Method of operating a wearable lifelogging device

• US 9,800,782 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Narrative AB (Narrative US Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Narrative AB (Narrative US Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kallstrom, Martin, Hampusgard, Eric, Pizunski, Linus, Pantzare, Simon, Wesen, Bjorn
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoder, III, Chriss
• Application Number:
  US15/029,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• 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 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a method of operating a wearable life logging device comprising a data processing unit, a camera unit, and at least one motion sensor. The method comprises selectively operating the device in a take photo state, wherein a photo is captured by means of the camera unit, and selectively operating the device in a sleep state, wherein the camera unit is in a low power mode. The method further comprises causing the device to transition to the take photo state in response to a signal from the motion sensor.

Claims

1. A method of operating a device configured for automatic and continuous or intermittent capture of images comprising a data processing unit, a camera unit, and at least one motion sensor, the method comprising:

operating the device in a take photo state, wherein a photo is captured by means of the camera unit, and

operating the device in a sleep state, wherein the camera unit is in a low power mode,

operating the device in a ready state, wherein the data processing unit is in a lower power mode,

wherein causing the device to transition to the take photo state, while in the ready state, in response to a signal from the motion sensor, wherein the signal from the motion sensor represents a predetermined motion pattern, including a particular sequence of motions.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising causing the device to transition from the take photo state to the sleep state if the signal from the motion sensor is below a first threshold level and/or if a signal from the camera unit represents a light level lower than a predetermined second threshold value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device is caused to transition from the take photo state to the sleep state if the signal from the motion sensor has been below the first threshold value for a sufficient period of time and/or if the signal from the camera unit represents a light level lower than the first threshold value for a sufficient period of time.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising determining a direction of a gravity vector and causing the device to transition to the sleep state only if the gravity vector is within a predetermined range of directions.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the direction of the gravity vector within the predetermined range of directions indicates the device being put in a horizontal orientation.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, further comprising causing the device to transition from the take photo state to the ready state if the signal from the motion sensor is above the first threshold value and/or if the signal from the camera unit represents a light level higher than the second threshold value.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising operating the device in a snooze state, wherein the device checks at least one transition indicator.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising causing the device to transition-from the snooze state to the sleep state if the signal from the motion sensor is below a first threshold level or if the signal from the camera unit represents a light level lower than a predetermined second threshold value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the device is caused to transition from the snooze state to the sleep state if the signal from the motion sensor has been below the first threshold value for a sufficient period of time or if the signal from the camera unit represents a light level lower than the first threshold value for a sufficient period of time.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising causing the device to transition from the snooze state to the take photo state if the signal from the motion sensor exceeds the first threshold value and/or if the signal from the camera unit represents a light level higher than the second threshold value.

11. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising causing the device to transition from the sleep state to the snooze state if the signal from the motion sensor represents an absolute value larger than a third threshold level.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising increasing the third threshold level if a signal from the camera unit represents a light level lower than the predetermined second threshold level.

13. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising causing the device to transition from the sleep state to the snooze state in response to a clock signal.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining a direction of a gravity vector and causing the device to transition to the sleep state only if the gravity vector is within a predetermined range of directions.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the direction of the gravity vector being within the predetermined range of directions indicates the device being put in a horizontal orientation.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising causing the device to transition from the sleep state to the take photo state if the signal from the motion sensor represents a predetermined motion pattern, including a particular sequence of motions, and/or if the signal from the motion sensor exceeds a first threshold value.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising causing the device to transition from the ready state to the take photo state if the signal from the motion sensor represents a predetermined motion pattern, including a particular sequence of motions.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photo is a single photo, a sequence of photos or a video sequence.

19. A device configured for automatic and continuous or intermittent capture of images comprising a data processing unit, a camera unit, and at least one motion sensor, characterized in that the device is configured to perform the method as claimed in claim 1.