Adaptive and learning setting selection process with selectable learning modes for imaging device

• US 6,963,360 B1
• Filed: 11/13/2000
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hubel, Paul M, Seaman, Mark D, Esquibel, Daniel M
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YODER III, CHRISS S
• Application Number:
  US09/712,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.6, 348/231.6, 348/222.1, 348/229.1, 348/362, 348/363, 348/364, 348/333.01, 348/333.04, 348/333.02, 348/243, 348/223.1
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

A method of configuring settings in an imaging device includes configuring the settings with default values. If at least one value for the settings is externally adjusted, the settings in the imaging device are configured with the at least one value. If the user indicates that the new settings are acceptable, the imaging device determines whether to store the new settings for use in calculating new default values.

Claims

1. A method of configuring settings in an imaging device, comprising:

configuring said settings in said imaging device with default values, wherein said default values are calculated based on a plurality of previous externally adjusted values for said settings;

if at least one value for said settings is externally adjusted, configuring said settings in said imaging device with said at least one value;

receiving an indication that said settings are acceptable; and

determining whether to combine said at least one value for said settings in said imaging device with said plurality of previous externally adjusted values for subsequent uses of said default values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing said at least one value for said settings in a memory in said imaging device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said indication comprises activation of a shutter release button.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving said default values for said settings from a memory in said imaging device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving said plurality of previous externally adjusted values from a memory in said imaging device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said default values are calculated by combining said plurality of previous externally adjusted values and determining an optimal value representing said plurality of previous externally adjusted values.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said optimal value comprises a mean value of said plurality of previous externally adjusted values.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining always returns an indication to combine said at least one value for said settings with said plurality of previous externally adjusted values.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said imaging device has an accumulation mode, and wherein said determining whether to combine said at least one value for said settings comprises reading a state of said accumulation mode.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising not combining said at least one value for said settings if said accumulation mode is in a Discard state.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising combining said at least one value for said settings if said accumulation mode is in an Add state.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising prompting a user to decide whether to combine said at least one value for said settings if said accumulation mode is in a Prompt state.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising reading a user input to determine whether to combine said at least one value for said settings.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said combining said at least one value comprises storing said at least one value along with said plurality of previous externally adjusted values in said imaging device for use in subsequent calculations for said default values.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said combining said at least one value comprises combining said at least one value with said plurality of previous externally adjusted values to form new default values and storing said new default values in said imaging device.