Image capture using display device as light source

• US 7,663,691 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Aybes, Alexandre, Christie, Gregory N., Forstall, Scott, Ciudad, Jean-Pierre, Westen, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELBY, GEVELL V
• Application Number:
  US11/249,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20070081094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 348/216.1, 348/227.1, 348/333.01, 348/370
• US Class Current: 348/371
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• 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 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.).

Claims

1. A method of capturing digital images, comprising:

measuring ambient light of a target environment, the measuring comprising averaging pixel intensities of a video image of the target environment;

determining a threshold intensity level based on the measured ambient light;

illuminating a target in the target environment with light emitted from a display device;

determining if the light has reached the threshold intensity level; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target if the light has reached the threshold intensity level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating the target includes:

setting one or more characteristics of the light; and

controlling the display device to emit light having the one or more characteristics.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a brightness level for the display device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein setting a brightness level for the display device includes:

determining an ambient light of the target environment; and

setting the brightness level of the display device based on the determined ambient light.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a screen color of the display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating the target includes flashing the light.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein flashing the light includes setting flash duration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein illuminating the target includes:

determining a time for illuminating the target; and

illuminating the target at the determined time.

9. The method of claim 1, farther comprising:

providing a countdown sequence prior to capturing the digital image; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target after the countdown sequence expires.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to illuminate a target to facilitate capturing a digital image prior to illuminating the target using a display device.

11. The method of claim 1, the illuminating comprising:

receiving an instruction to acquire an image using an image capture device;

determining when to flash a display device; and

flashing the display device at the determined time.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor in a digital image capture system, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

measuring ambient light of a target environment, the measuring comprising averaging pixel intensities of a video image of the target environment;

determining a threshold intensity level based on the measured ambient light;

illuminating a target in the target environment with light emitted from a display device;

determining if the light has reached the threshold intensity level; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target if the light has reached the threshold intensity level.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein illuminating the target includes:

setting one or more characteristics of the light; and

controlling the display device to emit light having the one or more characteristics.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a brightness level for the display device.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein setting a brightness level for the display device includes:

determining an ambient light of the target environment; and

determining the threshold intensity level based on the measured ambient light.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein illuminating the target includes flashing the light.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein flashing the light includes setting a flash duration.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein illuminating the target includes:

determining a time for illuminating the target; and

illuminating the target at the determined time.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

providing a countdown sequence prior to capturing the digital image; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target after the countdown sequence expires.

20. A system for capturing digital images, comprising:

a display device configurable for illuminating a target with light;

a digital capture device configurable for capturing a digital image of the illuminated target; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display device and the digital capture device, the processor configurable to perform operations comprising;

measuring ambient light of a target environment, the measuring comprising averaging pixel intensities of a video image of the target environment;

determining a threshold intensity level based on the measured ambient light;

illuminating a target in the target environment with light emitted from the display device;

determining if the light has reached the threshold intensity level; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target if the light has reached the threshold intensity level.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the digital capture device is a digital video camera configurable to provide a digital video stream, and the digital image is captured from the digital video stream.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein multiple digital images are captured from the digital video stream and presented on the display device.

23. The system of claim 20, the operations further comprising:

receiving an instruction to illuminate a target to facilitate capturing a digital image; and

illuminating the target using the display device.

24. The system of claim 20, the operations farther comprising:

receiving an instruction to acquire an image using an image capture device;

determining when to flash the display device to illuminate the target;

flashing the display device at the determined time; and

acquiring an image illuminated by the flash using the image capture device.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein illuminating the target includes:

setting one or more characteristics of the light; and

controlling the display device to emit light having the one or more characteristics.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a brightness level for the display device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein setting a brightness level for the display device includes:

determining an ambient light of the target environment; and

setting the brightness level of the display device based on the determined ambient light.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a screen color of the display device.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein illuminating the target includes flashing the light.

31. The system of claim 20, wherein illuminating the target includes:

determining a time for illuminating the target; and

illuminating the target at the determined time.

