AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTING A VIDEO-CAPTURE DEVICE

• US 20120105572A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: SAMMON, Russell P.
• Application Number:
  US12/914,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105572A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A video-capture device is configured to determine when it is disposed on a supporting surface and, in response, automatically adjust one or more device settings to optimize the device settings for automatic mode. In various embodiments, a sensor, such as a grip sensor, an inertial sensor, or a pressure sensor included in the video-capture device, or an optical flow algorithm that quantifies visible shake may be used to detect when the video-capture device is disposed on the supporting surface. Automatically adjusting the settings of the video-capture device when the device is resting on a supporting surface provides a simpler and more seamless user experience and also improves the overall quality of video content being captured when the device is in automatic mode.

Claims

1. A method for capturing video in a video-capture device, the method comprising:

determining that the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface; and

in response, automatically adjusting at least one setting of the video-capture device from a first setting to a second setting.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface comprises receiving a signal from a sensor indicating that the video-capture device is disposed on the supporting surface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an inertial sensor, a tripod-mounted sensor, a tripod-deployed sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistive touch sensor, a capacitive touch sensor, and a user-activated selector switch.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface comprises processing video data captured by the video-capture device to establish that visible shake contained in the video data corresponds to a level of visible shake known to occur when the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one setting of the video-capture device from a first setting to a second setting comprises activating wide field-of-view, activating automatic subject tracking, activating automatic focus, or activating automatic framing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein activating automatic framing comprises digitally detecting one or more occluding objects or activating a light source to indicate a limit of a captured video frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one setting of the video-capture device from a first setting to a second setting comprises activating digital tilt adjustment, activating voice controls, amplifying a recording indicator light, activating remote indicator lights, adjusting microphone settings, activating a remote edge-of-frame warning indicator, activating an alternate display screen, activating an alternate recording lens, adjusting one or more user prompt mechanisms, disabling image stabilization, or activating video conferencing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein activating remote indicator lights comprises activating a light source to indicate a focus point of the video-capture device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting microphone settings comprises activating at least one directional microphone or coordinating one or more mechanical operations of the video-capture device with a microphone included in the video-capture device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting user one or more prompt mechanisms comprises at least one of disabling screen user prompts, switching to audio user prompts, and transmitting user prompts to a receiving device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the video-capture device is no longer disposed on the supporting surface; and

in response, automatically adjusting the at least one setting of the video-capture device from the second setting to the first setting.

12. A computer-readable storage medium that includes instructions that, when executed by a processing unit of a video-capture device, cause the processing unit to capture video by performing the steps of:

determining that the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface; and

in response, automatically adjusting at least one setting of the video-capture device from a first setting to a second setting.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining that the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface comprises processing video data captured by the video-capture device to establish that visible shake contained in the video data corresponds to a level of visible shake known to occur when the video-capture device is disposed on a supporting surface.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein adjusting at least one setting of the video-capture device from a first setting to a second setting comprises activating wide field-of-view, activating automatic subject tracking, activating automatic focus, or activating automatic framing.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein adjusting at least one setting of the video-capture device from a first setting to a second setting comprises activating digital tilt adjustment, activating voice controls, amplifying a recording indicator light, activating remote indicator lights, adjusting microphone settings, activating a remote edge-of-frame warning indicator, activating an alternate display screen, activating an alternate recording lens, adjusting one or more user prompt mechanisms, disabling image stabilization, or activating video conferencing.

16. A video-capture device, comprising:

a processing unit configured to automatically adjust at least one device setting from a first setting to a second setting in response to determining that the digital video capture device is disposed on a supporting surface.

17. The video-capture device of claim 16, further comprising a memory that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to automatically adjust the at least one setting.

18. The video-capture device of claim 17, wherein the memory further includes instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to determine when the video-capture device is disposed on the supporting surface.

19. The video-capture device of claim 16, further comprising a sensor configured to detect that the video-capture device is disposed on the supporting surface.

20. The video-capture device of claim 19, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an inertial sensor, a tripod-mounted sensor, a tripod-deployed sensor, a pressure sensor, a resistive touch sensor, a capacitive touch sensor, and a user-activated selector switch.