Camera device

• US 9,344,706 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nintendo Company Limited
• Inventors: Imaizumi, Masahiro, Masaki, Takako, Kuwahara, Masato, Koshiishi, Kazunori, Ehara, Yui
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): REISNER, NOAM S
• Application Number:
  US13/954,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 396/376, 396/323, 715/864
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1075 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/531 being rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability

Abstract

An example device includes first and second oppositely facing cameras and a user interface configured to concurrently display (i) a real time image captured by one of the first and second cameras and (ii) first, second and third buttons. The first button is operable for taking a picture using one of the cameras, the second button is operable for displaying a stored picture, and the third button is operable for switching between the first and second cameras.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

first and second oppositely facing cameras;

a memory for storing one or more pictures;

a touchscreen; and

a processing system in communication with the first and second cameras, the memory and the touchscreen, the processing system configured to provide a user interface for the device comprising concurrent display of (i) a real time image continuously captured by at least one of the first and second cameras; and

(ii) first, second and third touch images, the first touch image operable for taking a picture using at least one of the first and second cameras;

the second touch image comprising a thumbnail corresponding to a picture stored in the memory and being operable for ending display of the real time image and the first, second and third touch images and displaying, at substantially the same size as the real time image, among the one or more pictures stored in the memory, only the picture corresponding to the thumbnail; and

the third touch image operable for switching between the first and second cameras,

wherein the user interface is configured to zoom in/out on the real time image in response to a user input on the touchscreen when the real time image is displayed, and

wherein the user interface is configured to zoom in/out on the displayed picture in response to user input on the touchscreen when the picture corresponding to the thumbnail is displayed.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first touch image is horizontally centered.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program which, when executed by processing circuitry of a device including first and second oppositely facing cameras, a memory storing one or more pictures, and a touchscreen, causes the device to perform operations comprising:

displaying a real time image continuously captured by one of the first and second cameras;

displaying, concurrently with the real time image, first, second and third touch images, the first touch image operable for taking a picture using the one of the first and second cameras;

the second touch image comprising a thumbnail corresponding to a picture stored in the memory and being operable for ending display of the real time image and the first, second and third touch images and displaying, at substantially the same size as the real time image, among the one or more pictures stored in the memory, only the stored picture corresponding to the thumbnail; and

the third touch image operable for switching between the first and second cameras; and

taking a picture using the one of the first and second cameras in response to pressing the first touch image while the real time image is displayed,

wherein the operations further comprise zooming in/out on the real time image in response to a user input on the touchscreen when the real time image is displayed, and

wherein the operations further comprise zooming in/out on the displayed picture in response to a user input on the touchscreen when the picture corresponding to the thumbnail is displayed.

4. A device, comprising:

at least one camera;

a memory for storing one or more pictures;

a touchscreen; and

a processing system in communication with the at least one camera, the memory and the touchscreen, the processing system being configured to provide a user interface comprising concurrent display of first and second touch images and a real time image captured by the at least one camera, the first touch image operable for taking a picture using the at least one camera and the second touch image comprising a thumbnail corresponding to a picture stored in the memory and being operable for ending display of the real time image and the first and second touch images and displaying, at substantially the same size as the real time image, among the one or more pictures stored in the memory, only the picture corresponding to the thumbnail,

wherein the user interface is configured to zoom in/out on the real time image in response to a user input on the touchscreen when the real time image is displayed, and

wherein the user interface is configured to zoom in/out on the displayed picture in response to user input on the touchscreen when the picture corresponding to the thumbnail is displayed.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the user interface further comprises a third touch image displayed concurrently with the first and second touch images, the third touch image operable for switching from one camera to another.

6. The device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a microphone.

7. The device according to claim 4, further comprising:

wireless communication circuitry.

8. The device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a memory card connector for connecting to a memory card for storing pictures.

9. The device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one camera comprises first and second oppositely facing cameras.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the user interface further comprises a third touch image displayed concurrently with the first and second touch images, the third touch image operable for switching between the first and second cameras.

11. The device according to claim 4, wherein the first touch image is horizontally centered.

12. The device according to claim 4, further comprising a mechanical button located on a side surface of the device.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which, when executed by processing circuitry of a device including a camera, a memory for storing one or more pictures, and a touchscreen, controls the device to perform operations comprising:

concurrently displaying a real time image captured by the camera and first and second touch images, the first touch image operable for taking a picture using the camera and the second touch image comprising a thumbnail corresponding to a picture stored in the memory and being operable for ending display of the real time image and the first and second touch images and displaying, at substantially the same size as the real time image, among the one or more pictures stored in the memory, only the picture corresponding to the thumbnail; and

taking a picture using the camera in response to pressing the first touch image while the real time image is displayed,

wherein the operations further comprise zooming in/out on the real time image in response to a user input on the touchscreen when the real time image is displayed, and

wherein the operations further comprise zooming in/out on the displayed picture in response to user input on the touchscreen when the picture corresponding to the thumbnail is displayed.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the device includes multiple cameras and the operations further comprise:

displaying a third touch image displayed concurrently with the first and second touch images, the third touch image operable for switching from one camera to another.