Wearable camera systems and apparatus for aligning an eyewear camera

Abstract

A wearable camera system includes an eyewear which includes a temple and a lens and a camera coupled to eyewear, the camera having a field of view. The wearable camera system further includes a marker coupled to the eyewear, the camera, or both, the marker positionable on or in front of the lens of the eyewear at a location such that when a wearer of the eyewear aligns the marker with a target, the field of view of the camera includes the target.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wearable camera system comprising:
 an eyewear including a temple and a lens;   a camera coupled to the eyewear and having a field of view; and   a marker coupled to the eyewear, the camera, or both, wherein the marker is positioned on or in front of the lens of the eyewear at a location to cause a visual interference within a field of view of a wearer corresponding to a location within the field of view of the camera such that when the wearer of the eyewear aligns the marker with a target, the field of view of the camera includes the target.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable camera system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alignment indicator comprising the marker, the alignment indicator pivotably coupled to the camera. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable camera system of  claim 2 , wherein the alignment indicator comprises an arm coupling the marker to the camera and configured to pivot between a deployed position in which the marker is positioned in the location to a stowed position in which the marker is adjacent to the camera. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable camera system of  claim 3 , wherein the arm is aligned with a horizontal orientation of the image capture device when the arm is in the deployed position. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable camera system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sheet of static cling material comprising the marker. 
     
     
         6 . The wearable camera system of  claim 5 , wherein the sheet includes a camera portion comprising a camera aperture, the sheet further including an eyewear portion comprising the marker. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable camera system of  claim 6 , wherein the camera aperture has a lateral dimension equal to or greater than a diameter of the camera lens. 
     
     
         8 . The wearable camera system of  claim 5 , wherein the sheet includes a view finder window, and wherein the marker is located inside the view finder window. 
     
     
         9 . The wearable camera system of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the sheet is optically transparent. 
     
     
         10 . The wearable camera system of  claim 1 , further comprising an image framing apparatus removably coupled to the eyewear and comprising the marker. 
     
     
         11 . The wearable camera system of  claim 10 , wherein the image framing apparatus includes a first image frame outline, wherein the marker is within the first image frame outline. 
     
     
         12 . The wearable camera system of  claim 11 , wherein the image framing apparatus includes a second image frame outline enclosed by the first image frame outline. 
     
     
         13 . The wearable camera system of  claim 11 , wherein the camera is povotably between a first orientation and a second orientation, and wherein the first image frame outline is configured to provide an approximation of an image to be captured by the camera when the camera is in the first orientation, and the image framing apparatus further comprising a second image frame outline configured to provide an approximation of an image to be captured by the camera when the camera is in the second orientation. 
     
     
         14 . The wearable camera system of  claim 1 , wherein the camera is movably coupled to the temple. 
     
     
         15 . The wearable camera system of  claim 1 , wherein the marker comprises a center indicator configured to provide an indication of an approximate center of the field of view of the camera. 
     
     
         16 . A method for capturing a digital image, the method comprising:
 positioning a marker on or in front of a lens of eyewear to which a camera is coupled;   providing the marker in a field of view of a wearer to cause a visual interference within the field of view of the wearer corresponding to a location within a field of view of the camera;   aligning the marker with a target; and   capturing an image with the camera while maintaining the target in alignment with the marker to include the target in the image.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said positioning a marker comprises attaching a sheet of static cling material to the lens, the sheet including the marker. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the marker is provided on a sheet of static cling material comprising a camera aperture, and wherein said positioning a marker comprises aligning the camera aperture of the sheet with the lens of the camera and attaching the sheet to a front portion of the camera. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the marker is attached to an arm pivotably coupled to the camera, and wherein said positioning a marker comprises rotating an arm from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the camera is movably coupled to the eyewear, the method further comprising rotating the camera or a front portion of the camera relative to the eyewear to align the arm with a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said capturing an image includes capturing a first image in a landscape orientation, the method further comprising rotating the camera about a pivot joint to capture a second image in a portrait orientation.