Method and apparatus for operating sensor of electronic device

• US 10,382,686 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Seung-Goo, Sim, Hyun-Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Stephen P
• Application Number:
  US15/373,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20170201684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an electronic device. The electronic device includes at least two camera modules, a motion sensor, and a control circuit configured to determine whether a first camera module of the at least two camera modules is activated, and when it is determined that the first camera module of the at least two camera modules is activated, control optical image stabilization of the first camera module using a signal received from the motion sensor.

Claims

1. A portable phone, comprising:

at least two camera modules including a first camera module and a second camera module;

at least one motion sensor; and

a control circuit configured to;

identify, whether at least one of the first camera module and the second camera module is activated while the at least one motion sensor is operating in a first sensing range,

based on identifying that at least one of the first camera module and the second camera module is activated, change a sensing range of the at least one motion sensor from the first sensing range to a second sensing range,

based on identifying that the first camera module is activated, perform optical image stabilization of the first camera module using a signal received from the at least one motion sensor operating in the second sensing range, and

based on identifying that the second camera module is activated, perform optical image stabilization of the second camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor operating in the second sensing range.

2. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion sensor is included in a housing of the portable phone and outside of the first and second camera modules.

3. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion sensor includes a gyro sensor for sensing a motion within a predetermined sensing range of at least a portion of the portable phone, and wherein the gyro sensor is capable of adjusting the predetermined sensing range.

4. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify a state of the portable phone using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor, receive a first input for driving the first camera module, and in response to the first input, stop identifying the state of the portable phone using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor and perform optical image stabilization related to the first camera module using the signal from the at least one motion sensor.

5. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to perform the optical image stabilization with respect to a direction in which the first camera module faces.

6. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion sensor senses a motion of at least a portion of the portable phone, senses a motion related to the portable phone within the first sensing range, and senses a motion related to the first camera module or the second camera module within the second sensing range.

7. The portable phone of claim 6, wherein the first sensing range is greater than the second sensing range.

8. The portable phone of claim 6, wherein the at least one motion sensor senses a motion related to the first camera module or the second camera module and the portable phone within a third sensing range.

9. The portable phone of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to identify a state of the portable phone using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor, receive a first input for driving the first camera module, and perform optical image stabilization related to the first camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor in response to the first input.

10. The portable phone of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive a second input for driving the second camera module and perform optical image stabilization related to the second camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor in response to the second input.

11. The portable phone of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive a second input for driving the second camera module, and in response to the second input, stop identifying the state of the portable phone and performing of optical image stabilization related to the first camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor and performing of optical image stabilization related to the second camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor.

12. The portable phone of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive a third input for driving the first and second camera modules in a dual mode, select any one of the first camera module or a second camera module in response to the third input, and perform optical image stabilization related to the selected camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor.

13. The portable phone of claim 9, wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive a fourth input for performing optical image stabilization related to the first camera module, identify the state of the portable phone and, in response to the fourth input, identify the state of the portable phone and perform optical image stabilization related to the first camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor.

14. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a first camera module exposed through a first portion of the housing and including a first optical image stabilizer;

a second camera module exposed through a second portion of the housing and including a second optical image stabilizer;

a sensor included in the housing and sensing a motion of at least a portion of the electronic device; and

a control circuit electrically connected with the first optical image stabilizer and the second optical image stabilizer and configured to;

in response to receiving a signal from the sensor indicating a motion, identify a state of the electronic device,

in response to receiving a first input for driving the first camera module, perform the first optical image stabilizer using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor, and

in response to receiving a third input selecting dual mode for driving a selected one of the first camera module and the second camera module, select one of the first camera module and the second camera module and provide a signal to one of the first optical image stabilizer and the second optical image stabilizer based on which of the first camera module and the second camera module is selected, thereby performing optical image stabilization related to the selected camera module using the signal received from the sensor.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the housing includes a first surface including the first portion and a second surface including the second portion, and wherein the electronic device further comprises a display exposed through a portion of the first surface.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the sensor includes a gyro sensor, and

wherein the control circuit includes a processor electrically connected with both the gyro sensor and a memory, and

wherein the memory stores instructions executed to enable the processor to receive a signal from the gyro sensor and control at least one of the first optical image stabilizer and the second optical image stabilizer according to the received signal.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processor includes an application processor.

18. A non-transitory computer-recording medium run by at least one processor and retaining computer readable commands, wherein the commands are configured to:

identify whether at least one of a first camera module and a second camera module included in a portable phone is activated while at least one motion sensor included in the portable phone is operating in a first sensing range,

based on identifying that the first camera module is activated, perform optical image stabilization of the first camera module using a signal received from the at least one motion sensor operating in the second sensing range, and

based on identifying that the second camera module is activated, perform optical image stabilization of the second camera module using the signal received from the at least one motion sensor operating in the second sensing range.