SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING IMAGES CAPTURED USING CAMERA-EQUIPPED MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20090115872A1
• Filed: 11/02/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lazaridis, Mihal
• Application Number:
  US11/934,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115872A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

A system and method for processing images on a camera-equipped mobile device. Upon direction from the user that a picture is to be taken with the camera of the mobile device, an image is initially captured and temporarily stored at a first resolution (e.g. a maximum resolution). This may be, for example, the highest resolution setting that might be specified by a user of the camera. The user is then queried for a specific second resolution at which the image is to be subsequently stored, for example, in a non-volatile memory on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of processing images on a mobile device, the mobile device providing a camera operable by a user, the method comprising:

identifying an image to be stored on the mobile device;

storing the image in a first memory on the mobile device, wherein the image is stored at a first resolution;

providing, after storing the image in the first memory on the mobile device, at least one image storing option comprising an option for specifying a second resolution at which the image is to be stored in a second memory, wherein the second resolution is less than or equal to the first resolution;

receiving input specifying the second resolution at which the image is to be stored in the second memory; and

storing the image at the second resolution in the second memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first resolution is a maximum resolution.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the maximum resolution is based on an amount of the first memory available on the mobile device after identifying the image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second resolution is based on an amount of the second memory available on the mobile device after identifying the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first memory is a volatile memory.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the volatile memory is a cache memory.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second memory is a non-volatile memory.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second memory is on the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second memory is on a remote device, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting the image to the remote device for storage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one image storing option further comprises an option for specifying a compression level to be applied to the image to be stored in the second memory.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the compression level is based on an amount of the second memory available on the mobile device (100) after identifying the image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the compression level is additionally based on a specified second resolution.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the input received further specifies the compression level to be applied to the image to be stored in the second memory, wherein the method further comprises applying the specified compression level to the image for storage at the second resolution in the second memory.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least a part of the image to be stored in the second memory after identifying the image.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one image storing option is provided while the at least a part of the image to be stored in the second memory is displayed.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one image storing option is provided using a dialog box that is displayed.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the camera of the mobile device, displaying an image on a display of the mobile device, and receiving a direction to capture the image displayed on the display for storage on the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing and receiving acts are repeated such that input is received that specifies that the image is to be additionally stored in at least one of a different resolution and a different memory, and wherein the method further comprises additionally storing the image in the at least one of the different resolution and the different memory.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an option to not store the image in the second memory and determining if the option to not store the image in the second memory is selected, wherein the act of storing the image at the second resolution in the second memory is not performed if it is determined that the option to not store the image in the second memory is selected.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting the image stored in the first memory of the mobile device.

21. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor of the mobile device, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to perform the acts of:

identifying an image to be stored on the mobile device;

storing the image in a first memory on the mobile device, wherein the image is stored at a first resolution;

providing, after storing the image in the first memory on the mobile device, at least one image storing option comprising an option for specifying a second resolution at which the image is to be stored in a second memory, wherein the second resolution is less than or equal to the first resolution;

receiving input specifying the second resolution at which the image is to be stored in the second memory; and

storing the image at the second resolution in the second memory.

22. A system for processing images on a mobile device, the mobile device comprising a processor, at least first and second memories, and a camera, the system configured to execute an application programmed to perform the acts of:

identifying an image to be stored on the mobile device;

storing the image in a first memory on the mobile device, wherein the image is stored at a first resolution;

providing, after storing the image in the first memory on the mobile device, at least one image storing option comprising an option for specifying a second resolution at which the image is to be stored in a second memory, wherein the second resolution is less than or equal to the first resolution;

receiving input specifying the second resolution at which the image is to be stored in the second memory; and

storing the image at the second resolution in the second memory.

23. A mobile device comprising a processor, at least first and second memories, and a camera, the mobile device configured to execute an application programmed to perform the acts of:

identifying an image to be stored on the mobile device;

storing the image in a first memory on the mobile device, wherein the image is stored at a first resolution;

providing, after storing the image in the first memory on the mobile device, at least one image storing option comprising an option for specifying a second resolution at which the image is to be stored in a second memory, wherein the second resolution is less than or equal to the first resolution;

receiving input specifying the second resolution at which the image is to be stored in the second memory; and

storing the image at the second resolution in the second memory.