System and method for setting an image capture device to an operational mode

• US 20050007467A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Campbell, David K., Battles, Amy E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,265,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method sets an image capture device to one of a plurality of available operational modes for the image capture device. The method comprises determining an angle of pitch orientation of the image capture device, and setting the image capture device to the one of the plurality of operational modes if the angle of pitch orientation is within a predetermined angle range associated with the one of the plurality of operational modes.

Claims

1. A method for setting an image capture device to one of a plurality of available operational modes for said image capture device, said method comprising:

determining an angle of pitch orientation of said image capture device; and

setting said image capture device to said one of said plurality of operational modes if said angle of pitch orientation is within a predetermined angle range associated with said one of said plurality of operational modes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of operational modes comprises an image capture mode and an image review mode.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

setting said image capture device to operate within said image capture mode when said angle of pitch orientation is not within said predetermined range.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

displaying a real-time image captured by said image capture device on a display when said image capture device is set to operate according to said image capture mode.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

setting said image capture device to said image review mode when said angle of pitch orientation is not within said predetermined range.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying an image stored in memory on a display when said image capture device is set to operate according to said image review mode.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining includes determining a value associated with a signal from a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMs) sensor.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said MEMs sensor includes at least one accelerometer to generate said signal.

9. An imaging device, comprising:

an image capturing component for creating a digital image from a received optical image;

a display for displaying an image;

a memory for storing a plurality of digital images;

a pitch orientation sensor for generating a signal related to a pitch angle of said imaging device;

user interface control logic for presenting, on said display, one of an image from memory and an image currently captured by said image capturing component in response to a signal from said pitch orientation sensor.

10. The imaging device of claim 9 wherein said user interface control logic determines whether said signal indicative of said pitch angle is within a predetermined range.

11. The imaging device of claim 10 wherein said user interface control logic presents, on said display, an image from memory when said signal indicative of said pitch angle is within a predetermined range.

12. The imaging device of claim 9 further comprising:

a user input control, wherein said user interface logic ceases to control said display in response to said signal indicative of said pitch angle in response to input received from said user input control.

13. The imaging device of claim 9 wherein said pitch orientation sensor is a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMs) sensor.

14. The imaging device of claim 13 wherein said MEMs sensor includes at least one accelerometer to generate said signal indicative of said pitch angle.

15. An imaging system, comprising:

means for capturing an image;

means for displaying an image;

means for storing images;

sensor means for determining an angle of pitch orientation of said system; and

control means for causing said means for displaying to display an image from said means for storing when said angle of pitch orientation is within a predetermined angle range.

16. The imaging system of claim 15 wherein said control means further causes said means for displaying to display an image currently captured by said means for capturing when said angle of pitch orientation is not within said predetermined angle range.

17. The imaging system of claim 15 further comprising:

an input means for receiving user input, wherein said control means ceases to operate in response to predefined input from said input means.

18. The imaging system of claim 15 wherein said sensor means determines a value associated with a signal from a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMs) sensor.

19. The imaging system of claim 18 wherein said MEMs sensor includes at least one accelerometer to generate said signal.

20. The imaging system of claim 19 wherein said signal is indicative of a distance between electrostatic plates.