Digital camera using exposure information acquired from a scene

Claim 1

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera to capture and store in a non-volatile memory a first digital image of a scene and displaying the first captured and stored image on a display of the digital camera; b) providing a user interface which permits the digital camera user to select a portion of the displayed first captured and stored image, which the user identifies as having exposure critical scene content, on the display; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the user selected exposure critical scene content portion of the first captured and stored image and displaying the numerical value representative of the exposure information which permits the user to adjust an exposure value for capturing a second digital image of the scene captured by the first image; and d) adjusting the exposure value of the camera based on the numerical value representative of the exposure information and capturing and storing the second image of the scene in the non-volatile memory.

Claim 2

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera to capture and store in a non-volatile memory a first digital image of a scene and displaying the first captured and stored image on a display of the digital camera; b) providing a user interface which permits the digital camera user to select a portion of the displayed first captured and stored image, which the user identifies as having exposure critical scene content, on the display; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the user selected exposure critical scene content portion of the first captured and stored image and displaying the numerical value representative of the exposure information which permits the user to adjust an exposure value for capturing a second digital image of the scene captured by the first image; and d) adjusting the exposure value of the camera based on the numerical value representative of the exposure information and capturing and storing the second image of the scene in the non-volatile memory.

Claim 6

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera to capture and store in a non-volatile memory a first digital image of a scene and displaying the first captured and stored image on a display of the digital camera; b) providing a user interface which permits the digital camera user to select that portion of the displayed first captured and stored image, which has exposure critical scene content; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the user selected exposure critical scene content portion including photographic metrics of luminance values from the portion and displaying the numerical value representative of the exposure information on the display which permits the user to adjust an exposure value for capturing a second digital image of the scene captured by the first image; and d) adjusting the exposure value of the camera based on the metrics and capturing and storing the second image of the scene in the non-volatile memory.

Claim 7

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera to capture and store in a non-volatile memory a first digital image of a scene and displaying the first captured and stored image on a display of the digital camera; b) providing a user interface which permits the digital camera user to select that portion of the displayed first captured and stored image, which has exposure critical scene content; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the user selected exposure critical scene content portion including photographic metrics of luminance values from the portion and displaying the numerical value representative of the exposure information on the display which permits the user to adjust an exposure value for capturing a second digital image of the scene captured by the first image; and d) adjusting the exposure value of the camera based on the metrics and capturing and storing the second image of the scene in the non-volatile memory.

Claim 14

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera to capture and store in a non-volatile memory a first digital image of a scene and displaying the first captured and stored image on a display of the digital camera; b) providing a user interface identifying a region of interest in the displayed first captured and stored image and controls for user moving the region of interest to different positions on the displayed first captured and stored image which permits the user to select that portion of the displayed first captured and stored image, which has exposure critical scene content; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the user selected portion of the first captured and stored image and automatically adjusting at least one camera exposure parameter to produce a second digital image; and d) producing a second digital image based on the produced numerical value representative of the exposure information and storing the produced second digital image on the non-volatile memory.

Claim 15

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera to capture and store in a non-volatile memory a first digital image of a scene and displaying the first captured and stored image on a display of the digital camera; b) providing a user interface identifying a region of interest in the displayed first captured and stored image and controls for user moving the region of interest to different positions on the displayed first captured and stored image which permits the user to select that portion of the displayed first captured and stored image, which has exposure critical scene content; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the user selected portion of the first captured and stored image and automatically adjusting at least one camera exposure parameter to produce a second digital image; and d) producing a second digital image based on the produced numerical value representative of the exposure information and storing the produced second digital image on the non-volatile memory.

Claim 17

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera having a display to capture an image of a scene, to store the captured image in a non-volatile memory as a first digital image, and to display the first digital image on the display; b) providing a user interface identifying a region of interest in the displayed first captured and stored image and controls for moving the region of interest to different positions on the displayed first captured and stored image which permits the user to select that portion of the displayed first digital image, which has exposure critical scene content; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the selected portion and using the numerical value representative of the exposure information to automatically adjust the stored first digital image to produce a second digital image; and d) producing a second digital image based on the produced numerical value representative of the exposure information and storing the second digital image in the non-volatile memory.

Claim 18

A method of improving a digital image captured by a digital camera, comprising the steps of: a) using the digital camera having a display to capture an image of a scene, to store the captured image in a non-volatile memory as a first digital image, and to display the first digital image on the display; b) providing a user interface identifying a region of interest in the displayed first captured and stored image and controls for moving the region of interest to different positions on the displayed first captured and stored image which permits the user to select that portion of the displayed first digital image, which has exposure critical scene content; c) producing a numerical value representative of exposure information from the selected portion and using the numerical value representative of the exposure information to automatically adjust the stored first digital image to produce a second digital image; and d) producing a second digital image based on the produced numerical value representative of the exposure information and storing the second digital image in the non-volatile memory.