Method of controlling a camera for users having impaired vision

• US 20040085471A1
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd. (Hanwha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Dong-Min
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• 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 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

A camera method in which, when a photographing mode is set by the operation of a user, photographing control is performed according to the operation of the user and, when a menu mode is set by the operation of the user, setting control for setting operation conditions of the camera is performed according to the operation of the user, wherein, when a mode for persons with impaired vision is set by the operation of the user, an OSD menu selected by the user is magnified and displayed in the photographing control and setting control steps.

Claims

1. A method for altering a digital camera display to facilitate readability, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying at least one menu item on a display screen;

(b) determining whether a user has selected a menu item;

(c) determining whether an impaired vision mode is set;

(d) if the impaired vision mode is set, magnifying the selected menu item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected menu item is magnified for a set time and then returned to its original size.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set time may be determined by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user selects a menu item by maneuvering a marker over the menu item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the marker is an arrow.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item comprises at least one of an operation mode menu, a flash menu, a focusing menu, a focusing mark menu, a charge state menu, or a white balance menu.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a1) determining whether a shutter button has been pressed to a first stage

(a2) if the shutter button has been pressed to a first stage, performing photographing operation control

(a3) if the shutter button has not been pressed to a first stage, proceeding to step (b).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a signal is generated if the shutter button is pressed to a first stage.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) if the impaired vision mode is not set, displaying the selected menu item at normal size.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item relates to one item in a main menu.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the main menu comprises at least one of a basic setting menu, a memory card setting menu, a picture setting menu, or a photographing setting menu.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one menu item comprises at least one of a reset menu, a memory card format menu, an output sound setting, a power control menu, a sleep mode setting menu, or a file setting menu, and the main menu item is a basic setting menu.

13. A method for altering a digital camera display to facilitate readability, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether an impaired vision mode is set;

displaying at least one menu item on a display screen;

if the impaired vision mode is set, sequentially magnifying and displaying each menu item

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the initial steps of:

determining whether a shutter button has been pressed to a first stage;

if the shutter button has been pressed to a first stage, proceeding with the remaining steps;

determining whether a memory card has sufficient available memory to store a photograph;

if the memory card does not have sufficient available memory, displaying a message indicating the lack of sufficient available memory and terminating the procedure;

if the memory card does have sufficient available memory, proceeding with the remaining steps;

executing automatic white balance;

executing automatic exposure; and

executing automatic focusing.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the subsequent steps of:

determining whether a shutter button has been pressed to a first stage;

if the shutter button has been pressed to a first stage, proceeding with the remaining steps;

determining whether the shutter button has been pressed to a second stage;

if the shutter button has been pressed to a second stage, proceeding with the remaining steps;

executing a photograph;

compressing image data;

generating a compressed image file; and

storing the image file in a recording medium.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the recording medium is a memory card.