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. A method, comprising:
automatically generating, using a first processing device, at least one image category tag based at least in part on the first processing device analyzing image data associated with an image at a time of image capture;
storing, in a memory device, the at least one image category tag as part of an image file storing the image; and
automatically determining, using the first processing device or a second processing device, a category for the image based at least in part on the at least one image category tag.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, using the first processing device or the second processing device, 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 data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one image category tag comprises a person, a group of people, a nature scene, a cityscape, a waterscape, or an indoor image.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, using the first processing device or the second processing device, a predetermined characteristic in the image data at the time of image capture.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
enabling, using the first processing device or the second processing device, setting parameters for detecting the predetermined characteristic in the image file.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the enabling setting the parameters comprises enabling setting a sensitivity parameter configured to set a level of sensitivity associated with detecting the predetermined characteristic in the image data.
7. The method of claim 1 , compressing the image data before storing the image file in memory.
8. A system, comprising:
an image sensing circuit to generate raw image data based on sensing a subject;
a conversion circuit to convert the raw image data into processed image data;
a processing circuit to automatically determine an image category tag based at least in part on analyzing the processed image data associated with an image at a time of image capture; and
a memory circuit to store an image file comprising the processed image data and the image category tag;
wherein the image category tag enables automatically determining an image category for the image at least in part on the image category tag.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the image sensing circuit comprises a lens to receive light incident on the subject.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the conversion circuit comprises an analog to digital converter to convert the raw image data in analog form to the processed image data in digital form.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate the image category tag by automatically determining the image category from among a plurality of predetermined image categories that the processing circuit determines is most closely related to the processed image data.
12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a display circuit to display a user interface including a plurality of operating modes;
wherein the plurality of operating modes includes a capture mode to enable set up of the plurality of predetermined image categories to be used to generate the image category tag.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to automatically determine the image category after the image file is stored.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to control settable parameters of an analysis module.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of predetermined image categories includes a first category associated with the detection of water in the processed image data and a second category associated with the detection of at least one person in the processed image data.
16. The system of claim 8 , wherein the image file further comprises a capture information tag to identify image capture settings associated with the processed image data.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the image capture settings are configured to identify a focus setting or an aperture setting, or both the focus setting and the aperture setting.
18. The system of claim 8 , wherein the image file comprises the processed image data.