Appliance and method for capturing images having a user error interface

• US 6,301,020 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV), Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung), Tarsium B.V.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dalton, Dan L., Dow, James C., Formosa, Daniel, Shepard, Nancy, Rudd, Michael L., DeVries, Michael J., Ruffatto, Karin C., Hansen, Barry K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Cheukfan
• Application Number:
  US09/130,572
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 358/473, 358/474, 358/471, 382/313, 382/316, 382/318, 382/321, 345/345, 345/346, 345/336, 345/337, 345/338, 707/201, 348/232, 348/231
• US Class Current: 358/473
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning

Abstract

A capturing and viewing appliance and method are provided for capturing and communicating images to other devices with communication capabilities. The capturing and viewing appliance includes a processor for manipulating and viewing the images on a built-in display. Program code stored in internal memory includes an error utility interface which informs the user of an error in operating the appliance. According to another aspect of the invention, the error interface provides a user-friendly interface for learning how to correctly operate the appliance after an error in operation has occurred. Through the use of icons, operational buttons, and animated sequences the present invention presents a novel user interface which makes the error interface and method a solution in devices with limited resources which need to be able to communicate with users correct methods of operating an appliance. The error interface and method is designed for communicating with the user through instrument reuse which is especially useful in portable hand-held appliances or other devices which are capable of displaying images where space and compactness are a concern.

Claims

1. A hand-held image capture and communication appliance, comprising:

a photoelement array for acquiring image data;

a memory for saving said image data;

a processor in communication with said memory;

a display in communication with said processor for exhibiting said image data; and

program code stored in said memory and executed by said processor for manipulating said image data, said program code comprising an error utility software module for providing a user with information on incorrectly operating said hand-held image capture and communication appliance.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said program code further comprises:

an error utility software module for providing the user with information on correctly operating said appliance.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein said program code further comprises:

a first code segment for displaying text on said display.

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein said program code further comprises:

a second code segment for displaying an animation on said display.

5. A hand-held image capture and communication appliance, comprising:

capturing means for acquiring image data;

storage means for saving said image data;

processing means in communication with said storage means;

display means in communication with said processing means for exhibiting said image data; and

program means stored in said storage means and executed by said processing means for manipulating said image data, said program means comprising an error utility software module for providing a user with information on incorrectly and correctly operating said hand-held images capture and communication appliance.

6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said program means further comprises:

a dialog module for displaying information on a plurality of operational errors and correct method of operation on said display and processing any user selection for more information.

7. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said error utility module comprises:

a first code segment for displaying text on said display.

8. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said error utility module comprises:

a second code segment for displaying an animation on said display.

9. The appliance of claim 5, wherein said program means further comprises a dialog module for displaying information on a plurality of operational errors and correct method of operation on said display and said error utility software module comprises:

a first code segment for displaying text correlated with at least one of said operational errors on said display;

a second code segment for displaying an animation correlated with at least one of said operational errors on said display; and

a third code segment for scrolling said display to communicate a plurality of screens of information to the user.

10. The appliance of claim 9, further comprising:

a fourth code segment for providing an icon representative of a user interface on said appliance for scrolling between screens of information on said display.

11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein said icon comprises:

a pair of opposing arrows with each arrow uniquely representing a logical scroll direction.

12. A method for providing error information to a user of a hand-held image capture and communication appliance having a built-in display, comprising the steps of:

processing a user execution of an erroneous operation performed by the user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance; and

displaying a textual dialog containing operational error information and method of correct operation information that is correlated with said erroneous operation executed by the user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

scrolling said display to communicate a plurality of screens of information in response to a logical scroll direction entered by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

providing an icon representative of a user interface on said appliance for scrolling between screens of information on said display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said icon comprises a pair of opposing arrows with each arrow representing a unique said logical scroll direction and further comprising the step of:

emphasizing one of said arrows representing a correct logical scroll direction in response to an invalid scroll direction entered by the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said arrow representing said correct logical scroll direction is emphasized through blinking.

17. A method for providing error information to a user of a hand-held image capture and communication appliance having a built-in display, comprising the steps of:

processing a user execution of an erroneous operation performed by the user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance; and

displaying an animated sequence conveying operational error information and method of correct operation information that is correlated with said erroneous operation executed by the user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said animation plays when scrolled onto said display.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said animation replays after completion when scrolled off said display and onto said display again.

20. A computer readable medium having a program for manipulating image data acquired by a hand-held image capture and communication appliance, said program code comprising:

logic configured to recognize erroneous operation of said hand-held image capture and communication appliance; and

logic configured for displaying a textual dialog containing operational error information and method of correct operation information that is correlated with said erroneous operation executed by the user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising:

logic configured for scrolling said display to communicate a plurality of screens of information in response to a logical scroll direction entered by the user.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

logic configured for providing an icon representative of a user interface on said appliance for scrolling between screens of information on said display.

23. A computer readable medium having a program for manipulating image data acquired by a hand-held image capture and communication appliance, said program code comprising:

logic configured to recognize erroneous operation of said hand-held image capture and communication appliance; and

logic configured for displaying an animated sequence containing operational error information and method of correct operation information that is correlated with said erroneous operation executed by the user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance.

24. A hand-held image capture and communication appliance, comprising:

processing means for processing a user execution of an erroneous operation of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance; and

display means for displaying a textual dialog containing operational error information and method of correct operation information that is correlated with an erroneous operation executed by a user of the hand-held image capture and communication appliance.