# US 2014/0152883 A1 · Image capturing device with touch screen for adjusting camera settings

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- Number: US 2014/0152883 A1
- Document ID: US20140152883A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/177,200
- Filed: 2014-02-10
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2009-06-05
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Jeremy Jones; Nikhil Bhogal; Ralph T. Brunner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152883A1

## CPC

- H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- H04N 5/772: {the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure}
- H04N 23/632: {for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters}
- H04N 23/635: {Region indicators; Field of view indicators}
- H04N 23/675: {comprising setting of focusing regions}
- H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time
- G06F 2203/04808: Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Several methods for operating a built-in digital camera of a portable, handheld electronic device are described. In one embodiment, the device receives a user selection (e.g., tap, tap and hold, gesture) of a region displayed on the display screen (e.g., touch sensitive screen). A touch to focus mode may then be initiated in response to the user selection and exposure and focus parameters determined and adjusted. Then, an automatic scene detection mechanism can determine whether a scene has changed. If the scene has changed, then the touch to focus mode ends and a default automatic focus mode initiates. This mode sets a new exposure metering area and focus area prior to determining and adjusting exposure and focus parameters, respectively.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-24. (canceled)

### Claim 25

A machine-implemented method for adjusting settings of a camera as the camera captures images, the camera comprising a touch-sensitive display screen for displaying images captured by the camera, the method comprising:
receiving a touch selection of a region on the display screen;
in response to the selection, specifying a focus area to monitor on the display screen;
automatically monitoring changes to pixel values, in the focus area, of images captured by the camera; and
based on the monitored changes to the pixel values, automatically adjusting at least one exposure parameter of the camera.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The machine-implemented method of claim 25, wherein one of the adjusted exposure parameters is an exposure time.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The machine-implemented method of claim 25, wherein one of the adjusted exposure parameters is an integration time.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The machine-implemented method of claim 25 further comprising displaying a contour surrounding the focus area on the touch sensitive screen.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The machine-implemented method of claim 25, wherein the camera and display screen are part of a hand-held device.

### Claim 30

An image capturing device, the image capturing device comprising:
a digital camera;
a touch sensitive screen coupled to the camera, wherein the screen is for displaying an image and receiving a touch selection of a region on the screen; and
a processing system coupled to the screen, wherein the processing system is for (i) automatically focusing on a focus area as indicated by the touch selection, and (ii) automatically adjusting exposure parameters for the image based on characteristics of pixels of the image within the focus area.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The image capturing device of claim 30, wherein the characteristics of the pixels comprise a brightness level of the pixels within the focus area.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The image capturing device of claim 30, wherein the digital camera has an image sensor.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The image capturing device of claim 32, wherein the exposure parameters for the image comprise an exposure time of the image generated by the image sensor.

### Claim 34 (depends on 32)

The image capturing device of claim 32, wherein the exposure parameters for the image comprise an integration time of the image generated by the image sensor.

### Claim 35

A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for execution by at least one processing unit of an electronic device, the electronic device having a built-in digital camera and a display screen for displaying captured images, the program comprising sets of instructions for:
receiving a selection of a region on the display screen;
specifying the selected region with an exposure metering area on the display screen;
monitoring pixel values, in the exposure metering area, of images captured by the camera in order to determine exposure parameters for the camera; and
adjusting the determined exposure parameters when the monitored pixel values remain within a predetermined range of pixel values.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 35, wherein the set of instructions for adjusting the determined exposure parameters further comprises a set of instructions for adjusting the exposure parameters according to a center weighted metering of the pixels within the exposure metering area.

### Claim 37 (depends on 35)

The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 35, wherein the pixel values comprise brightness values.

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 35, wherein the exposure parameters comprise exposure times.

### Claim 39 (depends on 35)

The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 35, wherein the exposure parameters comprise integration times.

### Claim 40 (depends on 45)

The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 45, wherein the set of instructions for specifying the selected region as the exposure metering area further comprises a set of instructions for determining a size and a location for the exposure metering area.