Digital image capture control
First Claim
1. A method for optimizing a set of images captured by an image capture device coupled to a computer system comprising the steps of:
- displaying an image capture device object in an image capture device window on a computer system display, the image capture device object containing a viewfinder object which includes a constantly refreshed display of a current image sensed by the image capture device and control objects which if selected cause the computer to send control signals to the image capture device;
responsive to the selection of an image capture control object, capturing a first image sensed by the image capture device;
storing in a system memory a first image object containing the first image; and
,displaying a representation of the first image object in a first window separate from the image capture device window and nonoverlapping with the view finder object on the computer system display;
so that a user can compare the current image to the first image to determine whether the current image should be added to the set of captured images.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling and displaying the image information presently seen by the image capture device together with those images which have been captured and stored upon actuation of the device. In a preferred embodiment, a viewfinder window is located in a capture device window. The capture device window also includes a variety of push buttons, some of which control the image capture device, others of which control the way in which the captured images are displayed on the computer screen. In response to the user command to capture an image, the image will be displayed adjacent to the image capture window. As the user continues to capture images, the frames are displayed as long as the computer has adequate temporary storage. Means to discard some images are also included in the user interface. Preferably, the discarded images are retained to allow the maximum reversibility of decisions to the discard images. The user interface also allows the user to stack a set of images into a single object in the workspace. Images may be manipulated within the stack, discarded or modified or changed between stacks of image objects.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for optimizing a set of images captured by an image capture device coupled to a computer system comprising the steps of:
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displaying an image capture device object in an image capture device window on a computer system display, the image capture device object containing a viewfinder object which includes a constantly refreshed display of a current image sensed by the image capture device and control objects which if selected cause the computer to send control signals to the image capture device; responsive to the selection of an image capture control object, capturing a first image sensed by the image capture device; storing in a system memory a first image object containing the first image; and
,displaying a representation of the first image object in a first window separate from the image capture device window and nonoverlapping with the view finder object on the computer system display; so that a user can compare the current image to the first image to determine whether the current image should be added to the set of captured images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An image capture device coupled to a computer system in which a set of captured images is optimized comprising:
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an image capture device object stored in a memory and for presentation in an image capture device window on a computer system display, the image capture device object containing a viewfinder object which includes a constantly refreshed display of a current image sensed by the image capture device; a set of control objects stored in a memory and for presentation on the computer system display which if selected cause the computer to send control signals to the image capture device; and
,a first image object stored in the memory containing a first image captured by the image capture device, a representation of which is presented in a first window separate from the image capture device window and nonoverlapping with the viewfinder object on the computer system display; so that a user can compare the current image to the first image to determine whether the current image should be added to the set of captured images. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A user interface for optimizing a set of images captured by an image capture device coupled to a computer system comprising:
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an image capture device object stored in a memory and for presentation in an image capture device window on a computer system display, the image capture device object containing a viewfinder object which includes a constantly refreshed display of a current image sensed by the image capture device and a set of control objects which if selected cause the computer to send control signals to the image capture device; and
,a first image object stored in the memory containing a first image captured by the image capture device, a representation of which is presented in a first window separate from the image capture device window and nonoverlapping with the viewfinder object on the computer system display; so that a user can compare the current image to the first image to determine whether the current image should be added to the set of captured images. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer program product in a readable medium for optimizing a set of images captured by an image capture device coupled to a computer system, executable on the computer system comprising:
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program code means for displaying an image capture device object in a image capture device window on a computer system display, the image capture device object containing a viewfinder object which includes a constantly refreshed display of a current image sensed by the image capture device and control objects which if selected cause the computer to send control signals to the image capture device; program code means responsive to the selection of an image capture control object for capturing a first image sensed by the image capture device; program code means for creating a first image object containing the first image; and
,program code means for displaying a representation of the first image object in a first window separate from the image capture device window and non overlapping with the viewfinder object on the computer system display; so that a user can compare the current image to the first image to determine whether the current image should be added to the set of captured images. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification