Single-control image-taking apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable apparatus comprising:
- a volume control element primarily dedicated to lowering the volume of an audio signal,a volume control element primarily dedicated to increasing the volume of an audio signal,a microprocessor, anda camera,said microprocessor being adapted to switch between different user interaction states, andsaid microprocessor further being adapted so that in some of said user interaction states a first actuation of one of said volume control elements locks an image-taking parameter of said camera and a subsequent actuation of said volume control element causes a different predetermined action not related to changing said volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to one embodiment, an image-taking apparatus wherein a first actuation of a control element locks image-taking parameters and a subsequent actuation of this control element causes a picture to be taken. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a cellular telephone equipped with a camera wherein a first press on the volume up button locks focus and exposure. The photographer can then recompose the picture according to the ‘half-press’ technique and take a picture with a subsequent press on the volume up button. Other embodiments are described.
25 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A portable apparatus comprising:
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a volume control element primarily dedicated to lowering the volume of an audio signal, a volume control element primarily dedicated to increasing the volume of an audio signal, a microprocessor, and a camera, said microprocessor being adapted to switch between different user interaction states, and said microprocessor further being adapted so that in some of said user interaction states a first actuation of one of said volume control elements locks an image-taking parameter of said camera and a subsequent actuation of said volume control element causes a different predetermined action not related to changing said volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A portable apparatus comprising:
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a volume control element primarily dedicated to lowering the volume of an audio signal, a volume control element primarily dedicated to increasing the volume of an audio signal, a microprocessor, and a camera, said microprocessor being adapted to switch between different user interaction states, and said microprocessor further being adapted so that in some of said user interaction states a first actuation of one of said volume control elements causes a predetermined action not related to changing said volume and a subsequent continuous actuation of said volume control element causes continuous taking of pictures by said camera, said predetermined action not being continuous taking of pictures by said camera. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A portable apparatus comprising:
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a volume control element primarily dedicated to lowering the volume of an audio signal, a volume control element primarily dedicated to increasing the volume of an audio signal, and a microprocessor, said microprocessor being adapted to switch between different user interaction states, and said microprocessor further being adapted so that in some of said user interaction states a first actuation of one of said volume control elements causes a first predetermined action not related to changing said volume and a subsequent actuation of said volume control element causes a second predetermined action not related to changing said volume, said second predetermined action being different from said first predetermined action, where actuating said volume control element for more than a predetermined time is taken as a subsequent actuation of said volume control element, and where said predetermined time is longer than the time required to complete said first predetermined action. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A machine-implemented method for controlling a software-implemented function on a portable apparatus, comprising:
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at least one processor controlling said apparatus observing actuation of a volume control element primarily dedicated to changing the audio volume on a portable device, contingent upon said device being in a state where a function other than changing said volume is desirable upon actuation of said volume control element, checking from state stored in electronic memory whether said actuation of said volume control element is to be taken as a first or as a subsequent actuation of said volume control element, locking an image-taking parameter of a camera if said actuation is to be taken as a first actuation, and executing a different predetermined software action not related to changing said volume if said actuation is to be taken as a subsequent actuation. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A machine-implemented method for controlling a software-implemented function on a portable apparatus, comprising:
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at least one processor controlling said apparatus observing actuation of a volume control element primarily dedicated to changing the audio volume on a portable device, contingent upon said device being in a state where a function other than changing said volume is desirable upon actuation of said volume control element, checking from state stored in electronic memory whether said actuation of said volume control element is to be taken as a first or as a subsequent actuation of said volume control element, executing a predetermined software action not related to changing said volume and not being continuous taking of pictures if said actuation is to be taken as a first actuation, and taking pictures continuously by a camera for as long as said actuation lasts if said actuation is to be taken as a subsequent actuation. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A machine-implemented method for controlling a software-implemented function on a portable apparatus, comprising:
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at least one processor controlling said apparatus observing actuation of a volume control element primarily dedicated to changing the audio volume on a portable device, contingent upon said device being in a state where a function other than changing said volume is desirable upon actuation of said volume control element, checking from state stored in electronic memory whether said actuation of said volume control element is to be taken as a first or as a subsequent actuation of said volume control element, executing a predetermined software action not related to changing said volume if said actuation is to be taken as a first actuation, and executing a different predetermined software action not related to changing said volume if said actuation is to be taken as a subsequent actuation, wherein an actuation of said volume control element for more than a predetermined time is taken as a subsequent actuation and where said predetermined time is longer than the time required to complete said predetermined software action caused by said first actuation of said volume control element. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. An apparatus comprising:
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a camera and at least one binary control element, said binary control element being characterized by having exactly two mutually exclusive user interaction states, actuated and non-actuated, and being adapted so that an actuation by a user transitions said binary control element from said non-actuated state to said actuated state, wherein a first actuation of said binary control element locks at least one image-taking parameter of said camera and a subsequent actuation of said binary control element causes a picture to be taken by said camera using said image-taking parameter locked by said first actuation, and wherein actuating said binary control element for more than a predetermined time is taken as a subsequent actuation. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method for controlling image-taking parameters and triggering the taking of an image by a camera using at least one binary control element:
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said binary control element being characterized by having exactly two mutually exclusive user interaction states, actuated and non-actuated, and being adapted so that an actuation by a user transitions said binary control element from said non-actuated state to said actuated state, wherein a first actuation of said binary control element locks at least one image-taking parameter of said camera and a subsequent actuation of said binary control element causes a picture to be taken by said camera using said image-taking parameter locked by said first actuation, and wherein actuating said binary control element for more than a predetermined time is taken as a subsequent actuation. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification