Methods and apparatus for supporting zoom operations

• US 10,120,159 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Light Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhan, Ahmed A
• Application Number:
  US15/225,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20170031138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/008 Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/04 with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1805 for prisms G02B7/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 : Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 : for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 : by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/531 : by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2622 : Signal amplitude transition in the zone between image portions, e.g. soft edges
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 : for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 : Mixing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for performing a zoom operation are described using multiple optical chains in a camera device. At least one optical chain in the camera device includes a moveable light redirection device, said light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism. The moveable light redirection device is moved to a position in accordance with a zoom setting, and a portion of a scene area of interest in captured. Different discrete zoom setting values correspond to different positions of the moveable light redirection device resulting in different capture areas. In some embodiments, multiple optical chains with moveable light redirection devices are used to capture different portions of a scene of interest. A composite image is generated from a plurality of captured images corresponding to different optical chains. A higher zoom setting corresponds to more overlap between captured images of different optical chains.

Claims

1. A method, the method comprising:

storing, in memory included in a camera device including multiple optical chains, information mapping different user selectable discrete zoom settings to different light redirection device positions;

receiving user input indicating a first user selected zoom setting;

determining, in the camera device, based on the user selected zoom setting and said information, a first set of light redirection device positions corresponding to said first user selected zoom setting, said first set of light redirection device positions including a first position to which a first light redirection device of a first optical chain is to be set for capturing a first image in accordance with the first user selected zoom setting and a second position to which a second light redirection device of a second optical chain is to be set for capturing a second image in accordance with the first user selected zoom setting;

moving the first light redirection device to the first position;

moving the second light redirection device to the second position;

capturing the first image using said first optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position; and

capturing the second image using said second optical chain while said second light redirection device is at said second position.

2. The method of claim 1, where said first light redirection device is a substantially plane mirror or a prism.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said information mapping different user selectable discrete zoom settings to different light redirection device positions is stored in a lookup table;

and

wherein determining said set of light redirection device positions corresponding to said first user selected zoom setting includes;

performing a lookup operation in said lookup table using said first user selected zoom setting to determine said first and second device positions corresponding to said first user selected zoom setting.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said lookup table includes information for four different discrete zoom settings, said information including for each of the four different discrete zoom settings, different sets of light redirection device position information, said four different sets of light redirection device position information including the first set of light redirection device position information indicating said first and second positions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said four different sets of light redirection device position information further includes a second set of light redirection device position information indicating said third and fourth positions to which said first and second light redirection devices are to be set, respectively, when the user selects a second zoom setting, said third and fourth positions being different from said first and second positions.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

combining the first and second images to generate a composite image corresponding to the discrete user selected zoom setting.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein said steps of capturing the first and second images are performed in parallel.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein said first optical chain has a shorter focal length than said second optical chain.

9. A camera device, comprising:

a first optical chain including a first light redirection device;

a second optical chain including a second light redirection device;

memory including information mapping different user selectable discrete zoom settings to different light redirection device positions;

a user input configured to receive a first user selected zoom setting; and

a processor configured to control said camera device to;

determine, based on the user selected zoom setting and said information mapping different user selectable discrete zoom settings to different light redirection device positions, a first set of light redirection device positions corresponding to said first user selected zoom setting, said first set of light redirection device positions including a first position to which the first light redirection device of the first optical chain is to be set for capturing a first image in accordance with the first user selected zoom setting and a second position to which the second light redirection device of the second optical chain is to be set for capturing a second image in accordance with the first user selected zoom setting;

move the first light redirection device to the first position;

move the second light redirection device to the second position;

capture the first image using said first optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position; and

capture the second image using said second optical chain while said second light redirection device is at said second position.

10. The camera device of claim 9, where said first light redirection device is a substantially plane mirror or a prism.

11. The camera device of claim 9,

wherein said information mapping different user selectable discrete zoom settings to different light redirection device positions is stored in a lookup table;

and

wherein said processor is configured to control the camera device, as part of determining said set of light redirection device positions corresponding to said first user selected zoom setting, to;

perform a lookup operation in said lookup table using said first user selected zoom setting to determine said first and second device positions corresponding to said first user selected zoom setting.

12. The camera device of claim 11, wherein said lookup table includes information for four different discrete zoom settings, said information including for each of the four different discrete zoom settings, different sets of light redirection device position information, said four different sets of light redirection device position information including the first set of light redirection device position information indicating said first and second positions.

13. The camera device of claim 12, wherein said four different sets of light redirection device position information further includes a second set of light redirection device position information indicating said third and fourth positions to which said first and second light redirection devices are to be set, respectively, when the user selects a second zoom setting, said third and fourth positions being different from said first and second positions.

14. The camera device of claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to:

combine the first and second images to generate a composite image corresponding to the discrete user selected zoom setting.

15. The camera device claim 11, wherein said steps of capturing the first and second images are performed in parallel.

16. The camera device of claim 11, wherein said first optical chain has a shorter focal length than said second optical chain.