Method and apparatus for reducing shutter lag in a digital imaging device
First Claim
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1. A method of reducing shutter lag, comprising:
- at a time before an indication that a photograph is to be taken imminently, selecting at least one capture parameter of a digital imaging device when it is determined that the digital imaging device is substantially still; and
locking the at least one capture parameter so long as the digital imaging device remains substantially still; and
when an indication that a photograph is to be taken imminently is received with the capture parameter locked, determining whether a photographic subject has moved since the capture parameter was selected before the indication was received; and
re-selecting at least one capture parameter if the subject has so moved.
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Abstract
A digital imaging device, such as a digital camera, minimizes shutter lag by determining some capture parameters, such as focus and exposure settings, before a user of the device has indicated that a photograph is to be taken. The parameters are updated when the device becomes substantially still before the indication that a photograph is to be taken.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of reducing shutter lag, comprising:
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at a time before an indication that a photograph is to be taken imminently, selecting at least one capture parameter of a digital imaging device when it is determined that the digital imaging device is substantially still; and locking the at least one capture parameter so long as the digital imaging device remains substantially still; and when an indication that a photograph is to be taken imminently is received with the capture parameter locked, determining whether a photographic subject has moved since the capture parameter was selected before the indication was received; and re-selecting at least one capture parameter if the subject has so moved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A digital imaging device, comprising:
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a shutter button having an S1 position and an S2 position; memory; and logic, the logic configured to sense motion of the digital imaging device before S1 is reached; determine, based on the sensed motion, that the digital imaging device is substantially still; select at least one capture parameter upon determining that the digital imaging device is substantially still; and store in the memory an indication that the at least one capture parameter has been selected; when the S1 position is reached and the indication has been stored in memory that the at least one capture parameter has been selected; determine that the digital imaging device has not moved since the at least one capture parameter was selected before S1 was reached; determine that a photographic subject has not moved since the at least one capture parameter was selected before S1 was reached; detect that the S2 position has been reached; and upon these determinations, take a final photograph without re-determining the at least one capture parameter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A digital camera, comprising:
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an electronic array light sensor; a lens that projects an image of a scene onto the electronic array light sensor;
a shutter button having an S1 and an S2 position;logic, the logic configured to, before the S1 position is reached, sense motion of the camera; perform automatic focus of the lens when it is determined, based on the sensed motion, that the camera is substantially still; and re-perform automatic focus only upon a determination that the camera has moved since automatic focus was last performed and that the camera has once again become substantially still; after the S1 position is reached, take a final photograph without re-performing automatic focus upon a determination that; automatic focus was performed before S1 was reached; the camera has not substantially moved since automatic focus was performed before S1 was reached; and a photographic subject has not substantially moved since automatic focus was performed before S1 was reached; and the S2 position has been reached. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification