Patent Application
20070097245
U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles (attorney docket no. 200506143-1), filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Amy E. Battles (attorney docket no. 200506124-1), filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles, Daniel J. Byrne, Li Shanshan, Mark J. Bianchi, and Norman C. Pyle (attorney docket no. 200506123-1) filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles, Li Shanshan, and Norman C. Pyle (attorney docket no. 200506158-1) filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles (attorney docket no. 200506125-1) filed on the same day as this application, are all hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed therein.
As digital cameras become more complex and include more features, more buttons and the like are required to operate these features. As the digital camera technology improves, digital cameras are being made smaller. The combination of smaller digital cameras and more features results in small digital cameras that require a large number of buttons. Thus, digital cameras have a plurality of buttons and the like located in a small area, which can make the operation of the digital cameras cumbersome.
An embodiment of a digital camera 100 is shown in
Having briefly described the digital camera 100, it will now be described in greater detail. The digital camera 100 may include two touch pads 106, which are referred to individually as a first touch pad 108 and a second touch pad 110. As shown in
The digital camera 100 may also include a display 112. When the digital camera 100 is in the live view mode, the display 112 may display images or scenes that are focused onto the digital camera 100. These images or scenes may be captured by the digital camera 100 as described in greater detail below. When the digital camera 100 is in the playback mode, previously captured images may be displayed on the display 112. In the embodiment of the digital camera 100 shown in
A plurality of LEDs 116 or other lights or indicators may be located on the digital camera 100. In the embodiment of the digital camera 100 shown in
The digital camera 100 may also include a capture button 120, wherein depressing the capture button 120 causes the digital camera 100 to capture the scene on which it is focused. For example, pressing the capture button 120 will cause an image displayed on the display 112 during live view mode to be captured. The capture button 120 or a similar button may cause the digital camera 100 to capture video. The digital camera 100 may have other buttons 122 located thereon that serve to operate or activate different functions of the digital camera 100.
Having described some of the components of the digital camera 100, the operation of the components and the digital camera 100 will now be described. The digital camera 100 captures images and enables a user to view images or scenes that may be captured via a display 112. The touch pads 106 enable a user to control the functions of the digital camera 100 during the live view mode. Likewise, when the digital camera 100 is in the playback mode, the touch pads 106 enable a user to view different captured images or alter different images. It is noted that the images include video. The LEDs 116 may assist a user in determining how to operate various functions of the digital camera 100 using the touch pads 106.
When the digital camera 100 is in playback mode, the display 112 may display previously captured images that are stored in the digital camera 100 or on some memory device associated with the digital camera 100. The digital camera 100 may be placed in the playback mode by a user pressing one of the buttons 122. The digital camera 100 could also be placed in the playback mode by pressing on one of the touch pads 106 or pressing a location or button on one of the touch pads 106. When the digital camera 100 is in playback mode, changing the image displayed on the display 112 may be achieved by a user sliding a stylus, such as a finger, along the second touch pad 110. The images may be stored in some order, such as chronological order or by name. Sliding the stylus to the right may cause the next image in the order to be displayed. Likewise, sliding the stylus to the left may cause the previous image in the order to be displayed. It is noted that sliding a stylus in a vertical direction on the first touch pad 108 may produce the same viewing results as sliding the stylus in a horizontal direction on the second touch pad 110.
The number of images that change for a predetermined amount of movement of the stylus on the second touch pad 110 may be preselected or set by the user. In some embodiments, each time movement is detected, one different previously captured image is displayed on the display 112. In other embodiments, new previously captured images continue to be displayed on the display as movement is detected. Thus, the images scroll on the display 112 as movement is detected. In the case of stored video, an image representative of the video, such as the first frame of the video may be displayed on the display 112.
An embodiment of the digital camera 100 in the playback mode is shown in
The actions 128 are associated with sections of the first touch pad 108. The touch pad 108 is portioned using software or the like within the digital camera 100 that determines the location of a contact by a stylus, such as a human finger. In the embodiment of the camera shown in
As described above, the touch pads 106 and/or the software associated with the touch pads 106 may be able to distinguish between a sliding motion and a pressing action on the touch pads 106. In the embodiment of the playback mode shown in
The use of the touch pads 106 enables the digital camera 100 to provide several functions without an array of different buttons. In one embodiment, contact with one of the sections of the touch pad may cause more actions to be displayed. For example, a list of actions may be displayed wherein a user may scroll through the list of actions similar to the manner in which previously captured images may be viewed. Thus, more actions than the four displayed in
In the embodiment of the digital camera 100 shown in
In another embodiment, the LEDs 116 may be used to indicate the actions rather than or in addition to having the actions displayed on the display 112. For example, the LEDs 116 may be in the shape of an icon or the like and may illuminate when the corresponding option or action is available. Icons could be printed on the digital camera next to the LEDs 116 wherein the icons represent different actions or options available in different modes.
Having described the playback mode, the live view mode will now be described in greater detail. As described above, the live view mode of the digital camera 100 enables a user to view images on the display 112 as the images are being captured. A user may cause the digital camera 100 to enter live view mode by pressing one of the buttons 122 or by pressing a certain area on the touch pads 106.
An embodiment of the digital camera 100 in the live view mode is shown in
A user may point the digital camera 100 at a scene that is to be captured and the scene may be displayed on the display 112. The user may then use the touch pads 106 to change capture or exposure settings in a manner similar to the way in which actions associated with the playback mode were activated. For example, the user may turn the flash on and off or set the flash to an automatic mode by pressing the first portion 130 of the first touch pad 108. Continually pressing the first portion 130 of the first touch pad 108 may cause the digital camera to cycle through the flash settings. In another embodiment, sliding or otherwise contacting the second touch pad 110 may change the setting. Thus, the digital camera 100 may be put in a mode to change the flash by contacting the first portion 130 of the first touch pad 108 and the flash setting may be changed by contacting the second touch pad 110. The same is applicable for other actions.
It is noted that the above described actions may be achieved using a single touch pad. When a section of a touch pad is pressed corresponding to a action, the touch pad may switch to a scrolling mode and allow the user to scroll through the flash options. The touch pad may then be tapped, which would cause the soft keys or actions to be displayed. The soft keys or actions may also be displayed after a preselected period of time.
When the user has established the appropriate settings, the image or scene may be captured by pressing the capture button 120. The captured image or scene may then be viewed using the playback mode as described above.
