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Digital Camera Patent Abstract
An apparatus and method for trimming a picture in a digital camera
are provided. A trimming apparatus in a digital camera having an
external window includes a black bar determiner which determines
a size of a black bar used to cover a part of the external window
based on ratio information of a printing paper received from a printer;
a picture changing unit which changes the size or position of a
picture, or both the size and position of the picture, based on
a user input signal to create a display picture on the external
window; and a coordinate determiner which determines coordinates
of the display picture based on the display picture and the size
of the black bar. The trimming apparatus and a trimming method make
it possible to fix an external window of a digital camera and move
a picture, thereby providing a user with an accurate way to select
a trimming picture.
Digital Camera Patent Claims
1. A trimming apparatus in a digital camera having an external window,
the trimming apparatus comprising: a black bar determiner which
determines a size of a black bar which covers a part of the external
window based on ratio information of a printing paper received from
a printer; a picture changing unit which changes at least one of
a size and a position of a picture based on a user input signal
to create a display picture on the external window; and a coordinate
determiner which determines a coordinate of the display picture
based on the display picture and the size of the black bar.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the black bar determiner forms
the black bar at an upper portion, a lower portion, or the upper
and lower portions of the external window, based on the ratio information
and a comparison of a length-to-width ratio of the external window.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the black bar determiner forms
the black bar at a right side, a left side, or the left and right
sides of the external window, based on the ratio information and
a comparison of a length-to-width ratio of the external window.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the picture changing unit
changes the size of the picture by zooming-in or zooming-out the
picture.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the picture changing unit
changes the position of the picture by moving the picture at least
one of up, down, left, and right.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coordinate determiner
generates a trimming coordinate value based on the size of the black
bar and a coordinate value of the display picture on the external
window.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein trimming coordinate values
are coordinates of a left upper vertex and a right lower vertex
of the display picture.
8. A trimming method in a digital camera having an external window,
the trimming method comprising: determining a size of a black bar
which covers a part of the external window based on ratio information
of a printing paper from a printer; changing at least one of a size
and a position of a picture based on a user input signal to create
a display picture on the external window; and determining a coordinate
of the display picture based on the display picture and the size
of the black bar.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the black bar is formed at an
upper portion, a lower portion, or the upper and lower portions
of the external window, based on the ratio information and a comparison
of a length-to-width ratio of the external window.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the black bar is formed at a
right side, a left side, or the left and right sides of the external
window, based on the ratio information and a comparison of a length-to-width
ratio of the external window.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the changing at least one of
the size and the position of the picture comprises changing the
size of the picture by zooming-in or zooming-out the picture.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the position of the picture
is changed by moving the picture at least one of up, down, left,
and right.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the coordinate
comprises generating a trimming coordinate value based on the size
of the black bar and a coordinate value of the display picture on
the external window.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein trimming coordinates are coordinates
of a left upper vertex and a right lower vertex of the display picture.
15. A digital camera comprising an external window and a trimming
apparatus, the trimming apparatus comprising: a black bar determiner
which determines a size of a black bar used to cover a part of the
external window based on ratio information of a printing paper received
from a printer; a picture changing unit which changes at least one
of a size and a position of a picture based on a user input signal
to create a display picture on the external window; and a coordinate
determiner which determines a coordinate of the display picture
based on the display picture and the size of the black bar.
16. The digital camera of claim 15, wherein the external window
is a liquid crystal display screen.
17. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon
a computer program for executing a trimming method, the trimming
method comprising: determining a size of a black bar which covers
a part of the external window based on ratio information of a printing
paper from a printer; changing at least one of a size and a position
of a picture based on a user input signal to create a display picture
on the external window; and determining a coordinate of the display
picture based on the display picture and the size of the black bar.
