Method and apparatus for automatically categorizing images in a digital camera
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for automatically categorizing images in a digital camera is provided. In one aspect, image data is captured by a digital camera. Image data analysis is performed on the captured image data by the digital camera to automatically generate a category tag to which the captured image data may relate. The generated category tag is stored in association with the captured image data for categorizing the captured image data.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a processing device configured to:
detect a predetermined characteristic in an image file in response to capturing an image;
automatically generate at least one category tag for the image file at a time of capturing the image based at least in part on the predetermined characteristic; and
attach the least one category tag to the image file; and
a memory device configured to store the image file with the attached at least one category tag.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to analyze the image file at the time of capturing the image.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to generate at least one capture information tag, at least one user tag, or at least one product tag based at least in part on analyzing the image file.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one category tag comprises a person, a group of people, a nature scene, a cityscape, a waterscape, or an indoor image.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to enable setting parameters for detecting the predetermined characteristic in the image file.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the parameters comprise a sensitivity parameter configured to set a level of sensitivity associated with analyzing the image file to detect the characteristic.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to perform gamma correction or color space conversion on the image file.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing device is further configured to compress the image file before storing the image file and the at least one category tag in the memory device.
9. A method, comprising:
detecting, using a processor, a predetermined characteristic in an image file generated in response to capturing an image;
automatically generating, using the processor, at least one category tag for the image file at a time of capturing the image based at least in part on the predetermined characteristic;
creating, using the processor, a categorized image file by attaching the least one category tag to the image file; and
storing the categorized image file in a memory.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising analyzing the image file at the time of capturing the image.
11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising generating at least one capture information tag, at least one user tag, or at least one product tag based at least in part on detecting the predetermined characteristic in the image file.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one category tag comprises a person, a group of people, a nature scene, a cityscape, a waterscape, or an indoor image.
13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising enabling setting parameters for detecting the predetermined characteristic in the image file.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the parameters comprise a sensitivity parameter configured to set a level of sensitivity associated with detecting the predetermined characteristic in the image file.
15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing gamma correction or color space conversion on the image file.
16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising compressing the image file before storing the categorized image file in the memory.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:
detect a characteristic in an image file created in response to capturing an image;
automatically generate at least one category tag for the image file at a time of capturing the image based at least in part on the characteristic;
generate a categorized image file by attaching the least one category tag to the image file; and
cause storing of the categorized image file in a memory device.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processing device to:
detect the characteristic in the image file shortly after capturing the image.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processing device to:
generate at least one capture information tag, at least one user tag, or at least one product tag based at least in part on detecting the characteristic in the image file.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the at least one category tag comprises a person, a group of people, a nature scene, a cityscape, a waterscape, or an indoor image.
21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processing device to:
enable setting parameters for detecting the characteristic in the image file.
22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein the parameters comprise a sensitivity parameter configured to set a level of sensitivity associated with detecting the characteristic in the image file.
23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processing device to:
perform gamma correction or color space conversion on the image file.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processing device to:
compress the image file before storing the categorized image file in the memory device.
25. A method, comprising:
automatically generating, using a first processing device in an image capturing digital apparatus, at least one image category tag in response to the first processing device analyzing image data associated with an image at a time of image capture;
storing, in a memory device of the image capturing digital apparatus, the at least one image category tag as part of an image file storing the image; and
automatically determining, using either the first processing device or a second processing device in the image capturing digital apparatus, a category for the image based at least in part on the at least one image category tag stored as part of the image file.