Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a portable electronic device equipped with a camera module and how to use the portable electronic device to share the captured image(s) to an online social networking platform. 
         [0003]    Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Online social networking services, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and so on, provide platforms to build social networks or social relations among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections. Online social networking sites allow users to share ideas, pictures, posts, activities, events, and interests with people in their network. Today, many portable electronic devices have been developed to cater to users of the growing number of online social networking services. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A portable electronic device equipped with a camera module and a shutter button is disclosed. 
         [0006]    In an exemplary embodiment, the portable electronic device further comprises a control circuit. The shutter button for the camera module is switchable between multiple stages and includes a display screen. The control circuit of the portable electronic device operates the camera module and provides display content to the display screen based on the switch between the multiple stages of the shutter button. 
         [0007]    In another exemplary embodiment, a control method for a portable electronic device equipped with a camera module is disclosed. A shutter button is provided on the portable electronic device for the camera module. The shutter button is switchable between multiple stages and includes a display screen. The control method comprises: recognizing the switch between the multiple stages of the shutter button; and operating the camera module and providing display content to the display screen based on the switch between the multiple stages of the shutter button. 
         [0008]    A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  depict a portable electronic device  100  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows that the shutter button  104  may be switched between a normal state  202 , a half depression state  204 , a full depression state  206 , a protruding control knob state  208 , and a half-pressed protruding state  210 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart depicting how the user switches the shutter button  104  between the different states ( 202  to  210 ) to take a picture or a video and publish the captured picture or video to an online social networking platform; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  show that the shutter button  104  is pressed halfway to switch the shutter button  104  to the half depression state  204  for image capture; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  show that the shutter button  104  is pressed deeper (in comparison with the half depression state  204 ) to switch the shutter button  104  to the full depression state  206  for a counterforce to bounce the shutter button  104 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6A ,  FIG. 6B  and  FIG. 6C  show that the shutter button  104  pops up to the protruding control knob state  208  as a protruding control knob; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  show that the protruding control knob is pressed halfway to switch the shutter button  104  to the half-pressed protruding state  210  and then the protruding control knob state  208  pops up to the protruding control knob state  208  again and a selection is thereby confirmed; 
           [0017]      FIG. 8A  shows that after a picture or a video is selected and the shutter button  104  is switched back to the protruding control knob state  208 , an online social network icon may be displayed on the display screen  110  of the shutter button  104 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8B  shows that the user may turn the shutter button  104  (as a protruding control knob) to switch the display screen  110  to display another social networking icon for selection; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows another shutter button  900  comprising a control dial  904  around a display screen  902 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  shows a shutter button  1000  in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a flowchart depicting how the user switches the shutter button  900  between the different states (including the normal state  202  and the half depression state  204 ) to take a picture or a video and publish the captured picture or video to an online social networking platform. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    The following description shows exemplary embodiments for carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  depict a portable electronic device  100  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, which is equipped with a camera module (numbered  102  in the block diagram of  FIG. 1B ) and has a shutter button  104 , a control circuit (numbered  106  in the block diagram of  FIG. 1B ) and a wireless communication module (numbered  108  in the block diagram of  FIG. 1B ). A display screen  110  is assembled atop the shutter button  104 . The control circuit  106  operates the camera module  102  and the shutter button  104  for a camera live preview on the display screen  110 . During the camera live preview, the camera module  102  takes a picture (e.g., one image) in accordance with a half press shorter than a threshold time on the shutter button  104 , and starts taking a video (e.g., a series of images) in accordance with a half press longer than the threshold time on the shutter button  104 . The wireless communication module  108  is operated by the control circuit  106  to publish a picture or a video captured by the camera module  102  online. For example, the user may use the portable electronic device  100  to capture a picture or a video and share the captured picture or video online by any online social networking service, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on. 
         [0024]    In addition to being pressed halfway for image capture, the shutter button  104  is in a mechanical structure that is further mechanically operated by the user for menu selection. The selection between the different pictures or videos captured by the camera module  102  is performed by mechanically operating the shutter button  104 . The shutter button  104  is further mechanically operated for an online social network selection to publish a selected picture or a selected video to a selected online social networking platform. 
         [0025]    In another exemplary embodiment, menu icons may be alternatively displayed on the display screen  110  by mechanically operating the shutter button  104  for menu selection. 
         [0026]    The shutter button  104  may support being pressed in multiple stages.  FIG. 2  shows that the shutter button  104  may be switched between the multiple stages including a normal state  202 , a half depression state  204 , a full depression state  206 , a protruding control knob state  208 , and a half-pressed protruding state  210 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart depicting how the user switches the shutter button  104  between the different states  202  to  210  to take a picture or a video and publish the captured picture or video to an online social networking platform. In step S 302 , the shutter button  104  is in the normal state  202  and the display screen  110  is operated to display the camera live preview. In step S 304 , the shutter button  104  is pressed halfway to the half depression state  204  for image capture, e.g., taking a picture by a short half press or taking a video in accordance with a long half press. The video capture may start in accordance with one long half press and stop in accordance with another long half press. In step S 306 , the shutter button  104  is fully pressed to the full depression state  206  to mechanically pop up to the protruding control knob state  208  as a protruding control knob. In step S 308 , the shutter button  104  in the protruding control knob state  208  is turned by the user for picture/video selection. In step S 310 , the shutter button  104  is pressed to the half-pressed protruding state  210  to confirm the picture/video selection. In step S 312 , the shutter button  104  pops up back to the protruding control knob state  208  to be turned by the user for online social network selection. In step S 314 , the shutter button  104  is pressed to the half-pressed protruding state  210  to confirm the online social network selection and thereby the selected picture or the selected video is published to a selected online social networking platform. 
