Camera resolution modification based on intended printing location

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining picture resolution to optimize storage, wherein input is received from a user interface. The input includes a selected picture destination, such as a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a web application, a website, and/or a display. Attributes of the picture destination are determined with a processor, wherein the attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. The processor determines the picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination.

BACKGROUND

The present invention is in the field of methods, systems, devices, and computer program products for camera resolution modification based on the intended printing location.

Digital photography has all but eclipsed tradition film based cameras in the consumer market and also in the professional market. With digital photography, cameras are able to take photos in various different resolutions. A typical camera may offer the user the choice of a low, medium or high resolution and often specify those in actual pixel depth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining picture resolution to optimize storage, wherein input is received from a user interface. The input includes a selected picture destination, such as a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a web application, a website, and/or a display. Attributes of the picture destination are determined with a processor, wherein the attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. The processor determines the picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a device having a user interface that receives a selected picture destination, wherein the selected picture destination is a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a photograph sharing web application, a website, and/or a display. A processor connected to the user interface determines attributes of the picture destination and determines a picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination. The attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. The device further includes a storage device connected to the processor, wherein the storage device includes the attributes of the picture destination. A communications module is also connected to the processor, wherein the communications module queries a webpage and/or an online database to determine the attributes of the picture destination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary, non-limiting, embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below. While specific configurations are discussed to provide a clear understanding, it should be understood that the disclosed configurations are provided for illustration purposes only. A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

At least one embodiment of the invention provides a method and system for optimizing the resolution of a picture (also referred to herein as a “photograph” or “image”) prior to the taking of the picture. More specifically, the camera accepts as input from the user attributes of the intended picture, including destination and/or size. The camera can communicate with the destination services to determine what its printing capability is and then modify the camera's settings to an optimal resolution.

A camera system (also referred to herein as “the camera”) according to an embodiment of the invention collects information from the user prior to taking a picture and uses this information to automatically adjust the camera resolution to an optimal value. The users can select specific attributes or a general profile or category. For example, the specific attributes can include the size of a printed photograph or digital image, the quality the printed photograph or digital image, the destination printer (e.g., home printer, photolab printer), and/or the destination for display (e.g., digital picture frame, social networking website). The general profile or category (also referred to herein as an “album”) can include, for example, vacation, yearbook, online social network, yearly family photo, etc.

The camera system can query in real time or use a cached information store to determine what printer the destination service (also referred to herein as the “picture destination”) uses. In the case of displaying a photograph, the camera system can query in real time or use a cached information store to determine the ideal format of the picture elements (e.g., for services such as a social networking website album). The camera system method can then determine the intended size of the photograph in conjunction with the printer's and/or display's resolution capabilities and adjust the cameras resolution to an optimal value. The collection of information from the user prior to taking the picture can be performed immediately prior to the taking of the picture or the information can be set as part of a default profile well in advance of the taking the picture.

The following provides an example implementation of a method to modify camera resolution depth based on the intended printing location according to an embodiment of the invention. Tom sees his kids playing at the park and he decides to snap a few photographs which he plans on uploading to XYZ social networking website. Tom pulls out his smart phone with built-in camera, selects the XYZ social networking website profile, and then snaps five photographs. When the XYZ social networking website profile was chosen, the camera queried the XYZ social networking website and determined that a low resolution was optimal for the intended destination and changed the settings before Tom took the first shot. Tom's spouse commented on how perfect a shot of the family would be with the sunset for their annual scrapbook so Tom selects “3×5 Scrapbook” on his phone. This causes the camera to use GPS to determine the location of the nearest ABC Photo Store and queries that location to determine that the location has a digital minilab systems dye sublimation printer with a 400 dpi maximum resolution. This causes the camera to calculate (3 inches×400=1200 pixels by 5 inches×400 dpi=2000 pixels) and select the 1200×2000 pixel resolution option.

An embodiment of the invention queries an end user for input to collect specific destination attributes (e.g., picture size, number of pixels, pixel depth, color depth, a specific photo lab, online destination, etc.) or a general profile (e.g., scrapbook, framed family photo, post card, etc.). The destination can be interrogated, for example, via a public application program interface (API) or database, to determine the printer the destination uses and the maximum resolution the printer can take as an input. The destination can be a physical location (e.g., a photographic processing store) and/or a virtual location (e.g., a cloud based on-line photograph sharing website). An optimal camera resolution can be calculated based on the input. In another embodiment, the user selects a high pixel count for the photograph to obtain the highest resolution for the camera.

FIG. 1is a flow diagram illustrating a method to modify camera resolution depth based on the intended printing location according to an embodiment of the invention. A user selects the photograph destination on his or her camera110. The destination can include, for example, XYZ Store 1-hour photo, home ink jet printer, ABC online photo sharing website. In this example, the user selects XYZ Store 1-hour photo. The user can also select photograph attributes120, such as, for example, a desired print size of 4×6, 5×7, or 8×10. In example, the user selects the 5×7 print size.

The camera queries the destination to determine the destination printer and/or display130. In this example, the camera queries the XYZ Store 1-hour photo website and determines that they have a 400 dpi dysublimation printer. The user can enter additional attributes needed or desired140. For example, a destination can have multiple rendering methods and the user can select one or more of the methods. For example, the destination offers prints on t-shirts, mouse pads, coffee mugs, and photo paper, which can be displayed to the user on the camera.

