Image Layout Alignment With Panning Movement Direction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional digital camera systems display panned images side by side in a manner that does not align with the direction of camera movement or subject movement, causing discomfort for users when viewing or printing these images.

Innovation Solution

A display control device that records movement information related to the camera and subject, determining the layout of images to align with this movement, ensuring that the direction of image display coincides with the movement direction, thereby reducing unnaturalness in the image layout.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If panned images are displayed side by side in the order of capture date and time, then the display process is simple, but the image layout does not align with the movement direction causing user discomfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of viewing imagesVSAvoidcomplexity of layout processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by recording movement information (camera movement direction and subject movement direction) at the time of image capture. This pre-recorded data is then used during display to automatically determine the appropriate layout orientation, eliminating the need for complex real-time analysis and enabling simple automatic layout selection that aligns with the captured movement directions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the layout is determined based on movement information, then the image layout aligns with movement direction, but the processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenaturalness of image layoutVSAvoidcomplexity of movement information processing
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses movement information (recording camera movement direction and subject movement direction) as an intermediary element that bridges the capture phase and display phase. This intermediary data enables the display system to automatically determine appropriate layout orientations without requiring complex real-time processing, as the layout decisions are based on pre-recorded movement characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If multiple images are displayed side by side without considering movement direction, then the display device complexity is low, but the user experience is degraded due to unnatural image alignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser comfort in viewingVSAvoidcomplexity of display control system
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by making the image layout adaptive and variable based on recorded movement directions. Instead of using a fixed display format, the layout automatically adjusts its orientation (horizontal or vertical arrangement) according to the previously recorded camera and subject movement directions, creating a dynamic display system that enhances user comfort without requiring complex real-time processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8854480B2Display control device, imaging device, and printing device
Publication Date: 2014.10.07 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA
  • US8854480B2 patent drawing
  • US8854480B2 patent drawing
  • US8854480B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A digital camera 1 has an image recorder 12, a microprocessor 3, and an image display controller 13. The image recorder 12 records a plurality of sequentially captured images along with a panning mode signal 60 related to the panning operation of the digital camera 1. The microprocessor 3 determines the layout of the plurality of images on the basis of the panning mode signal 60 recorded to the image recorder 12. The image display controller 13 displays a plurality of images side by side on a liquid crystal monitor 55 on the basis of the determination result of the microprocessor 3.