Camera device

• US 9,894,344 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• 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:
  US13/954,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 715864, 396376, 396323
• 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 cameras and a touchscreen user interface configured to concurrently display first and second buttons and a real time image captured by the selected one of the cameras. The first button is operable for selecting between the first and second cameras, and the second button is operable for taking a picture using the selected one of the cameras.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

first and second cameras;

a memory for storing one or more pictures;

a touchscreen; and

processing circuitry in communication with the first and second cameras, the memory and the touchscreen, the processing circuitry configured to provide a user interface for the device comprising concurrent display of real time image continuously captured by one of the cameras and a plurality of touch images,

wherein the plurality of touch images includes fixed touch images and scrollable touch images,

wherein the plurality of touch images includes at least a first touch image operable for zoom in/out operations, a second touch image operable for taking a picture using at least one of the first and second cameras; and

a third 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 at least the second and third touch images and displaying the picture corresponding to the thumbnail, and

wherein the user interface is configured so that the real time image is displayed regardless of the scrolling of the scrollable touch images.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second touch image is located adjacent an edge of the user interface.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the second touch image is horizontally centered.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the real time image is horizontally centered.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first camera and the second camera face in opposite directions.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

wireless communication circuitry.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the wireless communication circuitry includes first and second wireless modules.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

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

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanical button located on a side surface of the device.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed touch images include two or more linearly-arranged fixed touch images.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scrollable touch images include two more linearly-arranged scrollable touch images.

17. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scrollable touch images are scrollable in response to a touch input to the touchscreen.

18. The device according to claim 1, wherein the scrollable touch images are scrollable in response to an input to the touchscreen while display of the real time image is updated.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein scrollable touch images are disposed between fixed touch images and the real time image.

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

concurrently displaying a real time image continuously captured by one of the cameras and a plurality of touch images, wherein the plurality of touch images includes fixed touch images and scrollable touch images and wherein the plurality of touch images includes a first touch image operable for zoom in/out operations, a second touch image operable for taking a picture using at least one of the first and second cameras; and

a third 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 at least the second and third touch images and displaying the picture corresponding to the thumbnail; and

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

wherein the real time image is displayed regardless of the scrolling of the scrollable touch images.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the second touch image is located adjacent an edge of the user interface.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 12, wherein the second touch image is horizontally centered.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the real time image is horizontally centered.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the fixed touch images include two or more linearly-arranged fixed touch images.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the scrollable touch images include two or more linearly-arranged scrollable touch images.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the scrollable touch images are scrollable in response to a touch input to the touchscreen.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the scrollable touch images are scrollable in response to an input to the touchscreen while display of the real time image is updated.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein scrollable touch images are disposed between fixed touch images and the real time image.

25. A device, comprising:

first and second cameras;

a memory for storing one or more pictures;

a touchscreen; and

processing circuitry in communication with the first and second cameras, the memory and the touchscreen, the processing circuitry configured to provide a user interface for the device comprising concurrent display of a real time image continuously captured by one of the cameras and a plurality of touch images,

wherein the plurality of touch images includes at least a first touch image operable for zoom in/out operations, a second touch image operable for taking a picture using at least one of the first and second cameras;

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

a fourth 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 at least the second, third and fourth touch images and displaying the picture corresponding to the thumbnail,

wherein the plurality of touch images includes fixed touch images and scrollable touch images, and

wherein a linear arrangement of scrollable touch images is disposed between a linear arrangement of fixed touch images and the real time image.

26. The device according to claim 25, wherein the fourth touch image is operable for ending display of the real time image and the first, second, third and fourth touch images and displaying the picture corresponding to the thumbnail.

27. The device according to claim 25, wherein the second touch image is centered along an edge of the user interface.

28. The device according to claim 25, wherein the scrollable touch images are scrollable in response to an input to the touchscreen while display of the real time image is updated.

29. The device according to claim 25, wherein the real time image is displayed regardless of the scrolling of the scrollable touch images.

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

concurrently displaying a real time image continuously captured by one of the cameras and a plurality of touch images, wherein the plurality of touch images includes a first touch image operable for zoom in/out operations, a second touch image operable for taking a picture using at least one of the first and second cameras;

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

a fourth 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 at least the second, third and fourth touch images and displaying the picture corresponding to the thumbnail, wherein the plurality of touch images includes fixed touch images and scrollable touch images, and wherein a linear arrangement of scrollable touch images is disposed between a linear arrangement of fixed touch image and the real time image; and

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

31. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein the fourth touch image is operable for ending display of the real time image and the first, second, third and fourth touch images and displaying the picture corresponding to the thumbnail.

32. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein the second touch image is centered along an edge of the user interface.

33. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein the scrollable touch images are scrollable in response to an input to the touchscreen while display of the real time image is updated.

34. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 30, wherein the real time image is displayed regardless of the scrolling of the scrollable touch images.