Imaging system with delayed verification image presentation

• US 7,301,562 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Belz, Steven M., Jourdan, Arlene T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): DURNFORD GESZVAIN, DILLON
• Application Number:
  US10/360,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.99, 348/333.01
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/42 by switching between different modes of operation using different resolutions or aspect ratios, e.g. switching between interlaced and non-interlaced mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

An imaging system and method are provided. In accordance with the method a trigger signal is detected and an image of a scene is captured in response to the trigger signal. The image is presented. A verification mode is determined and the presentation of the captured image is ended at a first ending time when a first verification mode is determined the presentation of the captured image is ended at a second ending time when a second verification mode is determined.

Claims

1. A method for operating an imaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a trigger signal;

capturing an image of a scene in response to the trigger signal;

presenting the captured image;

determining a verification mode;

ending the presentation of the captured image at a first ending time when a first verification mode is determined; and

ending the presentation of the captured image at a second ending time when a second verification mode is determined, wherein the step of determining a verification mode comprises automatically determining a verification mode based upon analysis of the captured image.

2. A method for operating an imaging system, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a trigger signal;

capturing an archival image of a scene in response to the trigger signal;

presenting the captured image;

determining a verification mode;

ending the presentation of the captured image at a first ending time when a first verification mode is determined; and

ending the presentation of the captured image at a second ending time when a second verification mode is determined,

wherein the step of ending the presentation of the captured image at a second ending time comprises the steps of capturing additional images of the scene after the image has been captured, analyzing the additional images, and automatically determining the second ending time based upon the analysis of the additional images.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said image analysis comprises analyzing such later captured images to indicate when a some person in the scene is returning to an imaging system and setting the starting or ending time of the presentation of the archival image to occur at a predetermined period of time after this is detected.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said image analysis comprises analyzing such later captured images to detect when a person in the scene has actually returned to imaging system and synchronizing the presentation of the verification image to the detected approach of such a person.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein each evaluation image is scanned to detect the face of a user of the camera, and when the user is detected in the image, determining that a second verification mode is to be used.

6. A method for operating an imaging system, the method comprising:

detecting a trigger signal;

detecting a separated capture mode signal;

capturing an archival mage in response to the trigger signal;

providing an evaluation image that corresponds to the archival image;

presenting the evaluation image;

ending presentation of the evaluation image at a first ending time after the trigger signal when a separated capture mode signal is not detected; and

ending presentation of the evaluation image at a second ending time after the trigger signal when a separated capture mode signal is detected;

wherein the second ending time is after the first ending time, further comprising the steps of analyzing the scene captured in the archival image and determining a second ending time based upon analysis of the scene.

7. An imaging system comprising:

a trigger system having a trigger circuit generating a trigger signal;

an image capture system adapted to capture an image of a scene in response the trigger signal;

a display for presenting images; and

a processor adapted to receive the captured image, to form an evaluation image for presentation on the display, and to cause the display to present the evaluation image;

wherein said processor determines a verification mode and ends the presentation of the captured image at a first time when a first verification mode is determined and ends the presentation of the evaluation image at second time when a second verification mode is determined; and

wherein the processor determines the verification mode based upon analysis of the captured image.

8. An imaging system comprising:

a trigger system having a trigger circuit generating a trigger signal;

an image capture system adapted to capture an image of a scene in response the trigger signal;

a display for presenting images; and

a processor adapted to receive the captured image, to form an evaluation image for presentation on the display, and to cause the display to present the evaluation image;

wherein said processor determines a verification mode and ends the presentation of the captured image at a first time when a first verification mode is determined and ends the presentation of the evaluation image at second time when a second verification mode is determined; and

wherein the processor causes the image capture system to capture additional images after the image is captured and analyzes the additional images to determine the second starting time.

9. An imaging system comprising:

a separated capture mode detector;

a trigger system having a trigger circuit adapted to generate a trigger signal;

an image capture system adapted to capture an archival image in response to the trigger signal;

a display for presenting images; and

,

a processor receiving the captured archival image, processing the captured archival image to form an evaluation image and causing the display to present the evaluation image;

wherein the processor ends presentation of the evaluation image at a first ending time after the trigger signal when a separated capture mode signal is not detected and ends presentation of the captured image at a second ending time after the trigger signal when a separated capture mode signal is detected; and

wherein the second ending time is after the first ending time, and

wherein the processor determines the amount of time that the second ending time is after the first ending time is based upon analysis of the archival image.