System and method for non-invasive conversion of film cameras into digital cameras

Abstract

A system and method for converting a film camera into a digital camera uses an electronic device placed in a space of the camera that normally contains film. The device includes an image sensing array arranged in optical communication with a lens of the camera when a shutter is open. An audio sensor is used to detect sounds within the camera, and an acoustic pattern recognizer with a built-in training mode is used to determine if the detected sounds correspond with the shutter operation. The image sensing array is switched into an image capture mode when the acoustic pattern recognizer determines that the shutter is being opened. When the shutter is opened, a read-out circuit captures multiple image frames from the image sensing array. An image processor associated with the image sensing array processes the captured images using advanced image processing algorithms.

1 . A system for converting a film camera into a digital camera, comprising:
 an image sensing array;   a read-out circuit coupled to the image sensing array,   an image processor associated with said image sensing array and said read-out circuit, said image processor is operable to end an image capturing process; and   a memory coupled to the read-out circuit for storing a digital picture derived from an image read-out from the image sensing array;   said read-out circuit being operable to capture more than one image frame from said image sensing array during a single opening of a shutter of the film camera.   
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said image processor is operable to identify and keep only valid images captured during the shutter opening. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said image processor is operable to enhance an image captured during the shutter opening. 
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said image processor is operable to compress and store an image captured during the shutter opening.