Patent Application
20190204643
The present invention relates to image display and remote image capture with portable electronic devices.
Digital convergence has resulted in cameras being integrated into multipurpose digital devices. Portable electronic devices (“PED”), such as smartphones, are now widely used for photography and videography. Image and audio capturing capability is increasing rapidly, ensuring continued prevalence of smartphones and other PED use in photography and videography.
PED's are predominantly shaped like tablets, with rectangularly shaped front and back planar surfaces connected by four relatively shorter peripheral sides. PED's traditionally have one or more integrated cameras on the back and possibly front (relative to the user) surfaces of the camera. The flat, user facing interface of the device functions as a flat-panel display of captured image data and provides command icons, or command buttons, allowing input of command data to control settings and functionality of the camera or other applications. This arrangement allows adequate control when capturing images from a basic vantage point, such as selfies captured by extending the arm perpendicular to the torso or outward shots taken at eye level. However, the PED must often be positioned at a vantage point where the flat-panel display screen interface cannot be viewed. Images must be captured blind and adjustments made based on what is already captured. This requires extra work, is time consuming and can cause a user to miss the opportunity to capture a transitory scene. Location of the input command icons must be guessed at or detected tactilely. This can lead to delays and mistakes in manipulating the settings the camera and capturing the scene. Sub-optimal ergonomics may result from hand and wrist contortion needed to reach the command icons while positioning the camera lens.
Further obstacles limit remote photography with a PED and a user's ability to remotely capture footage of themselves. Timing applications exist, allowing a camera to be placed remotely to capture pictures and video clips of a preset duration. But the camera must be retrieved after each recording and manually reset. The user does not have control and is not able to view the images the camera is recording when it is remotely placed, preventing real-time adjustments and hindering image capture.
The present invention provides a means of viewing the display of a PED camera from different vantage points. In an exemplary embodiment an LCD remote is removably hinged to a case and capable of rotating relative to the phone in multiple directions. This enables visibility of the screen from multiple vantage points relative to the user. The user can access the image capturing command icons while holding the device in the most ergonomically advantageous position. The screen can be locked in a wide range of angles relative to the case, allowing ergonomically optimal input of the command icons. The screen contains an interface allowing control of camera settings and image capturing command icons.
The device can be detached from the case and serve the dual functions of remote controller and display screen. This allows a user to mount the camera remotely and alter the scene or camera setting based on the real-time display, to capture the ideal image. Corrections can be made in real-time, prior to the photograph being taken. Multiple photographs or video scenes can be taken without having to retrieve and manually reset the camera.
A case may be configured to removably couple with an array of PED's. An exemplary case embodiment is configured to couple a smartphone. An exemplary remote utilizes an LCD flat-panel display interface and is referred to as an remote. Coupling mechanisms for the LCD remote are integrated into the case. The case is composed of polycarbonate or other durable material. The case has a recessed bed configured to receive the LCD remote. The recessed bed is positioned on the planar back surface of the case.
The case partially encloses the smartphone or other type of PED. The side opposing the recessed bed is partially open to allow access to the coupled smart phone's interface. The exemplary embodiment uses flexural rigidity to couple the phone. Flexural rigidity provides tolerancing enabling a case to couple with PED's within a predetermined dimension range. The case has may have a lens opening for exposure of the back-facing smartphone camera lens facing way from the smartphone interface.
An exemplary case has four case coupling elements, one positioned on each peripheral side of a recessed bed. Alternating recessed and protruding sectors comprise the case coupling elements. Four corresponding screen coupling elements are present on the sides of the a remote. All four of the case and screen coupling elements can be engaged to couple the remote. Individual corresponding case and screen coupling elements can also be engaged to create an operative hinge. Alternative embodiments may comprise a different number of coupling elements capable of operatively coupling a remote with a case. Operative coupling is used herein to denote coupling of multiple component that allows movement of those components while coupled.
The remote is configured to fit into the recessed bed. The remote has an interface on one planar surface. Image data may be displayed, and command functions may be input via the interface. Input command icons enable the user to enter commands based on the images transmitted from the image capturing smartphone and displayed on the interface. The interface has touchscreen capability; it is receptive to finger, stylus or any other force or haptic communication of Aperture, shutter speed, zooming, and other camera settings and functions maybe adjusted via the interface command icons. The exemplary interface may be a liquid crystal display (“LCD”). The exemplary interface may contain a shutter command icon, allowing input of image capture command, or control of video recording. The interface automatically adjusts to orient relative to the user, allowing the user to view image data and command icons in an upright—relative to the user—position.
