초록 ▼

An image acquisition system has a computer and one or more imaging devices coupled to the computer. Each imaging device has a device memory and is capable of capturing a digital image and storing the image in its memory. An image device manager is implemented in software on the computer to control o

An image acquisition system has a computer and one or more imaging devices coupled to the computer. Each imaging device has a device memory and is capable of capturing a digital image and storing the image in its memory. An image device manager is implemented in software on the computer to control operation of the imaging devices. The image device manager presents a user interface (UI) within the familiar graphical windowing environment. The UI has a context space that pertains to a particular imaging context (e.g., scanning, photography, and video). The UI also has a persistently-visible imaging menu positioned within the context space that lists options particular to the imaging context. For example, if the context space pertains to the digital camera context, the menu lists options to take a picture, store the image on the computer, send the image in an email, and so on. In the scanner context, the menu lists options to select an image type, preview an image, send the image to a particular destination, and scan the image. The image acquisition system also includes a set of application program interfaces (APIs) that expose image management functionality to applications. The APIs enable applications to manage loading and unloading of imaging devices, monitor device events, query device information properties, create device objects, capture images using the devices, and store or manipulate the images after their capture.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An image acquisition system comprising:a computer having a memory; an imaging device coupled to the computer, the imaging device having a device memory, the imaging device capturing a digital image and storing the image on one of the computer memory or the device memory; an image device manager e

1. An image acquisition system comprising:a computer having a memory; an imaging device coupled to the computer, the imaging device having a device memory, the imaging device capturing a digital image and storing the image on one of the computer memory or the device memory; an image device manager executable on the computer to control operation of the imaging device; and a user interface with a menu and toolbar area, a context space separate from the menu and tool bar area, and a persistently-visible imaging menu positioned within the context space, the imaging menu listing options that are particular to controlling the imaging device and managing images captured by the imaging device.