Automatic image rotation in digital cameras
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorJonathan Kagle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A digital camera comprises a controller and an image sensor that digitally captures an image. The camera also includes an orientation sensor, such as a mercury switch, that that indicates orientation of the image sensor whenever an image is captured. When capturing an image, the controller is configured to format the image in a way that it will be correctly oriented when displayed. In one embodiment, the camera automatically rotates the digital image to correct for different orientations of the camera.
Claims15
A digital camera comprising:
- an image sensor that digitally captures images;
- an optical sensor that differentiates between landscape and portrait orientations of the image sensor when capturing images;
- the digital camera inserting an indicator in a captured image to indicate whether the image has been captured in a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation as differentiated by the optical sensor.
A digital camera comprising:
- an image sensor that digitally captures images;
- a gyroscopic device that differentiates between landscape and portrait orientations of the image sensor when capturing images;
- the digital camera inserting an indicator in a captured image to indicate whether the image has been captured in a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation as differentiated by the gyroscopic device.
A method of capturing a digital image using a digital camera, comprising:
- capturing an image from an image sensor;
- detecting orientation of the image sensor when capturing the image based on a user's contact with the digital camera;
- saving the image in a predefined format that includes an indicator of whether the image has been captured in a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation.
A method of capturing a digital image comprising:
- capturing an image from an image sensor;
- detecting orientation of the image sensor when capturing the image with an optical sensor;
- saving the image in a predefined format that includes an indicator of whether the image has been captured in a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation as detected by the optical sensor.
A method of capturing a digital image comprising:
- capturing an image from an image sensor;
- detecting orientation of the image sensor when capturing the image with a gyroscopic device;
- saving the image in a predefined format that includes an indicator of whether the image has been captured in a landscape orientation or a portrait orientation as detected by the gyroscopic device.
A digital camera comprising:
- an image sensor that digitally captures images;
- an orientation sensor that differentiates between landscape and portrait orientations of the image sensor based on a user's contact with the digital camera when capturing images.
A digital camera comprising:
- an image sensor that digitally captures images;
- a non-gravity-based orientation sensor that differentiates between landscape and portrait orientations of the image sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.