SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CHANGING TOUCH SCREEN FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20100245287A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thorn, Karl Ola
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body

Abstract

A system and method changes touch screen functionality based on whether a user is detected during camera operation. A first camera generates a video signal containing a representation of at least a portion of a scene within a field of view of the first camera. A controller analyzes the video signal to determine whether one or more physical features of a user of the electronic device are present within the field of view of the first camera. A touch input device includes one or more touch points for receiving user input, each touch point being associated with controlling a respective one of a plurality of functions of the second camera. At least one of the touch points is associated with controlling a shutter function of a second camera, and a total number of touch points is dependent upon a result of the video signal analysis made by the controller.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first camera that generates a video signal containing a representation of at least a portion of a scene within a field of view of the first camera;

a second camera that captures an image upon receiving user input associated with controlling a shutter function of the second camera, the image representing at least a portion of a scene within a field of view of the second camera;

a controller that acquires the video signal from the first camera and analyzes the video signal to determine whether one or more physical features of a user of the electronic device are present within the field of view of the first camera; and

a touch input device operatively coupled to the controller and configured to include one or more touch points for receiving user input on a surface area of the touch input device, each touch point being associated with controlling a respective one of a plurality of functions of the second camera,

wherein at least one of the touch points on the touch input device is associated with controlling the shutter function of the second camera, and a total number of touch points on the touch input device is dependent upon a result of the video signal analysis made by the controller.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein upon a determination that no physical features are present within the field of view of the first camera, the controller configures the entire surface area of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein upon a determination that no physical features are present within the field of view of the first camera, the controller configures a majority portion of the surface area of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function and configures a remaining minority portion of the surface area of the touch input device to include a selection of touch points.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising a database that includes camera feature information for each touch point on the touch input device,

wherein upon receipt of user touch input at a selected touch point, the camera feature information associated with the selected touch point is verbally presented to the user.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein upon a determination that physical features are present within the field of view of the first camera, the controller configures the touch input device to include a plurality of touch points that are associated with controlling respective functions of the second camera.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the physical features include one or more facial features of the user.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, further comprising a memory that stores previously obtained user identity information including one or more facial features of the user,

wherein upon a determination that facial features are present within the field of view of the first camera, the controller retrieves the user identity information from the memory to determine whether the facial features present within the field of view of the first camera match the one or more facial features included in the user identity information.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein if a match is not made, the controller configures the entire surface of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a display disposed under the touch input device, the display being configured as a viewfinder to display a preview video signal that contains a representation of at least a portion of the scene that is within the field of view of the second camera,

wherein the controller is configured to analyze the preview video signal to determine whether one or more physical features of the user are present within the field of view of the second camera.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein upon a determination that physical features are not present within the field of view of the first camera and upon a determination that physical features are present within the field of view of the second camera, the controller configures the entire surface of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein upon a determination that physical features are not present within the field of view of the first camera and upon a determination that physical features are not present within the field of view of the second camera, the controller configures the touch input device to include a plurality of touch points that are associated with controlling respective functions of the second camera.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising a memory that stores previously obtained user identity information including one or more facial features of the user,

wherein upon a determination that physical features are present within the field of view of the second camera,

the controller retrieves the user identity information and determines whether the physical features present within the field of view of the second camera match the one or more facial features included in the user identity information, and

if a match is made, the controller configures the entire surface of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the field of view of the first camera has a generally opposite direction from the field of view of the second camera.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein upon receipt of a user command to begin operation of the second camera, the controller automatically begins operation of the first camera and the analysis of the video signal generated by the first camera.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the functions of the second camera include at least one of a camera mode, a video mode, a flash setting, a zoom function, or a focus setting.

16. A method of changing a touch screen functionality of an electronic device that includes a first camera, a second camera, and a touch input device, the method comprising:

acquiring a video signal containing a representation of at least a portion of a scene within a field of view of the first camera;

analyzing the video signal to determine whether one or more physical features of a user of the electronic device are present within the field of view of the first camera; and

based on a result of the video signal analysis, providing one or more touch points on the touch input device for receiving user input on a surface area of the touch input device, each touch point being associated with controlling a respective one of a plurality of functions of the second camera,

wherein at least one of the touch points on the touch input device is associated with controlling a shutter function of the second camera to capture an image representing at least a portion of a scene within a field of view of the second camera.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising upon a determination that no physical features are present within the field of view of the first camera, configuring the entire surface area of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

upon a determination that no physical features are present within the field of view of the first camera,

configuring a majority portion of the surface area of the touch input device to operate as the at least one touch point associated with controlling the shutter function, and

configuring a remaining minority portion of the surface area of the touch input device to include a selection of touch points.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

storing camera feature information for each touch point on the touch input device; and

upon receipt of user touch input at a selected touch point, verbally presenting the camera feature information associated with the selected touch point to the user.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising upon a determination that physical features are present within the field of view of the first camera, configuring the touch input device to include a plurality of touch points that are associated with controlling respective functions of the second camera.