Digital camera with automatic functions

• US 20060176392A1
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Russo, Christopher Daniel, Frazier, Milton Massey, Wieck, Christopher Peter, Rainier, Rajiv
• Granted Patent: US 7,742,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/376
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

A digital camera can employ logic to delay capturing a still image after a person has operated the control button until such time as predetermined subject criteria are met, e.g., the subject is smiling with eyes open, three or more players are in the field of view to ensure a good action shot, etc.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

a housing having a shutter button thereon and manipulable by a user to indicate a user desire to generate a still image;

at least one imaging element on the housing; and

at least one processor on the housing and receiving signals from the digital imaging element and the shutter button, the processor executing logic to capture a still image only when a user has manipulated the shutter button to indicate a desire to take a picture, and when at least one predetermined subject criterion has been satisfied.

2. The camera of claim 1, comprising at least one shutter mechanism on the housing and movable to a picture configuration, in which light from outside the housing can impinge on the imaging element, the shutter mechanism also being movable to a blocking configuration, in which light from outside the housing is substantially blocked from the imaging element, the shutter mechanism being controlled by the processor.

3. The camera of claim 1, wherein the imaging element is a CCD.

4. The camera of claim 1, wherein the subject criterion includes at least one predetermined facial expression.

5. The camera of claim 4, wherein the predetermined facial expression includes open eyes.

6. The camera of claim 4, wherein the predetermined facial expression includes a smile.

7. The camera of claim 1, wherein the subject criterion includes plural human subjects in an image.

8. The camera of claim 1, wherein the subject criterion includes a ball in the air above the ground.

9. A digital camera, comprising:

a housing;

at least one imaging element on the housing; and

at least one processor on the housing and receiving signals from the digital imaging element, the processor accessing at least one digital template representing at least one predetermined subject criterion to execute logic to capture a still image from the imaging element only when the at least one predetermined subject criterion has been satisfied.

10. The camera of claim 9, comprising a shutter button thereon and manipulable by a user to signal a user desire to generate the still image.

11. The camera of claim 9, wherein the imaging element is a CCD.

12. The camera of claim 9, wherein the subject criterion includes at least one predetermined facial expression.

13. The camera of claim 12, wherein the predetermined facial expression includes at least one of:

open eyes, and a smile.

14. The camera of claim 9, wherein the subject criterion includes plural human subjects in an image.

15. The camera of claim 9, wherein the subject criterion includes a ball in the air above the ground.

16. A method for taking a digital picture, comprising:

receiving at least one subject criterion embodied at least in part by a digital template;

receiving a signal indicating a user desire to take a digital picture conforming to the subject criterion;

receiving at least one image from a CCD;

comparing the image to the template; and

at least in part based on the comparing act and after reception of the signal, determining whether to capture the image from the CCD.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the signal indicating a user desire to take a digital picture is generated when a user manipulates a shutter button.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising allowing a user to establish the subject criterion.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the subject criterion includes at least one facial expression.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the subject criterion does not include a focus of the subject relative to the CCD.