Electronic Device Stimulus Features for Image Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Portable electronic devices face challenges in capturing images of subjects, such as children and pets, who may not voluntarily pose or smile, as traditional methods to attract their attention often distract the user and fail to ensure the subject's gaze is directed at the camera.
Innovation Solution
The integration of stimulus features, including visual, auditory, and tactile outputs, into portable electronic devices to attract and maintain the subject's attention, such as virtual avatars, audio outputs, and light displays, which can be provided before, during, and after image capture, allowing the user to focus on operating the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional methods (user manually attracting subject's attention) are used to capture images of uncooperative subjects, then the user can operate the device, but the subject's gaze is not directed at the camera and the user gets distracted
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device automatically provides stimulus features (visual, auditory, tactile) to attract the subject's attention without requiring manual user intervention. The device monitors subject engagement and autonomously adjusts stimulus delivery, allowing the user to focus on device operation while the system independently manages subject attraction and gaze direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces stimulus features as an intermediary between the user and the subject. These features (displayed through screens, speakers, or haptic actuators) mediate the interaction by attracting the subject's attention and directing their gaze toward the camera, thereby resolving the conflict between maintaining user focus and achieving successful image capture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user manually attracts the subject's attention, then the user can interact with the subject, but the user's attention is diverted from operating the electronic device
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic device independently manages subject engagement by automatically delivering stimulus features and monitoring subject response. This eliminates the need for the user to switch attention between device operation and subject interaction, as the system handles attraction and engagement tasks autonomously throughout the image capture process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-delivering stimulus features (such as displaying attractive content on the screen or playing audio) before the image capture moment. This prepares the subject in advance, ensuring their attention is captured and gaze is directed at the camera before the user needs to press the capture button, thereby eliminating attention switching delays.
3Reliability
If no stimulus features are provided, then the device structure remains simple, but subjects like children and pets do not voluntarily pose or smile
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages existing multi-functional components of the electronic device (display screen, speakers, haptic actuators, camera) to provide stimulus features. These components serve dual purposes: their primary functions for device operation and additional functions for attracting and engaging the subject. This approach increases subject cooperation without requiring entirely new specialized components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The stimulus features are merged with the core imaging functionality of the device. The display, audio, and haptic components that already exist in the electronic device are integrated and coordinated to work together as a unified subject attraction system, rather than adding separate independent systems. This consolidation achieves reliable subject engagement while minimizing additional complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Portable electronic devices can be provided with stimulus features for the benefit of the subject to be captured in an image. Such stimulus features can attract the attention of the subject toward the camera when provided by components that are integrated with or coupled to the electronic device. The stimulus features can attract the attention and gaze of the subject prior to and during capture of the image. The stimulus features can also be provided to the subject as a reward during and after capture of the image. These features allow the user of the electronic device to focus on operation of the electronic device.