Image Capture Technique

Abstract

This disclosure relates to winking to capture image data using an image capture device that is associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). An illustrative method includes detecting a wink gesture at an HMD. The method also includes causing an image capture device to capture image data, in response to detecting the wink gesture at the HMD.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 detecting a wink gesture at a head-mountable device (HMD);   determining a context of the HMD when the wink gesture is detected;   activating a photographic function at the HMD based on the determined context; and   causing an image capture device to capture image data, in response to detecting the wink gesture at the HMD.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the context is selected from the group consisting of: a local time, an ambient light level, and a location of the HMD. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the photographic function is selected from the group consisting of: a zoom function, a flash function, an autofocus function, a burst photography function, a high dynamic range function, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting a secondary gesture at the HMD, wherein the causing the image capture device to capture the image data is performed further in response to the detecting the secondary gesture at the HMD. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising activating a photographic function at the HMD, in response to the detecting the secondary gesture at the HMD. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the secondary gesture is selected from the group consisting of: a squint gesture, a blink gesture, a movement of the HMD, an eye movement, a voice command, a head nod, a gesture at a finger-operable device disposed at the HMD, an inaction during a threshold period, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising causing a display device to display a video, wherein the causing the image capture device to capture the image data comprises capturing at least a part of the video. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising commencing a photographic process, in response to the detecting the wink gesture at the HMD. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the photographic process is selected from the group consisting of: a time-lapse photographic process, a process of recording a video, a process of displaying a video, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the image data is captured based on data that results from the photographic process. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the image data as an input to a function of the HMD. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the function of the HMD is selected from the group consisting of: performing an analysis of the image data, sending the image data to a social network, sending the image data in a message, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the using the image data as the input to the function of the HMD is performed without displaying an image corresponding to the image data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a face of a person, based on an analysis of the image data;   identifying the face; and   sending the image data to an account that is associated with the person.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
 detecting a wink gesture at a head-mountable device (HMD);   determining a context of the HMD when the wink gesture is detected;   activating a photographic function at the HMD based on the determined context; and   causing an image capture device to capture image data, in response to detecting the wink gesture at the HMD.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the context is selected from the group consisting of: a local time, an ambient light level, and a location of the HMD. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the photographic function is selected from the group consisting of: a zoom function, a flash function, an autofocus function, a burst photography function, a high dynamic range function, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A system of a head-mountable device (HMD), the system comprising:
 an image capture device that is connected to the HMD, wherein when the HMD is worn, the image capture device is configured to capture image data;   a wink-detection system that is connected to the HMD, wherein when the HMD is worn, the wink-detection system is configured to detect a wink gesture at the HMD; and   a computer-readable medium having stored therein program instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions comprising:
 determining a context of the HMD when the wink gesture is detected; 
 activating a photographic function at the HMD based on the determined context; and 
 causing the image capture device to capture the image data, in response to the wink-detection system detecting the wink gesture at the HMD. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the context is selected from the group consisting of: a local time, an ambient light level, and a location of the HMD. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the photographic function is selected from the group consisting of: a zoom function, a flash function, an autofocus function, a burst photography function, a high dynamic range function, and any combination thereof.