode is
preferably used. The processor 20 (FIG. 1) in the digital camera 10
responds to the user activation of the image path control 401 to
select the first image capture system 1A by setting the mode of the
camera power manager 42 (FIG. 1) to be in the normal image capture
mode and setting the multiplexer 17 to output the digital image
data from ASP and A/D converter 16A. The processor 20 responds to
the user activation of the image path control 401 to select the
second image capture system 1B by setting the mode of the camera
power manager 42 to be in the low power image capture mode and
setting the multiplexer 17 to output the digital image data from
ASP and A/D converter 16B.
[0101] In some other embodiments, the power control 403 (FIG. 3B)
is used to select the low power image capture mode, rather than
using the image path control 401. For example, the power control
403 is first used to turn on the digital camera 10. The user then
uses the image path control 401 to select either the first image
capture system 1A or the second image capture system 1B. The user
can then mount the digital camera 10 to their bike helmet, before
placing the bike helmet on their head, as described earlier in
reference to FIG. 4A. The user can then press and release the power
control 403 in order to place the digital camera 10 in the low
power mode. Finally, the user can place the helmet on their head
and use the remote control module 200 (FIG. 1) to initiate image
capture operations.
[0102] In initiate capture operation step 505, the processor 20
(FIG. 1) initiates an image capture operation in response to user
activation of an appropriate user control. In some embodiments, the
user control is the capture operation control 402 (FIG. 3A). In
other embodiments, the user control is included in the remote
control module 200 (FIG. 1), which will be described later in
reference to FIGS. 7A-B. The processor 20 initiates the image
capture operation by beginning the capture of a digital video (or a
burst image sequence or a time-lapse image sequence), or capturing
a digital still image, as described earlier in reference to FIGS. 1
and 2.
[0103] In low-power mode test 510, the processor 20 determines
whether the camera power manager 42 (FIG. 1) has been set to the
low-power image capture mode. If the low-power mode test 510
determines that the digital camera 10 is not in the low-power image
capture mode (i.e., it is in the normal image capture mode), a
display captured images step 515 is used to display the captured
digital images on the image display 32 (FIG. 1). This is
appropriate, for example, when the user is hand-holding the digital
camera 10 while capturing a video clip.
[0104] In record captured images step 525, the captured digital
video images or digital still images are recorded in the image
memory 30 (FIG. 1). The image memory 30 can be the removable memory
card 442 described earlier in reference to FIG. 3B.
[0105] If the low-power mode test 510 determines that the digital
camera 10 is in the low-power image capture mode, the captured
images are not displayed on the image display 32 in order to reduce
the power consumption, and the process proceeds to the record
captured images step 525. This is appropriate, for example, when
the digital camera 10 is mounted to a user's bike helmet while
capturing a still image or a video clip, since, in this case, the
user is unable to view the image display 32.
[0106] In some embodiments, if the user activates an appropriate
user control to switch between the low-power image capture mode and
the normal image capture mode while a digital video image is being
captured, the camera power manager 42 switches the image capture
mode between the low-power image capture mode and the normal image
capture mode without interrupting the video capture process. For
example, a user may mount the digital camera 10 in an appropriate
position (for example on a tripod or a bicycle handlebar) and
initiate a video capture process while the digital camera 10 is
operating in the normal image capture mode. However, once the video
capture process is initiated the user may desire to switch to the
low-power image capture mode to conserve battery power after
confirming that the image is properly framed. In response to
activation of the appropriate user control, the camera power
manager 42 will switch to the low-power image capture mode, without
interrupting the video capture process.
[0107] In some embodiments, a live preview image is displayed on
the image display 32 before an image capture operation is initiated
when the digital camera is set to operate in the normal image
capture mode, but no live preview image is displayed when the
digital camera is set to operate in the low-power image capture
mode.
[0108] In some embodiments, the digital camera 10 automatically
enters the low-power image capture mode after a predefined period
of inactivity (e.g., a period during which the user has not
activated any camera features and the camera is not recording), or
when the power level of the camera batteries 43 (FIG. 1) falls
below a predefined threshold.