In the exemplary embodiment, when all four sides of case coupling and screen coupling mechanisms are engaged, the LCD interface lays just below the surface of the case in a storage position to protect the interface from contact. When the case coupling mechanisms are coupled with the screen coupling mechanisms the LCD remote can be rotated relative to the case in four directions; around the planar horizontal and vertical axes of the case. From the storage position the LCD remote can detach from three elements of the case coupling mechanisms and rotate relative to the case coupling mechanism to which it remains attached. When a single case coupling mechanism is coupled to a single remote coupling mechanism an operative hinge is created. The screen can be rotated around an axis created by an operative hinge to allow the user to view recorded image data when the display of the smartphone cannot be viewed because of the required orientation of the camera to capture the image. The exemplary operative hinge is capable of locking at various angles relative to the camera. This enables the screen to be locked and stabilized at the desired viewing angle.
When detached, the LCD remote functions as a wireless remote controller. Camera settings and function can be adjusted remotely. As when the LCD remote is coupled with the case, the command icons are used to control camera function. The LCD remote has an uplink transmission component capable of transmitting command data to a coupled image capturing device, such as a smartphone or other PED with image capture capability. It also has a downlink receiver component capable of receiving and processing data from a coupled image capturing device.
Alternative embodiments may have three or fewer hinges. It may be desirable to prevent the LCD remote from swinging toward the back-facing camera. Having a hinge or hinges only permitting rotation around the horizontal or vertical axis may achieve this. Some embodiments may utilize biaxial hinges to allow the rotation of the screen around the vertical and horizontal axis from the same coupling point. An exemplary embodiment includes a biaxial hinge along one or both peripheral walls of the coupling bed. Alternative embodiments may permit the display LCD control interface to face into the case bed when coupled. This may allow greater protection of the glass surface of the LCD interface. When rotated around the hinging mechanism the screen would open out to the user. In alternative embodiments the LCD remote may only act as a remote controller. The case would still permit coupling of the LCD remote, but the hinging mechanism would not be present. The case could be configured to allow the LCD remote to slidably attach. Other viable coupling means may also be utilized. In the non-hinging embodiments of the case would still function as a convenient storage module for the LCD remote.
The LCD remote may be coupled directly with the permanently attached case or covering of the phone. The case coupling mechanism may be permanently integrated into the planar surface opposing the interface of the phone. The LCD remote may be coupled magnetism, snap-hooking, latching or hinging as in the exemplary case embodiment.
The exemplary embodiment uses LCD as the electronic display because it is currently the most common active mode of flat-panel display. Other types of electronic displays, such as LED, with touchscreen capability may be used for the control interface.
A lens opening 52 aligns with the optical path of a smartphone camera lens and permits image capture of the entire camera spectrum. A case bed 22 is configured to receive an LCD remote 30. Four case coupling mechanisms 24 are attached to the periphery sidewalls 31 of the bed 22. The bed 22 is positioned in relation to the lens opening 52 to prevent obstruction of the camera's field of view when the LCD remote 30 is attached. The case coupling mechanisms 24 have alternating protruding notch and recessed receptive sections. Four corresponding screen coupling mechanisms 32 are attached to the sides of the LCD remote 30 configured to align with periphery sidewalls 31 when the LCD remote 30 is installed into the case bed 22. The screen coupling mechanisms 32 have complementary alternating protruding notch and recessed receptive sections enabling removable coupling with the case latching mechanisms 24. The relatively longer case coupling mechanisms 32 create two potential vertical axes 80 and two potential horizontal axes 82 for a coupled LCD remote to rotate around.
The LCD remote 30 has a control LCD interface 34. The LCD interface 34 serves as the flat-panel display in this embodiment. The exemplary LCD interface 34 provides an image display 36 section and command icon section 35 allowing input of image capturing shutter command and alteration of other camera settings based on the image display 36. The command icons 35 and image display 36 can be displayed simultaneously, as shown here, or can be expanded to cover the entire screen. The exemplary LCD interface 34 is touchscreen capable and operated by hand.
Wireless communication can be achieved by any viable means (radio, Wi-Fi®, Infrared, etc.). In the exemplary embodiment the smartphone and dynamic LCD remote 30 wirelessly transmit data by Bluetooth® technology. The LCD remote 30 contains a Bluetooth® enabled module allowing transmission of the command and image data.
Utilization of the smartphone interface commands while viewing the LCD remote 30 interface is possible, if this permits the most advantageous viewing of the captured image. The screen interface 34 command icons 35 and image display 36 can be configured specifically for image capture and control of camera settings, making use of them more efficient than the multipurpose smart phone interface 54.
The user can take self-portraits or mount the camera at a vantage point that would not be possible through handheld photography. Multiple pictures can be taken remotely because the screen interface 34 is capable of setting and adjusting the camera. For example, the user can be positioned to view the process of an object that will emerge and activate a shutter command when image capture is most advantageous. This would not be possible if the user was required to activate or reset the camera by direct contact.
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essence or characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
