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US 6,191,818 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for generating a projectable subject viewfinder
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorDavid H. Koizumi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A subject viewfinder unit includes a viewfinding unit. The viewfinding unit projects a frame target upon receiving a projection signal. A timing unit is coupled to the viewfinding unit. The timing unit generates the projection signal in response to information regarding a timing of when an image sensor of a camera is accumulating charge to form video fields.
Claims29
A subject viewfinder unit, comprising:
- a viewfinding unit to project a frame target upon receiving a projection signal;
- a timing unit, coupled to the viewfinding unit, to generate the projection signal in response to information regarding a timing of when an image sensor of a camera is accumulating charge to form video fields, wherein the timing unit includes a projection timing unit that is programmable to effectuate a frequency of projection of the frame target.
A computer system, comprising:
- a bus;
- a processor coupled to the bus;
- a video camera, coupled to the bus, that includes a subject viewfinder unit to generate a projected target frame that operates as a viewfinder to allow an operator to determine the field of view of the video camera, wherein the subject viewfinder unit includes a viewfinding unit to project a frame target upon receiving a projection signal and a timing unit, coupled to the viewfinding unit, to generate the projection signal in response to information regarding a timing of when an image sensor of the video camera is accumulating charge to form video fields, wherein the timing unit includes a projection timing unit that is programmable to effectuate a frequency of projection of the frame target.
A method for generating a subject viewfinder, comprising:
- determining a timing of when an image sensor in a camera is allowed to accumulate charge to form a video field;
- generating a projection signal in response to the timing such that the projection signal is generated when the image sensor is not forming a video field, wherein the projection signal is generated in response to the timing and a determined frequency of projection of the frame target;
- and
- projecting a frame target in response to the projection signal.
1 more element
A subject viewfinder, comprising:
- a viewfinding unit, to project a frame target upon receiving a projection signal, wherein the viewfinding unit includes a light source unit to generate light upon receiving the projection signal, a mask unit, coupled to the light source unit, to define a frame target image, and a lens unit, coupled to the mask unit, to project the frame target image;
- and
- a timing unit, coupled to the viewfinding unit to define a frame target image, to generate the projection signal in response to information regarding a timing of when an image sensor of a camera is accumulating charge to form video fields.
A computer system, comprising:
- a bus;
- a processor coupled to the bus;
- a video camera, coupled to the bus, that includes a subject viewfinder unit to generate a projected target frame that operates as a viewfinder to allow an operator to determine the field of view of the video camera, wherein the subject viewfinder unit includes a viewfinding unit to project a frame target upon receiving a projection signal, that includes a light source unit to generate light upon receiving a projection signal, a mask unit, coupled to the light source unit, that includes a frame target image, and a lens unit, coupled to the mask unit, to project the frame target image, and a timing unit, coupled to the viewfinding unit, to generate the projection signal in response to information regarding a timing of when an image sensor of the video camera is accumulating charge to form video fields.
A method, comprising:
- determining a timing of when an image sensor in a camera is allowed to accumulate charge to form a video field;
- generating a projection signal in response to the timing such that the projection signal is generated when the image sensor is not forming a video;
- and
- projecting a frame target in response to the projection signal, including powering a light source directed on a mask with an image of a subject viewfinder, focusing a framing lens to coordinate its field of view with a field of view of the camera, and directing the image of the frame target through the framing lens.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.