[0109] It will be understood that when the digital camera 10 is set
to operate in the normal image capture mode, captured digital
images are displayed on the image display 32 as they are captured,
and when the digital camera 10 is set to operate in the low-power
image capture mode, captured digital images are not displayed on
the image display 32 as they are captured. It will be further
understood that the recorded digital images that were captured in
either the normal image capture mode or the low-power image capture
mode can be viewed on the image display 32 (FIG. 1) at a later time
when the digital camera 10 is set to a review mode.
[0110] FIG. 7A is a high-level diagram showing the components of
the remote control module 200 of FIG. 1. FIG. 7B is a drawing of a
front view of the remote control module 200 shown in FIG. 7A
according to one embodiment. The remote control module 200 can
include a wrist strap 280 which secures the remote control module
200 to a wrist of the user, or to some other object such as a
bicycle handlebar. In this way, the remote control module 200 can
be accessible as the user engages in an activity such as mountain
biking or surfing. In some embodiments, the remote control module
200 can include a mounting interface that enables it to be mounted
to various objects or surfaces. For example, the remote control
module 200 can include a tripod mount (similar to the first camera
mount 415 shown in FIG. 3C) or include a tab that is adapted to be
connected to the slot 482 in the bar mount 470 of FIG. 5B.
[0111] The remote control module 200 includes a processor 220 which
controls the functions of the remote control module 200 using
instructions stored in firmware memory 228. In some embodiments,
the processor 220 is a microprocessor which also includes a read
only memory (ROM) or a programmable read only memory (PROM) which
stores firmware instructions that are executed by the processor
220. In some embodiments, a firmware memory 228 can be used to
store firmware instruction. It will be understood that in some
embodiments, the processor 220 can be provided by custom circuitry
(e.g., by one or more custom integrated circuits (ICs) designed
specifically for use in wireless remote controls), or by a
combination of programmable processors and custom circuits. It will
be understood that connections between the processor 220 and some
or all of the various components shown in FIG. 7A can be made using
a common data bus (not shown).
[0112] The processor 220 interfaces with a remote control power
manager 248, which controls the power provided by remote batteries
240, as will be described later in reference to FIG. 8. The
processor 220 also interfaces with a wireless modem 250, which
communicates with the digital camera 10 (FIG. 1) over the wireless
network 52. As described earlier with reference to the wireless
modem 50 (FIG. 1) in the digital camera 10, the wireless modem 250
in the remote control module 200 can use various wireless interface
protocols, such as the well-known Bluetooth wireless interface or
the well-known 802.11 wireless interface, or various proprietary
protocols.
[0113] The processor 220 receives inputs from user controls 234 and
controls a status display 232. The user controls 234 can include a
status button 270 for requesting status information for the digital
camera 10, a record button 272 for initiating an image capture
operation (e.g., a video record operation or a still image capture
operation), and a book mark button 274 for marking important
portions of a captured video, as shown in FIG. 7B. It will be
understood that in other embodiments, other types of user controls
can be employed, such as described earlier in reference to user
controls 34 in FIG. 1. For example, a user control can be provided
to enable the user to select between the first image capture system
1A or the second image capture system 1B. User controls 234 on the
remote control module 200, such as the record button 272, that are
used to send a command to the digital camera 10 can be referred to
as command user controls.
[0114] The status display 232 can be a liquid crystal display (LCD)
a group of light emitting diodes (LEDs), or can use any other
display technology known in the art. The status display 232
includes status display elements for displaying status information
pertaining to the digital camera 10 (FIG. 1). For example, the
status display 232 shown in FIG. 7B includes a battery level
display element 260 for displaying a charge level of the camera
batteries 43 (FIG. 1) in digital camera 10, a signal strength
display element 262 for displaying a level of the signal received
by the wireless modem 250, a memory fullness display element 264
for displaying an indication of the fullness of the image memory 30
(FIG. 1) in the digital camera 10, and a time display element 266
for displaying time information. In some embodiments the time
information can be the time obtained from a real-time clock (not
shown) in the digital camera 10. In some embodiments, when the
digital camera 10 is in the process of capturing a digital video
the time information can be the elapsed time since a video
recording operation (or a time-lapse photography operation) was
initiated. It will be understood that in other embodiments, other
types of display elements can be used to display other information
that would be of interest to the user, for example the settings of
various camera modes and parameters, as described earlier in
reference to FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the status display 232
can display a record status display element providing an indication
of whether the digital camera 10 is currently recording a digital
video (or a time-lapse digital image sequence). Alternately, the
record status can be indicated by other means such as by providing
a separate signal light, or by activating a back light for the
record button 272.
