Imaging device user interface method and apparatus

• US 20030202015A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Battles, Amy E., Cazier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/137,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20030202015A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters

Abstract

An imaging device user interface allows intents or menu options associated with an image to be set while the image is being viewed. The user interface facilitates the displaying of a large number of icons associated with the intents or menu options and easy viewing of which intents or menu options are active.

Claims

1. A method for setting intents associated with an image in a first device, comprising:

displaying the image;

superimposing over the image at least one translucent control element, at least one of the translucent control elements corresponding to an intent; and

setting an intent in response to the selection of the corresponding translucent control element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the at least one translucent control elements has focus at any given time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the translucent control element having focus becomes opaque upon acquiring focus.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the translucent control element having focus changes color upon acquiring focus.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the translucent control element having focus becomes opaque in response to a first input signal and the corresponding intent is set in response to a second input signal.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein all translucent control elements become opaque in response to a first input signal and the intent corresponding to the translucent control element having focus is set in response to a second input signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the translucent control elements are arranged in a two-dimensional pattern that substantially spans a display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the translucent control elements are arranged around the perimeter of a display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing the intent after the first device is connected with a second device.

10. An imaging device user interface, comprising:

a display;

a display buffer configured to combine for presentation on the display a background image and an overlay image comprising at least one translucent control element, at least one of the translucent control elements corresponding to an intent, each intent comprising a task to be performed after connection of the imaging device with a second device;

an input control to navigate among and select the translucent control elements; and

control logic configured to set the corresponding intent in response to the selection of a translucent control element.

11. The imaging device user interface of claim 10, wherein the imaging device is a digital camera, personal digital assistant, palmtop computer, notebook computer, or radiotelephone.

12. The imaging device user interface of claim 10, wherein the input control comprises a set of directional buttons and a button that selects a particular translucent control element having focus.

13. The imaging device user interface of claim 10, wherein the input control comprises a multi-position rocking button.

14. An imaging device user interface, comprising:

display means for displaying digital images;

buffer means configured to combine for presentation on the display means a background image and an overlay image comprising at least one translucent control element, at least one of the translucent control elements corresponding to an intent, each intent comprising a task to be performed after connection of the imaging device with a second device;

means for navigating among and selecting the translucent control elements; and

logic means for setting the corresponding intent in response to the selection of a translucent control element.

15. The imaging device user interface of claim 14, wherein the means for navigating among and selecting the translucent control elements comprises a set of directional buttons and a button that selects a particular translucent control element having focus.

16. The imaging device user interface of claim 14, wherein the means for navigating among and selecting the translucent control elements comprises a multi-position rocking button.

17. The imaging device user interface of claim 14, wherein the imaging device is a digital camera, personal digital assistant, palmtop computer, notebook computer, or radiotelephone.