Automatic image capture

• US 20020149681A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Grosvenor, David Arthur, Cheatle, Stephen Philip, Kahn, Richard Oliver
• Application Number:
  US10/107,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149681A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7864 T.V. type tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

Imaging apparatus for use with a tag 5 providing information comprises an electronic still or video camera 1 for providing an image signal 6, tag detecting means 8 for detecting the location of the tag and tag reading means 9, 10 for deriving the predetermined information from the tag, and image signal control means 11 to 13 for controlling the image signal in response to the output of the means 8 to 10 to provide a selected picture signal. As shown when a visitor enters a site details from a keyboard 16 are stored in a central computer 15 and printed 17 as a visible bar code tag 5 which is recognised 8 and provides a tag identity 9 and picture signal instructions 10. The latter act in conjunction with an image decision circuit 11 for judging picture composition, e.g. pan, tilt, zoom, and with an event detector 12 for picture timing (e.g. the occurrence of a smile on a visitor 4 wearing tag 5), for selective enablement of an image signal selection circuit 13, the selected signal being combined with the tag identity signal at 14 and stored 15. Circuits 11 and 12 preferably comprise image analysis means. On the visitor leaving the site, tag 5 is read 19 and a message displayed to indicate that pictures await. Tags may specify that group pictures only are to be taken, or that a tag associated with a site location needs also to be present.

Claims

1. Imaging apparatus for use with a tag providing information, said apparatus comprising an electronic camera for providing an image signal, a tag responsive circuitry arrangement including a tag locating arrangement for detecting the presence of a tag and determining its location relative to the camera and a tag reading arrangement for deriving said predetermined information from a detected tag, and image signal control circuitry for controlling the image signal in response to the output of said tag responsive circuitry to provide a selected picture signal.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said image signal control circuitry is arranged for physical control of at least one of camera pan, tilt and zoom.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said image signal control circuitry is arranged for controlling the scan of the electronic camera.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said image signal control circuitry is arranged for editing the image signal from the camera.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined information comprises image signal operating instructions, and said tag reading arrangement comprises instruction circuitry for obtaining the image signal operating instructions, the instruction circuitry being coupled to the image signal control circuitry.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said predetermined information comprises tag identity information and said tag reading arrangement comprises identity circuitry for obtaining the tag identity information coupled to a combiner for combining said identity information with said selected picture signal.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including an image signal analyser for receiving and analysing the image signal from the electronic camera.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the tag is visible, and wherein the image signal analyser provides said tag reading arrangement.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the image signal analyser comprises decision circuitry for making decisions on picture composition on the basis of a predetermined set of criteria, said decision circuitry being coupled to receive the image signal from the electronic camera and having an output coupled to the image signal control circuitry.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the decision circuitry is coupled to the tag locating arrangement and is arranged to take account of the tag location.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the decision circuitry is coupled to the tag reading arrangement and is arranged to take account of the output thereof.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image signal control circuitry comprises an image signal selection circuit coupled to receive said image signal for selectively passing a selected picture signal.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 and including an event detector for detecting a predetermined event, the output of the event detector being coupled to the image signal selection circuit.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said event detector includes an image signal analyser for receiving and analysing the image signal from the electronic camera.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image signal control circuitry is arranged so that the tag location has a predetermined spatial relation to the frame represented by said selected picture signal.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image signal control circuitry is arranged so that the tag has a predetermined relative size in the frame represented by said selected picture signal.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including a recorder for recording and replaying said image signal from the electronic camera before said the selected picture signal is produced.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1 and including a recorder for recording said selected picture signal.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the tag is infra-red, and the camera includes an IR sensor array for detecting the tag.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the camera includes a beam splitter for directing light to said IR array.

21. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the image signal control circuitry comprises plural tag circuitry for reacting to the presence of a plurality of tags in the field of view of the camera.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the image signal control circuitry comprises an image signal selection circuit coupled to receive said image signal for selectively passing a selected picture signal, the plural tag circuitry being coupled to the tag responsive circuitry and arranged to selectively enable the image signal selection circuit in response to the said predetermined information from at least one said tag.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the image signal analyser comprises decision circuitry for making decisions on picture composition on the basis of a predetermined set of criteria, said decision circuitry being coupled to receive the image signal from the electronic camera and having an output coupled to the image signal control circuitry, the plural tag circuitry being also coupled to the image decision circuitry and arranged so that the selective enabling of the image signal selection circuit is dependent on the output of the image decision circuitry.

24. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the plural tag circuitry is arranged to identify related tags.

25. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the plural tag circuitry is arranged to selectively enable the image signal selection circuit in response to the presence of a single tag if instructed to do so by the said predetermined information thereof.

26. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the plural tag circuitry is arranged to selectively enable the image signal selection circuit only in response to the presence of plural tags if instructed to do so by the said predetermined information on at least one said tag.

27. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the plural tag circuitry is arranged to selectively enable the image signal selection circuit only in the absence of specified other tags if instructed to do so by the said predetermined information on at least one said tag.

28. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tag reading arrangement includes address deriving circuitry for deriving an address from said information and for directing a message thereto.

29. Imaging apparatus for use with a visible tag providing information, said apparatus comprising an electronic camera for providing an image signal, an image signal analyser for receiving and analysing the image signal from the electronic camera for detecting the presence of a tag, for determining its location relative to the camera and for deriving said predetermined information from a detected tag, the image signal analyser further comprising decision circuitry for making decisions on picture composition on the basis of a predetermined set of criteria, the apparatus further comprising image signal control circuitry for controlling the image signal in response to the output of said image analysis circuitry to provide a selected picture signal.

30. A method of imaging a scene with an electronic camera in which scene at least one information bearing tag is present comprising the step of detecting the tag and determining its location relative to the camera field of view, the step of deriving said information from the tag, and the step of controlling an image signal from the signal from the camera at least in part on at least one of said location and said information to provide a selected picture signal.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein said controlling step includes controlling the direction of the camera according to said location.

32. A method according to claim 30 wherein said controlling step includes controlling the zoom of the camera according to the distance of the tag from the camera.

33. A method according to claim 30 wherein said controlling step includes the step of controlling the camera scan.

34. A method according to claim 30 wherein said controlling step includes the step of editing the image signal from the camera.

35. A method according to claim 30 and including the step of recording and replaying the image signal from the camera before at least part of said step of controlling the signal.

36. A method according to claim 30 and including the step of recording said selected picture signal.

37. A method according to claim 30 and including the step of analysing the image signal from the camera.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the tag is visible and said analysing step provides the step of determining the location of the tag relative to the camera field of view and/or the step of deriving said information from the tag,

39. A method according to claim 37 and wherein said analysing step includes making a decision on best picture composition according to predetermined criteria, and said step of controlling the image signal is responsive to said decision.

40. A method according to claim 30 and including the step of triggering the camera in response to the detection of a predetermined event.

41. A method according to claim 40 wherein the predetermined event is visual and is detected by analysing the image signal from the camera.

42. A method according to claim 40 wherein the predetermined event is nonvisual and is detected by a dedicated sensor.

43. A method according to claim 42 wherein the event is audible.

44. A method according to claim 42 wherein the event is receipt of an instruction emitted by the tag in response to actuation by a wearer.

45. A method according to claim 30 and including the step of enabling said provision of a selected picture signal only when a plurality of tags having a predetermined relation are in the picture.

46. A method according to claim 45 and including the step of disabling said provision of a selected picture signal if any tag not having said predetermined relation is in the picture.

47. A method according to claim 30 wherein the tag information includes tag identity information, the method including the steps of deriving the identity information and combining it with the selected picture signal.

48. A method of imaging a scene with an electronic camera in which scene at least one visible information bearing tag is present comprising the step of analysing the image signal to detecting the tag, determine its location relative to the camera field of view, deriving said information from the tag, and making decisions on picture composition on the basis of a predetermined set of criteria, and the step of controlling an image signal from the signal from the camera at least in part on the result of said analysing step.