Device and a method of determining an orientation of an image capture apparatus

• US 20030174307A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CREO Company Limited
• Original Assignee: CREO Company Limited
• Inventors: Seidner, Daniel, Barkan, Stanley, Kalinski, Dov
• Application Number:
  US10/331,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20030174307A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32101 Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3254 Orientation, e.g. landscape or portrait; Location or order of the image data, e.g. in memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

A device for determining an orientation of an image capture apparatus operable to capture at least one image. The device comprising an arrangement of sensors and a control unit, communicating with the arrangement of sensors. The arrangement of sensors being designed and configured to generate electrical signals characterizing a particular orientation of the image capture apparatus, at a time of image capture, and to transmit the signals from the arrangement of sensors to the control unit, thereby providing an indication of the orientation of the image capture apparatus at the time of image capture.

Claims

1. A device for determining an orientation of an image capture apparatus operable to capture at least one image, the device comprising an arrangement of sensors and a control unit communicating with said arrangement of sensors, said arrangement of sensors being designed and configured to generate electrical signals characterizing a particular orientation of the image capture apparatus, at a time of image capture, and to transmit said signals from said arrangement of sensors to said control unit, thereby providing an indication of the orientation of the image capture apparatus at said time of image capture.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising memory media for storing an image and said orientation in a retrievable and displayable format, thereby to provide a recorded image and a recorded orientation information, said recorded orientation information being associated with said recorded image.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the image capture apparatus is selected from a group consisting of a digital camera, a video camera, a digital video camera and a camera having a digital camera back.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors being parameterized by a plurality of predetermined and different states, each state of said plurality of states represents one orientation of the image capture apparatus.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors is operable to sense a direction of at least one reference field relative to the image capture apparatus in a respective orientation of the image capture apparatus, said direction being characterized by at least one angle.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each of said at least one reference field is selected from a group consisting of a gravitational field, a magnetic field, a velocity field and an acceleration field.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors is operable to sense a direction of at least one reference field relative to the image capture apparatus in a respective orientation of the image capture apparatus, said direction being characterized by a single angle.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein each of said at least one reference field is selected from a group consisting of a gravitational field, a magnetic field, a velocity field and an acceleration field.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises a plurality of sensors engaging a single plane in a substantially different orientation.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, engaging a single plane in a substantially different orientation.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises gravity detectors.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises at least one accelerometer.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said control unit communicates with the image capture apparatus.

14. An image capture apparatus operable to capture at least one image, and having a device for determining an orientation of the image capture apparatus, the device comprising an arrangement of sensors and a control unit communicating with said arrangement of sensors, said arrangement of sensors being designed and configured to generate electrical signals characterizing a particular orientation of the image capture apparatus, at a time of image capture, and to transmit said signals from said arrangement of sensors to said control unit, thereby providing an indication of the orientation of the image capture apparatus at said time of image capture.

15. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, further comprising memory media for storing an image and said orientation in a retrievable and displayable format, thereby to provide a recorded image and a recorded orientation information, said recorded orientation information being associated with said recorded image.

16. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, which is selected from a group consisting of a digital camera, a video camera, a digital video camera and a camera having a digital camera back.

17. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors being parameterized by a plurality of predetermined and different states, each state of said plurality of states represents one orientation of the image capture apparatus.

18. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors is operable to sense a direction of at least one reference field relative to the image capture apparatus in a respective orientation of the image capture apparatus, said direction being characterized by at least one angle.

19. The image capture apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of said at least one reference field is selected from a group consisting of a gravitational field, a magnetic field, a velocity field and an acceleration field.

20. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors is operable to sense a direction of at least one reference field relative to the image capture apparatus in a respective orientation of the image capture apparatus, said direction being characterized by a single angle.

21. The image capture apparatus of claim 20, wherein each of said at least one reference field is selected from a group consisting of a gravitational field, a magnetic field, a velocity field and an acceleration field.

22. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises a plurality of sensors engaging a single plane in a substantially different orientation.

23. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, engaging a single plane in a substantially different orientation.

24. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises gravity detectors.

25. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises at least one accelerometer.

26. The image capture apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a processor operable to select a capture mode of an image.

27. The image capture apparatus of claim 26, wherein said control unit communicates with said processor.

28. The image capture apparatus of claim 26, wherein said capture mode is selected from the group consisting of a fixed orientation, a fixed rotation and an automatic orientation.

29. The image capture apparatus of claim 28, wherein each of said fixed rotation and said automatic orientation is independently characterized by an orientation-angle.

30. The image capture apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a display.

31. The image capture apparatus of claim 30, wherein said processor is operable to project the image on said display in accordance with said capture mode.

32. The image capture apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a memory for storing said capture mode.

33. A method of determining an orientation of an image capture apparatus operable to capture at least one image, the method comprising generating electrical signals characterizing a particular orientation of the image capture apparatus, at a time of image capture, and transmitting said electrical signals to a control unit, thereby providing an indication of the orientation of the image capture apparatus at said time of image capture.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said generating said electrical signals is by an arrangement of sensors.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising storing an image and said orientation in a retrievable and displayable format, thereby providing a recorded image and a recorded orientation information, said recorded orientation information being associated with said recorded image.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the image capture apparatus is selected from a group consisting of a digital camera, a video camera, a digital video camera and a camera having a digital camera back.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising parameterizing said arrangement of sensors by a plurality of predetermined and different states, each state of said plurality of states represents one orientation of the image capture apparatus.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said arrangement of sensors is operable to sense a direction of at least one reference field relative to the image capture apparatus in a respective orientation of the image capture apparatus, said direction being characterized by at least one angle.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein each of said at least one reference field is selected from a group consisting of a gravitational field, a magnetic field, a velocity field and an acceleration field.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein said arrangement of sensors is operable to sense a direction of at least one reference field relative to the image capture apparatus in a respective orientation of the image capture apparatus, said direction being characterized by a single angle.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein each of said at least one reference field is selected from a group consisting of a gravitational field, a magnetic field, a velocity field and an acceleration field.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises a plurality of sensors engaging a single plane in a substantially different orientation.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, engaging a single plane in a substantially different orientation.

44. The method of claim 34, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises gravity detectors.

45. The method of claim 34, wherein said arrangement of sensors comprises at least one accelerometer.

46. The method of claim 33, further comprising selecting a capture mode of an image.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said capture mode is selected from the group consisting of a fixed orientation, a fixed rotation and an automatic orientation.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein each of said fixed rotation and said automatic orientation is independently characterized by an orientation-angle.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising projecting said image on a display in accordance with said capture mode.

50. The method of claim 46, further comprising storing said capture mode in a memory.

51. An image associated with orientation information characterizing an orientation of an image capture apparatus at a time of capture of said image, the image and the orientation information being stored in a retrievable format, on memory media, said orientation information being arranged to instruct a display utility to display said image in accordance with an indicated orientation.

52. Memory media, storing in a retrievable and displayable format an image, and associated orientation information, said orientation information characterizing an orientation of an image capture apparatus at a time of capture of said image.