PORTABLE TERMINAL HAVING TOUCH SENSING BASED IMAGE CAPTURE FUNCTION AND IMAGE CAPTURE METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20090015703A1
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Eom, Kwang-Ho, Kim, Jong-Hwan
• Granted Patent: US 8,203,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.120
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

Disclosed is a portable terminal having a touch sensing based image capture function and image capture method therefore, the method including: displaying a preview image of an object to be captured on a touch screen; recognizing (sensing) a touch input for the preview image; setting an image capture function based on the recognized touch input; and automatically performing an image capture operation according to the set capture function. The image capture function includes setting and change for a focus area, exposure, illumination, lightness, zoom-in/zoom-out and color change. Therefore, the present invention can enable the user to freely set the focus area and to perform a single or continuous image capture operation with a simple touch, thereby being utilized in all portable devices employing the touch screen.

Claims

1. A method of performing image capture in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a preview image of an object to be captured on a touch screen;

recognizing a touch input related to the preview image;

performing at least one image capture function according to the recognized touch input; and

capturing an image according to the at least one image capture function.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying information related to the at least one image capture function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one image capture function comprises an operation related to a focus area, setting an exposure, setting an illumination, setting a zoom function, changing a color, or an operation related to continuous image capture.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch input is a short touch, a long touch, a multi-position touch, or a touch &

drag.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one image capture function is initiated in response to a single touch and terminated in response to a double-touch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image is performed automatically.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image is performed manually.

8. A method of performing image capture in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

displaying a preview image of an object to be captured on a touch screen;

recognizing a touch input related to the preview image;

displaying at least one focus area on the touch screen where the touch input was recognized; and

capturing an image.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the touch input is a short touch, a long touch, a multi-position touch, or a touch &

drag.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising no longer displaying the at least one focus area upon recognizing a double-touch input.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one focus area has a form of dots or closed curves.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising moving the displayed at least one focus area upon recognizing a dragging touch input.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the at least one focus area comprises visually displaying various colors on the preview image or generating an audible output.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of focus areas are displayed and capturing the image comprises performing a continuous image capture operation according to a selected at least one of the plurality of displayed focus areas.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein capturing the image comprises:

determining a touch type; and

displaying the at least one focus area and automatically capturing the image if the determined touch is a short touch or displaying a capture effect selection menu window if the determined touch is a long touch.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising automatically capturing the image when a user selects at least one capture effect from the displayed capture effect selection menu.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one selected capture effect comprises object recognition, area recognition, depth of field adjustment or a focus shape.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein capturing the image is performed automatically.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein capturing the image is performed manually.

20. A portable terminal, comprising:

a touch screen for displaying a preview image of an object to be captured; and

a controller for recognizing a touch input related to the preview image, performing at least one image capture function according to the recognized touch input and capturing an image according to the at least one image capture function.

21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the controller further displays information related to the at least one image capture function.

22. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the at least one image capture function comprises an operation related to a focus area, setting an exposure, setting an illumination, setting a zoom function, changing a color, or an operation related to continuous image capture.

23. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the touch input is a short touch, a long touch, a multi-position touch, or a touch &

drag.

24. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the controller initiates the at least one image capture function in response to a single touch and terminates the at least one image capture function in response to a double-touch.

25. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the controller captures the image automatically.

26. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the controller captures the image in response to recognizing a manual input.

27. A portable terminal, comprising:

a touch screen for displaying a preview image of an object to be captured; and

a controller for recognizing a touch input related to the preview image, displaying at least one focus area on the touch screen where the touch input was recognized and capturing an image.

28. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the touch input is a short touch, a long touch, a multi-position touch, or a touch &

drag.

29. The terminal of claim 28, wherein the controller controls the touch screen to no longer display the at least one focus area upon recognizing a double-touch input.

30. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the at least one focus area has a form of dots or closed curves.

31. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller moves the displayed at least one focus area upon recognizing a dragging touch input.

32. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller displays the at least one focus area by visually displaying various colors on the preview image or generating an audible output.

33. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller displays a plurality of focus areas and captures the image by performing a continuous image capture operation according to a selected at least one of the plurality of displayed focus areas.

34. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller captures the image by:

determining a touch type; and

displaying the at least one focus area and automatically capturing the image if the determined touch is a short touch or displaying a capture effect selection menu window if the determined touch is a long touch.

35. The terminal of claim 34, wherein the controller automatically captures the image when a user selects at least one capture effect from the displayed capture effect selection menu.

36. The terminal of claim 35, wherein the at least one selected capture effect comprises object recognition, area recognition, depth of field adjustment or a focus shape.

37. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller automatically captures the image.

38. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the controller captures the image in response to recognizing a manual input.