Camera apparatus with saliency signal generation

• US 8,068,143 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pilu, Maurizio, Cheatle, Stephen Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, NELSON D
• Application Number:
  US10/696,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,952 Days
• Field of Search: 348/220.1, 348/231.99, 348/157, 348/152, 348/211.99, 348/211.7, 348/376, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/143, 348/231.5, 348/231.1, 348/222.1, 386/95
• US Class Current: 348/220.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0075 by a user operated remote control device, e.g. receiving instructions from a user via a computer terminal or mobile telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

An electronic still, video or hybrid camera has a physically or mechanically operable user control receiving an input from a user and generates a binary, continuous or multi-level saliency signal while an image signal is being produced. The user control may be the same as or different from the picture taking control. In real time the saliency signal controls processing of the camera signal, or the camera itself, for example by controlling the frequency of still picture taking, or by optimising image storage in memory. The signal can also be stored with the image signal for later use, as in editing. The user control can be mounted on the camera or remote therefrom and include a movement or pressure sensor.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an electronic camera to produce an image signal;

a first user operable control to selectively activate the electronic camera to take pictures;

a plurality of second user operable controls to receive corresponding inputs from a user and to generate, in response to the input from the user, a plurality of saliency signals to indicate user interest in a picture, each saliency signal to have at least one of (a) a value selected from at least three different discrete values;

or (b) a value selected from a continuous range of values;

a circuit to record the value of each saliency signal based on the input received via each second control contemporaneously with activation of the first control, and to generate a composite saliency signal from the saliency signals;

a memory arranged to store the image signal, the composite and the saliency signals; and

,

replay circuitry to replay the pictures such that the pictures having composite saliency signal signals below a threshold are played back in an accelerated manner for accelerated viewing thereof,

wherein at least one operation of the apparatus is controlled based on the composite saliency signal, the at least one operation being different from recording the values of the saliency signals in the memory.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising compression circuitry to compress the image signal to an extent determined by the composite saliency signal.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a buffer to receive the image signal, the buffer having a capacity controlled by the value of the composite saliency signal.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising image selection circuitry to receive the composite saliency and image signals and to selectively pass the image signal based on the composite saliency signal.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising management circuitry to selectively retain in the memory images associated with higher composite saliency levels in preference to images with lower saliency levels.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising management circuitry selectively retain in the memory images associated with higher saliency levels in preference to images with lower saliency levels.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first user control includes a normal picture taking control on the electronic camera.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including circuitry to incorporate the composite saliency signal in the image signal.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second user control is part of the body of the electric camera or is physically attached to the body of the electronic camera.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second user control is a remote control for communicating with the electronic camera.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second user control comprises a physically movable control member and a sensor arranged to be responsive to movement of the control member.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second user control comprises a pressure or force sensing transducer to determine the value of one of the saliency signals.