Back to results
US RE50,829 E1Granted
Techniques to automatically focus a digital camera
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsMatthew Crowley, Jeff Finkelstein, Richard Dellinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments are directed to techniques to automatically focus a digital camera. In one or more embodiments, a mobile electronics device may comprise a digital camera having a lens component and lens position component. A display may be coupled to the digital camera to reproduce an image with a first focal point. The digital camera may also include a focal point selection module coupled to the display to select a second focal point for the image and a focus control module coupled to the focal point selection module and the lens position component to provide focus control signals to the lens position component to focus the lens component on the second focal point. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Claims54
A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a lens component coupled to a lens position component;
- a touchscreen display to display an image having a first focal point;
- and
- one or more processors to provide:
- a focal point selection module to receive a user input of a first type to select a second focal point, the second focal point corresponding to a location on the image displayed on the touchscreen display;
- a focus control module coupled to the focal point selection module to provide one or more focus control signals to the lens position component in order to cause the lens position component to focus the lens component from the first focal point to the second focal point while the image is being displayed;
- a flash component coupled to a flash control module, wherein the flash control module is configured to select a flash level value representing a flash intensity for the flash component based on the second focal point;
- and
- wherein the one or more processors captures the image, based on the flash level value, in response to a second type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second type of user input being different than the first type of user input.
6 more elements
A method for operating a mobile device, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:
- displaying, on a touchscreen display, an image having a first focal point, the image being provided by a lens component;
- selecting a second focal point for the image in response to receiving a first type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second focal point corresponding to a location on the image displayed on the touchscreen display;
- focusing the lens component from the first focal point to the second focal point while the image is being displayed;
- selecting a flash level value representing a flash intensity for a flash component based on the second focal point;
- and
- capturing the image, based on the flash level value, in response to a second type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second type of user input being different than the first type of user input.
3 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
- displaying, on a touchscreen display, an image having a first focal point, the image being provided by a lens component;
- selecting a second focal point for the image in response to a first type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second focal point corresponding to a location on the image displayed on the touchscreen display;
- focusing the lens component from the first focal point to the second focal point while the image is being displayed;
- selecting a flash level value representing a flash intensity for a flash component based on the second focal point;
- and
- capturing the image, based on the flash level value, in response to a second type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second type of user input being different than the first type of user input.
3 more elements
A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a lens component;
- a touchscreen display to display an image having a first visual focal point;
- a directional microphone component;
- and
- one or more processors coupled to the lens component, the touchscreen display, and the directional microphone component, the one or more processors being configured to provide:
- a focal point selection module to select a second visual focal point and an audio focal point for the image, wherein the second visual focal point and the audio focal point correspond to different portions of the image;
- and
- a focus control module coupled to the focal point selection module to (i) provide focus control signals to the lens component in order to change a focus of the lens component from the first visual focal point to the second visual focal point, and (ii) provide focus control signals to the directional microphone component in order to focus the directional microphone component on a target, in the image, of the audio focal point, while continuing to display the image on the touchscreen display.
5 more elements
A mobile electronic device, comprising:
- a lens component coupled to a lens position component;
- a directional microphone component coupled to a microphone position component;
- a touchscreen display to display an image having a first focal point, the image being a substantially real-time preview of a view through the lens component;
- and
- one or more processors to provide:
- a focal point selection module to receive a user input of a first type to select a second focal point, the second focal point corresponding to a location on the image displayed on the touchscreen display, wherein the focal point selection module is operative to provide information regarding the second focal point responsive to the user input of the first type to zoom in or out on an object;
- a focus control module coupled to the focal point selection module to provide one or more focus control signals to the lens position component in order to cause the lens position component to automatically focus the lens component from the first focal point to the second focal point while the image is being displayed as the substantially real-time preview of the view through the lens component, wherein the focus control module is configured to provide focus control signals to the microphone position component to focus the directional microphone component on the second focal point, wherein the focus control module if operative to provide control signals corresponding to a change in focal length for lens elements of the lens component responsive to the user input of the first type to the lens position component, and wherein the lens position component is operative, based on the control signals, to zoom in or out on the object and focus the lens component on the second focal point while the image is being displayed;
- a flash control module coupled to a flash component, wherein the flash control module is configured to select a flash level value representing a flash intensity for the flash component based on the second focal point;
- and
- wherein the one or more processors captures the image, based on the flash lever value, in response to a second type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second type of user input being different than the first type of user input.
7 more elements
A method for operating a mobile device, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:
- displaying, on a touchscreen display, an image having a first focal point, the image being provided by a lens component as a substantially real-time preview of a view through the lens component;
- selecting a second focal point for the image in response to receiving a first type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second focal point corresponding to a location on the image displayed on the touchscreen display;
- providing information regarding the second focal point responsive to the user input of the first type to zoom in or out on an object;
- providing control signals corresponding to a change in focal length for lens elements of the lens component responsive to the user input of the first type to a lens position component;
- zooming in or out on the object and focusing the lens component on the second focal point, based on the control signals, while the image is being displayed;
- automatically focusing the lens component from the first focal point to the second focal point while the image is being displayed as the substantially real-time preview of the view through the lens component, wherein focusing the lens component on the second focal point includes focusing a directional microphone component on the second focal point;
- selecting a flash level value representing a flash intensity for a flash component based on the second focal point;
- and
- capturing the image, based on the flash level value, in response to a second type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second type of user input being different than the first type of user input.
6 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
- displaying, on a touchscreen display, an image having a first focal point, the image being provided by a lens component as a substantially real-time preview of a view through the lens component;
- selecting a second focal point for the image in response to a first type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second focal point corresponding to a location on the image displayed on the touchscreen display;
- providing information regarding the second focal point responsive to the user input of the first type to zoom in or out on an object;
- providing control signals corresponding to a change in focal length for lens elements of the lens component responsive to the user input of the first type to a lens position component;
- zooming in or out on the object and focusing the lens component on the second focal point, based on the control signals, while the image is being displayed;
- automatically focusing the lens component from the first focal point to the second focal point while the image is being displayed as the substantially real-time preview of the view through the lens component, wherein focusing the lens component on the second focal point includes focusing a directional microphone component on the second focal point;
- selecting a flash level value representing a flash intensity for a flash component based on the second focal point;
- and
- capturing the image, based on the flash level value, in response to a second type of user input on the touchscreen display, the second type of user input being different than the first type of user input.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.