User established variable image sizes for a digital image capture device

A digital image capture device, comprising:

• a image sensor for capturing digital image data;
• at least one memory;
• a user interface including at least one display;
• and
• a processor coupled to the image sensor, the memory and the user interface, the processor programmed to perform functions of:
• allowing a user to specify a custom output size for an image about to be captured using the image capture device by specifying a value for one of an image dimension, an aspect ratio of the image, and a print size of the image;
• determining from the user-specified output size for the image a corresponding capture area of the image sensor;
• capturing sensor data corresponding only to the capture area of the image sensor;
• and
• processing the captured sensor data into the image of the user-specified output size.

A method for allowing a user to establish variable image sizes in an image capture device, comprising:

• prior to image capture, allowing the user to enter a custom output size for the image by specifying one of an image dimension, an aspect ratio of the image, and a print size of the image;
• in response to the user initiating an image capture, instructing the image sensor to only capture the pixels in the image sensor falling within the custom output size set by the user;
• and
• saving pixel data captured by the image sensor in an image file that has the pixel height and width specified by the custom output size.

A method for allowing a user to establish variable image sizes in a digital image capture device having an image sensor, comprising:

• allowing a user of the image capture device to specify a custom output size for an image about to be captured using the image capture device by specifying a value for one of an image dimension, an aspect ratio of the image, and a print size of the image;
• calculating a user-specified aspect ratio from the custom output size if not explicitly specified;
• calculating a largest area of the image sensor available having a same aspect ratio as the user-specified aspect ratio by:
• in response to the user-specified aspect ratio being greater than an aspect ratio of the image sensor, cropping top and bottom portions of the image sensor such that an aspect ratio of the cropped image sensor matches the user-specified aspect ratio;
• in response to the user-specified aspect ratio being equal to the aspect ratio of the image sensor, using the entire area of the sensor for image capture;
• and
• in response to the user-specified aspect ratio being less than an aspect ratio of the image sensor, cropping left and right side portions of the image sensor such that the aspect ratio of the cropped image sensor matches the user-specified aspect ratio;
• calculating a scaling factor from the cropped area of the image sensor by calculating a ratio of the custom output size and the cropped area of the image sensor;
• capturing sensor data corresponding only to the cropped area of the image sensor;
• and
• processing the captured sensor data into the image of the user-specified output size by interpolating and scaling the sensor data using the scaling factor.

A computer readable medium containing program instructions for a method and apparatus for allowing a user to establish variable image sizes in a digital image capture device having an image sensor, the program instructions for:

• allowing a user of the image capture device to specify a custom output size for an image about to be captured using the image capture device by specifying a value for one of an image dimension, an aspect ratio of the image, and a print size of the image;
• determining from the user-specified output size for the image a corresponding area of the image sensor that should be captured;
• capturing sensor data corresponding only to the determined sensor area;
• and
• processing the captured sensor data into the image of the user-specified output size.