Digital camera viewfinder and method of using same

• US 6,374,054 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Schinner, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US09/703,387
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 396/281, 396/282, 396/429, 396/51, 396/374, 396/296, 358/906, 358/909.1, 348/333.01, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/376
• US Class Current: 396/282
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera

Abstract

A digital camera includes a viewfinder having a proximity sensor which is activated whenever a user looks through the viewfinder in preparation of viewing an object or framed scene. An illuminated status indicator mounted for viewing within the viewfinder for providing the user when camera status information is coupled to the proximity sensor through a microprocessor that controls the illumination level of the status indicator. The illumination level of the status indicator is controlled by the microprocessor in response to an auto-exposure algorithm that measures the brightness level of the object or framed scene that is being viewed by the user through the viewfinder.

Claims

1. A digital camera, comprising:

a through the lens viewfinder for enabling a user to directly view an object seen through a lens;

said viewfinder having a proximity sensor for determining whenever a user looks through the viewfinder and a status indicator for providing the user with camera status information;

and a control algorithm responsive to an indication that the user is looking through the viewfinder for controlling the illumination of said status indicator.

2. A digital camera according to claim 1, further comprising:

an auto-exposure algorithm for measuring a brightness level of an object viewed in said viewfinder; and

a microprocessor responsive to said auto-exposure algorithm and to said control algorithm for causing the status indicator to be set to a maximum brightness level when said proximity sensor is not generating a user detection signal and for causing the status indicator to be set to an adjusted brightness level when said proximity sensor is generating a user detection signal.

3. A digital camera, comprising:

a proximity device for sensing a viewing orientation of a user;

a status indicator mounted in close proximity to said proximity device for providing a user with camera status information; and

a microprocessor responsive to said proximity device for causing said status indicator to be set to a maximum brightness when said proximity device senses a remote viewing orientation of the user.

4. A digital camera according to claim 3, further comprising:

a viewfinder for permitting a user to frame an object while simultaneously permitting the user to view camera status information on said status indicator;

an auto-exposure algorithm for measuring a brightness level of said object, and

said microprocessor responsive to said auto-exposure algorithm for causing said status indicator to be set to a desired auto-exposure algorithm functionally related brightness level when said proximity device senses the user looking through said viewfinder.

5. A digital camera, comprising:

a viewfinder for permitting a user to frame an object image as seen through a camera lens;

a status indicator mounted within said viewfinder for providing the user with camera status information;

a proximity device for sensing if a user is using said viewfinder;

a microprocessor responsive to said proximity device for causing a control algorithm to be executed to control the illumination level of said status indicator; and

said control algorithm causing said status indicator to be illuminated to no greater illumination level than a determined illumination level of said object image when said proximity device senses that the user is using said viewfinder.

6. A digital camera, according to claim 5, wherein said control algorithm further causes said status indicator to be illuminated to a maximum illumination level when said proximity device senses that the user is not in close proximity to said viewfinder.

7. A digital camera according to claim 6, wherein said control algorithm further causes said status indicator to blink on and off when said microprocessor is processing a captured image for storage on a removable storage device.

8. A digital camera according to claim 7, wherein said control algorithm further causes said status indicator to discontinue blinking when said microprocessor has caused said captured image to be stored on said removable storage device.

9. A digital camera according to claim 8, wherein said control algorithm further causes camera to power down after said captured image has been stored on said removable storage device and said proximity device senses that the user is not in close proximity to said viewfinder.

10. A digital camera according to claim 9, wherein said control algorithm causes said camera to power down after a predetermined period of time.

11. A method of using a digital camera, comprising:

providing a proximity sensor for determining whenever a user looks through a viewfinder;

providing a viewfinder status indicator to display camera status information whenever the user looks through said viewfinder; and

controlling the illumination level of said status indicator in response to an indication that the user is looking through the viewfinder.

12. A method of using a digital camera according to claim 11, further comprising:

measuring a brightness level of an object viewed in said viewfinder; and

causing the status indicator to increase brightness when said proximity sensor is not active and for causing the status indicator to decrease brightness when said proximity sensor is active.

13. A method of using a digital camera, comprising:

providing a viewfinder status indicator for permitting a user to frame an object image as seen through a camera lens while simultaneously providing the user with camera status information;

providing a proximity device for sensing if a user is in close proximity to said viewfinder status indicator;

responding to said proximity device for causing a control algorithm to be executed to control the illumination level of said status indicator; and

causing said status indicator to be illuminated to no greater illumination level than a determined illumination level of said object image when said proximity device senses that the user is in close proximity to said viewfinder status indicator.

14. A method of using a digital camera according to claim 13, wherein said status indicator is illuminated to a maximum illumination level when said proximity device senses that the user is not in close proximity to said viewfinder status indicator.

15. A method of using a digital camera according to claim 14, wherein said status indicator blinks on and off when the camera is processing a captured image for storage on a removable storage device.

16. A method of using a digital camera according to claim 15, wherein said status indicator discontinues blinking when said captured image is stored on said removable storage device.

17. A method of using a digital camera according to claim 16, wherein the camera powers down after said captured image has been stored on said removable storage device and said proximity device senses that the user is not in close proximity to said viewfinder status indicator.

18. A digital camera, comprising:

a viewfinder for helping a user to view an object image, said viewfinder including a status indicator for providing a user with camera status information while the user views the object image;

an auto-exposure algorithm for determining a brightness level associated with the object image; and

a control algorithm responsive to said auto-exposure level for adjusting the brightness level of said status indicator to an acceptable viewing level intensity corresponding functionally to a scene brightness level determined by said auto-exposure algorithm.

19. A digital camera, comprising:

a viewfinder for permitting a user to frame an object image as seen through a camera lens;

a status indicator mounted in proximity to said viewfinder for providing the user with camera status information;

a microprocessor for causing a control algorithm to be executed to control the illumination level of said status indicator; and

said control algorithm causing said status indicator to be illuminated to a sufficient illumination level to be easily observed by a user but not a sufficient level to interfere with the viewing of the object when viewed in said viewfinder.

20. A method of using a digital camera, comprising:

providing a viewfinder status indicator to display camera status information whenever a user activates the camera; and

controlling the illumination level of said status indicator in response to an indication that the user is activating a shutter switch for capturing an object as an image.

21. A method of controlling the illumination level of a status indicator, comprising:

setting a status indicator illumination level to a current illumination level when a user is reviewing a captured image in real time in a viewfinder; and

setting said status indicator illumination level to a header file illumination level when the user is reviewing said captured image in other than real time.

22. A method of controlling the illumination level of a status indicator according to claim 21, wherein said header file illumination level is an illumination level retrieved from a stored file header associated with said captured image.

23. A method of controlling the illumination level of a status indicator according to claim 22, wherein said current illumination level corresponds functionally to an auto exposure determined scene brightness level.

24. A digital camera, comprising:

a status indicator for providing a user with camera status information;

an auto exposure algorithm for measuring a brightness level of an object image; and

a microprocessor responsive to said auto exposure algorithm for causing said status indicator to be set to an adjusted brightness level to help facilitate viewing said object image in a viewfinder disposed in close proximity to said status indicator.

25. A digital camera, comprising:

a viewfinder status indicator to display camera status information whenever a user activates the camera;

a brightness adjustment algorithm for controlling the brightness level of said viewfinder status indicator to a brightness level that corresponds to a determined scene brightness level to help facilitate viewing a scene and said status indicator substantially simultaneously.