Systems and methods for capturing images of objects

Abstract

A method for generating an image object, performed by a mobile electronic device, comprises the following steps. The mobile electronic device comprises multiple shutter objects, and each shutter object corresponds to an orientation type. A signal generated by one of the shutter objects is detected. A orientation type is determined according to the shutter object generating the signal. The image object with the determined orientation type is stored.

1 . A method for generating an image object, performed by an electronic device comprising a plurality of shutter objects, each of the plurality of shutter objects corresponding to an orientation type, comprising:
 detecting a signal generated by one of the plurality of the shutter objects;   determining an orientation type according to the shutter object generating the signal; and   storing the image object with the determined orientation type, or rotating the image object according to the determined orientation type.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further providing information indicating mapping relationships between shutter objects and orientation types, and the orientation type is determined according to the shutter object generating the signal and the information. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the information is provided according to placement of an image sensor located in the electronic apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determined orientation type is stored in an orientation tag of a still image header file compatible with the exchangeable image file format (EXIF). 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determined orientation type is stored in a user data box of an MPEG file. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the determined orientation type indicates one of the following representation situations:
 row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom; and   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom.   
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the image object is to be displayed in response to the stored orientation type. 
     
     
         8 . A system for generating an image object, comprising:
 a first shutter object;   a second shutter object; and   a processor coupling to the first and second shutter objects, detecting a signal, determining whether the signal is generated by the first shutter object or the second shutter object, determining a first orientation type when the signal is generated by the first shutter object, determining a second orientation type when the signal is generated by the second shutter object, and storing the image object with the determined orientation type or rotating the image object according to the determined orientation type,   wherein the image object is to be displayed in response to the stored orientation type.   
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the processor provides mapping relationships indicating that the first shutter object corresponds to the first orientation type and the second shutter object corresponds to the second orientation type. 
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the first orientation type or the second orientation type is determined according to the provided mapping relationships. 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising a front panel and a lateral side, wherein a hard shutter key is placed at a keypad disposed on the front panel, a shutter button is disposed on the lateral side, at least one soft key is displayed on a touch panel disposed on the front panel, and the first and second shutter objects are any combination of the hard shutter key, the shutter button, and the at least one soft key. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the determined orientation type is stored in an orientation tag of a still image header file compatible with the exchangeable image file format (EXIF). 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the determined orientation type is stored in a user data box of a MPEG file. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the determined orientation type indicates one of the following representation situations:
 row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom; and   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom.   
     
     
         15 . A method for generating an image object, performed by an electronic device comprising a screen displaying an iconic indicator, comprising:
 detecting a signal;   determining an orientation type according to a direction indicated by the displayed iconic indicator; and   storing the image object with the determined orientation type, or rotating the image object according to the determined orientation type.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  further providing information indicating mapping relationships between directions indicated by the displayed indicator and orientation types, and the orientation type is determined according to the direction indicated by the displayed indicator and the information. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the iconic indicator is rotated by pressing a hard key on a keypad of the electronic device or clicking a region displaying the iconic indicator on the screen. 
     
     
         18 . A system for generating an image object, comprising:
 a screen displaying an iconic indicator; and   a processor coupling to the screen, detecting a signal, determining whether the displayed iconic indicator towards a first direction or a second direction, determining a first orientation type when detecting that the displayed iconic indicator towards the first direction, determining a second orientation type when detecting that the displayed iconic indicator towards the second direction, and storing the image object with the determined orientation type or rotating the image object according to the determining orientation type,   wherein the image object is to be displayed in response to the stored orientation type.   
     
     
         19 . The system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the processor provides information indicating mapping relationships between directions indicated by the displayed indicator and orientation types. 
     
     
         20 . The system as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the processor determines the orientation type according to the direction indicated by the displayed indicator and the information. 
     
     
         21 . The system as claimed in  claim 18  further comprising a keypad comprising a hard key, wherein the displayed iconic indicator is rotated by pressing the hard key. 
     
