Dynamic region of interest adaptation and image capture device providing same

1. A method of operating an image capture device, the method comprising:

displaying a real-time image on a display of the image capture device, the real-time image being based on digital image data acquired by a digital image sensor;

receiving a selection of one or more selected regions within the real-time image;

setting, in response to the selection, a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs), each ROI being a region defined within the real-time image for applying a respective set of image acquisition parameters, the plurality of ROIs including one or more user-defined ROIs defined in accordance with the one or more selected regions;

when an input to cancel a given one of the plurality of ROIs is detected, cancelling the given one of the plurality of ROIs while maintaining a remainder of the plurality of ROIs;

using a signal generated by at least one motion, position or orientation sensor of the image capture device to determine when position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than a predetermined threshold amount, wherein a determination that the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than a predetermined threshold amount is an indicator that the plurality of ROIs are no longer valid;

when the signal generated by the least one motion, position or orientation sensor indicates that the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than the predetermined threshold amount, cancelling all of the plurality of ROIs and setting one or more default ROIs; and

acquiring digital image data by the digital image sensor in accordance with the remainder of the plurality of ROIs or the one or more default ROIs.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring comprises:

performing region-weighted pre-processing in accordance with the respective sets of image acquisition parameters of the remainder of the plurality of ROIs or the one or more default ROIs.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pre-processing comprises focusing.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pre-processing comprises exposure metering.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring at least one motion, position or orientation signal generated by the at least one motion, position or orientation sensor of the image capture device to determine whether the position or orientation of the device has changed more than the threshold amount.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image capture device includes a touch-sensitive display upon which the real-time image is displayed, wherein the input to cancel the given one of the plurality of ROIs comprises detecting a first designated touch gesture on the touch-sensitive display.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising: when a second designated touch gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display, cancelling all of the plurality of ROIs and setting the one or more default ROIs.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second designated touch gesture is a drag or swipe gesture having a starting point within one of the plurality of ROIs and an end point at or near a corner of the touch-sensitive display.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the starting point overlaps with a boundary of the plurality of ROIs or one or more default ROIs.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

when a second designated touch gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display, moving all of the plurality of ROIs as a group in accordance with the second designated touch gesture.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the position of the image capture device comprises a geographical location of the image capture device.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a boundary of the plurality of ROIs or the one or more default ROIs is displayed on a display of the image capture.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising encoding the acquired digital image data to produce at least one still image.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising storing the at least one still image in persistent memory.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective sets of image acquisition parameters are different between the plurality of ROIs and the one or more default ROIs.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ROIs comprises at least one default ROI and at least one user-defined ROI.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sending an interrupt signal from the at least one motion, position or orientation sensor when the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than the predetermined threshold amount.

18. An image capture device, comprising:

a digital image sensor;

a display;

an image encoder for encoding digital image data into still images;

at least one motion, position or orientation sensor; and

an image processor coupled to the digital image sensor, the image encoder and the display, the image processor being configured to:

display a real-time image on a display of the image capture device, the real-time image being based on digital image data acquired by the digital image sensor;

receive a selection of one or more selected regions within the real-time image;

set, in response to the selection, a plurality of regions of interest (ROIs), each ROI being a region defined within the real-time image for applying a respective set of image acquisition parameters, the plurality of ROIs including one or more user-defined ROIs defined in accordance with the one or more selected regions;

when an input to cancel a given one of the plurality of ROIs is detected, cancel the given one of the plurality of ROIs while maintaining a remainder of the plurality of ROIs;

use a signal generated by the at least one motion, position or orientation sensor to determine when position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than a predetermined threshold amount, wherein a determination that the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than a predetermined threshold amount is an indicator that the plurality of ROIs are no longer valid;

when the signal generated by the at least one motion, position or orientation sensor indicates that the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than the predetermined threshold amount and, cancel all of the plurality of ROIs and set one or more default ROIs; and

acquire digital image data by the digital image sensor in accordance with the remainder of the plurality of ROIs or the one or more default ROIs.

19. The image capture device of claim 18 , wherein the image processor is further configured to monitor at least one motion, position or orientation signal generated by the at least one motion, position or orientation sensor to determine whether the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than the threshold amount.

20. The image capture device of claim 18 , where the at least one motion, position or orientation sensor is configured to send an interrupt signal to the image processor when the position or orientation of the image capture device has changed more than the predetermined threshold amount.