Digital Camera Patent Description
[0001] This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application
No. 10-2004-0095908, filed on Nov. 22, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual
Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein
in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention
relate to trimming a picture in a digital camera, and more particularly,
to easily trimming a picture displayed on a liquid crystal display
(LCD) of a digital camera.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Trimming generally includes selection, enlargement, and
printing of a desired part of a picture taken by a camera. Trimming
in a digital camera includes selecting a part of a picture displayed
on an external window of the digital camera, and printing the selected
part of the picture using a printer.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating conventional trimming performed
in a digital camera. Referring to FIG. 1, a full picture 120 is
displayed on an external window 110 of the digital camera. After
a user selects a trimming function, rectangular trimming blocks
130 and 140 are formed inside the external window 110. The user
then selects a trimming picture 150 by moving the rectangular trimming
blocks 130 and 140. The trimming picture 150 is specified using
trimming coordinates, which are geometrical coordinate values, e.g.,
coordinates of a left upper vertex and a right lower vertex.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional trimming
method. Referring to FIG. 2, the full picture 120 is displayed on
the external window 110 of the digital camera (Operation 210). The
user selects the trimming function of the digital camera in order
to generate the rectangular trimming blocks 130 and 140 inside the
external window 110 (Operation 220). Then the user selects the trimming
picture 150 by moving the rectangular trimming blocks 130 and 140
using a moving key of the digital camera (Operation 230). The digital
camera transmits trimming coordinate values that specify an image
file of the full picture 120 and the selected trimming picture 150
to a printer (Operation 240). The printer creates the picture by
image-processing the image file, and prints the trimming picture
150 specified by the trimming coordinate values in the created picture
on a predetermined printing paper.
[0008] According to the conventional trimming method, the external
window 110 of the digital camera displays the full picture 120,
while the trimming picture 150 is displayed as a part of the external
window 110. Therefore, it is difficult to select the trimming picture.
In particular, since the digital camera has a small-sized external
window (e.g., less than 2 inches), it is very difficult to accurately
select the trimming picture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention include a
trimming apparatus and a trimming method for fixing an external
window of a digital camera and moving a picture, thereby providing
a user with an accurate way to select a trimming picture.
[0010] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a trimming apparatus in a digital camera having an external
window, the trimming apparatus comprising: a black bar determiner
which determines a size of a black bar used to cover a part of the
external window based on ratio information of a printing paper received
from a printer; a picture which changing unit which changes a size
or a position of a picture, or both the size and the position of
the picture, based on a user input signal to create a display picture
on the external window; and a coordinate determiner which determines
coordinates of the display picture based on the display picture
and the size of the black bar.
[0011] The black bar determiner may form the black bar at an upper
portion, a lower portion, or the upper and lower portions of the
external window, based on the ratio information and a comparison
of a length-to-width ratio of the external window.
[0012] The black bar determiner may form the black bar at a right
side, a left side, or the left and right sides of the external window,
based on the ratio information and a comparison of the length-to-width
ratio of the external window.
[0013] The picture changing unit may change the size of the picture
by zooming-in or zooming-out the picture. The picture changing unit
may change the position of the picture by moving the picture up,
down, left, and/or right.
[0014] The coordinate determiner may generate a trimming coordinate
value using the size of the black bar and a coordinate value of
the display picture on the external window. The trimming coordinates
may be, for example, coordinates of a left upper vertex and a right
lower vertex of the display picture.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a trimming method in a digital camera having an external
window, the trimming method comprising: determining a size of a
black bar used to cover a part of the external window based on ratio
information of a printing paper from a printer; changing a size
or a position of a picture, or both the size and the position of
the picture, based on a user input signal to create a display picture
on the external window; and determining coordinates of the display
picture based on the display picture and the size of the black bar.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other aspects of the present invention will
become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments
thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating conventional trimming performed
in a digital camera;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional trimming
method;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a trimming apparatus
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a black
bar determiner, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation of a coordinate
determiner, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another operation of the
black bar determiner, according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0023] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a trimming method according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT
INVENTION
[0024] The present invention will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a trimming apparatus
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring
to FIG. 3, the trimming apparatus 300 comprises a black bar determiner
310, a coordinate determiner 320, and a picture changing unit 330.
The trimming apparatus 300 is embedded in a digital camera (not
shown).
