CAMERA UNIT

• US 20140111667A1
• Filed: 05/30/2011
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hunt, Alexander, Axelsson, Ola, Leijon, Jonas
• Application Number:
  US13/505,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111667A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

Method for capturing an image of an object (110) by using a camera unit (120) comprising an air touch display (130) and an objective (150). The method comprises activating (401) a viewfinder mode of the camera unit (120), displaying (402) the view of the objective (150) in viewfinder mode on the air touch display (130), recognising (403), by the air touch display (130), a finger (140) situated above the surface of the air touch display (130), focusing (404) the objective (150) on the object (110) corresponding to the position of the recognised (403) finger (140), and capturing (405) and saving (406) the image focused (404) on the object (110) corresponding to the position of the recognised (403) finger (140), when a movement of the finger (140) towards the surface of the air touch display (130) is detected by the air touch display (130).

Further, a computer program product and an arrangement (500) for performing the method is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for capturing an image of an object by using a camera unit comprising an air touch display and an objective, the method comprising:

activating a viewfinder mode of the camera unit,

displaying a view of the objective in viewfinder mode on the air touch display,

recognising, by the air touch display, a finger situated above a surface of the air touch display,

focusing the objective on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger,

capturing the image focused on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger, when a movement of the finger towards the surface of the air touch display is detected by the air touch display, and

saving the captured image, in a memory unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the capturing of the image focused on the object comprises capturing a plurality of images.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

presenting the captured images for the user of the camera unit, enabling selection of which image, or images, to keep saved in the memory unit.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of images have been captured and focused on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger, the method further comprising:

estimating a speed of the finger of the user, and

selecting one of the captured images to be saved based on the estimated speed of the finger of the user, such that an image captured closely to the point in time when the user touches the air touch display is selected.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein an estimated fast speed of the finger towards the surface of the air touch display render selection of a firstly captured image, an estimated slower speed render selection of a secondly captured image, an estimated yet slower speed render selection of a thirdly captured image and an estimated even slower speed render selection of a fourthly captured image.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the finger is recognised in the air about 20 mm above the surface of the air touch display of the camera unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera unit is configured for video recording and focusing the objective on the object is made in order to change focus during the video recording.

8. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer readable program code being configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.

9. An arrangement in a camera unit comprising an air touch display and an objective, wherein the camera unit is configured for capturing an image of an object, the arrangement comprising:

a processing circuit, configured to activate a viewfinder mode of the camera unit, and wherein

the air touch display is configured to display the view of the objective when the camera unit is in viewfinder mode, the air touch display is also configured to recognise a finger situated above a surface of the air touch display,

the objective is configured to focus on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger, and

a memory unit configured to save the captured image, and wherein

the processing circuit also configured to capture the image when a movement of the finger towards the surface of the air touch display is detected by the air touch display.

10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the memory unit comprises a circular buffer.

11. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein:

the processing circuit is further configured to capture a plurality of images focused on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger, and wherein the processing circuit is also further configured to estimate the speed of the finger of the user and to select one of the captured images to be saved, based on the estimated speed of the finger.

12. A camera unit configured for capturing an image of an object, the camera unit comprising:

a processing circuit configured to activate a viewfinder mode of the camera unit,

an objective,

an air touch display configured to display the view of the objective when the camera unit is in viewfinder mode, the air touch display also configured to recognise a finger of a user situated above a surface of the air touch display, wherein the objective is configured to focus on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger, and

a memory unit configured to save an image captured by the processing circuit when a movement of the finger towards the surface of the air touch display is detected by the air touch display.

13. The camera unit according to claim 12, wherein the memory unit comprises a circular buffer.

14. The camera unit according to claim 12, wherein:

the processing circuit is further configured to capture a plurality of images focused on the object corresponding to the position of the recognised finger, to estimate the speed of the finger of the user, and to select one of the captured images to be saved, based on the estimated speed of the finger.