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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
A digital camera that provide for an efficient technique for locating
photographs stored in a data storage device. The digital camera
comprises a display, a memory device for storing digital photographs,
a navigation device, and processing circuitry coupled to the display,
memory device and navigation device. Firmware runs on the processing
circuitry and implements a user interface in conjunction with the
navigation device and display. The firmware displays a bar graph
and a marker on the display identifying the relative location of
a currently displayed photograph, and configures the navigation
device to selectively move the marker left and right along the bar
graph to locate photographs stored in the memory device.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
1. A digital camera comprising: a display; a memory device for storing
digital photographs; a navigation device; processing circuitry coupled
to the display, memory device and navigation device; and firmware
that runs on the processing circuitry and that implements a user
interface in conjunction with the navigation device and display,
for displaying a bar graph and a marker 18 on the display identifying
the relative location of a currently displayed photograph, and for
configuring the navigation device to selectively move the marker
left and right along the bar graph to locate photographs stored
in the memory device.
2. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the navigation
device comprises a cursor pad.
3. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the navigation
device comprises a thumbwheel.
4. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware configures
the navigation device to accelerate in a particular direction if
the navigation device is held down.
5. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware configures
the navigation device to step one photograph at a time in a particular
direction if the navigation device is pressed a single time.
6. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware configures
the cursor pad to accelerate in a particular direction if the cursor
pad is held down.
7. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware configures
the cursor pad to step one photograph at a time in a particular
direction if the cursor pad is pressed a single time.
8. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware configures
the thumbwheel to accelerate in a particular direction if the thumbwheel
is rotated in a particular direction and held down.
9. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware configures
the thumbwheel to step one photograph at a time in a particular
direction if the thumbwheel is rotated a single time.
10. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware
displays the photograph at the current position of the marker on
the display if the navigation device is left stable for a predetermined
amount of time.
11. The digital camera recited in claim 1 wherein the firmware
removes the bar graph from the display after a time period with
no input stimulus.
12. A method comprising: providing a digital recording device comprising
a display, a memory device for storing digital photographs, a navigation
device, processing circuitry coupled to the display, memory device
and navigation device, and firmware that runs on the processing
circuitry and that implements a user interface in conjunction with
the navigation device and display, for displaying a bar graph and
a marker on the display identifying the relative location of a currently
displayed photograph, and for configuring the navigation device
to selectively move the marker left and right along the bar graph
to locate photographs stored in the memory device; displaying the
bar graph and the marker on the display identifying the relative
location of a currently displayed photograph; configuring the navigation
device to selectively move the marker left and right along the bar
graph to locate photographs stored in the memory device; and moving
the marker left or right along the bar graph using the navigation
device to selectively display different photographs.
13. The method recited in claim 12 wherein if the user holds down
a direction button 34a on the navigation device 34, the marker accelerates
in that direction.
14. The method recited in claim 12 wherein if the user presses
the button a little at a time, the marker 18 moves a photograph
at a time.
15. A digital camera comprising: display means; memory means for
storing digital photographs; navigation means; processing means
coupled to the display, memory device and navigation device; and
firmware that runs on the processing means and that implements a
user interface in conjunction with the navigation device and display,
for displaying a bar graph and a marker on the display identifying
the relative location of a currently displayed photograph, and for
configuring the navigation means to selectively move the marker
left and right along the bar graph to locate photographs stored
in the memory means.
16. The digital camera recited in claim 15 wherein the firmware
configures the navigation means to accelerate in a particular direction
if the navigation means is held down.
17. The digital camera 10 recited in claim 15 wherein the firmware
configures the navigation means to step one photograph at a time
in a particular direction if the navigation means is pressed a single
time.
18. The digital camera 10 recited in claim 15 wherein the firmware
configures a cursor pad to accelerate in a particular direction
if the cursor pad is held down.
19. The digital camera recited in claim 15 wherein the firmware
configures a cursor pad to step one photograph at a time in a particular
direction if the cursor pad is pressed a single time.
20. The digital camera recited in claim 15 wherein the firmware
configures a thumbwheel to accelerate in a particular direction
if the thumbwheel is rotated in a particular direction and held
down.
21. The digital camera recited in claim 15 wherein the firmware
configures a thumbwheel to step one photograph at a time in a particular
direction if the thumbwheel is rotated a single time.
Digital Camera Patent Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to digital cameras.
BACKGROUND
[0002] With data storage devices for digital cameras currently
exceeding one gigabyte, reviewing photographs stored on a storage
device is becoming very cumbersome. Prior digital cameras typically
allow a user to sequence through the photographs one at a time.
Also, some conventional digital cameras allow the user to roll over
from the last stored photograph back to the first photograph.
