Methods and devices for displaying an overlay on a device display screen

1. A device comprising:

a camera unit configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display an overlay and the image, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

a microprocessor configured to perform acts comprising:

processing the image to determine at least one of a brightness level or a color value associated with the image,

determining at least one of a transparency level, a brightness level, or a color value for the overlay, as a function of the at least one of the brightness level or the color value associated with the image,

generating the overlay for display at the determined at least one of the transparency level, the brightness level, or the color value for the overlay, and

controlling the display to display the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously;

wherein determining the color value for the overlay comprises:

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value identifies a first location on a color wheel that represents the color value associated with the image;

determining at least one second numerical value, such that the at least one second numerical value identifies a second location substantially opposite to the first location on the color wheel; and

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the overlay is at least partially transparent.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a barcode.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the overlay comprises a barcode alignment reference.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to select the overlay from a plurality of pre-stored overlays.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to repeat said acts when the image changes to a new image, without user intervention.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the brightness level associated with the image is an average brightness level associated with the image.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein determining the transparency level for the overlay comprises:

comparing the brightness level associated with the image to a benchmark brightness level;

if the brightness level associated with the image is lower than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the transparency level for the overlay to a level that is lower than a default transparency level; and

if the brightness level associated with the image is higher than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the transparency level for the overlay to a level that is higher than the default transparency level.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein determining the brightness level for the overlay comprises:

comparing the brightness level associated with the image to a benchmark brightness level;

if the brightness level associated with the image is lower than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the brightness level for the overlay to a level that is lower than a default brightness level; and

if the brightness level associated with the image is higher than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the brightness level for the overlay to a level that is higher than the default brightness level.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the color value associated with the image is an average hue associated with at least a part of the image.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the color wheel is represented by an integer hash table of displayable color values stored on the device, wherein each key of the hash table represents a color value and is mapped to a predetermined complementary color for the key.

13. A method of displaying an overlay and an image, comprising:

identifying an image to be displayed;

processing the image to determine at least one of a brightness level or a color value associated with the image;

determining at least one of a transparency level, a brightness level, or a color value for the overlay as a function of the at least one of the brightness level or the color value associated with the image;

generating the overlay for display at the determined at least one of the transparency level, the brightness level, or the color value for the overlay, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

displaying the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously;

wherein determining the color value for the overlay comprises:

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value identifies a first location on a color wheel that represents the color value associated with the image;

determining at least one second numerical value, such that the at least one second numerical value identifies a second location substantially opposite to the first location on the color wheel; and

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the acts of the method are performed by a processor of a mobile device.

15. A physical computer-readable storage medium on which a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of a device is stored, the instructions for performing the acts of a method of displaying an overlay and an image, comprising:

identifying an image to be displayed;

processing the image to determine at least one of a brightness level or a color value associated with the image;

determining at least one of a transparency level, a brightness level, or a color value for the overlay as a function of the at least one of the brightness level or the color value associated with the image;

generating the overlay for display at the determined at least one of the transparency level, the brightness level, or the color value for the overlay, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

displaying the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously;

wherein determining the color value for the overlay comprises:

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value identifies a first location on a color wheel that represents the color value associated with the image;

determining at least one second numerical value, such that the at least one second numerical value identifies a second location substantially opposite to the first location on the color wheel; and

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value.

16. A device comprising:

a camera unit configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display an overlay and the image, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

a microprocessor configured to perform acts comprising:

processing the image to determine at least one of a brightness level or a color value associated with the image,

determining at least one of a transparency level, a brightness level, or a color value for the overlay, as a function of the at least one of the brightness level or the color value associated with the image,

generating the overlay for display at the determined at least one of the transparency level, the brightness level, or the color value for the overlay, and

controlling the display to display the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously;

wherein determining the color value for the overlay comprises:

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value represents the color value associated with the image;

determining at least one second numerical value, each second numerical value being computed as a function of a corresponding one of the at least one first numerical value; and

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the overlay is at least partially transparent.

