Digital viewfinder user interface for multiple cameras

• US 10,122,931 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2018
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Jeffrey Traer, Girling, Lukas Robert Tom, Dong, Linda L., Penha, Henrique, Lopez, Paulo Michaelo, Manzari, Behkish J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoder, III, Chriss
• Application Number:
  US15/863,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20180131876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/25 using two or more image sensors with different characteristics other than in their location or field of view, e.g. having different resolutions or colour pickup characteristics; using image signals from one sensor to control the characteristics of another sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

An electronic device has multiple cameras and displays a digital viewfinder user interface for previewing visual information provided by the cameras. The multiple cameras may have different properties such as focal lengths. When a single digital viewfinder is provided, the user interface allows zooming over a zoom range that includes the respective zoom ranges of both cameras. The zoom setting to determine which camera provides visual information to the viewfinder and which camera is used to capture visual information. The user interface also allows the simultaneous display of content provided by different cameras at the same time. When two digital viewfinders are provided, the user interface allows zooming, freezing, and panning of one digital viewfinder independently of the other. The device allows storing of a composite images and/or videos using both digital viewfinders and corresponding cameras.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a first camera, a second camera, and a display, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, in a first portion of a display, a first digital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content from the first camera, wherein the content from the first camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the first camera;

displaying, in a second portion of the display, a second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera, wherein the content from the second camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the second camera;

while concurrently displaying the first digital viewfinder and the second digital viewfinder;

detecting a first input representing an instruction to freeze the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the first input, freezing the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder; and

while the first digital viewfinder in the first portion of the display remains frozen;

continuing to display, in the second portion of the display, the second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera, wherein the content from the second camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the second camera.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1,

wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, and

wherein the first input is a tap input located on a portion of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

detecting a second input at a location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the second input, panning the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein freezing the first digital viewfinder comprises displaying in the first digital viewfinder a still image received using the first camera, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

detecting a third input; and

in response to detecting the third input, adding a combined digital image comprising the still image and a second image received from the second camera to a library of images.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the combined digital image is an image comprising the still image and the second image side-by-side.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first camera has a first focal length and the second camera has a second focal length different from the first focal length.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first camera has a fixed focal length and the second camera has a fixed focal length.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first and second cameras have overlapping fields of view.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the fields of view of the first and second cameras overlap by at least fifty percent.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface that forms a touch-sensitive display with the display.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, the one or more programs further including instructions for:

after freezing the first digital viewfinder, detecting a fourth input at a location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the fourth input, unfreezing the first digital viewfinder and displaying content from the first camera in the first digital viewfinder.

12. A method comprising:

at an electronic device with a first camera, a second camera, and a display;

displaying, in a first portion of a display, a first digital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content from the first camera, wherein the content from the first camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the first camera;

displaying, in a second portion of the display, a second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera, wherein the content from the second camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the second camera;

while concurrently displaying the first digital viewfinder and the second digital viewfinder;

detecting a first input representing an instruction to freeze the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the first input, freezing the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder; and

while the first digital viewfinder in the first portion of the display remains frozen;

continuing to display, in the second portion of the display, the second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera, wherein the content from the second camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the second camera.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, and

wherein the first input is a tap input located on a portion of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, the method further comprising:

detecting a second input at a location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the second input, panning the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein freezing the first digital viewfinder comprises displaying in the first digital viewfinder a still image received using the first camera, the method further comprising:

detecting a third input; and

in response to detecting the third input, adding a combined digital image comprising the still image and a second image received from the second camera to a library of images.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the combined digital image is an image comprising the still image and the second image side-by-side.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first camera has a first focal length and the second camera has a second focal length different from the first focal length.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first camera has a fixed focal length and the second camera has a fixed focal length.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second cameras have overlapping fields of view.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the fields of view of the first and second cameras overlap by at least fifty percent.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface that forms a touch-sensitive display with the display.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, the method further comprising:

after freezing the first digital viewfinder, detecting a fourth input at a location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the fourth input, unfreezing the first digital viewfinder and displaying content from the first camera in the first digital viewfinder.

23. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

a first camera;

a second camera;

a display; and

computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the computer-executable instructions including instructions for;

displaying, in a first portion of a display, a first digital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content from the first camera, wherein the content from the first camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the first camera;

displaying, in a second portion of the display, a second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera, wherein the content from the second camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the second camera;

while concurrently displaying the first digital viewfinder and the second digital viewfinder;

detecting a first input representing an instruction to freeze the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the first input, freezing the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder; and

while the first digital viewfinder in the first portion of the display remains frozen;

continuing to display, in the second portion of the display, the second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera, wherein the content from the second camera is dynamically updated based on movement of objects with respect to the second camera.

24. The electronic device of claim 23,

wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, and

wherein the first input is a tap input located on a portion of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder.

25. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, the computer-executable instructions further including instructions for:

detecting a second input at a location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the second input, panning the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder.

26. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein freezing the first digital viewfinder comprises displaying in the first digital viewfinder a still image received using the first camera, the computer-executable instructions further including instructions for:

detecting a third input; and

in response to detecting the third input, adding a combined digital image comprising the still image and a second image received from the second camera to a library of images.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the combined digital image is an image comprising the still image and the second image side-by-side.

28. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the first camera has a first focal length and the second camera has a second focal length different from the first focal length.

29. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the first camera has a fixed focal length and the second camera has a fixed focal length.

30. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the first and second cameras have overlapping fields of view.

31. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the fields of view of the first and second cameras overlap by at least fifty percent.

32. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface that forms a touch-sensitive display with the display.

33. The electronic device of claim 23, wherein the electronic device has a touch-sensitive surface, the computer-executable instructions further including instructions for:

after freezing the first digital viewfinder, detecting a fourth input at a location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digital viewfinder; and

in response to detecting the fourth input, unfreezing the first digital viewfinder and displaying content from the first camera in the first digital viewfinder.