Abstract:
A digital camera is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the digital camera comprises a display, wherein previously captured images are displayable on the display when the camera is in a first mode. Images of scenes that are capturable by the camera are displayable on the display when the camera is in a second mode. A touch pad is located proximate the display. Contact of a stylus on the touch pad causes the display to display different previously captured images when the camera is in the first mode. At least one icon representative of at least one function is displayable on the display when the camera is in the second mode. Contact by a stylus on the touch pad proximate the icon causes the at least one function to activate.

Description:
[0001]     U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles (attorney docket no. 200506143-1), filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, Amy E. Battles (attorney docket no. 200506124-1), filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles, Daniel J. Byrne, Li Shanshan, Mark J. Bianchi, and Norman C. Pyle (attorney docket no. 200506123-1) filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles, Li Shanshan, and Norman C. Pyle (attorney docket no. 200506158-1) filed on the same day as this application; U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, of Amy E. Battles (attorney docket no. 200506125-1) filed on the same day as this application, are all hereby incorporated by reference for all that is disclosed therein.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     As digital cameras become more complex and include more features, more buttons and the like are required to operate these features. As the digital camera technology improves, digital cameras are being made smaller. The combination of smaller digital cameras and more features results in small digital cameras that require a large number of buttons. Thus, digital cameras have a plurality of buttons and the like located in a small area, which can make the operation of the digital cameras cumbersome.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of a digital camera.  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the camera of  FIG. 1  in an embodiment of a playback mode.  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the camera of  FIG. 1  in an embodiment of a live view mode. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0006]     An embodiment of a digital camera  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . As described in greater detail below, the digital camera  100  includes touch pads  106  that serve to operate the digital camera  100 . The touch pads  106  operate different functions of the camera depending whether the camera is in a review or playback mode or a live view mode. The playback mode is sometimes referred to as the first mode and enables a user to view previously captured images or video clips on a display  112 . The live view mode is sometimes referred to as the second mode and enables a user to view scenes or images that may be captured by the digital camera  100 . Pressing a button on the digital camera  100  causes the image or scene to be captured.  
         [0007]     Having briefly described the digital camera  100 , it will now be described in greater detail. The digital camera  100  may include two touch pads  106 , which are referred to individually as a first touch pad  108  and a second touch pad  110 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the touch pads  106  may be substantially rectangular in shape. In some embodiments, the touch pads  106  are able to detect a stylus moving thereon or being pressed thereon. More specifically software associated with the touch pads  106  may be able to detect the sliding or pressing of a stylus. In some embodiments, the software and/or the touch pads  106  are able to distinguish between sliding motion on the touch pads  106  and a stylus being pressed on the touch pads  106 . The stylus may be a human finger.  
         [0008]     The digital camera  100  may also include a display  112 . When the digital camera  100  is in the live view mode, the display  112  may display images or scenes that are focused onto the digital camera  100 . These images or scenes may be captured by the digital camera  100  as described in greater detail below. When the digital camera  100  is in the playback mode, previously captured images may be displayed on the display  112 . In the embodiment of the digital camera  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , the first touch pad  108  is located adjacent a vertical edge of the display  112  and the second touch pad  110  is located adjacent a horizontal edge of the display  112 . It is noted that the digital camera  100  may have a single touch pad located thereon or more than two touch pads located thereon and that the use of the two touch pads  106  shown in  FIG. 1  is for illustration purposes only.  
         [0009]     A plurality of LEDs  116  or other lights or indicators may be located on the digital camera  100 . In the embodiment of the digital camera  100  shown in  FIG. 1 , the LEDs  116  are located between the touch pads  106  and the display  112 . As described in greater detail below, the LEDs  116  may serve to inform a user of different functions of the digital camera  100  that may be activated by contacting various areas of the touch pads  106 .  
         [0010]     The digital camera  100  may also include a capture button  120 , wherein depressing the capture button  120  causes the digital camera  100  to capture the scene on which it is focused. For example, pressing the capture button  120  will cause an image displayed on the display  112  during live view mode to be captured. The capture button  120  or a similar button may cause the digital camera  100  to capture video. The digital camera  100  may have other buttons  122  located thereon that serve to operate or activate different functions of the digital camera  100 .  
         [0011]     Having described some of the components of the digital camera  100 , the operation of the components and the digital camera  100  will now be described. The digital camera  100  captures images and enables a user to view images or scenes that may be captured via a display  112 . The touch pads  106  enable a user to control the functions of the digital camera  100  during the live view mode. Likewise, when the digital camera  100  is in the playback mode, the touch pads  106  enable a user to view different captured images or alter different images. It is noted that the images include video. The LEDs  116  may assist a user in determining how to operate various functions of the digital camera  100  using the touch pads  106 .  
         [0012]     When the digital camera  100  is in playback mode, the display  112  may display previously captured images that are stored in the digital camera  100  or on some memory device associated with the digital camera  100 . The digital camera  100  may be placed in the playback mode by a user pressing one of the buttons  122 . The digital camera  100  could also be placed in the playback mode by pressing on one of the touch pads  106  or pressing a location or button on one of the touch pads  106 . When the digital camera  100  is in playback mode, changing the image displayed on the display  112  may be achieved by a user sliding a stylus, such as a finger, along the second touch pad  110 . The images may be stored in some order, such as chronological order or by name. Sliding the stylus to the right may cause the next image in the order to be displayed. Likewise, sliding the stylus to the left may cause the previous image in the order to be displayed. It is noted that sliding a stylus in a vertical direction on the first touch pad  108  may produce the same viewing results as sliding the stylus in a horizontal direction on the second touch pad  110 .  