         [0028]    In another exemplary embodiment, the display screen  110  is a touch panel. When the shutter button  104  is in the protruding control knob state  208 , the pictures/videos/menu icons alternatively displayed on the display screen  110  is switched by sensing a touching or a turning of the user on the touch panel. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  show that the shutter button  104  is pressed halfway to switch the shutter button  104  to the half depression state  204  for image capture.  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  show that the shutter button  104  is pressed deeper (in comparison with the half depression state  204 ) to switch the shutter button  104  to the full depression state  206  for a counterforce to bounce the shutter button  104 .  FIG. 6A ,  FIG. 6B  and  FIG. 6C  show that the shutter button  104  pops up to the protruding control knob state  208  as a protruding control knob. As shown in  FIG. 6B , the captured picture may be displayed on the display screen  110  of the shutter button  104 .  FIG. 6C  shows that the user may turn the shutter button  104  (as a protruding control knob) to switch the display screen  110  to display the pictures captured before.  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  show that the protruding control knob is pressed halfway to switch the shutter button  104  to the half-pressed protruding state  210  and then the protruding control knob state  208  pops up to the protruding control knob state  208  again and a selection is thereby confirmed.  FIG. 8A  shows that after a picture or a video is selected and the shutter button  104  is switched back to the protruding control knob state  208 , an online social network icon may be displayed on the display screen  110  of the shutter button  104 .  FIG. 8B  shows that the user may turn the shutter button  104  (as a protruding control knob) to switch the display screen  110  to display another social networking icon for selection. To confirm the online social network selection, the user may perform the half press depicted in  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  again. 
         [0030]      FIG. 9  shows another shutter button  900  comprising a control dial  904  around a display screen  902 . The shutter button  900  is not operated as a protruding control knob. Instead, the display screen  902  is switched between showing the different pictures captured by the camera module  102  or switched between showing the different videos captured by the camera module  102  or switched between showing different menu icons (e.g., icons of different online social network services) by turning the control dial  902 . The shutter button  900  has a mechanical part supporting the display screen  902 , and the mechanical motion of the control dial  904  is independent from the mechanical motion of the mechanical part. The picture or video selection or the online social network selection is confirmed by a half press on the mechanical part. The half press on the mechanical part for the picture or video or online social network selection is shorter than a threshold time. As for a half press on the mechanical part longer than the threshold time, the camera module  102  and the shutter button  900  are operated for the camera live preview on the display screen  902  again. 
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows a shutter button  1000  in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. According to the lateral view in  FIG. 10 , the shutter button  1000  comprises a display screen  1002  and a control dial  1004  around the display screen  1002 . The mechanical motion of the control dial  1004  is independent from the mechanical motion of the mechanical part supporting the display screen  1002 . The control dial  1004  supports recognition of a press on the control dial  1004  in area A 1 . The control dial  1004  sinks in the area A 1  with the press on the control dial  1004  in the area A 1 . The picture or video selection or the online social network selection is confirmed by a press on the control dial  1004  in the area A 1 . Furthermore, when the control dial  1004  is pressed in area A 2 , the camera module  102  and the shutter button  1000  may be operated for the camera live preview on the display screen  1002  again. 
         [0032]      FIG. 11  is a flowchart depicting how the user switches the shutter button  900  between the different states (including the normal state  202  and the half depression state  204 ) to take a picture or a video and publish the captured picture or video to an online social networking platform. In step S 1102 , the shutter button  904  is in the normal state  202  and the display screen  902  is operated to display the camera live preview. In step S 1104 , the shutter button  900  is pressed halfway to the half depression state  204  for image capture (e.g., taking a picture by a short half press or taking a video in accordance with a long half press). In step S 1106 , the shutter button  902  pops up to the normal state  202  and the control dial  904  is turned by the user to switch the display screen  902  between showing the different pictures or videos for picture/video selection. In step S 1108 , the shutter button  900  is pressed to the half depression state  204  to confirm the picture/video selection. In step S 1110 , the shutter  900  pops up to the normal state  202  and the control dial  904  is turned by the user to switch the display screen  902  between showing the icons of the different online social networking services. In step S 1112 , the shutter button  900  is pressed to the half depression state  204  to confirm the online social network selection and thereby the selected picture or the selected video is published to a selected online social networking platform. As for the shutter buffer  1000 , the picture/video selection and the online social network selection is confirmed by a press on the control dial  1104  in the area A 1  rather than a half-press on the display screen (described in steps S 1108  and S 1112 ). 
         [0033]    The invention further involves control methods for a portable electronic device equipped with a camera module. Any technique using the aforementioned concept to capture image(s) and publish the captured image(s) online is within the scope of the invention. 
         [0034]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.

Technology Category: 5