32. The system of claim 20, the operations further comprising:

providing a countdown sequence prior to capturing the digital image; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target after the countdown sequence expires.

30. The system 55, wherein flashing the light includes setting a flash duration.

33. A method of capturing a digital image, comprising:

illuminating a target with light emitted from a display device;

determining that the light has reached a threshold intensity level; and

capturing a digital image of the target based on the determining, the capturing comprising;

determining frame latency from one or more video frames;

determining an image capture time based on the frame latency; and

capturing the digital image of the target at the image capture time.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein illuminating the target includes:

setting one or more characteristics of the light; and

controlling the display device to emit light having the one or more characteristics.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a brightness level for the display device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein setting a brightness level for the display device includes:

determining an ambient light of the target environment; and

setting the brightness level of the display device based on the determined ambient light.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a screen color of the display device.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein illuminating the target includes flashing the light.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein flashing the light includes setting a flash duration.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein illuminating the target includes:

determining a time for illuminating the target; and

illuminating the target at the determined time.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

providing a countdown sequence prior to capturing the digital image; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target after the countdown sequence expires.

42. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to illuminate a target to facilitate capturing the digital image prior to illuminating the target using the display device.

43. The method of claim 33, the illuminating comprising:

receiving an instruction to acquire the image using an image capture device;

determining when to flash the display device; and

flashing the display device at the determined time.

44. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor in a digital image capture system, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

illuminating a target with light emitted from a display device;

determining that the light has reached a threshold intensity level; and

capturing a digital image of the target based on the determining, the capturing comprising;

determining frame latency from one or more video frames;

determining an image capture time based on the frame latency; and

capturing the digital image of the target at the image capture time.

45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 44, wherein illuminating the target includes:

setting one or more characteristics of the light; and

controlling the display device to emit light having the one or more characteristics.

46. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 45, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a brightness level for the display device.

47. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein setting a brightness level for the display device includes:

determining an ambient light of the target environment; and

setting the brightness level of the display device based on the determined ambient light.

48. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 45, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a screen color of the display device.

49. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 44, wherein illuminating the target includes flashing the light.

50. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein flashing the light includes setting a flash duration.

51. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 44, wherein illuminating the target includes:

determining a time for illuminating the target; and

illuminating the target at the determined time.

52. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 44, the operations further comprising:

providing a countdown sequence prior to capturing the digital image; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target after the countdown sequence expires.

53. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 44, the operations further comprising:

receiving an instruction to illuminate the target to facilitate capturing the digital image prior to illuminating the target using the display device.

54. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 44, the illuminating comprising:

receiving an instruction to acquire the image using an image capture device;

determining when to flash the display device; and

flashing the display device at the determined time.

55. A system for capturing digital images, comprising:

a display device configurable for illuminating a target with light;

a digital capture device configurable for capturing a digital image of the illuminated target; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display device and the digital capture device, the processor configurable to perform operations comprising;

illuminating a target with light emitted from the display device;

determining if the light has reached a threshold intensity level; and

capturing a digital image of the target based on the determining, the capturing comprising;

determining frame latency from one or more video frames;

determining an image capture time based on the frame latency; and

capturing the digital image of the target at the image capture time.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein illuminating the target includes:

setting one or more characteristics of the light; and

controlling the display device to emit light having the one or more characteristics.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a brightness level for the display device.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein setting a brightness level for the display device includes:

determining an ambient light of the target environment; and

setting the brightness level of the display device based on the determined ambient light.

59. The system of claim 56, wherein setting one or more characteristics of the light includes setting a screen color of the display device.

60. The system of claim 55, wherein illuminating the target includes flashing the light.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein flashing the light includes setting a flash duration.

62. The system of claim 55, wherein illuminating the target includes:

determining a time for illuminating the target; and

illuminating the target at the determined time.

63. The system of claim 55, the operations further comprising:

providing a countdown sequence prior to capturing the digital image; and

capturing a digital image of the illuminated target after the countdown sequence expires.