Photography-task-specific digital camera apparatus and methods useful in conjunction therewith

Abstract

A multi-mode digital photography method including generating an output image of a location L at a specific time t which is identified as a function of a user-selected photography task, the method including generating an output image of a particular scene which is built up from a plurality of images thereof, as another function of a user-selected photography task.

1 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A digital photography method comprising:
 analyzing a stream of digital images of a scene, said scene including:
 moving objects; and 
 a background; and 
   generating an output image of the scene by performing a local image processing operation selectively on at least one portion of an image of the scene,   said at least one portion comprising an image of less than the entirety of the scene, and   said local image processing operation comprising replacing images of said moving objects with images of the background said moving objects are obscuring.   
     
     
         56 . A method according to  claim 55  wherein said generating an output image comprises:
 inspecting a plurality of candidate images of said at least one portion of an image of the scene; and 
 selecting an individual candidate image from among said plurality of candidate images which is likely to represent said background. 
 
     
     
         57 . A method according to  claim 56  wherein said selecting an individual candidate image comprises employing at least one of the following selection criteria:
 a duration of occurrence of an individual candidate image; and 
 an extent to which said individual candidate image matches adjacent candidate images. 
 
     
     
         58 . A method according to  claim 57  wherein the extent to which the individual candidate image matches adjacent candidate images is based on a difference between the candidate image and the tangent background pixels. 
     
     
         59 . A method according to  claim 56  wherein said selecting an individual candidate image comprises selecting based on a variation between an individual candidate image of said at least one portion of the scene and other candidate images from said at least one portion of the scene. 
     
     
         60 . A method according to  claim 59  and also comprising only considering candidate images where said variation is less than a threshold. 
     
     
         61 . A method according to  claim 60  wherein said threshold is a variable threshold. 
     
     
         62 . A method according to  claim 61  wherein said variable threshold is a function of said stream of digital images. 
     
     
         63 . A method according to  claim 56  and wherein said at least one portion comprises multiple portions of the image of the scene arranged as a grid. 
     
     
         64 . A method according to  claim 56  wherein said at least one portion of an image comprises a single pixel. 
     
     
         65 . A method according to  claim 56  where said selecting comprises means utilizing said individual candidate image as said at least one portion of said image of said scene in said output image. 
     
     
         66 . A method according to  claim 55  wherein said local image processing operation comprises creating a background image and the method also comprises sending an announcement when at least a predetermined portion of the background image does not include any of said moving objects. 
     
     
         67 . A digital photography system comprising:
 a digital image stream analyzer operative to analyze a stream of digital images of a scene, said scene including moving objects and a background; and   a local image processing output image generator operative to generate an output image of the scene by performing a local image processing operation selectively on a portion of an image of the scene,   said portion of an image of the scene comprising an image of less than the entirety of the scene,   said local image processing operation comprising replacing images of moving objects with images of the background the moving objects are obscuring.