[0026] The black bar determiner 310 determines a size 312 of a
black bar based on ratio information 302 secured from a printer
340. The ratio information 302 refers to a length-to-width ratio
of a printing paper used to print a picture. If the digital camera
supports a digital printing system (DPS), the ratio information
302 obtained from the printer 340 is included in printer information
transmitted from the printer 340 to the digital camera when the
digital camera and the printer 340 are connected to each other.
[0027] The black bar refers to a black window used to cover a portion
of an external window of the digital camera. The black bar is used
to intuitively display the size of the printing paper and a trimming
picture to be printed by a user. The black bar will be described
in more detail with reference to FIG. 4.
[0028] The picture changing unit 330 receives a user input signal
304 and a picture file 306, creates a picture using picture processing,
and changes the size and position of the created picture, as displayed
on the external window of the digital camera, based on the user
input signal 304 in order to create a display picture 332.
[0029] The size is changed by zooming-in or zooming-out the picture
on the external window of the digital camera using the picture file
306. The position is changed by moving up, down, left, and/or right
the picture on the external window of the digital camera using the
picture file 306. The user input signal 304 is used, for example,
to zoom-in, zoom-out, move up, move down, move left, and move right
the picture on the external window of the digital camera.
[0030] The coordinate determiner 320 determines trimming coordinates
322 based on the size 312 of the black bar and the display picture
332. The trimming coordinates 322 refer to coordinates that specify
the trimming picture and include, for example, coordinates of a
right upper vertex and a left lower vertex.
[0031] The printer 340 receives the picture file 306 and the trimming
coordinates 322 from the trimming apparatus 300, and creates and
prints the trimming picture based on the picture file 306 and the
trimming coordinates 322.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the black
bar determiner, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 4, a left picture illustrates a display
picture 425 on an external window 420 of the digital camera in a
full picture 410. A length-to-width ratio of the external window
420 is fixed when the digital camera is manufactured while a trimming
picture ratio is variable. Therefore, a black bar 450 is required
to display the trimming picture T having a ratio desired by the
user. The black bar 450 may be formed at an upper portion, a lower
portion, a left portion and/or a right portion of the external window
420.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 3, the black bar determiner 310 determines
a size d of the black bar 450 based on ratio information 302 from
the printer 340. The size d of the black bar 450 is a relative size
of the black bar 450 used to cover the external window 420 in order
to make the length-to-width ratio of the display picture 425 on
the external window 420 identical to a length-to-width ratio x:y
of the trimming picture T desired by the user.
[0034] If the length-to-width ratio of the external window 420
is 10.times.10, and the length-to-width ratio of the trimming picture
T desired by the user is 10.times.7, black bars are formed at the
top and bottom of the full picture 410 in which the size dh1 of
a top black bar 430 is 1.5, and the size dh2 of a bottom black bar
440 is 1.5.
[0035] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
the black bar 450 is formed at the top or the bottom of the full
picture 410. In this case, the size dh1 of the top black bar 430
is 3.0, and the size dh2 of the bottom black bar 440 is 0.0. Conversely,
the size dh1 of the top black bar 430 may be 0.0, and the size dh2
of the bottom black bar 440 may be 3.0.
[0036] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the coordinate
determiner, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the coordinate determiner 320 forms
the trimming coordinates 322 based on the size 312 of the black
bar and the display picture 332. The coordinate determiner 320 generates
a coordinate value determined using the size 312 of the black bar
and the coordinate value of the display picture 332 on the external
window as a trimming coordinate value.
[0037] A picture 510 is created using the picture file 306 and
a modified picture 530 is obtained by, for example, zooming-in the
picture 510. In this example, the modified picture 530 is larger
than the picture 510, and the position of the external window 520
changes as a moving key moves. The display picture 332 changes from
a first picture 550 to a second picture 560. Such change is identical
to a change of the external window 420 from a first position 520
to a second position 540.
[0038] The trimming picture T is the display picture 560 at the
second position 540 and does not include the black bar in the display
picture 560.
[0039] The trimming picture T is specified using a coordinate system
to indicate the position of a pixel of the trimming picture T at
the second position 540.
[0040] Coordinates of the trimming picture T, i.e., trimming coordinates,
are coordinates of a left upper vertex P1 and a right lower vertex
P2 of the trimming picture. As described above, the vertex P1 and
the vertex P2 are based on the display picture (displayed on the
external window) and the size of the black bar.
