Systems and methods involving edge camera assemblies in handheld devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for capturing and displaying real-time images of the environment in front of a user. In one implementation, a casing for a mobile device having an upward facing display surface and an opposing lower surface is provided. The casing may include a housing and image sensor having at least one optical axis configured to be oriented at a fixed obtuse angle with respect to the lower surface when the mobile device is retained by the housing. The image sensor may be oriented such that when the housing is held by a walking user at an acute angle with respect to a plane on which the user walks, the at least one optical axis generally faces in a walking direction of the user. The casing may further include circuitry for conveying from the at least one image sensor, image data for real-time display on the display surface.

1 - 180 . (canceled) 
     
     
         181 . A handheld communications device configured to provide augmented reality to a user looking downward while traversing a forward path of travel, the handheld communications device, comprising:
 a housing having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a side edge;   a touch-sensitive display located in the upper surface;   an image sensor fixedly embedded in the housing at an orientation such that when the handheld communications device is held in a hand of a user with the touch-sensitive display opposed to a face of the downward looking user, an optical axis of the image sensor extends generally in a direction of the path of travel;   at least one processor programmed to:
 acquire an image stream from the image sensor; 
 identify in the acquired image stream an object in the path of travel of the user; 
 look-up information about the identified object; 
 present, on the touch-sensitive display in real-time the acquired image stream including the identified object; and 
 present on the touch-sensitive display a visual indicator associated with the identified object. 
   
     
     
         182 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the visual indicator includes an icon or a word. 
     
     
         183 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the visual indicator includes information about a commercial offer. 
     
     
         184 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the object is a person and the look-up information includes a name of the person. 
     
     
         185 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the object is a sales establishment, and the information includes details about products or services available at the sales establishment. 
     
     
         186 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to determine whether the user is on a collision course with the object and to generate a warning of the collision course. 
     
     
         187 . The handheld communications device of  claim 186 , wherein the warning includes at least one of tactile warning, visual warning, audio, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         188 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to present, on a first part of the touch-sensitive display the acquired real-time image stream including the identified object, and to present in a second part of the touch-sensitive display, simultaneously with the acquired real-time image stream, an interactive user application. 
     
     
         189 . The handheld communications device of  claim 188 , wherein the interactive user application is a messaging application and the at least one processor is further programmed to enable the user to send in real-time, via the messaging application, at least one image from the acquired image stream. 
     
     
         190 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to overlay the visual indicator on the real-time image stream. 
     
     
         191 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181 , wherein the visual indicator includes an indication that more information is available upon interaction with the touch-sensitive display and the at least one processor is further programmed to execute an action in response to a user's interaction with the visual indicator. 
     
     
         192 . The handheld communications device of  claim 181  further comprising a GPS chip and the at least one processor is further programmed to:
 receive from a directional guidance application a series of turn-by-turn directions to a destination; 
 display on the touch-sensitive display, as the user traverses the forward path with the touch-sensitive display opposed to the user's face, the acquired real-time image stream from the image sensor; and 
 user location information obtained from the GPS chip, to display at least one visual indicator associated with the turn-by-turn directions on the touch-sensitive display simultaneously with the display of the acquired real-time image stream. 
 
     
     
         193 . The handheld communications device of  claim 192 , further comprising a compass, and wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to use the location information obtained from the GPS chip and directional information obtained from the compass, to display the at least one visual indicator. 
     
     
         194 . The handheld communications device of  claim 192 , wherein the turn-by-turn directions are associated with a route of travel, and the at least one visual indicator includes information about places along the route of travel. 
     
     
         195 . The handheld communications device of  claim 192 , wherein the at least one visual indicator includes at least one of an arrow, a representation of a compass, a number representing a distance to a next turn, a name of a sales establishment, and a name of a street. 
     
     
         196 . A removable case for a handheld communications device including a touch-sensitive display, the case comprising:
 a housing having a lower surface, an upper surface, and an edge therebetween;   at least one image sensor embedded in the housing at an orientation such that when the handheld communications device is seated in the case and held in a hand of a downward looking user with the touch-sensitive display opposed to a face of the downward looking user, an optical axis of the at least one image sensor extends generally in a direction of the path of travel;   a connector in the housing configured to engage a port of the handheld communications device when the handheld communications device is seated in the case; and   at least one conduit embedded in the case extending between and electrically connecting the at least one image sensor with the connector to thereby enable real-time image streaming from the at least one image sensor to the handheld communications device; and   at least one processor for overlaying a visual indicator on the real-time image stream.   
     
     
         197 . The removable case of  claim 196 , wherein the at least one image sensor is embedded within a portion of an edge opposite the connector, and wherein the at least one conduit traverses the housing between the image sensor and the connector. 
     
     
         198 . A method for providing augmented reality to a user traversing a forward path of travel while looking downward at a touch-sensitive display of a handheld communications device, the method comprising:
 acquiring an image stream from an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is fixedly embedded in a casing of the handheld communications device at an orientation such that when the handheld communications device is held in a hand of a user with the touch-sensitive display opposed to a face of the downward looking user, an optical axis of the image sensor extends generally in a direction of the path of travel;   identifying in the acquired image stream an object in the path of travel of the user;   looking up information about the identified object;   presenting, on the touch-sensitive display in real-time the acquired image stream including the identified object; and   presenting on the touch-sensitive display a visual indicator associated with the identified object.   
     
     
         199 . The method of  claim 198 , wherein the casing is integrated into the handheld communications device. 
     
     
         200 . The method of  claim 198 , wherein the casing is separable from the handheld communications device.