# US 8,542,990 B2 · Method and system for providing background blurring when capturing an image using an image capture device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,542,990 B2 - Document ID: US8542990B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/592,914 - Filed: 2012-08-23 - Published: 2012-12-13 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2006-06-29 - Assignees: Scenera Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Robert J. Sundstrom - Inventors: Robert J. Sundstrom - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542990B2 ## CPC - G03B 13/30: indicating depth of field - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract Background blurring is provided when capturing an image using an image capture device. Input is received for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device, the image including at least a subject and a background. The image capture device is automatically focused closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred responsive to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing background blurring when capturing an image using an image capture device, the method comprising: receiving input for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device, the image including at least a subject and a background; and responsive to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process, automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein receiving input for initiating an image capture process includes receiving input from a user interface of the image capture device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein receiving input for initiating an image capture process includes receiving input from an application associated with the image capture device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject comprises: determining a distance from the image capture device to the subject; determining, based on the determined subject distance, a focus distance that is less than the subject distance and that keeps the subject in the depth of field corresponding to the focus distance; and determining a focus value corresponding to the focus distance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein determining the distance from the image capture device to the subject includes determining the focus value based on an autofocus value for the subject distance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred includes determining a focus value based on at least one of an aperture setting, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of an aperture value, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth are preset in the image capture device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of an aperture value, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth are based on settings provided via a user interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject includes retrieving a focus value or a value used to determine the focus value from a table stored in a memory of the image capture device and cross-referenced to at least one of a distance between the subject and the image capture device, an aperture setting, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth. ### Claim 10 A system for providing background blurring when capturing an image using an image capture device, the system comprising: means for receiving input for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device, the image including at least a subject and a background; and means for automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred responsive to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process. ### Claim 11 A system for providing background blurring when capturing an image using an image capture device, the system comprising: an image capture initiator component configured for receiving input for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device, the image including at least a subject and a background; and a blurring function configured for automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred responsive to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the image capture device includes a user interface and the image capture initiator component is configured for receiving input from the user interface of the image capture device for initiating the image capture process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the image capture initiator component is configured for receiving input from an application associated with the image capture device for initiating the image capture process. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the blurring function is configured for automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject by: determining the distance from the image capture device to the subject; determining, based on the determined subject distance, a focus distance that is less than a subject distance and that keeps the subject in the depth of field corresponding to the focus distance; and determining the focus value corresponding to the focus distance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14 comprising an autofocus rangefinder function configured for providing the blurring function with the distance from the image capture device to the subject based on an autofocus value for the subject distance. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 comprising an autofocus rangefinder function configured for providing the blurring function with a distance from the image capture device to the subject based on an autofocus value for the subject distance, wherein the distance from the image capture device to the subject is used by the blurring function for determining the depth of field. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the blurring function is configured to determine the depth of field based on at least one of an aperture setting, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of an aperture value, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth are preset in the image capture device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein the image capture device includes a user interface and at least one of an aperture value, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth are based on settings provided via the user interface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11 wherein the image capture device includes a memory for storing a table for cross-referencing a focus value or a value used to determine the focus value to at least one of a distance between the subject and the image capture device, an aperture setting, a focal length, a circle of confusion, and a subject depth and the blurring function is configured to retrieve the focus value or the value used to determine the focus value from the table stored in the memory based on the cross-referencing for determining the depth of field. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a computer program for providing background blurring when capturing an image using an image capture device, the computer program comprising executable instructions for: receiving input for initiating an image capture process for capturing an image at an image capture device, the image including at least a subject and a background; and responsive to receiving the input for initiating the image capture process, automatically focusing the image capture device closer than the subject for capturing the image with the background blurred.