     
         22 . The system as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the displayed iconic indicator is rotated by clicking a region displaying the iconic indicator on the screen. 
     
     
         23 . A method for generating an image object, performed by an electronic device, comprising:
 providing an orientation type;   receiving a plurality of color values for pixels of a sensed image from an image sensor of the electronic device, the order of pixels of the sensed image following a predetermined process scanning a plurality of cells of the image sensor;   determining one of a plurality of buffer write procedures according to the orientation type;   writing the received color values for each pixel to a relevant region of a frame buffer of the electronic device by performing the determined buffer write procedures; and   reading the color values for pixels from top to bottom from the frame buffer in order to generate the image object rotated from the sensed image.   
     
     
         24 . The method as claimed in  claim 23  further comprising receiving a signal, wherein the orientation type is determined according to information indicating the signal is generated by which shutter object of a plurality of shutter objects. 
     
     
         25 . The method as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the orientation type is determined according to a direction indicated by a displayed iconic indicator. 
     
     
         26 . The method as claimed in  claim 23  wherein the determined orientation type indicates one of the following representation situations:
 row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the top;   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the right-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom; and   row 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the left-hand side and column 0 of the stored image object is displayed at the bottom.   
     
     
         27 . A system for generating an image object, comprising:
 an image sensor;   a processor;   a frame buffer;   an image direct memory access (DMA) controller coupling to the image sensor, the processor and the frame buffer, and comprising hardware circuits for performing a plurality of buffer write procedure; and   a video encoder coupling to the frame buffer,   wherein the image DMA controller receives an orientation type from the processor, receives a plurality of color values for pixels of a sensed image from the image sensor, the order of pixels of the sensed image follows a predetermined process scanning a plurality of cells of the image sensor, the DMA controller determines one of the buffer write procedures according to the orientation type, and writes the received color values for each pixel to a relevant region of the frame buffer by performing the determined buffer write procedure, the video encoder reads the color values for pixels from top to bottom from the frame buffer in order to generate the image object rotated from the sensed image.   
     
     
         28 . The system as claimed in  claim 27  further comprising a plurality of shutter objects, wherein the processor determines the orientation type according to information indicating a signal is generated by which shutter object. 
     
     
         29 . The system as claimed in  claim 27  further comprising a screen displaying an iconic indicator, wherein the processor determines the orientation type according to a direction indicated by the displayed iconic indicator. 
     
     
         30 . The system as claimed in  claim 29  further comprising a keypad comprising a hard key, wherein the iconic indicator is rotated by pressing the hard key. 
     
     
         31 . The system as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the iconic indicator is rotated by clicking a region displaying the iconic indicator on the screen. 
     
     
         32 . A method for generating an image object, performed by an electronic device, comprising:
 providing an orientation type;   receiving a plurality of color values for pixels of a sensed image from an image sensor of the electronic device, the order of pixels of the sensed image following a predetermined process scanning a plurality of cells of the image sensor;   writing the received color values for each pixel to a region of a frame buffer of the electronic device from top to bottom;   determining one of a plurality of buffer read procedures according to the orientation type; and   reading the color values for each pixels from a relevant region of the frame buffer by performing the determined buffer read procedure in order to generate the image object rotated from the sensed image.   
     
     
         33 . A system for generating an image object, comprising:
 an image sensor;   a processor;   a frame buffer;   an image direct memory access (DMA) controller coupling to the image sensor, the processor and the frame buffer; and   a video encoder coupling to the frame buffer, and comprising hardware circuits performing a plurality of buffer read procedures,   wherein the image DMA controller receives a plurality of color values for pixels of a sensed image from the image sensor, the order of pixels of the sensed image follows a predetermined process scanning a plurality of cells of the image sensor, the DMA controller writes the received color values for each pixel to a region of the frame buffer from top to bottom, the video encoder receives an orientation type from the processor, determines one buffer read procedure according to the orientation type, and reads the color values for each pixel from a relevant region of the frame buffer by performing the determined buffer read procedure in order to generate the image object rotated from the sensed image.