The camera sets the resolution based on the user input150(e.g., (400 dpi×7 inches=2800 pixels width)×(400 dpi×5 inches=2000 height)); and, the user takes a picture160. The camera stores the photograph at the optimal resolution based on the user input170(e.g., 2800×2000 resolution depth). The user renders the photograph at the destination180(e.g., hard copy prints at XYZ Store 1-hour photo).

FIG. 2is a flow diagram illustrating a method to modify camera resolution depth based on the intended printing location according to another embodiment of the invention, wherein the selection of the print location is performed much prior to picture taking The camera is connected to a computer in order to transfer photographs210. The user interacts with a computer application to select the destination220. The computer application queries a database or the destination itself in order to determine the appropriate print quality230. The user indicates that, by default, he or she will print at this destination240. The destination print attributes used by the camera to set the optimal resolution is transferred from the computer to the camera and the destination print attributes are set as the camera's default setting250. The camera is disconnected from the computer260. If the user goes on vacation and takes a lot of pictures, the camera does not need to connect to the destination or a database to determine the optimal picture resolution.

In at least one embodiment of the invention, the camera can store information for multiple destinations and the user can select a destination at the time of picture taking The camera can have a default setting that is used when the user does not explicitly choose a single destination from a set of saved destinations.

FIG. 3is a flow diagram illustrating a method for determining a picture resolution to optimize storage according to an embodiment of the invention. Input is received from a user interface310, where the input includes a picture destination selected by the user (also referred to herein as the “selected picture destination” or “picture destination”). The picture destination can include a printer, a photograph processing store, a photograph sharing web application (e.g., WWW.FLICKR.COM, WWW.SNAPFISH.COM, WWW.SHUTTERFLY.COM), a social networking website (e.g., WWW.FACEBOOK.COM, WWW.MYSPACE.COM), and/or a monitor (e.g., digital photo frame, mobile phone display, tablet computer, laptop computer monitor, desktop computer monitor). The user interface can include a touchscreen display, a rollerball, arrow keys (e.g., 4-way controller), a keypad, and/or a microphone. For example, the user enters the destination “XYZ Store 1-hour photo” from a touchscreen display on the user's camera. In at least one embodiment, the user is prompted by the camera to enter and/or select the picture destination prior to capturing the photograph. In at least one embodiment, the input (i.e., selected picture destination) is stored in a storage device of the digital camera (can be different from where pics stored) and set as the default picture destination.

A processor determines attributes of the picture destination320, where the attributes of the picture destination can include maximum print resolution, minimum print resolution, maximum print size, minimum print size, maximum screen resolution, minimum screen resolution, maximum image size, and/or minimum image size. Specifically, the processor queries a storage device that includes the maximum print resolution, the maximum print size, the maximum screen resolution, and/or the maximum image size at the picture destination. In at least one embodiment, the storage device includes internal camera memory, which can be separate from the memory device where photographs are stored. In another embodiment, the storage device is an external resource (e.g., the picture destination's website) that the processor connects to via a communications module of the camera (e.g., WiFi Internet connection, 4G telecommunications). For example, the processor queries an online database to determine that the XYZ Store 1-hour photo lab has a maximum print resolution of 1280×1024.

In at least one embodiment of the invention, the selected picture destination is an digital and/or print album, such as, for example, scrapbook, vacation, yearbook, family, and postcards. The album can include the maximum print resolution for the album, the minimum print resolution for the album, the maximum print size for the album, the minimum print size for the album, the maximum screen resolution for the album, the minimum screen resolution for the album, the maximum image size for the album, and/or the minimum image size for the album.

The processor determines the picture resolution setting for the camera (for the photograph to be captured) based on the attributes of the picture destination330. Specifically, the processor can select a picture resolution that is equal to or less than the maximum printer/screen resolution and/or the maximum print/image size of the picture destination.

FIG. 4illustrates a device400for determining a picture resolution to optimize storage according to an embodiment of the invention. The device400(also referred to herein as the “digital camera”) includes a user interface410(e.g., GUI) that receives a selected picture destination (also referred to herein as the “picture rendering destination”). The picture destination can include a printer, a photograph processing service provider, a photograph sharing web application, a website, and/or a display. For those skilled in the art, it can be observed that other rendering destinations not explicitly named are also contemplated by the embodiments of the invention. In at least one embodiment, the picture destination includes a selected album, wherein the album includes a pre-set print resolution for the album, a pre-set print size for the album, a pre-set screen resolution for the album, and/or a pre-set image size for the album. The user interface410can prompt the user for the selected picture destination prior to capturing a photograph, for example, via a visual and/or audio alert or message.

The system400includes a processor420that determines attributes of the picture destination, where the attributes of the picture destination include a print resolution, a print size, a screen resolution, and/or a image size. As used herein, the term “processor” includes a computer hardware device that is connected to a user interface. As used herein, the term “connected” includes operationally connected, logically connected, in communication with, physically connected, engaged, coupled, contacts, linked, affixed, and attached. The processor420also determines the picture resolution based on the attributes of the picture destination. The processor420can set the selected picture destination as the default picture destination.

A storage device430(also referred to herein as “memory”) is connected to the processor420, where the storage device430includes the attributes of the picture destination. A communications module440is also connected to the processor420, where the communications module440queries a webpage and/or an external online database to determine the attributes of the picture destination.