Multi-Factor Assessment to Detect Image Capture Device Smudges and Corresponding Electronic Devices and Methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025350850-A1
Application number	US-202418661142-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 10, 2024
Priority date	May 10, 2024
Publication date	Nov 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method implemented in an electronic device for detecting and notifying users about the cleanliness of an image capture device cover. The method includes determining, using one or more processors, whether the image capture device cover is smudged by assessing multiple factors, including measuring the pressure applied to the cover. When the assessment indicates that the cover is smudged, the method causes the user interface of the electronic device to present indicia indicating the smudged condition. The method further includes detecting a cleaning operation on the cover and, in response, altering the indicia to reflect the cleaned condition. The method combines hardware and software components to provide an efficient and user-friendly solution for maintaining the cleanliness of the image capture device cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
determining, by one or more processors, that an image capture device cover is smudged using a multi-factor assessment, wherein at least one factor of the multi-factor assessment comprises a measurement of pressure applied to the image capture device cover; and when the multi-factor assessment indicates that the image capture device cover is smudged, causing, by the one or more processors, a user interface of the electronic device to present indicia indicating that the image capture device cover is smudged.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one other factor of the multi-factor assessment comprises data received from an image sensor of an image capture device situated beneath the image capture device cover within the electronic device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data comprises an absence of at least some high frequency content in one or more images captured by the image capture device when compared to one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining comprises comparing at least one modulation transfer function associated with the one or more images captured by the image capture device with at least one other modulation transfer function associated with the one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device to determine whether the absence of the at least some high frequency content appears in the one or more images captured by the image capture device.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining comprises comparing at least one specific frequency response measurement associated with the one or more images captured by the image capture device with at least one other specific frequency response measurement associated with the one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device to determine whether the absence of the at least some high frequency content appears in the one or more images captured by the image capture device.

6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data comprises a sharpness score, using the one or more processors, by capturing at least one image, passing image data associated with the at least one image simultaneously through a high pass filter to obtain filtered image data and a summation function to obtain summed image data, and dividing the filtered image data by the summed image data.

7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data comprises an absence of at least some dark and light tonal content in one or more images captured by the image capture device when compared to one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining comprises comparing at least one histogram associated with the one or more images captured by the image capture device with at least one other histogram associated with the one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device to determine whether the absence of at least some dark and light tonal content appears in one or more images captured by the image capture device.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the determining comprises comparing at least one dynamic range associated with the one or more images captured by the image capture device with at least one other dynamic range associated with the one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device to determine whether the absence of at least some dark and light tonal content appears in one or more images captured by the image capture device.

10 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data comprises a measurement of flare appearing in one or more images captured by the image capture device when compared to one or more other images previously captured by the image capture device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one other factor of the multi-factor assessment comprises one or more of motion data of the electronic device in three-dimensional space and/or orientation data of the electronic device in the three-dimensional space.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indicia indicating that the image capture device cover is smudged comprises a ring circumscribing a user actuation target that, when actuated, causes an image capture device situated beneath the image capture device cover to capture one or more images.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the one or more processors in a memory of the electronic device, both:
more recent image data from more recent images captured by an image capture device situated beneath the image capture device cover; and;
less recent image data from less recent images captured by the image capture device; and
comparing, by the one or more processors, the more recent image data and the less recent image data to determine whether the image capture device cover is smudged.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
detecting, by the one or more processors, that the image capture device cover has been cleaned using another multi-factor assessment comprising another measurement of pressure applied to the image capture device cover; and when the one or more processors detect that the image capture device cover has been cleaned, resetting a portion of the memory of the electronic device storing the more recent image data.

15 . An electronic device, comprising:
a device housing defining at least one aperture; an image capture device situated within the device housing and having a field of view through the at least one aperture; an image capture device cover coupled to the device housing and spanning the at least one aperture; a pressure sensor positioned between the image capture device cover and the device housing; a user interface; and one or more processors operable with the image capture device, the pressure sensor, and the user interface; wherein the one or more processors determine, from signals from both the image capture device and the pressure sensor, whether the image capture device cover is smudged using a multi-factor assessment, and when the multi-factor assessment indicates that the image capture device cover is smudged, cause the user interface of the electronic device to present indicia indicating that the image capture device cover is smudged.

16 . The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:
the device housing defines at least one other aperture; the electronic device comprises another image capture device situated within the device housing and having a field of view through the at least one other aperture; the image capture device cover spans both the at least one aperture and the at least one other aperture; and the pressure sensor is situated between the at least one aperture and the at least one other aperture.

17 . The electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising one or more motion and orientation detectors, wherein the one or more processors further determine, from other signals from the one or more motion and orientation detectors, whether the image capture device cover is smudged using the multi-factor assessment.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more motion and orientation detectors comprise one or more inertial measurement units carried by the device housing.

19 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising:
determining, by one or more processors from one or more sensors, that an image capture device cover is smudged using a

Assignees

• Motorola Mobility Llc

Inventors

• Yang Emily
• Pincenti John

Classifications

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• H04N23/741

  by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/52

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title