Digital camera with ISO pickup sensitivity adjustment
OwnerRichard C. Calderwoodinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A digital imaging system such as a camera, in which the ISO sensitivity of a digital imaging sensor is dynamically adjusted in response to factors such as zoom, focal distance, available light, color of the image, charge status of the flash device, and so forth.
Claims58
An apparatus for use with a lens system, the apparatus comprising:
- an imaging pickup;
- first control logic including at least one of,
- zoom control logic for interacting with a zoom capability of the lens system,
- focus control logic for interacting with a focus capability of the lens system;
- and
- second control logic including ISO control logic for dynamically setting a sensitivity of the imaging pickup in response to data from the first control logic.
A digital camera comprising:
- a lens system including a zoom capability;
- a digital pickup in an optical pathway of the lens system;
- a zoom in button;
- a zoom out button;
- a shutter button;
- and
- control logic including,
- zoom control logic responsive to the zoom in button and the zoom out button to operate the zoom capability of the lens system,
- ISO control logic responsive to data from the zoom control logic to adjust a sensitivity of the digital pickup.
A method of setting an ISO sensitivity of a digital imaging pickup coupled to a lens system, the method comprising:
- receiving at least one of a zoom in control and a zoom out control;
- zooming the lens system to a zoom setting in response to the one of the zoom in control and zoom out control;
- setting the ISO sensitivity of the digital imaging pickup in response to the zoom setting.
A digital camera for use with a lens system that has zoom and focus capabilities, the digital camera comprising:
- a body;
- a zoom in control coupled to the body;
- a zoom out control coupled to the body;
- a shutter control coupled to the body;
- a range finder coupled to the body;
- a digital imaging pickup coupled to the body;
- and
- control logic including,
- zoom control logic responsive to the zoom in control and the zoom out control to operate the zoom capability of the lens system,
- focus control logic responsive to the range finder to operate the focus capability of the lens system,
- ISO control logic responsive to the zoom control logic to set an ISO sensitivity of the digital imaging pickup.
A method of operating a digital imaging system, the method comprising:
- receiving a zoom control input;
- zooming a lens in response to the zoom control input;
- finding a range in a scene viewed by the lens;
- focusing the lens to that range;
- measuring light in the scene;
- performing an ISO calculation based upon the zooming of the lens and further based upon at least one of the range and the light;
- setting an ISO sensitivity of a pickup in response to the ISO calculation;
- and
- activating the pickup to capture an image according to the set ISO sensitivity.
A method of operating a digital camera, the method comprising:
- dynamically adjusting an ISO sensitivity of a digital imaging pickup of the camera in response to,
- a camera setting, and,
- an environmental characteristic;
- and
- capturing an image with the digital imaging pickup using the dynamically adjusted ISO sensitivity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.