Imaging Device Shutter Control for Independent Audio Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging devices lack the ability to start and end audio recording at arbitrary user-desired timings, as the audio recording is typically synchronized with automatic exposure control (AE) or automatic focus control (AF) processes and has fixed end times after image capture.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device with a control unit that determines audio-recording start and end timings based on independent shutter button operation information, allowing for audio recording to be initiated and terminated through half pressing and full pressing/release processes of the shutter button, independent of AE/AF operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If audio recording is synchronized with AE/AF processes based on shutter button operation, then the control logic is simplified, but the user cannot start audio recording at arbitrary timings desired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shutter button operation information into multiple independent types: AE/AF start control information and audio-recording start/end control information. This segmentation allows the system to process different button operations independently, enabling users to start audio recording at arbitrary timings without being constrained by AE/AF process timing, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining manageable control logic complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter button is designed to serve multiple functions: triggering AE/AF processes and controlling audio recording start/end. By making the shutter button universal, the system eliminates the need for separate controls, maintaining simplicity while achieving the desired flexibility in audio recording control
2Ease of operation
If audio recording ends after a fixed time elapsed after image capture, then the system is simple to implement, but the user cannot freely set audio-recording end timing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments shutter button operation information into distinct types, including audio-recording end control information separate from image capture control. This allows the system to identify when the user intends to end audio recording based on specific button operations, enabling flexible end timing control without requiring complex dedicated controls or mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing shutter button operations to simultaneously control both image capture and audio recording end functions. By reusing the shutter button's operational states, the system achieves flexible audio-recording timing control without adding separate control mechanisms, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving user control capability
Data Source
AI summary
Shutter operation information of a user is input and an audio-recording start and end are controlled according to the input shutter operation information. Audio-recording start and end timings are determined by identifying independent shutter operation information corresponding to audio-recording start and end requests. Specifically, for example, the audio-recording start and end timings are controlled by identifying a half pressing/release process or a full pressing/release process of the shutter different from shutter operation information used in automatic exposure control (AE) or automatic focus control (AF) start control.