Touchscreen Panorama Capture With Adjustable Sweep Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current panorama imaging devices lack an interactive user interface that allows users to easily configure and monitor the size and geometry of the sweep angle during image acquisition, making it difficult to achieve a desired panoramic image.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held digital image capture device with a touch-sensitive display screen that enables users to adjust the sweep angle and display a progress bar and pie chart to visualize the sweep progress, automatically capturing overlapping images and synthesizing a panoramic image with the selected width.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the device displays a fixed-size sweep panorama interface, then the user interface is simple, but the user cannot easily configure and understand the size and geometry of the sweep angle settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the interface elements (bar width, pie chart angle) adjustable and responsive to user input. The bar's width can be dynamically changed by user interaction, and the pie chart dynamically displays the current sweep angle progression, transforming a static interface into an interactive one that adapts to user needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through the pie chart that visually indicates the current sweep angle progression in real-time. This feedback mechanism allows users to understand how much of the panorama has been captured and what the current sweep angle is, enabling them to adjust their sweeping motion accordingly.
2Extent of automation
If the device automatically captures images during sweep without user input, then the capture process is automated, but the user cannot monitor or adjust the sweep progress
Solution Approach 1:
The pie chart provides continuous visual feedback during the automated capture process, showing the user the current sweep angle and progress. This allows the system to maintain automation while simultaneously providing information about the capture progress, eliminating the information loss problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The pie chart acts as an intermediary between the automated capture system and the user. It translates the technical sweep angle data into a visual representation that the user can easily understand, bridging the gap between automation and user awareness.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the user sweeps through a fixed angle without adjustment capability, then the capture process is simple, but the user cannot achieve the desired panoramic image dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The bar's width is made dynamically adjustable by the user through touch interface interaction. Users can stretch or compress the bar to set their desired sweep angle, making the system adaptable to different panoramic image dimension requirements while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive visual adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of sweep angle from fixed to variable. By allowing users to adjust the bar width and corresponding sweep angle, the system becomes versatile enough to accommodate different panoramic image dimensions while keeping the operation simple through direct visual manipulation.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand-held digital camera has a touch-sensitive display screen (“touch screen”) for image preview and user control of the camera, and a user-selectable panorama mode. Upon entering panorama mode the camera superimposes upon the touch screen a horizontal rectangular bar whose width and/or height are user-adjustable by interaction with the touch screen to select a desired horizontal sweep angle. After the sweep angle is set the camera automatically captures successive horizontally overlapping images during a sweep of the device through the selected sweep angle. Subsequently the camera synthesises a panoramic image from the successively captured images, the panoramic image having a width corresponding to the selected sweep angle.