Camera Interface in a Portable Handheld Electronic Device

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at a handheld electronic device having a built-in digital camera and a touch sensitive screen. The method includes detecting a multi-finger gesture on the touch sensitive screen, wherein the touch sensitive screen is serving as part of an electronic viewfinder of the camera; storing coordinates of a location corresponding to the detected multi-finger gesture; translating the stored coordinates to a selected area of an image that is captured by the camera and that is being displayed on the touch sensitive screen; contracting or expanding the selected area in response to the user's fingers undergoing a pinching movement or a spreading movement, respectively, while the detected multi-finger gesture remains in contact with the touch sensitive screen; and applying an automatic image capture parameter adjustment process that gives priority to the selected area.

1 . A method, comprising:
 at a handheld electronic device having a built-in digital camera and a touch sensitive screen:
 detecting a multi-finger gesture on the touch sensitive screen, wherein the touch sensitive screen is serving as part of an electronic viewfinder of the camera; 
 storing coordinates of a location corresponding to the detected multi-finger gesture; 
 translating the stored coordinates to a selected area of an image that is captured by the camera and that is being displayed on the touch sensitive screen; 
 contracting or expanding the selected area in response to the user's fingers undergoing a pinching movement or a spreading movement, respectively, while the detected multi-finger gesture remains in contact with the touch sensitive screen; and 
 applying an automatic image capture parameter adjustment process that gives priority to the selected area. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying the automatic image capture parameter adjustment process includes making automatic adjustments to one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of focus, exposure, and color correction, and wherein the camera is configured to apply the automatic adjustments when taking a picture. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying on the touch sensitive screen a contour around the location of the detected multi-finger gesture; and   associating the contour with the selected area of the image.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tracking movement of an object captured in the selected area of the image, as the object and the device move relative to each other.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 taking a picture, using image capture parameters that have been adjusted to give priority to the selected area in response to detecting that the multi-finger gesture has lifted off the touch sensitive screen.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 taking a picture, using image capture parameters that have been adjusted to give priority to the selected area, in response to an expiration of a timer that was set upon the parameters having been adjusted.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a further multi-finger gesture on the touch sensitive screen;   storing coordinates of a location corresponding to the further multi-finger gesture; and   translating the stored coordinates to a further selected area of the image that is captured by the camera and that is being displayed on the touch sensitive screen,   wherein the automatic image capture parameter adjustment process is applied to give priority to both the selected area and the further selected area.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the selected area and the further selected area are two distinct user-defined priority areas. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the selected area corresponds to a dark shadow area of the image to be captured by the camera, and the further selected area corresponds to a medium tone area of the image to be captured by the camera. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 while the touch sensitive screen is displaying a scene at which the camera is pointed:
 detecting a multi-finger gesture made by a user on the touch sensitive screen; and 
 zooming into or out of the scene, in response to detecting the user's fingers undergoing a spreading movement or a pinching movement on the touch sensitive screen. 
   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the zooming into or out of the scene comprises performing a digital zoom. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the zooming into or out of the scene comprises performing an optical zoom. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 while the automatic image capture parameter adjustment process sets priority to the selected area, displaying the marker in a variable state to indicate that one or more parameters are being adjusted.   
   
   
       14 . A handheld electronic device, comprising:
 a touch sensitive screen;   a detector configured to detect a multi-finger gesture on the touch sensitive screen and store coordinates of a location of the detected gesture; and   a digital camera, including:
 an image sensor, 
 a lens to form an optical image on the image sensor, 
 a viewfinder module configured to display on the touch sensitive screen a scene at which the lens is aimed, and 
 a priority module coupled to the detector, wherein the priority module is configured to:
 translate the stored coordinates to a selected area of a digital image of the scene that is being displayed on the touch sensitive screen by the viewfinder module, 
 contract or expand the selected area in response to the user's fingers undergoing a pinching movement or a spreading movement, respectively, and 
 apply an automatic image capture parameter adjustment process that gives priority to the selected area for taking a picture of the scene. 
 
   
   
   
       15 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the application of the automatic image capture parameter adjustment process includes making at least one automatic adjustment to one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of focus, exposure, and color correction, and wherein the camera is configured to apply the automatic adjustments when taking a picture. 
   
   
       16 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein the digital camera is configured to:
 display a graphical object on the touch sensitive screen that is associated with a virtual shutter button of the digital camera; and   take the picture of the scene in accordance with image capture parameters, which are set to a default setting when the virtual shutter button is actuated, and adjusted to give priority to an area of the scene selected by the multi-finger touch gesture.   
   
   
       17 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 16 , wherein the graphical object representing the virtual shutter button is displayed below the preview. 
   
   
       18 . A method, comprising:
 at a handheld electronic device having a built-in digital camera and a touch sensitive screen:
 detecting an initial finger gesture by a user on the touch sensitive screen, wherein the touch sensitive screen serves as part of an electronic viewfinder of the camera; 
 storing coordinates of the initial finger gesture; 
 detecting a closed path on the touch sensitive screen that includes the location of the detected initial finger gesture, wherein the user's finger moves while remaining in contact with the touch sensitive screen to define the closed path; 
 storing coordinates of the closed path; 
 translating the stored coordinates of the closed path to a selected portion of an image that is captured by the camera and that is being displayed on the touch sensitive screen; and 
 applying an automatic image capture parameter adjustment process that gives priority to the selected portion. 
   
   
   
       19 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a handheld electronic device configured to operate at least in a digital camera mode and a mobile telephone mode, wherein:   the digital camera mode is configured to permit a user of the apparatus to take a digital picture of a scene, and   the mobile telephone mode is configured to permit the user of the apparatus to participate in a wireless telephone call and hear the call through a built-in receiver of the apparatus,   wherein the apparatus has a button exposed to the user that alternatively:
 controls loudness of the built-in receiver when the apparatus is operating in the mobile telephone mode, and 
 acts as shutter button when the apparatus is operating in the digital camera mode. 
   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the button is configured to be actuated by the user in two different directions to increase and decrease, respectively, loudness in the mobile telephone mode; and   shutter release occurs when the button is actuated by the user in either one of said directions in the digital camera mode.   
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a built-in touch sensitive screen that serves as part of an electronic viewfinder in the digital camera mode, and   wherein the digital camera mode is configured to display a shutter release button on the touch sensitive screen.