Camera tap switch

• US 9,066,007 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chau, Seang Y., Luong, Alda Yuk Ying, Williams, Jason, Lammers, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, WB
• Application Number:
  US13/871,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 396 52- 54, 396/297, 396/420, 396/423, 348/208.16
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a wearable camera that can be worn by a user. The wearable camera includes an accelerometer that can be used to detect camera motion. Input can be provided to the camera in the form of one or more taps which have an associated motion profile, as sensed by the accelerometer. The tap or taps can be mapped to camera functionality to activate the functionality.

Claims

1. A wearable device comprising:

a housing, the housing comprising a dedicated tap area having characteristics to facilitate detection of taps to the dedicated tap area;

a camera lens supported by the housing and configured to enable capture of image data;

a fastening device on the housing and configured to enable the wearable device to be worn by a user;

a motion detector configured to receive one or more motion inputs;

a processor configured to;

ascertain whether the one or more motion inputs are a tap or taps to the dedicated tap area, respectively;

responsive to the one or more motion inputs being a tap or taps to the dedicated tap area, access a camera functionality that is associated with the tap or taps; and

activate the camera functionality.

2. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer.

3. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer and wherein the processor is configured to ascertain whether the one or more motion inputs are a tap or taps by analyzing the accelerometer data to ascertain whether a profile associated with the one or more motion inputs matches or resembles one or more stored tap profiles.

4. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the camera functionality comprises functionality enabling video to be bookmarked.

5. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to enable the wearable device to enter a camera mode that enables video to be automatically captured.

6. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to enable the wearable device to enter a camera mode that enables video to be automatically captured and wherein the camera functionality comprises functionality enabling the video to be bookmarked.

7. The wearable device of claim 1, wherein different tap patterns are mapped to different camera functionalities.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

entering a camera mode that enables video to be automatically captured;

receiving, with a wearable device, one or more motion inputs;

ascertaining whether the one or more motion inputs are a tap or taps, respectively;

responsive to the one or more motion inputs being a tap or taps, accessing a camera functionality that enables the automatically captured video to be bookmarked, the camera functionality associated with the tap or taps; and

activating the camera functionality.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said ascertaining is performed using an accelerometer on the wearable device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said ascertaining is performed by:

detecting the one or more motion inputs using an accelerometer;

producing associated accelerometer data; and

analyzing the accelerometer data to ascertain whether a profile associated with the one or more motion inputs matches or resembles one or more stored tap profiles.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the wearable device is configured to be worn on a location other than a user'"'"'s clothing.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein different patterns are mapped to different camera functionalities.

13. A wearable device comprising:

a housing;

a camera lens supported by the housing and configured to enable capture of image data;

a fastening device on the housing and configured to enable the wearable device to be worn by a user;

an accelerometer configured to receive one or more motion inputs;

a microphone configured to enable a noise profile associated with the one or more motion inputs to be created;

a processor configured to;

ascertain, using the accelerometer and the microphone, whether the one or more motion inputs are a tap or taps, respectively by;

analyzing accelerometer data of the one or more motion inputs to ascertain whether a profile associated with the one or more motion inputs matches or resembles one or more stored tap profiles; and

responsive to determining that the profile associated with the one or more motion inputs matches or resembles one or more stored tap profiles, analyzing microphone data associated with the one or more motion inputs to ascertain whether the noise profile associated with the one or more motion inputs matches or resembles one or more stored noise tap profiles;

responsive to the one or more motion inputs being a tap or taps, access a camera functionality that is associated with the tap or taps; and

activate the camera functionality, wherein the camera functionality includes functionality enabling the video to be bookmarked.

14. The wearable device of claim 13, wherein the fastening device is configured to enable the wearable device to be mounted on clothing.

15. The wearable device of claim 13, wherein the fastening device is configured to enable the wearable device to be mounted on a location other than a user'"'"'s clothing.

16. The wearable device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to enable the wearable device to enter a camera mode that enables video to be automatically captured.

17. The wearable device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to enable the wearable device to enter a camera mode that enables video to be automatically captured.

18. The wearable device of claim 13, wherein the housing includes a dedicated tap area having characteristics to facilitate detection of taps to the dedicated tap area.