LIFELOG CAMERA AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME ACCORDING TO TRANSITIONS IN ACTIVITY

• US 20150365575A1
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jonsson, Hkan, Thrn, Ola, Agardh, Kre, Midholt, Magnus, Westenius, Erik, de Lon, David
• Application Number:
  US14/303,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365575A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/11 Hand-related biometrics; Hand pose recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/117 Biometrics derived from hands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A lifelog camera is configured to capture a digital image without user input that commands the capturing of the digital image. The lifelog camera includes a control circuit configured to detect a state transition in a signal from a sensor, the state transition indicative of a change in user activity; a camera module that captures the digital image under the control of the control circuit in response to the detection of the state transition; and a memory in which the digital image is stored.

Claims

1. A method of capturing and storing a digital image with a lifelog camera that is configured to capture the digital image without user input that commands the capturing of the digital image, comprising:

detecting a state transition in a signal from a sensor, the state transition indicative of a change in user activity;

capturing the digital image with a camera module of the lifelog camera, the capturing triggered by the detection of the state transition; and

storing the digital image in a memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting multiple transitions between respective stages of an activity sequence carried out by the user and, for each detected transition, capturing and storing an image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring multiple signals each from a respective sensor and the detecting made if any one of the signals undergoes a state transition indicative of a change in user activity.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring multiple signals each from a respective sensor and the detecting made if changes in two or more of the signals are together indicative of the change in user activity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a motion sensor that detects motion of the user, a biometric sensor, an electric field sensor, or a magnetic field sensor.

6. A method of capturing and storing a digital image with a lifelog camera that is configured to capture the digital image without user input that commands the capturing of the digital image, comprising:

detecting a state transition in a signal from an electric field sensor or a magnetic field sensor, the state transition indicative of one of a change in user activity or a change in activity near the user;

capturing the digital image with a camera module of the lifelog camera, the capturing triggered by the detection of the state transition; and

storing the digital image in a memory.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising monitoring the signal from the electric field sensor or the magnetic field sensor and monitoring a signal from an additional sensor, the detecting made if changes in the monitor signals are together indicative of the change in activity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the additional sensor comprises at least one of a motion sensor that detects motion of the user or a biometric sensor.

9. A lifelog camera that is configured to capture a digital image without user input that commands the capturing of the digital image, comprising:

a control circuit configured to detect a state transition in a signal from a sensor, the state transition indicative of a change in user activity;

a camera module that captures the digital image under the control of the control circuit in response to the detection of the state transition; and

a memory in which the digital image is stored.

10. The lifelog camera of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to detect multiple transitions between respective stages of an activity sequence carried out by the user and, for each detected transition, command the capture and storage of an image.

11. The lifelog camera of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to monitor multiple signals each from a respective sensor and the camera module is commanded to capture the digital image if any one of the signals undergoes a state transition indicative of a change in user activity.

12. The lifelog camera of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to monitor multiple signals each from a respective sensor and the camera module commanded to capture the digital image if changes in two or more of the signals are indicative of the change in user activity.

13. The lifelog camera of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a motion sensor that detects motion of the user.

14. The lifelog camera of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a biometric sensor.

15. The lifelog camera of claim 14, wherein the biometric sensor comprises at least one of a galvanic skin response sensor or a pulse rate monitor.

16. The lifelog camera of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an electric field sensor or a magnetic field sensor.

17. A lifelog camera that is configured to capture a digital image without user input that commands the capturing of the digital image, comprising:

a control circuit configured to detect a state transition in a signal from an electric field sensor or a magnetic field sensor, the state transition indicative of one of a change in user activity or a change in activity near the user;

a camera module that captures the digital image under the control of the control circuit in response to the detection of the state transition; and

a memory in which the digital image is stored.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the control circuit is further configured to monitor the signal from the electric field sensor or the magnetic field sensor and monitor a signal from an additional sensor, the camera module commanded to capture the digital image if changes in the monitor signals are together indicative of the change in activity.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the additional sensor comprises at least one of a motion sensor that detects motion of the user or a biometric sensor.