Pre-setting the foreground view of a photograph via a camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9628749-B2
Application number	US-201113331068-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2011
Priority date	Dec 20, 2011
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and computer system for pre-setting the foreground view of a photograph. A reference image is captured by a camera. The reference image is compared to a current a current image displayed within a viewing field of the camera. One or more alignment guides are displayed within the viewing field of the camera to aid in aligning the reference image and the current image. If it is determined that the reference image and the current image are aligned, the capture of a preferred photograph is enabled.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
capturing, by a camera, a reference image via a shutter mechanism;
locking the camera responsive to capturing the reference image, including disabling the shutter mechanism of the camera prior to capture of a preferred photograph;
preventing adjustment of one or more features of the camera prior to capture of the preferred photograph by locking the one or more features;
comparing the reference image to a current image displayed within a viewing field of the camera;
providing one or more alignment guides to move the camera in a particular direction to aid in aligning the reference image and the current image including:
displaying arrows within the viewing field of the camera; and
providing audible instructions, the audible instructions being configured by a user and including one or more of an audio recording uploaded by the user and an audio recording selected by the user;

configuring the camera to provide a vibration when the reference image and the current image are aligned;
when the reference image and the current image are approximately aligned, automatically triggering an autofocus feature and a zoom feature of the camera to more accurately align the reference image and the current image;
if it is determined that the reference image and the current image are aligned, enabling the shutter mechanism of the camera for enabling the capture of the preferred photograph;
capturing a plurality of images prior to discarding the reference image; and
triggering a flash device if it is determined that the reference image was captured after the flash device was triggered;
wherein the reference image and the current image are aligned when the reference image and the current image are completely overlapping, and
wherein the one or more alignment guides displayed in the view field include guidelines, wherein the guidelines denote the boundaries of the reference image.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising storing the reference image in a temporary cache memory system.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising capturing the preferred photograph.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein capturing the preferred photograph includes discarding the reference image.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 further comprising discarding the reference image responsive to receiving input from a user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising if it is determined that the reference image and the current image are aligned, generating an indication of image alignment, wherein the indication is one or more of an audible indication, a visual indication, and a sensory indication.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the indication of image alignment includes at least one of a blinking screen and an animation displayed on the camera.

8. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
capturing, by a camera, a reference image via a shutter mechanism;
locking the camera responsive to capturing the reference image, including disabling the shutter mechanism of the camera prior to capture of a preferred photograph;
preventing adjustment of one or more features of the camera prior to capture of the preferred photograph by locking the one or more features;
comparing the reference image to a current image displayed within a viewing field of the camera;
providing one or more alignment guides to move the camera in a particular direction to aid in aligning the reference image and the current image including:
displaying arrows within the viewing field of the camera; and
providing audible instructions, the audible instructions being configured by a user and including one or more of an audio recording uploaded by the user and an audio recording selected by the user;

configuring the camera to provide a vibration when the reference image and the current image are aligned;
if it is determined that the reference image and the current image are aligned, enabling the shutter mechanism of the camera for enabling the capture of the preferred photograph;
capturing a plurality of images prior to discarding the reference image; and
triggering a flash device if it is determined that the reference image was captured after the flash device was triggered;
wherein the reference image and the current image are aligned when the reference image and the current image are completely overlapping, and
wherein the one or more alignment guides displayed in the view field include guidelines, wherein the guidelines denote the boundaries of the reference image.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising storing the reference image in a temporary cache memory system.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising capturing the preferred photograph.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein capturing the preferred photograph includes discarding the reference image.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising discarding the reference image responsive to receiving input from a user.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising if it is determined that the reference image and the current image are aligned, generating an indication of image alignment, wherein the indication is one or more of an audible indication, a visual indication, and a sensory indication.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the indication of image alignment includes at least one of a blinking screen and an animation displayed on the camera.

15. A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising:
capturing, by a camera, a reference image via a shutter mechanism;
locking the camera responsive to capturing the reference image, including disabling the shutter mechanism of the camera prior to capture of a preferred photograph;
preventing adjustment of one or more features of the camera prior to capture of the preferred photograph by locking the one or more features;
comparing the reference image to a current image displayed within a viewing field of the camera;
providing one or more alignment guides to move the camera in a particular direction to aid in aligning the reference image and the current image including:
displaying arrows within the viewing field of the camera; and
providing audible instructions , the audible instructions being configured by a user and including one or more of an audio recording uploaded by the user and an audio recording selected by the user;

configuring the camera to provide a vibration when the reference image and the current image are aligned;
when the reference image and the current image are approximately aligned, automatically triggering an autofocus feature and a zoom feature of the camera to more accurately align the reference image and the current image;
if it is determined that the reference image and the current image are aligned, enabling the shutter mechanism of the camera for enabling the capture of the preferred photograph;
capturing a plurality of images prior to discarding the reference image; and
triggering a flash device if it is determined that the reference image was captured after the flash device was triggered;
wherein the reference image and the current image are aligned when the reference image and the current image are complet

Assignees

• Donatelli Alessandro
• Longobardi Giuseppe
• IBM

Inventors

• Donatelli Alessandro
• Longobardi Giuseppe

Classifications

• H04N23/635

  Region indicators; Field of view indicators · CPC title

• H04N23/64

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• H04N5/23293

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/772 Primary

  the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure · CPC title

• H04N5/23222

  Electricity · mapped topic