[0115] In some embodiments, a single remote control module 200 can
be used to control a plurality of different digital cameras 10. In
this case, the remote control module 200 can include user controls
that enable the user to specify which of the plurality of digital
cameras 10 should be controlled at a particular time.
[0116] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing steps for managing the power
in a digital camera system including the digital camera 10 and the
remote control module 200. In set low-power state step 550, the
processor 220 in the remote control module 200 controls the remote
control power manager 248 in order to set the remote control module
200 to operate in a low-power state after a period of inactivity.
In some embodiments, the period of inactivity is a fixed
predetermined period, such as 60 seconds. In other embodiments, the
period of inactivity is a function of the power level of the remote
batteries 240. In other embodiments, the period of inactivity is a
user-adjustable predetermined period. For example, the
predetermined period can be an inactivity time value selected from
a plurality of values (e.g., 10 seconds, 60 seconds, 5 minutes and
1 hour) selected using one of the user controls 234 on the remote
control module 200. In some embodiments, the time value can be
selected using the user controls 34 (FIG. 1) on the digital camera
10, which then communicates the value to the remote control module
200 over the wireless network 52. The status display 232 and the
wireless modem 250 are powered down in the low-power state.
[0117] In user control activated test 555, the processor 220 in the
remote control module 200 determines whether one of the user
controls 234 has been activated by the user. If the user control
activated test 555 determines that none of the user controls 234
have been activated by the user a maintain low-power state step 560
maintains the low-power state described earlier in reference to the
set low-power state step 550.
[0118] If the user control activated test 555 determines that one
of the user controls 234 has been activated by the user, a set
normal-power state step 565 is used to control the remote control
power manager 248 in order to set the remote control module 200 to
operate in a normal-power state. In the normal-power state, power
is supplied to the status display 232 and the wireless modem
250.
[0119] In send status inquiry step 570, the processor 220 in the
remote control module 200 sends a status inquiry to the digital
camera 10 over the wireless network 52 using the wireless modem
250. In response, the digital camera 10 sends status information
back to the remote control module 200 over the wireless network 52
using the wireless modem 50 in the digital camera 10.
[0120] In display status information step 575, the received status
information is displayed on the status display 232 of the remote
control module 200. The status information is displayed using the
status display elements described earlier in reference to FIG. 7B
(i.e., the battery level display element 260, the signal strength
display element 262, the memory fullness display element 264 and
the time of day display element 266).
[0121] Following display status information step 575, a user
control activated test 580 waits to see whether the user activates
one of the user controls 234 during the predefined time interval.
If so, a perform operation step 585 performs the operation
requested by the user (for example, initiating an image capture
operation). The display status information step 575 is then called
to update the information displayed on the status display 232
accordingly. If the user control activated test 580 does not
detected the activation of any user controls 234 during the
predefined time interval, the set low-power state step 550 is
repeated to return the remote control module 200 to the low-power
mode.
[0122] In some embodiments, at least some of the status display
elements on the remote control module 200 are powered down after a
predefined second shorter time interval. This enables the remote
control module 200 to conserve additional power while it remains in
the normal-power mode. In this case, certain status display
elements may remain powered up as appropriate. For example, a
record status display element may remain powered up during the time
that a digital video is being captured even if the user has not
interacted with the user controls.