18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the object comprises a barcode.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the overlay comprises a barcode alignment reference.

20. The device of claim 16 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to select the overlay from a plurality of pre-stored overlays.

21. The device of claim 16 , wherein the microprocessor is configured to repeat said acts when the image changes to a new image, without user intervention.

22. The device of claim 16 , wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

23. The device of claim 16 , wherein the brightness level associated with the image is an average brightness level associated with the image.

24. The device of claim 16 , wherein determining the transparency level for the overlay comprises:

comparing the brightness level associated with the image to a benchmark brightness level;

if the brightness level associated with the image is lower than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the transparency level for the overlay to a level that is lower than a default transparency level; and

if the brightness level associated with the image is higher than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the transparency level for the overlay to a level that is higher than the default transparency level.

25. The device of claim 16 , wherein determining the brightness level for the overlay comprises:

comparing the brightness level associated with the image to a benchmark brightness level;

if the brightness level associated with the image is lower than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the brightness level for the overlay to a level that is lower than a default brightness level; and

if the brightness level associated with the image is higher than the benchmark brightness level, then setting the brightness level for the overlay to a level that is higher than the default brightness level.

26. The device of claim 16 , wherein the color value associated with the image is an average hue associated with at least a part of the image.

27. The device of claim 16 , wherein the color wheel is represented by an integer hash table of displayable color values stored on the device, wherein each key of the hash table represents a color value and is mapped to a predetermined complementary color for the key.

28. A method of displaying an overlay and an image, comprising:

identifying an image to be displayed;

processing the image to determine at least one of a brightness level or a color value associated with the image;

determining at least one of a transparency level, a brightness level, or a color value for the overlay as a function of the at least one of the brightness level or the color value associated with the image;

generating the overlay for display at the determined at least one of the transparency level, the brightness level, or the color value for the overlay, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

displaying the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously;

wherein determining the color value for the overlay comprises:

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value represents the color value associated with the image;

determining at least one second numerical value, each second numerical value being computed as a function of a corresponding one of the at least one first numerical value; and

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the acts of the method are performed by a processor of a mobile device.

30. A physical computer-readable storage medium on which a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of a device is stored, the instructions for performing the acts of a method of displaying an overlay and an image, comprising:

identifying an image to be displayed;

processing the image to determine at least one of a brightness level or a color value associated with the image;

determining at least one of a transparency level, a brightness level, or a color value for the overlay as a function of the at least one of the brightness level or the color value associated with the image;

generating the overlay for display at the determined at least one of the transparency level, the brightness level, or the color value for the overlay, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

displaying the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously;

wherein determining the color value for the overlay comprises:

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value represents the color value associated with the image;

determining at least one second numerical value, each second numerical value being computed as a function of a corresponding one of the at least one first numerical value; and

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value.

31. A device comprising:

a camera unit configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display an overlay and the image, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

a microprocessor configured to perform acts comprising:

processing the image to determine a color value associated with the image,

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value identifies a first location on a color wheel that represents the color value associated with the image,

determining at least one second numerical value, such that the at least one second numerical value identifies a second location substantially opposite to the first location on the color wheel,

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value,

generating the overlay for display at the set color value for the overlay, and

controlling the display to display the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously.

32. A device comprising:

a camera unit configured to capture an image;

a display configured to display an overlay and the image, wherein the image comprises an object, and wherein the overlay resembles at least a portion of the object; and

a microprocessor configured to perform acts comprising:

processing the image to determine a color value associated with the image,

determining at least one first numerical value, wherein the at least one first numerical value represents the color value associated with the image,

determining at least one second numerical value, each second numerical value being computed as a function of a corresponding one of the at least one first numerical value,

setting the color value for the overlay to a color associated with the at least one second numerical value,

generating the overlay for display at the set color value for the overlay, and

controlling the display to display the overlay and the image substantially simultaneously.