         [0013]     The number of images that change for a predetermined amount of movement of the stylus on the second touch pad  110  may be preselected or set by the user. In some embodiments, each time movement is detected, one different previously captured image is displayed on the display  112 . In other embodiments, new previously captured images continue to be displayed on the display as movement is detected. Thus, the images scroll on the display  112  as movement is detected. In the case of stored video, an image representative of the video, such as the first frame of the video may be displayed on the display  112 .  
         [0014]     An embodiment of the digital camera  100  in the playback mode is shown in  FIG. 2 . This embodiment of the playback mode may be obtained by pressing one of the buttons  122  or activating a portion of one of the touch pads  106 . For example, sliding a stylus on one of the touch pads  106  may cause the digital camera  100  to enter the playback mode. In this embodiment of the playback mode, the display  112  may display a previously captured image along with actions  128  that may be taken with respect to the displayed image. The actions  128  may appear as light text on the display  112 . The actions  128  shown in  FIG. 2  are “delete” which may delete the displayed image; “mail” which may cause the displayed image to be sent via electronic mail; “rotate” which may cause the displayed image to rotate; and “red eye” which may remove red eyes. It is noted that the actions shown in  FIG. 2  are examples of actions or options and that other actions or options may be available.  
         [0015]     The actions  128  are associated with sections of the first touch pad  108 . The touch pad  108  is portioned using software or the like within the digital camera  100  that determines the location of a contact by a stylus, such as a human finger. In the embodiment of the camera shown in  FIG. 2 , the first touch pad  108  is divided into four sections, which are referred to as the first section  130 , the second section  132 , the third section  134 , and the fourth section  136 . The above-described sections of the first touch pad  108  correspond with the actions  128 . Therefore, in order to initiate or activate an action, the corresponding section of the first touch pad  108  is contacted by a stylus. For example a user may rotate the displayed image by contacting the third section  134  of the first touch pad  108 .  
         [0016]     As described above, the touch pads  106  and/or the software associated with the touch pads  106  may be able to distinguish between a sliding motion and a pressing action on the touch pads  106 . In the embodiment of the playback mode shown in  FIG. 2 , the actions may be selected by pressing the corresponding sections of the first touch pad  108 . The actions may be changed as described above or by sliding the stylus on either of the touch pads  106 .  
         [0017]     The use of the touch pads  106  enables the digital camera  100  to provide several functions without an array of different buttons. In one embodiment, contact with one of the sections of the touch pad may cause more actions to be displayed. For example, a list of actions may be displayed wherein a user may scroll through the list of actions similar to the manner in which previously captured images may be viewed. Thus, more actions than the four displayed in  FIG. 2  may be initiated. In addition, different action may be available in different modes, wherein the user may be able to scroll through the different actions and options.  
         [0018]     In the embodiment of the digital camera  100  shown in  FIG. 2 , there are four LEDs  116 , which are referred to individually as a first LED  140 , a second LED  142 , a third LED  144 , and a third LED  146 . Each of the LEDs  116  corresponds to an action displayed on the display  112  and a section of the first touch pad  108 . In one embodiment, LEDs corresponding to actions that may be undertaken are illuminated. For example, if only three actions are possible, only three LEDs will illuminate. These illuminated LEDs are adjacent the sections of the first touch pad  108  that are contacted to initiate the actions. In another embodiment, the LEDs  116  default to not illuminated. When an action associated with an LED is initiated, the LED illuminates to indicate that the action has been initiated or activated.  
         [0019]     In another embodiment, the LEDs  116  may be used to indicate the actions rather than or in addition to having the actions displayed on the display  112 . For example, the LEDs  116  may be in the shape of an icon or the like and may illuminate when the corresponding option or action is available. Icons could be printed on the digital camera next to the LEDs  116  wherein the icons represent different actions or options available in different modes.  
         [0020]     Having described the playback mode, the live view mode will now be described in greater detail. As described above, the live view mode of the digital camera  100  enables a user to view images on the display  112  as the images are being captured. A user may cause the digital camera  100  to enter live view mode by pressing one of the buttons  122  or by pressing a certain area on the touch pads  106 .  
         [0021]     An embodiment of the digital camera  100  in the live view mode is shown in  FIG. 3 . Actions  150  associated with capturing images may be displayed on the display  112 . The actions  150  are shown in  FIG. 3  as being next to the first touch pad  108 . However, the actions  150  may be located above the second touch pad  110 . Actions include, but are not limited to, aperture size, exposure time, contrast, color balance, gain, exposure compensation, flash, zoom, and delayed capture. Delayed capture operates a timer wherein an image is captured after a preselected period of time.  
         [0022]     A user may point the digital camera  100  at a scene that is to be captured and the scene may be displayed on the display  112 . The user may then use the touch pads  106  to change capture or exposure settings in a manner similar to the way in which actions associated with the playback mode were activated. For example, the user may turn the flash on and off or set the flash to an automatic mode by pressing the first portion  130  of the first touch pad  108 . Continually pressing the first portion  130  of the first touch pad  108  may cause the digital camera to cycle through the flash settings. In another embodiment, sliding or otherwise contacting the second touch pad  110  may change the setting. Thus, the digital camera  100  may be put in a mode to change the flash by contacting the first portion  130  of the first touch pad  108  and the flash setting may be changed by contacting the second touch pad  110 . The same is applicable for other actions.  
         [0023]     It is noted that the above described actions may be achieved using a single touch pad. When a section of a touch pad is pressed corresponding to a action, the touch pad may switch to a scrolling mode and allow the user to scroll through the flash options. The touch pad may then be tapped, which would cause the soft keys or actions to be displayed. The soft keys or actions may also be displayed after a preselected period of time.  
         [0024]     When the user has established the appropriate settings, the image or scene may be captured by pressing the capture button  120 . The captured image or scene may then be viewed using the playback mode as described above.