Device and method for inserting captured image data into a document

1. A method executable on a processor of a mobile device, the mobile device including a camera, a camera activator, a camera application and an active application in which an active document is open, the method comprising:

detecting a first signal from the camera activator when the open active document is able to accept image data;

switching from operation of the active application to the camera application in response to detection of the first signal from the camera activator;

detecting a second signal from the camera activator; and

in response to detection of said second signal, capturing said image data via the camera and automatically inserting the image data in-line into the active document open in the active application.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: following capturing said image data via the camera, resuming operation of the active application.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein resuming operation of the active application comprises automatically resuming operation of the active application.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the first signal from the camera activator when the open active document is able to accept image data comprises: upon detecting the first signal, determining that the active document is able to accept image data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the first signal from the camera activator when the open active document is able to accept image data comprises: determining that the active application is able to accept image data and enabling detection of a signal from the camera activator in response thereto; and detecting the first signal from the camera activator.

6. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein switching from operation of the active application to the camera application comprises suspending the active application and invoking the camera application.

7. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mobile device includes a display screen and wherein the camera application operates in a viewfinder mode for displaying a camera view on the display screen.

8. The method claimed in claim 1 , capturing the image data comprises creating an image object containing the image data.

9. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein inserting the image data includes passing the image data to the active application, whereupon the active application inserts the image within an input field in the active document.

10. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the camera activator includes a triggering device selected from the group including a button, a key, a switch, a dial, a touch pad, a touch screen, a key combination, and a software device.

11. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the active document includes a document selected from the group including an e-mail message, an instant message, a word processing document, a spreadsheet, a contact entry, a personal profile, a calendar entry, a memo, a task reminder, and a multimedia message.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the active application has a cursor at a location in the active document, and wherein inserting the image data in-line into the active document comprises inserting the image data at the location of the cursor when the operation of the active application was switched to the camera application.

13. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

a camera; and

a camera activator;

the processor configured to

detect a first signal from the camera activator when the processor is running an active application in which an active document able to accept image data is open,

switch from operation of the active application to a camera application in response to detection of the first signal from the camera activator,

detect a second signal from the camera activator, and

in response to detection of the second signal, capture image data on the camera and automatically insert the image data in-line into the active document open in the active application.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is configured to: following the capture of image data on the camera, resume operation of the active application.

15. The mobile device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to resume operation of the active application automatically.

16. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the processor is configured to detect the first signal from the camera activator when the processor is running an active application in which the active document able to accept image data is open by, upon detecting the first signal, determining that the active document is able to accept image data.

17. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the processor is configured to detect the first signal from the camera activator when the processor is running an active application in which the active document able to accept image data is open by determining that the active application is able to accept image data and enabling detection of a signal from the camera activator in response thereto; and detecting the first signal from the camera activator.

18. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the processor is configured to switch from operation of the active application to the camera application by suspending the active application and invoking the camera application.

19. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the processor is configured to insert the image data into an input field in the active document.

20. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the camera activator includes a triggering device selected from one or a combination of the group including a button, a key, a switch, a dial, a touch pad, a touch screen, a key combination, and a software device.

21. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the active document includes a document selected from the group including an e-mail message, an instant message, a word processing document, a spreadsheet, a contact entry, a personal profile, a calendar entry, a memo, a task reminder, and a multimedia message.

22. The mobile device of claim 13 wherein the active application has a cursor at a location in the active document, and wherein the processor is configured to insert the imade data into the active document at the location of the cursor when the operation of the active application was switched to the camera application.