[0123] In some embodiments, the digital camera 10 can transmit
captured digital images (either digital still images or digital
videos) to the remote control module 200 over the wireless
connection for display on the status display 232. For example,
during the time that the digital camera 10 is capturing a digital
video, a temporal sequence of video frames can be transmitted to
the remote control module 200 so that the user can monitor the
capture process. In some cases, the digital camera 10 may
down-sample the video frames spatially or temporally before
transmitting them to the remote control module 200 in order to
minimize the amount of bandwidth required to transmit the video
frames. Similarly, if the digital camera 10 is operating in a still
capture mode, a sequence of preview images can be transmitted to
the remote control module 200 to allow the user to determine an
appropriate time for initiating an image capture operation.
[0124] The invention has been described in detail with particular
reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be
understood that variations and modifications can be effected within
the spirit and scope of the invention.
PARTS LIST
[0125] 1A image capture system [0126] 1B image capture system
[0127] 4A lens [0128] 4B lens [0129] 10 digital camera [0130] 12
timing generator [0131] 14A image sensor [0132] 14B image sensor
[0133] 16A ASP and A/D Converter [0134] 16B ASP and A/D Converter
[0135] 17 multiplexer [0136] 18 buffer memory [0137] 20 processor
[0138] 22 audio codec [0139] 24 microphone [0140] 26 speaker [0141]
28 firmware memory [0142] 30 image memory [0143] 32 image display
[0144] 34 user controls [0145] 36 display memory [0146] 38 wired
interface [0147] 40 computer [0148] 42 power manager [0149] 43
camera batteries [0150] 44 video interface [0151] 46 video display
[0152] 48 interface/recharger [0153] 50 wireless modem [0154] 52
wireless network [0155] 70 Internet [0156] 72 service provider
[0157] 74 wireless access point [0158] 90 white balance setting
[0159] 95 white balance step [0160] 100 color sensor data [0161]
105 noise reduction step [0162] 110 ISO setting [0163] 115
demosaicing step [0164] 120 resolution mode setting [0165] 125
color correction step [0166] 130 color mode setting [0167] 135 tone
scale correction step [0168] 140 contrast setting [0169] 145 image
sharpening step [0170] 150 sharpening setting [0171] 155 image
compression step [0172] 160 compression mode setting [0173] 165
file formatting step [0174] 170 metadata [0175] 175 user settings
[0176] 180 digital image file [0177] 185 camera settings [0178] 190
environmental readings [0179] 200 remote control module [0180] 220
processor [0181] 228 firmware memory [0182] 232 status display
[0183] 234 user controls [0184] 240 remote batteries [0185] 248
remote control power manager [0186] 250 wireless modem [0187] 260
battery level display element [0188] 262 signal strength display
element [0189] 264 memory fullness display element [0190] 266 time
of day display element [0191] 270 status button [0192] 272 record
button [0193] 274 bookmark button [0194] 280 wrist strap [0195] 400
camera body [0196] 401 image path control [0197] 402 capture
operation control [0198] 403 power control [0199] 410 first surface
[0200] 415 first camera mount [0201] 420 second surface [0202] 425
second camera mount [0203] 430 third surface [0204] 440 fourth
surface [0205] 442 removable memory card [0206] 444 memory card
access door [0207] 446 connector access door [0208] 450 quick
release tab [0209] 452 screw [0210] 454 edge portion [0211] 456
central portion [0212] 460 helmet mounting clip [0213] 462 slot
[0214] 470 bar mount [0215] 474 bar [0216] 476 straps [0217] 480
mount rail [0218] 482 slot [0219] 484 arrow [0220] 490 mount base
[0221] 492 holes [0222] 493 spring [0223] 494 washer [0224] 495
screw [0225] 500 set capture mode step [0226] 505 initiate capture
operation step [0227] 510 low-power mode test [0228] 515 display
captured images step [0229] 525 record captured images step [0230]
550 set low-power state step [0231] 555 user control activated test
[0232] 560 maintain low-power state step [0233] 565 set
normal-power state step [0234] 570 send status inquiry step [0235]
575 display status information step [0236] 580 another user control
activated test [0237] 585 perform operation step [0238] A optical
axis [0239] B optical axis
* * * * *