System and method for effectively optimizing zoom settings in a digital camera

Abstract

A system and method for effectively optimizing zoom settings in a digital camera includes a digital zoom module that performs a digital zoom function, and an optical zoom module that controls a lens unit of the digital camera to perform an optical zoom function. A depth of field manager performs a zoom-setting optimization procedure to select optimal zoom values for the optical zoom module and the digital zoom module to thereby optimize image quality characteristics of images captured by the camera device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for optimizing zoom settings in a camera device, comprising:
 an optical zoom that controls a lens unit of said camera device to perform an optical zoom function;   a digital zoom that performs a digital zoom function; and   a DOF manager that performs a zoom-setting optimization procedure to select optimal zoom values for said camera device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said optical zoom function is a zoom-out function that physically adjusts said lens unit of said camera device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said digital zoom function is a zoom-in function that is controlled by a software process on said camera device. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said zoom-in function digitally crops said images to produce cropped images, said zoom-in function then digitally expanding said cropped images to produce a final image. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said zoom-out function optimizes said image quality characteristics, said zoom-in function being performed to compensate for said zoom-out function to produce same apparent zoom characteristics as originally selected by a camera user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said image quality characteristics include depth of field characteristics for said images. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said camera device includes a capture subsection with said optical zoom, said lens unit, and an image sensor that captures said images. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said camera device includes a control module with a processor device that controls said DOF manager and said digital zoom. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said DOF manager selects said optimal zoom values by calculating and evaluating image quality contours corresponding to said images, said optimal zoom values including an optimal optical-zoom value and an optimal digital-zoom value. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said DOF manager utilizes an unconstrained solution for identifying said optimal zoom values in said image quality contours. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said DOF manager utilizes a constrained solution for identifying said optimal zoom values in said image quality contours. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said zoom-setting optimization procedure utilizes off-line techniques to select said optimal zoom values. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said DOF manager reads an initial optical zoom value set by a camera user, said DOF manager also reading a target distance for a target object with respect to said camera device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said DOF manager references a zoom-value lookup table to determine said optimal zoom values, said zoom-value lookup table being previously implemented based upon defined zoom-setting selection criteria. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said camera device utilizes said optimal zoom values to capture said images with optimized image quality characteristics. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said zoom-setting optimization procedure utilizes on-line techniques to select said optimal zoom values. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein said DOF manager reads an initial optical zoom value set by a camera user, said DOF manager also reading a target distance for a target object with respect to said camera device, said camera device capturing and storing an initial image. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said DOF manager performs an iterative procedures to produce updated zoom values, said iterative procedures decrementing an optical zoom value for said optical zoom, incrementing a digital zoom value for said digital zoom to compensate for decrementing said optical zoom value, said camera device utilizing said updated zoom values to capture evaluation images. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein said DOF manager repeats said iterative procedures until said image quality characteristics are optimized, said camera device then capturing final optimized images. 
     
     
         20 . A method for optimizing zoom settings in a camera device, comprising:
 controlling a lens unit of said camera device with an optical zoom to perform an optical zoom function;   performing a digital zoom function by utilizing a digital zoom; and   performing a zoom-setting optimization procedure with a DOF manager to select optimal zoom values for said optical zoom and said digital zoom, said zoom-setting optimization procedure thereby optimizing image quality characteristics of images captured by said camera device.