DYNAMIC REGION OF INTEREST ADAPTATION AND IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE PROVIDING SAME

• US 20140022433A1
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Glennie, Robin Roy, D'Souza, Stephen Richard, Daigle, Joshua Lucien
• Granted Patent: US 9,131,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/443 by reading pixels from selected 2D regions of the array, e.g. for windowing or digital zooming

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of dynamic region of interest adaptation and image capture device providing same. In one embodiment, there is a method of operating an image capture device. One or more regions within a real-time image may be used to set one or more user-defined regions of interest (ROIs) within the real-time image for applying one or more first image acquisition parameters. The one or more user-defined ROIs are cancelled and one or more default ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more second image acquisition parameters are set when a position of the image capture device has changed by an amount which exceeds a threshold amount. Digital image data is acquired by the digital image sensor in accordance with one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and the one or more default ROIs.

Claims

1. A method of operating an image capture device, the method comprising:

displaying a real-time image on a display of the image capture device, the real-time image being based on digital image data acquired by a digital image sensor;

receiving a selection of one or more regions within the real-time image;

setting, in response to the selection, the one or more regions of the selection as one or more user-defined regions of interest (ROIs) within the real-time image for applying one or more first image acquisition parameters;

cancelling the one or more user-defined ROIs and setting one or more default ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more second image acquisition parameters when a position of the image capture device has changed by an amount which exceeds a threshold amount; and

acquiring digital image data by the digital image sensor in accordance with one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and the one or more default ROIs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprises:

performing region-weighted pre-processing in accordance with the one or more first image acquisition parameters of the one or more user-defined ROIs when one or more user-defined ROIs are set;

performing centre-weighted pre-processing in accordance with the one or more second image acquisition parameters of the one or more default ROIs when one or more default ROIs are set.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-processing comprises focusing.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-processing comprises exposure metering.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the position of the image capture device to determine whether the position of the device has changed more than the threshold amount.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capture device includes a touch-sensitive display upon which the real-time image is displayed, the method further comprising cancelling the user-defined ROIs and setting one or more default ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more second image acquisition parameters when a designated touch gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the designated touch gesture is a drag or swipe gesture having a starting point within one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and an end point at or near a corner of the touch-sensitive display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the starting point overlaps with a boundary of the one or more user-defined ROIs or one or more default ROIs.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the image capture device is an orientation of the image capture device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the image capture device is a geographical location of the image capture device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a boundary of the ROI is displayed on a display of the image capture.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising encoding the acquired digital image data to produce at least one still image.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing the at least still image in persistent memory.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined ROIs and the default ROIs comprise a different number of regions.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined ROIs and the default ROIs comprise the same number of regions.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first image acquisition parameters and second image acquisition parameter are different.

17. A method of operating an image capture device, the method comprising:

displaying a real-time image on a touch-sensitive display of the image capture device, the real-time image being based on digital image data acquired by a digital image sensor;

receiving a selection of one or more regions within the real-time image;

setting, in response to the selection, the one or more regions of the selection as one or more user-defined regions of interest (ROIs) within the real-time image for applying one or more first image acquisition parameters;

cancelling the one or more user-defined ROIs and setting one or more default ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more second image acquisition parameters when a designated touch gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display; and

acquiring digital image data by the digital image sensor in accordance with one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and the one or more default ROIs.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the designated touch gesture is a drag or swipe gesture having a starting point within one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and an end point at or near a corner of the touch-sensitive display.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the starting point overlaps with a boundary of the one or more user-defined ROIs or one or more default ROIs.

20. An image capture device, comprising:

a digital image sensor;

a display;

an image encoder for encoding digital image data into still images; and

an image processor coupled to the digital image sensor, the image encoder and the display, the image processor being configured to;

display a real-time image on a display of the image capture device, the real-time image being based on digital image data acquired by the digital image sensor;

receive a selection of one or more regions within the real-time image;

set, in response to the selection, the one or more regions of the selection as one or more user-defined ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more first image acquisition parameters;

cancel the one or more user-defined ROIs and setting one or more default ROIs within the real-time image for applying one or more second image acquisition parameters when a position of the image capture device has changed by an amount which exceeds a threshold amount; and

acquire digital image data by the digital image sensor in accordance with one of the one or more user-defined ROIs and the one or more default ROIs.