Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.p.

Hewlett-packard Company

Charles Edward Schinner

Donald J Stavely

Kurt Eugene Spears

Daniel Maack Bloom

Mark John Bianchi

Wilfred Francis Brake

Brad Beall

Robert Paul Cazier

Shanshan Li

Mark Andreas Van Veen

Eric F Aas

John H Dion

Theodore B Ziemkowski

Jaime H Bohorquez

Niels J Nielsen

Bianca Fleischer

Adil Ali

Jerry Richard Potts

Etienne H Iliffe-Moon

Edward George Trick

Arthur R Hart

Larry S Chapman

A system and method for focusing an image capture device are disclosed. One embodiment is a method comprising moving an autofocus window in response to detected movement of the image capture device.

Implementing autofocus in an image capture device while compensating for movement

Imaging device

In a method and apparatus for building up a database of known faces, the database of known faces allows the names of the people captured in an image to be added to the meta-data of the image file. The digital imaging device will ask the user to identify unknown people captured in an image.

Face recognition in a digital imaging system accessing a database of people

In one embodiment, a digital still camera includes: an image sensor for receiving light and generating output signals representative of an image of an object or a scene of interest; a processing circuit connected to the image sensor for processing the output signals from the image sensor; and a control circuit connected to the processing circuit for successively generating a plurality of image files and for determining a remaining picture count after each image file is generated based on one of a plurality of predetermined decrement numbers corresponding to an actual image file size of each image file.

Digital still camera with remaining picture count indication

A camera includes a light transmitter configured to transmit light pulses at a first rate, a light receiver configured to receive return signals corresponding to the light pulses transmitted by the light transmitter, and a sampler configured to sample electrical signals corresponding to the return signals received by the light receiver, wherein the sampler is configured to sample the electrical signals at a second rate that is lower than the first rate.

Using light pulses to implement auto-focus in a digital camera

A digital camera includes a LCD that has a back light whose intensity level is set at a point midway between a maximum intensity setting and a minimum intensity setting. The back light level is then adjusted automatically from this default setting to a brightness level that corresponds to a measured scene level. The back light intensity level and contrast level of the LCD then change automatically thereafter to correspond to the measured scene level whereby the LCD controls are adjusted according to the lighting environment.

Digital camera that automatically adjusts LCD brightness according to ambient light

Disclosed are systems and methods for collecting device use information. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to recording on a user device information regarding at least one of the manner in which the device is used and the manner in which the device operates, and providing the recorded information to another device for analysis.

System and method for collecting and analyzing information regarding user devices

An apparatus and method for adapting a sensor aspect ratio to a print aspect ratio in a digital image capture device is disclosed In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus for capturing digital images, comprising an image sensor including a plurality of image capture elements, each of the image capture elements configured to capture image data, an input element for communicating print size information to the apparatus, and logic for determining which of the plurality of image capture elements correspond to the print size.

Apparatus and method for adapting image sensor aspect ratio to print aspect ratio in a digital image capture appliance

The present invention directly interfaces a digital camera to a printer for printing images stored by the digital camera. A printer that directly docks with the digital camera includes a docking port and an image magnifier. The docking port includes mechanical and data interfaces between the printer and the digital camera. The digital camera includes a display unit that is used for viewing the images magnified by the image magnifier while the digital camera is interfaced to the printer. A docking station that docks the digital camera to a printer includes a docking port and an image magnifier. The docking port includes a mechanical interface to the digital camera and a data interface to the digital camera and the printer. The printer and the docking station may include a user interface to manipulate the images stored by the digital camera.

Printer and docking station having a digital camera docking port with an image magnifier

A photography system includes a digital camera and a remote control. The remote control emits a light that the photographer can use to designate a subject to be photographed by pointing the remote control at the subject, casting a light spot on the subject. In a preferred embodiment, the light is generated by a laser pointer included in the remote control. The camera selects a region to photograph from its field of view, based on the location or motion of the light spot. The camera may optionally select a region that is centered on the light spot. The photographer may optionally specify the size of the region to be selected. The camera may optionally adjust the size of the selected region to assist in photographic composition. The camera may optionally be capable of making video recordings.

Photography system with remote control subject designation and digital framing

A method and apparatus for controlling a flash that automatically selects between normal flash mode and redeye reduction flash mode is disclosed. The apparatus measures the light in the scene, and based on this measurement, chooses between the redeye reduction flash mode and the normal flash mode. The apparatus may also measure the distance to the object and use this information to help chooses which flash mode to use.

System and method for redeye strobe mode control

An image capturing device includes an electronic image sensor, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes a full-size image storage storing one or more full-size digital images and a transfer image storage storing one or more corresponding transfer images. During an image capture, the image capturing device captures and stores a full-size image and also stores a transfer image that is a smaller version of the full-size image. The size of the transfer image is predetermined by the user.

Duplicate images files for improving image handling and transmission

A method and an electronic device monitor a battery of the device with respect to device operational mode in one or both of battery charge level monitoring and battery cut-off determination. Mode-based monitoring employs a mode-specific wait period prior to performing a measurement used to determine a remaining charge level of a battery. The mode-specific wait period depends on the operational mode immediately preceding the measurement and therefore, accounts for battery recovery effects on measurement accuracy. Mode-based cut-off determination employs information regarding an impending operational mode to determine whether or not a remaining charge level of the battery is sufficient to support the mode. Only those operational modes for which there is sufficient remaining charge are enabled while operational modes for which there is insufficient remaining power are disabled.

Operational mode-based battery monitoring for a battery-powered electronic device

An image capturing device includes a user interface, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes a user-programmable non-volatile memory section that stores one or more non-volatile mode variables. The user interface is capable of receiving a mode input from a user and the processor is capable of overwriting a non-volatile mode variable value in the user-programmable non-volatile memory section in response to the mode input.

User selection of power-on configuration

In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved digital camera has a capture mode of operation where a scene to be captured can be captured and stored in a removable memory device as a digital still image and subsequently retrieved and displayed on a LCD in a review mode of operation. Alternatively, the scene to be captured can be captured repeatedly and buffered to the LCD where the buffering rate is determined in a live view capture mode of operation allowing a user to preview the scene to be captured in various ambient lighting conditions. In one instance, under low ambient lighting conditions a control algorithm automatically adjusts the live view/preview apparent image brightness level of the displayed scene independently of any LCD brightness or contrast adjustments.

Growing community of inventors

Windsor, CO, United States of America

Charles Edward Schinner