System and method for providing haptic feedback to assist in capturing images

• US 9,507,420 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bergan, Charles Alfred, Tartz, Robert Scott, Taylor, Kirk Steven, Caskey, Mark Stirling, Arellano, Suzana
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US14/276,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20150334292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.11, 348/222.1, 348/333.02, 348/362, 348/169, 382/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10152 Varying illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing haptic feedback to assist in capturing images are presented. In some embodiments, a method for providing haptic feedback to assist in capturing images includes obtaining, via an image capture device, an ambient light measurement of an environment in which the image capture device is present. The method further includes detecting, via the image capture device, one or more objects within one or more image frames captured by the image capture device. The method also includes changing, via the image capture device, a manner in which haptic feedback is provided to a user of the image capture device, based at least in part on the obtained ambient light measurement and the detected one or more objects.

Claims

1. A method for providing a haptic feedback to assist in capturing images, comprising:

obtaining, via an image capture device, an ambient light measurement of an environment in which the image capture device is present;

detecting, via the image capture device, one or more objects within one or more image frames captured by the image capture device; and

changing, via the image capture device, a manner in which the haptic feedback is provided to a user of the image capture device, based at least in part on the obtained ambient light measurement and the detected one or more objects,

wherein the haptic feedback is either enabled or disabled, depending on the ambient light measurement,

wherein if the haptic feedback is enabled, the image capture device conveys at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image by using the haptic feedback, and

wherein if the haptic feedback is disabled, the image capture device conveys the at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image without using the haptic feedback.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting one or more objects comprises detecting a face within the one or more image frames captured by the image capture device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises increasing an intensity of the haptic feedback provided.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises changing a type of the haptic feedback provided.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises at least one of changing a frequency with which the haptic feedback is provided or changing a duration with which the haptic feedback is provided.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a location, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to an optimal location within the one or more image frames.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a size, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to a size of the one or more image frames.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the haptic feedback comprises at least one of tactile feedback, vibration feedback, electrostatic feedback, or thermal feedback.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a type of the haptic feedback is based at least in part on a quantity of the one or more detected objects.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtaining step is performed using one or more ambient light sensors within the image capture device.

11. An apparatus for providing a haptic feedback to assist in capturing images, comprising:

an image capture device configured to capture one or more image frames;

an ambient light sensor configured to obtain an ambient light measurement of an environment in which the apparatus is present; and

a processor coupled to the ambient light sensor and the image capture device, wherein the processor is configured to detect one or more objects within the one or more image frames; and

change a manner in which the haptic feedback is provided to a user of the apparatus, based at least in part on the obtained ambient light measurement and the detected one or more objects,

wherein the processor is configured to either enable or disable the haptic feedback, depending on the ambient light measurement,

wherein if the haptic feedback is enabled, the image capture device is configured to convey at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image by using the haptic feedback, and

wherein if the haptic feedback is disabled, the image capture device is configured to convey the at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image without using the haptic feedback.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the detecting one or more objects comprises detecting a face within the one or more image frames captured by the image capture device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises increasing an intensity of the haptic feedback provided.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises changing a type of the haptic feedback provided.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises at least one of changing a frequency with which the haptic feedback is provided or changing a duration with which the haptic feedback is provided.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a location, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to an optimal location within the one or more image frames.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a size, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to a size of the one or more image frames.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the haptic feedback comprises at least one of tactile feedback, vibration feedback, electrostatic feedback, or thermal feedback.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a type of the haptic feedback is based at least in part on a quantity of the one or more detected objects.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a speaker configured to provide audio feedback, concurrently with the haptic feedback, to the user of the apparatus.

21. An apparatus for providing a haptic feedback to assist in capturing images, comprising:

means for obtaining, via an image capture device, an ambient light measurement of an environment in which the image capture device is present;

means for detecting, via the image capture device, one or more objects within one or more image frames captured by the image capture device; and

means for changing, via the image capture device, a manner in which the haptic feedback is provided to a user of the image capture device, based at least in part on the obtained ambient light measurement and the detected one or more objects,

wherein the haptic feedback is either enabled or disabled, depending on the ambient light measurement,

wherein if the haptic feedback is enabled, the image capture device conveys at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image by using the haptic feedback, and

wherein if the haptic feedback is disabled, the image capture device conveys the at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image without using the haptic feedback.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for detecting one or more objects comprises means for detecting a face within the one or more image frames captured by the image capture device.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises at least one of means for increasing an intensity of the haptic feedback provided, means for changing a type of the haptic feedback provided, means for changing a duration of the haptic feedback provided, or means for changing a frequency with which the haptic feedback is provided.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a location, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to an optimal location within the one or more image frames.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a size, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to a size of the one or more image frames.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein a type of the haptic feedback is based at least in part on a quantity of the one or more detected objects.

27. A processor-readable non-transitory medium comprising processor readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

obtain, via an image capture device, an ambient light measurement of an environment in which the image capture device is present;

detect, via the image capture device, one or more objects within one or more image frames captured by the image capture device; and

change, via the image capture device, a manner in which the haptic feedback is provided to a user of the image capture device, based at least in part on the obtained ambient light measurement and the detected one or more objects,

wherein the haptic feedback is either enabled or disabled, depending on the ambient light measurement,

wherein if the haptic feedback is enabled, the image capture device conveys at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image by using the haptic feedback, and

wherein if the haptic feedback is disabled, the image capture device conveys the at least one item of information to assist the user in recording an image without using the haptic feedback.

28. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of claim 27 wherein the detecting one or more objects comprises detecting a face within the one or more image frames captured by the image capture device.

29. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of claim 27 wherein the changing the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided comprises at least one of increasing an intensity of the haptic feedback provided, changing a type of the haptic feedback provided, changing a duration of the haptic feedback provided, or changing a frequency with which the haptic feedback is provided.

30. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of claim 27 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a location, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to an optimal location within the one or more image frames.

31. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of claim 27 wherein the manner in which the haptic feedback is provided is changed based at least in part on a size, within the one or more image frames, of the detected objects relative to a size of the one or more image frames.

32. The processor-readable non-transitory medium of claim 27 wherein a type of the haptic feedback is based at least in part on a quantity of the one or more detected objects.