System and method for non-invasive conversion of film cameras into digital camera

• US 7,773,114 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Djung, Georgis, Nikolaos
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US11/727,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 429/429, 348/207.99, 348/239, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications

Abstract

A system and method for converting a film camera into a digital camera uses an electronic device placed in a space of the camera that normally contains film. The device includes an image sensing array arranged in optical communication with a lens of the camera when a shutter is open. An audio sensor is used to detect sounds within the camera, and an acoustic pattern recognizer with a built-in training mode is used to determine if the detected sounds correspond with the shutter operation. The image sensing array is switched into an image capture mode when the acoustic pattern recognizer determines that the shutter is being opened. When the shutter is opened, a read-out circuit captures multiple image frames from the image sensing array. An image processor associated with the image sensing array processes the captured images using advanced image processing algorithms.

Claims

1. A system for converting a film camera into a digital camera, comprising:

an image sensing array;

a read-out circuit coupled to the image sensing array;

a memory coupled to the read-out circuit for storing a digital picture derived from an image read-out from the image sensing array;

an audio sensor for detecting sounds within the camera;

an acoustic pattern recognizer that compares signals received from said audio sensor to determine if the signals correspond with acoustic patterns associated with shutter operation, said acoustic pattern recognizer having a training mode that can be used to develop a set of acoustic patterns associated with shutter operation based on signals from said audio sensor during said training mode; and

an image processor associated with said image sensing array and said read-out circuit, said image processor being operable to end an image capturing process,

wherein said image sensing array has a low power listening mode and an image capture mode and is configured to switch from said listening mode into said image capture mode when the pattern recognizer recognizes an acoustic pattern associated with shutter operation.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system is packaged to be contained in a space vacated in the absence of film.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said pattern recognizer comprises a preloaded set of known acoustic patterns for film cameras that are compared with signals received from said audio sensor.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein signals read out from said image sensing array during said training mode are used to determine when a shutter of the camera is open so that the acoustic patterns can be accurately associated with the shutter operation.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said read-out circuit is operable to capture more than one image frame from said image sensing array during a single opening of the film camera shutter.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said image processor is operable to identify and keep only valid images captured during the shutter opening.

7. The system according to claim 5, wherein said image processor is operable to apply super-resolution imaging to synthesize a high-resolution image from a sequence of low-resolution images captured during the shutter opening, to enhance an image captured during the shutter opening, and to compress and store an image captured during the shutter opening.

8. A system for converting a film camera into a digital camera, comprising:

an image sensing array;

a read-out circuit coupled to the image sensing array,

an image processor associated with said image sensing array and said read-out circuit, said image processor is operable to end an image capturing process; and

a memory coupled to the read-out circuit for storing a digital picture derived from an image read-out from the image sensing array;

said read-out circuit being operable to capture more than one image frame from said image sensing array during a single opening of a shutter of the film camera,

wherein said image processor is operable to apply super-resolution imaging to synthesize a high-resolution image from a sequence of low-resolution images captured during the shutter opening.

9. A system for converting a film camera into a digital camera, comprising:

an image sensing array;

a read-out circuit coupled to the image sensing array,

an image processor associated with said image sensing array and said read-out circuit, said image processor is operable to end an image capturing process; and

a memory coupled to the read-out circuit for storing a digital picture derived from an image read-out from the image sensing array;

said read-out circuit being operable to capture more than one image frame from said image sensing array during a single opening of a shutter of the film camera,

wherein said image processor is operable to identify and keep only valid images captured during the shutter opening, to synthesize a high-resolution image from a sequence of low-resolution images captured during the shutter opening, to enhance an image captured during the shutter opening, and to compress and store an image captured during the shutter opening.

10. A method of taking a digital picture with a film camera, comprising:

loading an electronic device comprising a memory unit and an image processor into a space vacated in the absence of film in the camera, and placing an image sensing array in optical communication with a lens of the camera when a shutter is open;

detecting sounds within the camera using an audio sensor; and

developing a set of acoustic patterns associated with shutter operation based on signals from the audio sensor and the image sensing array during a training mode after the electronic device is loaded into the film camera.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

detecting sounds within the camera using the audio sensor in a low power listening mode;

determining if the detected sounds correspond with the acoustic patterns developed during said training mode;

switching said image sensing array into an image capture mode when the detected sounds correspond with an acoustic pattern associated with shutter operation;

exposing the image sensing array upon opening the shutter;

reading the image sensing array to acquire image data;

processing the image data within the image processor; and

storing the image data in the memory unit.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein reading the image sensing array to acquire image data comprises reading more than one image frame from said image sensing array during a single opening of the shutter.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein processing the image data comprises processing the acquired image data to identify and keep only valid images captured during the shutter opening.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein processing the image data comprises applying super-resolution imaging to synthesize a high-resolution image from a sequence of low-resolution images captured during the shutter opening.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein processing the image data comprises enhancing an image captured during the shutter opening.