System 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 computer-readable medium configured for use in a mobile communications device, the computer-readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform steps, comprising:
 receiving from at least one sensor in the mobile communications device a first indication that the mobile communications device is in forward motion;   receiving from the at least one sensor in the mobile communications device a second indication that an image sensor in the mobile device is oriented for image capture; and   in response to both the first indication and the second indication, automatically causing a real-time presentation of a forward path image to be presented on a display of the mobile device.   
     
     
         182 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions further comprising, during the real-time presentation of the forward path image, displaying additional non-image information on the display. 
     
     
         183 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an accelerometer, and the first indication includes a measure relating to acceleration. 
     
     
         184 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the first indication is a velocity of between about 2 km/h and 35 km/h measured for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         185 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a sensor that detects tilt, and wherein the second indication corresponds to a tilt angle of the mobile device. 
     
     
         186 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the tilt angle is between about 0° and about 45° relative to a surface on which a user of the mobile communications device walks. 
     
     
         187 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the at least one sensor includes a proximity sensor, and the wherein the second indication is reflective of whether the at least one image sensor is unobstructed. 
     
     
         188 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause automatic capture when a velocity of the mobile device is detected to exceed a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         189 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions are configured to cause automatic capture when a tilt angle of the mobile device is within a predetermined range. 
     
     
         190 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the wherein the instructions are configured to cease automatic image capture when a velocity of the device is detected to fall beneath a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         191 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions are configured to cease automatic image capture when a velocity of the device is detected to exceed a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         192 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions are configured to allow a user to select predetermined thresholds for image capture, the predetermined thresholds including at least one of velocity and mobile device orientation. 
     
     
         193 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions further include detecting whether the display is active, and automatically causing the real-time presentation of the forward path image to be presented on the display of the mobile device in response to a combination of a detection of an active display and in response to both the first indication and the second indication. 
     
     
         194 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the instructions further include determining whether a battery status of the mobile communications device is higher than a predefined threshold, and automatically causing the real-time presentation of the forward path image to be presented on the display of the mobile device in response to a combination of a determination that the battery status is higher than the predefined threshold and in response to both the first indication and the second indication. 
     
     
         195 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 181 , wherein the real-time presentation includes a video stream comprising multiple forward path images.