[0041] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another operation of the
black bar determiner, according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, a left picture illustrates
a display picture 625 on an external window 620 of the digital camera
in a full picture 610. The black bar 450 is formed at the left and
right sides of the external window 620.
[0042] The black bar determiner forms the black bar at the upper
portion, the lower portion, or the upper and lower portions of the
external window 620, or at the right portion, the left portion,
or the left and right portions of the external window 620, based
on the ratio information 302 and a comparison of a length-to-width
ratio of the external window 620. For example, if the length of
the printing paper is longer than the length of the external window
620, the black bar is formed at the upper and lower portions of
the external window 620, and if the width of the printing paper
is wider than the width of the external window 620, the black bar
is formed at the left and right portions of the external window
620.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 3, the black bar determiner 310 determines
the size d of the black bar 450 based on ratio information 302 from
the printer 340. The size d of the black bar 450 is a relative size
of the black bar 450 used to cover the external window 420 in order
to make the length-to-width ratio of the display picture 425 on
the external window 420 identical to a length-to-width ratio x:y
of the trimming picture T desired by the user.
[0044] If the length-to-width ratio of the external window 620
is 10.times.10, and the length-to-width ratio of the trimming picture
T desired by the user is 7.times.10, black bars are formed at the
left and right sides of the full picture 610 in which the size dv1
of a left black bar 630 is 1.5, and the size dv2 of a right black
bar 640 is 1.5.
[0045] In another exemplary embodiment, the black bar 450 is formed
at the left or right side of the full picture 610. In this exemplary
embodiment, the size dv1 of the left black bar 630 is 3.0, and the
size dv2 of the right black bar 640 is 0.0. Conversely, the size
dv1 of the left black bar 630 may be 0.0, and the size dv2 of the
right black bar 640 may be 3.0.
[0046] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a trimming method, according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to
FIG. 7, a digital camera receives ratio information of a printing
paper (Operation 710). If the digital camera supports the DPS, ratio
information is included in printing information, and transmitted
from the printer to the digital camera immediately after the printer
and the digital camera are connected to each other.
[0047] The digital camera determines the size of a black bar based
on the received ratio information (Operation 720). The black bar
is used to cover an external window of the digital camera and determines
a length-to-width ratio of a trimming picture.
[0048] The digital camera displays the black bar having the size
of the black bar determined at Operation 720 on the external window
of the digital camera (Operation 730).
[0049] The digital camera displays a picture on the external window
by image-processing a pickup image file (Operation 740).
[0050] A user determines the trimming picture by, for example,
zooming-in, zooming-out, moving up, moving down, moving left, and
moving right the picture displayed in Operation 740 (Operation 750)
and a new display picture displayed on the external window is the
trimming picture.
[0051] The digital camera determines trimming coordinates, i.e.,
coordinates of the display picture, using the display picture determined
in Operation 750 and the size of the black bar determined in Operation
720 (Operation 760). For example, the trimming coordinates are coordinates
of a left upper vertex and a right lower vertex of the display picture
(i.e., the trimming picture).
[0052] The digital camera transmits the trimming coordinates determined
in Operation 760 and the image file to the printer (Operation 770).
[0053] The printer prints the trimming picture using the trimming
coordinates and the image file (Operation 780). The printer creates
the picture by image-processing the image file and prints a part
of the picture corresponding to the trimming coordinates.
[0054] It is possible for exemplary embodiments of the present
invention to be realized on a computer-readable recording medium
as a computer-readable code. Computer-readable recording media include
any kind of recording device that stores computer system-readable
data, such as ROMs, RAMs, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy discs,
optical data storage, etc. Computer-readable recording media can
also be realized in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmissions
through the Internet).
[0055] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a
trimming apparatus and a trimming method for fixing an external
window of a digital camera and moving a picture, thereby providing
a user with an accurate way to select a trimming picture.
[0056] While the present invention has been particularly shown
and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it
will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various
changes in form and details may be made therein without departing
from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by
the following claims. |