Continuous audio capture in an image capturing device
First Claim
1. An image capturing device for capturing still images, wherein the image capturing device can be placed in an audio capturing mode, comprising:
- a two-stage shutter button;
an audio transducer capable of converting sound into a representative electrical audio signal;
a processor communicating with said audio transducer and selectively causing said audio signal to be outputted by said audio transducer, said processor being coupled to the shutter button; and
a memory for receiving said audio signal, said memory including an audio buffer capable of continuously storing a predetermined amount of said audio signal and including at least one audio storage cell capable of storing at least a portion of said audio signal held in said audio buffer, whereinas a result of the image capturing device being placed in the audio capture mode, said processor causes said audio signal to be continuously stored in said audio buffer,in response to the user of the image capturing device partially depressing the shutter button, said processor performs a lens focusing and/or flash measurement, andin response to a user of the image capturing device fully depressing the shutter button, said processor causes at least a portion of said audio signal from said audio buffer to be stored into said at least one audio storage cell and causes the device to capture and store a still image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image capturing device comprises an audio transducer, a processor, and a memory. The memory receives an audio signal produced by the audio transducer and gated by the processor. The memory includes an audio buffer capable of continuously accumulating the audio signal until the buffer becomes full, and thereafter storing a predetermined time amount of the most recent audio signal. The memory further includes one or more audio storage cells capable of storing at least a portion of the audio signal held in the audio buffer. The processor is capable of storing at least a portion of the audio signal from the audio buffer into an audio storage cell of the one or more audio storage cells.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An image capturing device for capturing still images, wherein the image capturing device can be placed in an audio capturing mode, comprising:
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a two-stage shutter button; an audio transducer capable of converting sound into a representative electrical audio signal; a processor communicating with said audio transducer and selectively causing said audio signal to be outputted by said audio transducer, said processor being coupled to the shutter button; and a memory for receiving said audio signal, said memory including an audio buffer capable of continuously storing a predetermined amount of said audio signal and including at least one audio storage cell capable of storing at least a portion of said audio signal held in said audio buffer, wherein as a result of the image capturing device being placed in the audio capture mode, said processor causes said audio signal to be continuously stored in said audio buffer, in response to the user of the image capturing device partially depressing the shutter button, said processor performs a lens focusing and/or flash measurement, and in response to a user of the image capturing device fully depressing the shutter button, said processor causes at least a portion of said audio signal from said audio buffer to be stored into said at least one audio storage cell and causes the device to capture and store a still image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An audio capture method in an image capturing device having a shutter button, wherein the image capturing device can be placed in an audio capture mode, comprising the steps of:
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activating the audio capture mode in response to a user of the image capturing device exposing the lens by moving a lens cover that was covering the lens; continuously storing an audio signal in an audio buffer in said image capturing device only when said image capturing device is in the audio capture mode; and storing at least a portion of said audio signal upon a store command input from the user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification