Patent attributes
Techniques are described for implementing an immediate-mode camera for integration into portable personal electronic device (PPED) environments. Embodiments of the IMC can include an integrated digital camera that can be triggered directly by one or more user interface components, without involving waking up the application processor, waking up display components, waking up digital camera components, and/or starting up camera-related applications. For example, if a user's smart phone is locked, and the user desired to capture a photo, the user can interact with particular UI components in a particular manner, thereby directly triggering capture of image data by the IMC substantially without delay. Implementations of the IMC can involve a low-power, always-on digital camera that is directly controllable by one or more always-on user interface components. The IMC components can be in communication with an always-on region of the application processor via a fast hardware interface.
