Photography with embedded graphical objects

• US 20070057971A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Pomerantz, Itzhak, Bychkov, Eyal
• Granted Patent: US 7,876,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4426 involving separate means, e.g. a server, a magnetic card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4433 to an apparatus, part of an apparatus or an apparatus function
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3249 data relating to a linked page or object, e.g. hyperlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3252 Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3256 colour related metadata, e.g. colour, ICC profiles for use made of colour related metadata see the appropriate place, e.g. H04N1/60, H04N1/60 and subgroups

Abstract

A digital photography system and a method of its use. The system includes a digital camera having a mechanism for selecting a graphical object, a mechanism for superimposing the graphical object within a field of view of a digital camera, a mechanism for manipulating the graphical object within the field of view before capturing the image according to manipulation parameters that are set by a user and a mechanism for defining a relationship between the manipulated graphical object and at least part of the image. The scope of the invention also includes a memory card bearing such graphical objects and a method of offering the system for sale at a price that depends on the graphical objects stored in the memory card(s).

Claims

1. A digital photography system comprising:

(a) a digital camera that includes;

(i) a mechanism for selecting at least one graphical object from a plurality of graphical objects;

(ii) a mechanism for superimposing said selected at least one graphical object within a field of view of said digital camera; and

(iii) a mechanism for manipulating said selected at least one graphical object within said field of view according to manipulation parameters that are set by a user before capturing an image of said field of view.

2. The digital photography system of claim 1, wherein said digital camera further includes:

(iv) a mechanism for defining a relationship between said manipulated at least one graphical object and at least a part of said image.

3. The digital photography system of claim 2, wherein said relationship is that said manipulated at least one graphical object is superimposed within said image.

4. The digital photography system of claim 2, wherein said relationship includes a link between said manipulated at least one graphical object and said image.

5. The digital photography system of claim 1, wherein said superimposing of said selected at least one graphical object within said image extends, at least partially, around said selected at least one graphical object.

6. The digital photography system of claim 1, wherein said mechanism for manipulating is responsive to voice commands.

7. The digital photography system of claim 1 further comprising:

(b) a memory for storing said plurality of graphical objects.

8. The digital photography system of claim 7, wherein said memory is embedded in said digital camera.

9. The digital photography system of claim 7, wherein at least one of said plurality of graphical objects is composed of a plurality of disjoint parts to create an illusion that a part of said at least one graphical object is hidden behind said field of view.

10. The digital photography system of claim 1, wherein said digital camera further includes an interface for reversibly operationally attaching a memory card, wherein said plurality of graphical objects are stored, to said digital camera.

11. The digital photography system of claim 10, wherein said digital camera further includes an authorization mechanism for verifying authorization of said memory card.

12. The digital photography system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of graphical objects are stored in a format that is hidden from said user.

13. The digital photography system of claim 1, wherein said manipulation parameters include parameters for manipulating at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:

color scheme, position, scale, and rotation angle.

14. The digital photography system of claim 1, wherein said digital camera further includes a mechanism for automatically eliminating parts of said plurality of graphical objects before capturing said image by applying image processing on said plurality of graphical objects in at least one area where said image is not in focus.

15. The digital photography system of claim 1 further comprising:

(b) at least one memory card that includes;

(i) a mechanism for storing said plurality of graphical objects;

(ii) a mechanism for storing a plurality of photographed images; and

(iii) a mechanism for storing, on said at least one memory card, said relationship between said manipulated at least one graphical object and a least a part of said image.

16. A method for creating a hybrid photograph, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting at least one graphical object from a plurality of graphical objects;

(b) superimposing said selected at least one graphical object within a field of view of a digital camera; and

(c) manipulating said selected at least one graphical object within said field of view according to manipulation parameters that are set by a user before capturing an image of said field of view.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

(d) capturing the hybrid photograph as said image and a relationship between said manipulated at least one graphical object and at least part of said image.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said capturing step includes storing said manipulated at least one graphical object in superposition within said image.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said capturing step includes storing said manipulated at least one graphical object separately from said image, and defining a link between said manipulated at least one graphical object and said image.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said superimposing of said selected at least one graphical object within said image extends, at least partially, around said selected at least one graphical object.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said manipulating is effected in response to voice commands.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

(d) storing said plurality of graphical objects in a memory, such that said selecting is effected by reading said at least one graphical object from said memory.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of said plurality of graphical objects is composed of a plurality of disjoint parts to create an illusion that a part of said at least one graphical object is hidden behind said field of view.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

(d) reversibly operationally attaching a memory card, wherein said plurality of graphical objects are stored, to said digital camera.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said plurality of graphical objects are stored in said memory card in a format that is not accessible to said user.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of:

(e) verifying authorization of said memory card.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein said manipulation parameters include parameters for manipulating at least one feature selected from the group consisting of:

color scheme, position, scale, and rotation angle.

28. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:

(d) automatically eliminating parts of said plurality of graphical objects, before capturing said image, by applying image processing on said plurality of graphical objects in at least one area where said image is not in focus.

29. A memory card comprising:

(a) a mechanism for storing a plurality of graphical objects;

(b) a mechanism for storing a plurality of photographed images; and

(c) a mechanism for storing, on said memory card, a relationship between a part of at least one photographed image of said plurality of photographed images and between at least one graphical object of said plurality of graphical objects,

such that said relationship is sufficient for displaying said at least one graphical object superimposed within said at least one photographed image upon a downloading to a hosting computer.

30. A method for doing business comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a digital camera that enriches a photographed image of a field of view by superimposing at least one graphical object, selected from a plurality of graphical objects, that is manipulated by a user before capturing said photographed image;

(b) configuring the digital camera to interface with a plurality of memory cards, each memory card bearing a respective said plurality of graphical objects; and

(c) offering said digital camera for sale along with at least one said memory card at a price that depends on said plurality of graphical objects stored in said at least one memory card.