[0003] Other conventional cameras allow the user to specify a number
of thumbnail pictures that should be displayed on the viewfinder
(1, 2, 4, 9, for example). However, this approach requires the camera
to read the image data from the data storage device (memory card)
and format it appropriately for viewing. This is both time and power
consuming.
[0004] More particularly, because of the increasing density of
memory cards that are supported by these cameras, dealing with the
large amounts of data is becoming more difficult. On a 3.3 Megapixel
camera, a 512 Megabyte flash memory card can store well over 300
photographs. Nearly all camera's allow a user to sequence through
the photographs using a cursor pad or a roller thumb wheel. If the
memory card is full or nearly full, it is very time consuming and
cumbersome to sequence through the stored photographs one at a time.
Also, sequencing through the photographs requires a substantial
amount of battery power because the viewfinder is active and the
flash memory card is being actively read.
[0005] Thus, it is very desirable to allow the user to get to a
desired photograph quickly. It would be desirable to have a simple
and efficient way to navigate through the stored photographs using
a relative position index screen and a roller wheel or a cursor
pad.
SUMMARY
[0006] An embodiment of the present invention comprises a system
embodied in a digital camera that provide for an efficient technique
for locating photographs stored in a data storage device. The digital
camera comprises a display, a memory device for storing digital
photographs, a navigation device, and processing circuitry coupled
to the display, memory device and navigation device. Firmware runs
on the processing circuitry and implements a user interface in conjunction
with the navigation device and display. The firmware displays a
bar graph and a marker on the display identifying the relative location
of a currently displayed photograph, and configures the navigation
device to selectively move the marker left and right along the bar
graph to locate photographs stored in the memory device.
[0007] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, images are
not displayed until a user selects the relative location of the
image or images using a slider bar (bar graph). Then, after action
by the user, or after a short time delay, the image at that relative
location is displayed. This conserves considerable battery power
such as when still images of movie sequences, or still images from
a chain of still images, are displayed without delay in response
to the position of the marker relative to the slider bar (bar graph).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The various features and advantages of embodiments of the
present invention may be more readily understood with reference
to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate
like structural elements, and in which:
[0009] FIGS. 1a and 1b are rear and front views, respectively,
of an exemplary digital camera implemented in accordance with the
principles of the present invention for locating photographs stored
in a data storage device; and
[0010] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Referring to the drawing figures, FIGS. 1a and 1b are rear
and front views, respectively, of an exemplary digital recording
device 10 comprising a digital camera 10 implemented in accordance
with the principles of the present invention, along with an exemplary
user interface 50.
[0012] As is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the digital camera 10 comprises
a handgrip section 20 and a body section 30. The handgrip section
20 includes a power button 21 or switch 21 having a lock latch 22,
a record button 23, a strap connection 24, and a battery compartment
26 for housing batteries 27. The batteries may be inserted into
the battery compartment 26 through an opening adjacent a bottom
surface 47 of the digital camera 10.
[0013] As is shown in FIG. 1a, a rear surface 31 of the body section
30 comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) 32 (image display 32
or viewfinder 32), a rear microphone 33, a joystick or cursor pad
34 including a plurality of arrow buttons 34a (cursor pad buttons
34a), a zoom control dial 35, a plurality of buttons 36 for setting
functions of the camera 10 and implementing a user interface 50
(generally designated in FIG. 1a), and a video output port 37 for
downloading images to a computer, or connecting the camera 10 to
a television screen (TV), for example. As is shown in FIG. 1b, a
lens 41 or zoom lens 41 extends from a front surface 42 of the digital
camera 10. A front microphone 44 is disposed on the front surface
42 of the digital camera 10. A flash unit 45 is disposed adjacent
a top surface 46 of the digital camera 10.
[0014] An image sensor 11 is coupled to processing circuitry 12
(illustrated using dashed lines) that are housed within the body
section 30, for example. An exemplary embodiment of the processing
circuitry 12 comprises a microcontroller (.mu.C) 12 or central processing
unit (CPU) 12. The .mu.C 12 or CPU 12 is coupled to a nonvolatile
(NV) storage device 14, such as flash memory 14 (flash memory card
14), for example, and a high speed (volatile) storage device 15,
such as synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) 15, for
example.
[0015] The processing circuitry 12 (microcontroller (.mu.C) 12
or CPU 12) in the digital camera 10, embodies firmware 13 comprising
one or more photo navigation algorithms 13 in accordance with the
principles of the present invention. The firmware 13 is operative
to rapidly navigate through photographs stored in the flash memory
14 of the digital camera 10. Many currently-available digital cameras
10 have the ability to add additional memory 14 using memory cards
14 such as compact flash cards, secure digital cards, and Sony.RTM.
