Projected Light Boundary for Camera Feedback Without Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Devices without a display screen, such as those used in healthcare for remote monitoring, lack feedback to users for correcting camera focus and image capture, making it difficult for users to ensure accurate image capture, especially in applications where cost reduction eliminates the camera's display.
Innovation Solution
A guidance system with a housing and light source that projects a lighted boundary onto a surface, changing colors to indicate when an image is being captured and when it has been successfully captured, using a programmable processor to control the light source and provide user feedback, and optionally including a collimator tube to focus image information on the region of interest.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a display screen is eliminated from the device to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but user feedback for camera focus and image capture correction is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light source as an intermediary device that projects visual boundaries onto the surface being imaged. This light source acts as a mediator between the camera and the user, providing visual feedback about the capture region and focus status without requiring a display screen. The projected light boundaries show users exactly what will be captured and whether the subject is properly framed, eliminating the need for a costly display while maintaining essential user feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electronic display screen system with an optical system using a light source. Instead of using electronic displays to show feedback information, the system uses projected light boundaries to convey capture region and focus information. This substitution eliminates the need for display hardware while providing equivalent visual feedback through optical means.
2Device complexity
If no display screen is provided for the camera, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to guide users in placing sensors correctly is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The light source serves as an intermediary that simplifies the device while enhancing usability. It projects visual boundaries that guide users in placing sensors and framing images without adding the complexity of a display screen. The system maintains ease of operation by providing clear visual guidance through projected light, enabling users to correctly position sensors and capture images despite the simplified device architecture.
3Loss of information
If a light source is added to provide visual feedback, then user feedback is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing visual feedback only at the specific location where imaging is needed - on the surface being captured. Rather than using a full display screen, the light source projects boundaries locally at the capture point, providing targeted feedback without adding comprehensive display complexity. This localized approach improves user feedback while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 users to interactively capture images correctly by providing visual feedback through color changes, ensuring accurate image capture without the need for a display screen, and reduces image data storage and transmission requirements by focusing on the region of interest.
Implementation Method 1
a light source in the housing, the light source and housing configured to project a lighted boundary onto a surface
Implementation Method 2
the light source is configured to selectively project the lighted boundary in a first color and to selectively project the lighted boundary in a second color
Data Source
AI summary
A guidance system (10) is provided for interactive image capture for use with a device (12) having a camera (14) with a camera lens(s) 16. The system (10) includes a housing (20) configured to be mounted on the device (12), and a light source (22) mounted in the housing (20). The housing (20) and the light source (22) are configured to project a lighted boundary (24) onto a surface (26) in response to a control signal, with the boundary (24) defining a region of image capture (27) by the camera (14). The light source (22) is configured to selectively project the boundary (24) in a first color and to selectively project the boundary (24) in a second color, with the first and second colors providing feedback information to a user regarding the statue of image capture by the camera.