Method of controlling a camera for users having impaired vision

• US 7,554,581 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Techwin Corporation (Hanwha Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Dong-min
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, NELSON D
• Application Number:
  US10/694,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,073 Days
• Field of Search: 348/62, 348/63, 348/240.2, 348/239, 348/333.02, 348/333.11, 348/333.05, 348/333.01, 348/333.12, 715/865, 715810-836, 345/672, 345/650, 345/646, 345/647, 345/660, 345/671
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00413 using menus, i.e. presenting the user with a plurality of selectable options H04N1/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

A camera method in which, when a photographing mode is set by the operation of a user, photographing control is performed according to the operation of the user and, when a menu mode is set by the operation of the user, setting control for setting operation conditions of the camera is performed according to the operation of the user, wherein, when a mode for persons with impaired vision is set by the operation of the user, an OSD menu selected by the user is magnified and displayed in the photographing control and setting control steps.

Claims

1. A method for altering a digital camera display to facilitate viewability, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying indicia on a display screen of the digital camera, the indicia including a first indicium and a second indicium;

detecting selection of the first indicium by a user;

if selection of the first indicium by a user is detected, determining whether an impaired vision mode is set;

if an impaired vision mode is determined to be set, performing steps of;

superimposing the first indicium on the second indicium;

magnifying the first indicium to conceal an entirety of the second indicium; and

reducing an opacity of the first indicium so that the entirety of the second indicium is viewable through the first indicium.

2. The method of claim 1 flirt her comprising:

if a predetermined set time has elapsed after the reducing step, displaying the first indicium in a position the indicium occupied prior to the superimposing;

increasing the opacity of the first indicium to an opacity the indicium had prior to the reducing step; and

returning the first indicium to a pre-superimposing step size.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the predetermined set time is determined by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the detecting step comprises:

detecting whether a user has actuated a movement button; and

if the user has actuated a movement button, detecting whether a marker that is movable relative to the movement button is positioned on the first indicium.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the magnifying step comprises enlarging a size of the first indicium to occupy a substantially entire area of the display screen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying step further comprises:

displaying the first indicium in a first portion of the display screen; and

displaying the second indicium in a second portion of the display screen, the second portion being different than the first portion.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the superimposing step comprises:

deleting the first indicium from the first portion;

substantially simultaneously with the deleting step, displaying the first indicium in the second portion; and

maintaining the second indicium in the second portion.

8. A method for altering a digital camera display to facilitate readability, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a menu on a display screen of the digital camera, the menu including a first menu item and a second menu item;

detecting whether a user has selected one of the first menu item and the second menu item;

if selection of one of the first menu item and the second menu item is detected in the detecting step, determining whether an impaired vision mode is set;

if an impaired vision mode is determined to be set in the determining step, performing steps of;

concealing an entirety of the other one of the first menu item and the second menu item with a magnified version of the selected one of the first menu item and the second menu item; and

reducing an opacity of the magnified version of the selected one of the first menu item and the second menu item so that the entirety of the other one of the first menu item and the second menu item is viewable.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

if a predetermined set time has elapsed after the reducing step, increasing the opacity of the magnified selected one of the first menu item and the second menu item; and

substantially simultaneously with the increasing step, returning the magnified selected one of the first menu item and the second menu item to a pre-concealing step size.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined set time is determined by the user.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein step of detecting whether a user has selected one of the first menu item and the second menu item comprises determining whether the user has maneuvered a marker over the first or second menu item.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the marker is an arrow.

13. A method for altering a digital camera display to facilitate readability, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first icon on a first portion of a display screen of the digital camera;

displaying a second icon on a second portion of the display screen of the digital camera, the second portion being distal from the first portion;

detecting selection of the first icon by a user;

if selection of the first icon is detected, determining whether an impaired vision mode is set;

if the impaired vision mode is determined to be set, performing the steps of;

moving the first icon from the first portion to a location proximate to the second portion;

magnifying the first icon to completely overlap the second icon; and

reducing an opacity of the first icon so that an entirely of the second icon is viewable through the first icon.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if a predetermined set time has elapsed after the reducing step, moving the first icon back to the first portion;

increasing the opacity of the first icon to a pre-reducing step opacity; and

returning the first icon to a pre-magnifying step size.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined set time is determined by the user.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the detecting step comprises:

detecting whether a user has actuated a movement button; and

if the user has actuated a movement button, detecting whether a marker that is movable relative to the movement button is positioned on the first icon.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the magnifying step comprises enlarging a size of the first icon to occupy a substantially entire area of the display screen.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the moving step comprises:

deleting the first icon from the first portion;

substantially simultaneously with the deleting step, displaying the first icon in the second portion; and

maintaining the second icon in the second portion.