Mobile device camera viewfinder punch through effect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017192666-A1
Application number	US-201514985814-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 31, 2015
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In an example embodiment, an application is executed on a mobile device, causing generation of application graphical output in an application layer. The application layer is rendered on a touchscreen display. A first gesture of a user is detected, and in response to the first gesture a viewfinder layer is generated, the viewfinder layer containing real-time image data from the embedded camera via a camera service. A composite of the application layer, the viewfinder layer, and a transparency mask is rendered so that a portion of the viewfinder layer is visible and a portion of the application layer is visible on the touchscreen display at the same time. Then a second gesture by the user is detected, and in response to the second gesture, viewfinder data from the viewfinder layer is captured and the viewfinder layer and transparency mask are removed.

First claim

1 . A mobile device comprising:
a central processing unit; a memory storing an application; an embedded camera; a layering component; and a touchscreen display, the central processing unit coupled with the memory, the embedded camera and the touchscreen display, the central processing unit configured to:
execute the application, causing generation of application graphical output in an application layer;
cause rendering of the application layer on the touchscreen display by the layering component;
detect a first gesture by a user of the mobile device;
in response to the detecting for the first gesture, generate a viewfinder layer, the viewfinder layer containing real-time image data from the embedded camera via a camera service;
generate a transparency mask;
cause the layering component to render a composite of the application layer, viewfinder layer, and the transparency mask wherein when the composite is rendered, a portion of the viewfinder layer and a portion of the application layer are separately visible on different portions of the touchscreen display;
detect a second gesture by the user of the mobile device; and
in response to the detecting of the second gesture, capture viewfinder data from the viewfinder layer and remove the viewfinder layer, rendering the application layer on the touchscreen display without the viewfinder layer.

2 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the camera service is located in an operating system in the memory.

3 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first gesture corresponds to a camera viewfinder punch through effect gesture as defined in a mapping.

4 . The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein the mapping is modified by the user to alter the first gesture.

5 . The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the second gesture corresponds to a photo taking gesture as defined in a mapping.

6 . The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the mapping is modified by the user to alter the second gesture.

7 . A method comprising:
executing an application on a mobile device, causing generation of application graphical output in an application layer; causing a rendering component to render the application layer on a touchscreen display of the mobile device; detecting a first gesture by a user of the mobile device; in response to the detecting a first gesture, powering on an embedded camera in the mobile device and generating a viewfinder layer, the viewfinder layer containing real-time image data from the embedded camera via a camera service; generating a transparency mask; causing a layering component to render a composite of the application layer, the viewfinder layer, and the transparency mask so that a portion of the viewfinder layer is visible and a portion of the application layer is visible on the touchscreen display at the same time; detecting a second gesture by the user of the mobile device; and in response to the detecting of the second gesture, capturing viewfinder data from the viewfinder layer and removing the viewfinder layer and transparency mask rendering the application layer on the touchscreen display without the viewfinder layer or transparency mask.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and movement of the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user; and in response to the detection of selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and movement of the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user, modifying the transparency mask to reflect a new location for the portion of the viewfinder layer that is visible on the touchscreen display.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
detecting selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and a gesture to enlarge or shrink the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user; and in response to the detection of selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and a gesture to enlarge or shrink the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user, modifying the transparency mask to reflect a new size for the portion of the viewfinder layer that is visible on the touchscreen display.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving interaction from the user with the portion of the application layer visible on the touchscreen; and passing the interaction to the application for handling of the interaction.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the transparency mask includes an opaque portion and a transparent portion.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the transparency mask further includes a semi-transparent portion between the opaque portion and the transparent portion.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the application layer continues to display graphical output from the application while the portion of the viewfinder layer is displayed.

14 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
executing an application on a mobile device, causing generation of application graphical output in an application layer; causing a rendering component to render the application layer on a touchscreen display of the mobile device; detecting a first gesture by a user of the mobile device; in response to the detecting a first gesture, powering on an embedded camera in the mobile device and generating a viewfinder layer, the viewfinder layer containing real-time image data from the embedded camera via a camera service; generating a transparency mask; causing a layering component to render a composite of the application layer, the viewfinder layer, and the transparency mask so that a portion of the viewfinder layer is visible and a portion of the application layer is visible on the touchscreen display at the same time; detecting a second gesture by the user of the mobile device; and in response to the detecting of the second gesture, capturing viewfinder data from the viewfinder layer and removing the viewfinder layer and transparency mask rendering the application layer on the touchscreen display without the viewfinder layer or transparency mask.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , further comprising:
detecting selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and movement of the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user; and in response to the detection of selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and movement of the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user, modifying the transparency mask to reflect a new location for the portion of the viewfinder layer that is visible on the touchscreen display.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , further comprising:
detecting selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and a gesture to enlarge or shrink the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user; and in response to the detection of selection of the portion of the viewfinder layer visible on the touchscreen display by the user and a gesture to enlarge or shrink the portion of the viewfinder layer by the user, modifying the transparency mask to reflect a new size for the portion of the viewfinder layer that is visible on the touchscreen display.

Assignees

• Futurewei Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Mccarthy Robert
• Mazzola Anthony

Classifications

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• H04N5/23293

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title