Digital camera with continual image acquisition
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for storing images taken on a digital camera comprising:
- a) continually storing images in a buffer memory portion, overwriting the oldest image in the buffer memory portion when the buffer memory portion is full;
b) monitoring a user input for an indication of a desire to save the current image;
c) upon receiving an indication to save the current image, stopping the process of overwriting the oldest images in the buffer memory portion;
d) selecting a subset of the images in buffer memory portion;
e) storing the selected subset in persistent storage within the camera; and
f) returning automatically to step a) after the selected subset is stored in persistent storage.
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Abstract
A digital camera is presented in which images received on an image sensor are continually stored on a buffer before a button is depressed. Depressing the button causes the images stored immediately prior to pressing the button to be stored. When the buffer is filled, new images replace the oldest image on the buffer. If only a portion of the buffer is used at any one time, new images can immediately be acquired after pressing the button.
30 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for storing images taken on a digital camera comprising:
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a) continually storing images in a buffer memory portion, overwriting the oldest image in the buffer memory portion when the buffer memory portion is full;
b) monitoring a user input for an indication of a desire to save the current image;
c) upon receiving an indication to save the current image, stopping the process of overwriting the oldest images in the buffer memory portion;
d) selecting a subset of the images in buffer memory portion;
e) storing the selected subset in persistent storage within the camera; and
f) returning automatically to step a) after the selected subset is stored in persistent storage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for storing images taken on a digital camera comprising:
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a) continually storing images in a first buffer memory, overwriting the oldest image in the first buffer memory when the first buffer memory is full;
b) monitoring a user input for an indication of a desire to save an image;
c) upon receiving an indication to save the current image, continually storing images in a second buffer memory, overwriting the oldest image in the second buffer memory when the second buffer memory is full. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for storing images taken on a digital camera comprising:
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a) continually storing images in a buffer memory, overwriting the oldest image in the buffer memory when the buffer memory is full;
b) monitoring a user input for an indication of a desire to save the current image;
c) upon receiving an indication to save the current image, selecting a single image found in the buffer memory without additional user interaction and storing the selected image in persistent storage within the camera; and
d) returning to step a) thereby automatically overwriting all images in the buffer memory. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A digital camera comprising:
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a) a lens;
b) an image sensor that receives an image based upon light passing through the lens;
c) a button;
d) a non-volatile persistent storage;
e) a buffer for continually recording images before the button is depressed; and
f) a processing unit that, upon the pressing of the button, causes an image that was acquired by the image sensor before the pressing of the button to be copied from the buffer to the persistent storage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A digital camera comprising:
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a) a lens;
b) an image sensor that receives an image based upon light passing through the lens;
c) a button;
d) a memory buffer;
e) a persistent storage;
f) means for continually recording images in a buffer prior to the pressing of the button; and
g) means for selecting images in the buffer to be stored in the persistent storage.
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Specification