Motion-Triggered Autofocus for Rapid Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile phone cameras take time to start up, focus, and capture images, often resulting in missed photographic opportunities due to the time-consuming process of unlocking the device, activating the camera, and focusing, which can lead to the loss of the desired moment.
Innovation Solution
A portable electronic device with an image capturing system that uses a motion transducer to detect predefined motion, automatically activating the camera and autofocus, allowing for quick image capture without the need for manual setup, enabling the device to prepare for taking pictures promptly when the user intends to do so.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the camera is manually activated and focused, then the photograph can be taken with proper focus control, but the time required to capture the photographic moment increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system performs preliminary actions by automatically activating and focusing the camera before the user actually intends to take the photograph. The motion transducer detects when the user picks up the device and pre-activates the camera and autofocus system, so that when the user points the device at the subject and presses the shutter, the photograph is captured immediately without delay for manual activation or focusing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting user intent through motion sensors and autonomously activating the camera and autofocus without requiring manual user input. The device monitors its own state and environmental conditions, then automatically configures itself for photograph capture, eliminating the need for the user to manually start the camera or adjust focus settings.
2Reliability
If the mobile phone is kept locked in the pocket or holster, then security is maintained and accidental activation is prevented, but the user cannot quickly access the camera when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting the motion of picking up the device from the pocket or holster and pre-activating the camera system before the user unlocks the device. This allows the camera to be ready immediately when the user points the device at the subject, eliminating the delay between unlocking and capturing the photograph while maintaining security during storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual unlocking and camera activation with an automated sensor-based system. The motion transducer detects physical motion patterns corresponding to picking up the device, and this triggers automatic camera activation, substituting the manual mechanical sequence with an automated electronic response that is both secure and rapid.
3Productivity
If the camera startup and focusing process is accelerated, then photographic opportunities are not missed, but the risk of capturing out-of-focus or poorly composed images increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary focusing and camera activation automatically when the device is picked up, so that by the time the user points the device at the subject and presses the shutter, the focusing is already complete or in progress. This maintains image quality through proper focusing while achieving rapid capture speed, as the time-consuming focusing process occurs before the user initiates the shot.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the autofocus mechanism to determine when focusing is complete or sufficiently close to capturing an image. The automatic focus system continuously monitors focus quality and provides feedback to the control system, which then determines the optimal moment to capture the photograph, ensuring image quality while maintaining rapid response to captured subjects.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid image capture by automatically setting up the camera and focusing, ensuring that photographic opportunities are not missed, even when the user has limited time to react, and allows for confirmation of focus before taking the picture.
Implementation Method 1
A portable electronic device with an image capturing system that uses a motion transducer to detect predefined motion
Implementation Method 2
automatically activating the camera and autofocus, allowing for quick image capture
Data Source
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AI summary
When a user removes a camera phone (1) from a pocket or other storage location and raises it in a pre-defined motion in front of his face, the pre-defined motion activates the camera (2). When the camera phone decelerates/stabilizes in the user's hand in the correct orientation to take a picture, auto focus (4) occurs and the camera automatically records images/photographs. When the user presses the shutter release (6), a camera application opens on the camera phone display (5) to show the current image and that image is recorded. The previous automatically recorded images also may be available for viewing by the user. If after removing the camera from the storage location, the user does something other than pressing the shutter release, the automatically recorded images will be automatically discarded. When a brief photographic opportunity occurs and the user has little time to react, the photographic moment still can be captured.