Patent ID: 7573514
Filing Date: 2009-08-11
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital camera comprising a digital imaging unit for generating a full sized digital image of a scene; an evaluation image generation unit; a digital zoom generating unit, including a user operated digital zoom selector, that determines a lesser portion of the full sized digital image to be rendered by interpolation into a final reproduced image that corresponds in size to images generated from the full sized image; a graphical zoom indicator unit that generates a graphical indication in association with the evaluation image of increases and decreases of digital zoom ratios in response to user operation of the digital zoom selector; and after digital zoom has started and during digital zoom, a controller that effects increasing and decreasing digital zoom ratios in response to user operation of the digital zoom selector and that interrupts indication of increasing digital zoom ratios for at least a first interval of time when the selected zoom ratio reaches a first digital zoom ratio setting that corresponds to a minimum acceptable image resolution where degradation of image quality level for a given size of rendered image is un-noticeable, the interruption serving as a warning to the user that said minimum acceptable image resolution for un-noticeable degradation in print image quality has been reached so as to allow the user the opportunity to discontinue further increase of the selected zoom ratio; wherein said controller interrupts the indication increasing digital zoom for a second interval of time when the selected zoom ratio setting reaches a second digital zoom ratio setting, greater than said first digital zoom ratio setting, that corresponds to an unacceptable image quality level for said given size of rendered image.