Method and system for processing an image

• US 20040141085A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nickel, Janice H., Hartwell, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• 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 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

The present invention includes a method and system for processing images captured with an image-capturing device. According to the present invention, a method and system includes reconfiguring a display of an image based on the orientation of the image-capturing device when the image is captured. Through the use of the method and system in accordance with the present invention, a user can view captured images without having to account for a rotation of the image-capturing device. The method and system includes capturing the image with an image-capturing device, determining an orientation of the image-capturing device and reconfiguring a display of the image based on the orientation of the image-capturing device.

Claims

1. A method of processing an image comprising:

capturing the image with an image-capturing device;

determining an orientation of the image-capturing device; and

reconfiguring a display of the image based on the orientation of the image-capturing device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the image-capturing device includes an orientation detection mechanism and determining the orientation of the image further comprises:

utilizing the orientation detection mechanism to determine the orientation of the image-capturing device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the image-capturing device includes image processing software and reconfiguring a display of the image further includes:

utilizing the image processing software to reconfigure the display of the image.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the orientation detection mechanism comprises an accelerometer.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a digital camera.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a mobile phone.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a personal digital assistant.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the image is included in an image file and determining an orientation of the image-capturing device further includes:

encoding the orientation of the image-capturing device into the image file.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein reconfiguring a display of the image further comprises:

coupling the image-capturing device to a system; and

allowing the system to reconfigure the display of the image based on the orientation of the image-capturing device when the image is captured.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the image-capturing device is capable of operating in a re-orientation mode.

11. An image processing system comprising:

an image-capturing device capable of determining an orientation thereof in relation to a reference axis; and

a system coupled to the image-capturing device wherein the system is capable of reconfiguring a display of an image captured by the image-capturing device based on the orientation.

12. The image processing system of claim 11 wherein the image-capturing device is capable of operating in a re-orientation mode.

13. The image processing system of claim 11 wherein the image-capturing device includes an orientation detection mechanism.

14. The image processing system of claim 13 wherein the orientation detection mechanism comprises an accelerometer.

15. The image processing system of claim 13 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a digital camera.

16. The image processing system of claim 13 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a mobile phone.

17. The image processing system of claim 13 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a personal digital assistant.

18. A computer program product for processing an image, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

capturing the image with an image-capturing device;

determining an orientation of the image-capturing device; and

reconfiguring a display of the image based on the orientation of the image-capturing device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the image-capturing device includes an orientation detection mechanism and determining the orientation of the image further comprises:

utilizing the orientation detection mechanism to determine the orientation of the image-capturing device.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the image-capturing device includes image processing software and reconfiguring a display of the image further includes:

utilizing the image processing software to reconfigure the display of the image.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the orientation detection mechanism comprises an accelerometer.

22. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a digital camera.

23. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a mobile phone.

24. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the image-capturing device comprises a personal digital assistant.

25. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the image is included in an image file and determining an orientation of the image-capturing device further includes:

encoding the orientation of the image-capturing device into the image file.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 wherein reconfiguring a display of the image further comprises:

coupling the image-capturing device to a system; and

allowing the system to reconfigure the display of the image based on the orientation of the image-capturing device when the image is captured.

27. A digital camera comprising:

an imaging device;

a system bus coupled to the imaging device;

a computer coupled to the system bus; and

an orientation detection mechanism coupled to the imaging device for determining an orientation of the digital camera.

28. The digital camera of claim 27 wherein the orientation detection mechanism comprises an accelerometer.

29. The digital camera of claim 27 wherein the digital camera is capable of operating in a reorientation mode.

30. The digital camera of claim 27 wherein the computer includes image processing software capable of reconfiguring a display of a captured image based on the orientation.