System and method for using a scripting language to set digital camera device features

• US 6,094,221 A
• Filed: 01/02/1997
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1997
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Andersion, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrington, Alicia M.
• Application Number:
  US08/778,301
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 348/231, 348/233, 348/552, 348/232, 396/48, 396/429, 396/300, 395/705
• US Class Current: 348/231.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for using scripts and selectable feature parameters to configure digital camera device features. The digital camera includes memory storing scripts for providing digital camera device features, an interface enabling a user to modify feature settings, a port connectable to a host computer for modifying or adding scripts to the memory, and a script manager for interpreting the scripts and the feature settings. The digital camera further includes an imaging device for generating a digitized image, and image processors for enhancing the digitized image according to the scripts and the selected feature settings. The digital camera still further includes command handlers for configuring the imaging device and the image processors according to the scripts and the feature settings.

Claims

1. A digital camera system comprising:

an imaging device for receiving picture data;

script memory coupled to the imaging device for storing camera-configuring scripts;

an interface coupled to the script memory for enabling the selection of a script feature setting;

a script manager, coupled to the interface for interpreting the script and the script feature setting, and including

a command interpreter coupled to the script memory,

a programming statement interpreter coupled to the script memory, and

a tokenizer for determining when to send an instruction to the command interpreter and when to send an instruction to the programming statement interpreter;

a command handler coupled to the script manager for processing the script based on the script feature setting to provide a camera feature;

control application memory coupled to the imaging device for controlling the camera features based on camera parameters; and

an image processor coupled to the command handler for controlling a processing of the picture data based on the script feature setting.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the command handler includes

an external command handler coupled to the script manager for processing external commands;

and

an internal command handler coupled to the script manager for processing internal commands.

3. A digital camera system comprising:

an imaging device for receiving picture data;

script memory coupled to the imaging device for storing camera-configuring scripts and a command;

an interface coupled to the script memory for enabling the selection of a script feature setting;

a script manager coupled to the interface for interpreting the script and the script feature setting, and including an error handler for providing an error report to the interface upon indication of an error in the script, and further including a command table for interpreting the command, and

a command handler coupled to the script manager for processing the script based on the script feature setting to provide a camera feature.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a communications port coupled to the script memory for transferring different scripts from an external host computer to the script memory.

5. A digital camera system, comprising:

means for receiving picture data;

script means, coupled to the means for receiving, for storing a camera-configuring script;

interface means, coupled to the script means, for enabling selection of a script feature setting;

interpretation means, coupled to the interface means, for interpreting the script and the script feature setting, and including

a command interpreter means coupled to the means for receiving,

a programming statement interpreter means coupled to the means for receiving; and

a tokenizer for determining when to send an instruction to the command interpreter means and when to send an instruction to the programming statement interpreter means;

command handler means, coupled to the interpretation means, for processing the script based on the script feature setting to provide a camera feature;

control means, coupled to the means for receiving, for controlling the camera features based on camera parameters; and

image processor means, coupled to the command handler means, for controlling a processing of the picture data based on the script feature setting.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the command handler means includes:

external command handler means coupled to the interpretation means for processing external commands; and

internal command handler means coupled to the interpretation means for processing internal commands.

7. A system for using parameter tables to generate a data structure for setting digital camera device features, comprising:

means for receiving including an I/O interface for receiving a camera feature setting command which includes a command name, a feature name and a feature setting from a user;

a command table, coupled to the means for receiving, including command names and corresponding command codes;

a feature table, coupled to the means for receiving, including features, corresponding feature codes, corresponding available feature settings and corresponding feature setting codes;

an interpreter, coupled to the means for receiving, for using the command table and the feature table to generate a data structure having the command code representing the command, the feature code representing the feature and the feature setting code representing the feature setting; and

a command handler, coupled to the interpreter, for processing data structures.

8. A system for using parameter tables to generate a data structure for setting digital camera device features, comprising:

means for receiving a camera feature setting command which includes a command name, a feature name and a feature setting;

a command table, coupled to the means for receiving, including command names and corresponding command codes;

a feature table, coupled to the means for receiving, including features, corresponding feature codes, corresponding available feature settings and corresponding feature setting codes;

an interpreter, coupled to the means for receiving, for using the command table and the feature table to generate a data structure having the command code representing the command, the feature code representing the feature and the feature setting code representing the feature setting; and

an error handler, coupled to the interpreter, for providing an error report upon indication of an error.

9. A method of using parameter tables to generate a data structure for setting digital camera device features, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by an interface, a feature setting command which includes a command name, a feature name and a feature setting;

using, by a script manager, a command table which includes a set of command names and corresponding command codes to extract command codes based on the command names;

using, by the script manager, a feature table which includes a plurality of feature sets, each set including a feature name, a corresponding feature code, corresponding available feature settings and corresponding feature setting code, to extract the corresponding feature code and corresponding feature setting code based on the received feature name and the received feature setting;

generating, by the script manager, a message packet which includes the command code, the feature code and the feature setting code; and

providing an error report upon indication of an error to the interface.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, after generating, the step of using a control application to modify camera parameters for setting camera device features.

11. A method of using parameter tables to generate a data structure for setting digital camera device features, comprising the steps of:

receiving, by an interface, a feature setting command which includes a command name, a feature name and a feature setting;

using, by a script manager, a command table which includes a set of command names and corresponding command codes to extract command codes based on the command names;

using, by the script manager, a feature table which includes a plurality of feature sets, each set including a feature name, a corresponding feature code, corresponding available feature settings and corresponding feature setting code, to extract the corresponding feature code and corresponding feature setting code based on the received feature name and the received feature setting;

generating, by the script manager, a data structure which includes the command code, the feature code and the feature setting code;

forwarding, by the script manager, the data structure to a command handler for processing the data structure; and

sending, by the command handler, responsive data in a predetermined format back to the script manager.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising ignoring, by the script manager, a portion of the responsive data based on a flag in the command.