Memory Sticks, to name just a few. The density and memory size of
these memory cards 14 are becoming increasingly large. Thus, having
the ability to quickly and efficiently get to photographs stored
on a memory card 14 is very beneficial to the user. The concepts
of the present invention may best be described through an example.
[0016] A user wants to show a friend some photographs that were
taken on his or her digital camera 10. The camera 10 contains a
large memory storage card 14 that currently has 300 photographs
stored on it. The user knows that the photograph he or she wants
is probably stored somewhere in the middle of the card 14. He or
she brings up a preview screen on the image display 32 and selects
a "Quick Find" graphical mode.
[0017] The firmware 13 displays a bar graph 17 and a marker 18
on the display 32 identifying the relative location of a currently
displayed photograph, and configures a navigation device 34 (such
as the cursor pad 34) to selectively move the marker 18 left and
right along the bar graph 17 to locate photographs stored in the
memory device 14.
[0018] The "Quick Find" graphical mode displays the bar
graph 17 on the viewfinder 32 or display 32 and places the marker
18 on or adjacent to the bar graph 17 to show the relative location
of the current photograph. The user then moves the marker 18 left
or right along the bar graph 17 using the cursor pad 34 or a thumbwheel
35 (retasked zoom control dial 35). If the user holds a direction
button 34a down on the cursor pad 34, the marker 18 accelerates
in that direction. If the user lets up on the button 34a and presses
it a little at a time, the marker 18 moves a photograph at a time.
[0019] If the thumbwheel 35 is used, for example, single clicks
moves the marker 18 a photograph at a time, while fast rolls move
the marker 18 on the order of ten or more photographs at a time.
If the input device (cursor pad 34 or thumbwheel 35) is left stable
for a predetermined amount of time, then the camera 10 reads the
photograph at the current position of the marker 18 and displays
it on the viewfinder 32. After a longer time period with no input
stimulus, the "Quick Find" bar graph disappears.
[0020] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, images
are not displayed until the user selects the relative location of
the image or images using a slider bar 17 (bar graph 17). Then,
after action by the user, or after a short time delay, the image
at that relative location is displayed. This conserves considerable
battery power such as when still images of movie sequences, or still
images from a chain of still images, are displayed without delay
in response to the position of the marker relative to the slider
bar 17 (bar graph 17).
[0021] An advantage of the present invention is that navigating
through a large number of photographs is greatly improved and reduces
wear and tear on the input device, reduces power consumption, and
reduces the amount of time it takes to find the desired photograph.
[0022] For the purposes of completeness, FIG. 3 is a flow diagram
illustrating an exemplary method 70 in accordance with the present
invention. The exemplary method 70 is as follows.
[0023] A digital recording device 10 is provided 71 comprising
a display 32, a memory device 14 for storing digital photographs,
a navigation device 34, 35, processing circuitry 12 coupled to the
display, memory device and navigation device, and firmware 13 that
runs on the processing circuitry and that implements a user interface
50 in conjunction with the navigation device and display, for displaying
a bar graph 17 and a marker 18 on the display identifying the relative
location of a currently displayed photograph, and for configuring
the navigation device to selectively move the marker left and right
along the bar graph to locate photographs stored in the memory device.
[0024] A bar graph 17 and a marker 18 are displayed 72 on the display
32 identifying the relative location of a currently displayed photograph.
A navigation device 34 is configured 73 to selectively move the
marker 18 left and right along the bar graph 17 to locate photographs
stored in the memory device 14. A user moves 74 the marker 18 left
or right along the bar graph 17 using the navigation device 34.
[0025] Optionally, if the user holds 75 a direction button 34a
down on the navigation device 34, the marker 18 accelerates in that
direction. Optionally, if the user lets up on the button 34a and
presses 76 it a little at a time, the marker 18 moves a photograph
at a time.
[0026] If the thumbwheel 35 is used as the navigation device 34,
single clicks moves the marker 18 a photograph at a time, while
fast rolls move the marker 18 on the order of ten or more photographs
at a time. If the navigation device 34 (cursor pad 34 or thumbwheel
35) is left stable for a predetermined amount of time, then the
camera 10 reads the photograph at the current position of the marker
18 and displays it on the viewfinder 32. After a longer time period
with no input stimulus, the "Quick Find" bar graph disappears.
[0027] Thus, digital cameras have been disclosed that provide for
rapid location and display of photographs stored in a data storage
device. It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments
are merely illustrative of some of the many specific embodiments
that represent applications of the principles of the present invention.
Clearly, numerous and other arrangements can be readily devised
by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of
the invention. |