Device and method for photo and video capture

• US 10,027,882 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Marlin, Richard E., Mathias, Michael J., Diakov, Kristian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, TRUNG T
• Application Number:
  US15/674,277
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/212 Motion video recording combined with still video recording television signal recording H04N5/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode

Abstract

A single user input element in an image capture device is used for both image and video capture, based on detecting a state change of the single user input element from a first state to a second state based on a detected user activity, and determining a duration of the second state. An image from the image sensor is stored based on the duration of the second state being less than a time interval, and a video recording is captured based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval. The video recording is captured until a state change of the single user input element from the second state to the first state is detected.

Claims

1. An image capture device comprising:

an image sensor capable of being configured to capture an image or video;

a single user input element capable of detecting user activity at the single user input element;

a processor coupled with the image sensor and configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting a state change of the single user input element from a first state to a second state based on a detected user activity;

determining a duration of the second state;

storing an image from the image sensor based on the duration of the second state being less than a time interval; and

capturing a video recording based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval, wherein the video recording is captured until a state change of the single user input element from the second state to the first state is detected.

2. The image capture device of claim 1, further comprising:

a timing reference coupled with the processor; and

wherein determining the duration of the second state comprises;

engaging the timing reference at a first reference time based on detecting the state change of the single user input element from an first state to a second state; and

determining a passage of time since the first reference time.

3. The image capture device of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a distinct signal indicating that an image capture is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being less than the time interval.

4. The image capture device of claim 3, wherein providing the distinct signal indicating that the image capture is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being less than the time interval, is based on determining that the passage of time since the first reference time is shorter than the time interval.

5. The image capture device of claim 3, wherein the distinct signal comprises a distinct audio signal or a distinct visual signal.

6. The image capture device of claim 2, the operations further comprising:

providing a distinct signal indicating that the video recording is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval; and

wherein providing the distinct signal indicating that the video recording is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval, is based on determining that the passage of time since the first reference time is equal to or longer than the time interval.

7. The image capture device of claim 6, wherein the distinct signal comprises a distinct audio signal or a distinct visual signal.

8. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the single user input element comprises a button, a key, a screen area of an input display, or a touch-sensitive area of a touchscreen.

9. A method comprising:

detecting, by an image capture device, a state change of a single user input element from a first state to a second state;

determining, by the image capture device, a duration of the second state;

storing an image from the image sensor based on the duration of the second state being less than a time interval; and

capturing a video recording based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval, wherein the video recording is captured until a state change of the single user input element from the second state to the first state is detected.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the duration of the second state comprises:

engaging a timing reference at a first reference time based on detecting the state change of the single user input element from a first state to a second state; and

determining a passage of time since the first reference time.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a distinct signal indicating that an image capture is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being less than the time interval.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing the distinct signal indicating that the image capture is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being less than the time interval, is based on determining that the passage of time since the first reference time is shorter than the time interval.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the distinct signal comprises a distinct audio signal or a distinct visual signal.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a distinct signal indicating that the video recording is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval; and

wherein providing the distinct signal indicating that the video recording is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval, is based on determining that the passage of time since the first reference time is equal to or longer than the time interval.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the distinct signal comprises a distinct audio signal or a distinct visual signal.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the single user input element comprises a button, a key, a screen area of an input display, or a touch-sensitive area of a touchscreen.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing therein instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an image capture device to perform operations comprising:

detecting a state change of a single user input element from a first state to a second state;

determining a duration of the second state;

storing an image from the image sensor based on the duration of the second state being less than a time interval; and

capturing a video recording based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval, wherein the video recording is captured until a state change of the single user input element from the second state to the first state is detected.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein determining the duration of the second state comprises:

engaging a timing reference at a first reference time based on detecting the state change of the single user input element from a first state to a second state; and

determining a passage of time since the first reference time.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

providing a first distinct signal indicating that an image capture is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being less than the time interval; and

providing a second distinct signal indicating that the video recording is triggered, based on the duration of the second state being greater than the time interval.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the single user input element comprises a button, a key, a screen area of an input display, or a touch-sensitive area of a touchscreen.