System and method for capturing digital images

• US 9,053,529 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cruiser Interactive Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Smart Internet CRC Pty Limited
• Inventors: Apted, Trent
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, M Good
• Application Number:
  US12/677,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20100295869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,462 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/633
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition

Abstract

The present invention provides system for capturing displayed digital images. The system includes a selection tool utilisable by a user to select at least one portion of at least one displayed image; and, a capture routine arranged to reproduce the selected portion. If the selection tool selects only a portion of one image, then the captured image is sourced from a secondary storage source and if the selection tool selects more than one portion of one image, then the captured image is sourced from a primary storage source.

Claims

1. A system for capturing and reproducing a portion of a digital image comprising:

a user interface containing at least one displayed image; and

a selection tool utilisable by a user to select at least a portion of the at least one displayed image for reproduction; and

a capture routine arranged to retrieve digital data representing the selected portion of the at least one displayed image, wherein;

if the selected portion of the at least one displayed image is wholly contained within one image, then the digital data defining the selected portion is sourced from a secondary storage source, the image data in the secondary storage source being both an original digital image file and stored in a non-volatile storage source at a resolution higher than the displayed image, and

if the selection tool selects a portion of the at least one displayed image which is not wholly contained within one image, then the digital data defining the selection portion is sourced from a primary storage source that stores data as displayed on the user interface, the image data in the primary storage source having a resolution equal to that of the displayed image; and

a reproduction tool to reproduce the selected portion of the at least one displayed image from the retrieved digital data.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the selection tool is a frame arranged to define a selection area.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the user defined selection tool is resizable.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the selection tool is rotatable.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the capture routine provides feedback to the user.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback is in the form of a visual animation.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback is in the form of an audio signal.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the primary storage is a frame buffer memory.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the secondary storage is a hard disk.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the capture routine is arranged to execute on a plurality of threads.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the digital data defining the selected portion is further processed by changing the size or orientation of a viewport relating to the image.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein the digital data defining the selected portion is rendered by anisotropic texture filtering.

13. A system for capturing digital images comprising a computer unit, the computer unit implementing a system according to claim 1.

14. One or more computer storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, implement a method according to claim 1.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein the primary storage source is a frame buffer.

16. A method for capturing displayed digital images comprising:

utilising a selection tool to select at least one portion of at least one image for reproduction; and

initiating a capture routine arranged to retrieve digital data representing the selected portion of the at least one image, wherein;

if the selected portion of the at least one image is wholly contained within one image, then the digital data defining the selected portion is sourced from a secondary storage source, the image data in the secondary storage source being both an original digital image file and being stored in a non-volatile storage source at a resolution higher than that of the displayed image, and

if the selection tool selects a portion of the at least one image which is not wholly contained within one image, then the digital data defining the selected portion is sourced from a primary storage source that stores data as displayed on the user interface, the image data in the primary storage source having a resolution equal to that of the displayed image; and

a reproduction tool to reproduce the selected portion of the at least one image from the retrieved digital data.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the selection tool is a frame arranged to define a selection area.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the user defined selection tool is resizable.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein the selection tool is rotatable.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein the capture routine provides feedback to the user.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the feedback is in the form of a visual animation.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein the feedback is in the form of an audio signal.

23. A method according to claim 16, wherein the primary storage is a frame buffer memory.

24. A method according to claim 16, wherein the secondary storage is a hard disk.

25. A method according to claim 16, wherein the capture routine is arranged to execute on a plurality of threads.

26. A method according to claim 16, wherein the digital data defining the selected portion is further processed by changing the size or orientation of a viewport relating to the image.

27. A method according to claim 16, wherein the digital data defining the selected portion can be rendered by anisotropic filtering.

28. One or more computer storage devices having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, implement a method according to claim 16.

29. A system for capturing digital images comprising a computer unit, the computer unit implementing a system according to claim 16.