SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC IMAGE CAPTURE IN A HANDHELD CAMERA WITH A MULTIPLE-AXIS ACTUATING MECHANISM
First Claim
1. A handheld image capture device having an actuating mechanism, the device comprising:
- a camera body;
an imager positioned in front of the camera body and configured to capture an image; and
an actuating mechanism positioned between the camera body and the imager and providing the imager with one or more degrees of freedom (DOF), including at least one of a pan DOF, a tilt DOF, and a rotate DOF.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automatically and optically capturing an image in a handheld image capture device. The system includes an imager and an actuated mounting mechanism attached to the imager. The imager has one or more degrees of freedom (DOF) and includes at least one of a pan DOF, a tilt DOF, and a rotate DOF. In certain embodiments, the device can auto-center a selected object of interest in the image frame, auto-zoom in on the selected object of interest, and/or auto-rotate the captured image. The method includes providing an imager having a pan degree of freedom (DOF) and a tilt DOF, capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame, selecting an object of interest from the captured image, and auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A handheld image capture device having an actuating mechanism, the device comprising:
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a camera body; an imager positioned in front of the camera body and configured to capture an image; and an actuating mechanism positioned between the camera body and the imager and providing the imager with one or more degrees of freedom (DOF), including at least one of a pan DOF, a tilt DOF, and a rotate DOF. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A handheld image capture device with a multiple-axis actuation mechanism, the device comprising:
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a camera body; an imager positioned in front of the camera body and configured to capture an image; and an actuated optical device positioned in front of the imager and mounted on a multiple-axis actuating mechanism, wherein the actuated optical device is configured to adjust the optical axis of the imager. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A handheld image capture device with an actuating mechanism, the device comprising:
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a camera body; an imager positioned in front of the camera body and configured to capture an image; an actuating mechanism positioned between the camera body and the imager and providing the imager with one or multiple degrees of freedom; and a programmable processor configured to; auto-center a selected object in an image area, auto-zoom to the selected object, auto-rotate the imager until the captured image aligns with the horizontal or gravity, and automatically select between a portrait mode and a landscape mode, and auto-rotate the imager according to the selected mode. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method of processing an image in a handheld image capture device, the method comprising:
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providing an imager having a pan degree of freedom (DOF) and a tilt DOF; capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame; selecting an object of interest from the captured image; and auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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18. The method of claim 18, wherein the imager is located on a multiple-axis actuation mechanism.
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21. A system of processing an image in a handheld image capture device, the system comprising:
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an imager having pan degree of freedom (DOF) and tilt DOF capabilities; means for capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame; means for selecting an object of interest from the captured image; and means for auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification