Camera zoom based on sensor data

• US 10,397,484 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Keskin, Mustafa, Dikbas, Salih
• Primary Examiner(s): Segura, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US14/861,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20170048462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 348340
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/80 Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration
• 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

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for a camera zoom function are provided. The method includes associating a camera zoom with at least one sensor, detecting a physical characteristic of the camera with the at least one sensor, and adjusting the camera zoom based on the detected physical characteristic of the camera. The detecting the physical characteristic and the adjusting the camera zoom are continuous. An apparatus is provided and includes a camera, a memory, and at least one processor coupled to the memory. The at least one processor is configured to associate a camera zoom with at least one sensor, detect a physical characteristic of the camera with the at least one sensor, and adjust the camera zoom based on the detected physical characteristic of the camera. The detecting the physical characteristic and the adjusting the camera zoom are continuous.

Claims

1. A method of operating a camera, comprising:

associating a camera zoom with at least one sensor;

obtaining a reference location and a reference angle of the camera, the reference location and the reference angle of the camera being determined at a previous time for determining a previous zoom amount;

detecting, with the at least one sensor, a change in a location of the camera and an angle of rotation of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, the change in the location and the angle being due to a movement of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, wherein the location is based on a geographical location of the camera; and

determining a current zoom amount, wherein determining the current zoom amount includes adjusting the camera zoom based on the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and a change in distance to an object, the change in distance to the object being determined using the movement of the camera detected by the sensor and an image of the object captured by the camera.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and adjusting the camera zoom are performed continuously.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

detecting a user input for further camera zoom adjustment, wherein the adjusting the camera zoom is further based on the user input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

calibrating the camera zoom with the at least one sensor, based on the reference location and the reference angle of the camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of an inertia sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a digital compass, or a location detection module configured to detect one or more of the location, the angle of rotation, a change of the location, or a change of the angle of rotation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the camera zoom is further based on movement of the object captured in the image or video.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the camera zoom is further based on a ratio of the object captured in the image or video to a size of a frame in the image or video.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a camera;

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

associate a camera zoom with at least one sensor;

obtaining a reference location and a reference angle of the camera, the reference location and the reference angle of the camera being determined at a previous time for determining a previous zoom amount;

detect, with the at least one sensor, a change in a location of the camera and an angle of rotation of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, the change in the location and the angle of rotation being due to a movement of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, wherein the location is based on a geographical location of the camera; and

determining a current zoom amount, wherein determining the current zoom amount includes adjusting the camera zoom based on the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and a change in distance to an object, the change in distance to the object being determined using the movement of the camera detected by the sensor and an image of the object captured by the camera.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the at least one processor is further configured to detect the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and adjust the camera zoom continuously.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

detect a user input for further camera zoom adjustment,

wherein the camera zoom is adjusted based on the user input.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

calibrate the camera zoom with the at least one sensor, based on the reference location and the reference angle of the camera.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of an inertia sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a digital compass, or a location detection module configured to detect one or more of the location, the angle of rotation, a change of the location, or a change of the angle of rotation.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust the camera zoom based on movement of the object captured in the image or video.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is configured to adjust the camera zoom based on a ratio of the object captured in the image or video to a size of a frame in the image or video.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a camera;

at least one sensor;

means for associating a camera zoom of the camera with the at least one sensor;

means for obtaining a reference location and a reference angle of the camera, the reference location and the reference angle of the camera being determined at a previous time for determining a previous zoom amount;

wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect a change in a location of the camera and an angle of rotation of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, the change in the location and the angle of rotation being due to a movement of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, wherein the location is based on a geographical location of the camera; and

means for determining a current zoom amount, wherein determining the current zoom amount includes adjusting the camera zoom based on the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and a change in distance to an object, the change in distance to the object being determined using the movement of the camera detected by the sensor and an image of the object captured by the camera.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor and the means for determining the current zoom amount are configured to operate continuously.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for detecting a user input for further camera zoom adjustment, wherein the means for determining the current zoom amount is configured to adjust the camera zoom based on the user input.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for calibrating the camera zoom with the at least one sensor, based on the reference location and the reference angle of the camera.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more of an inertia sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a digital compass, or a location detection module configured to detect one or more of the location, the angle of rotation, a change of the location, or a change of the angle of rotation.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for determining the current zoom amount is configured to adjust the camera zoom based on movement of the object captured in the image or video.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for determining the current zoom amount is configured to adjust the camera zoom based on a ratio of the object captured in the image or video to a size of a frame in the image or video.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code, comprising code for:

associating a camera zoom of a camera with at least one sensor;

obtaining a reference location and a reference angle of the camera, the reference location and the reference angle of the camera being determined at a previous time for determining a previous zoom amount;

detecting, with the at least one sensor, a change in a location of the camera and an angle of rotation of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, the change in the location and the angle of rotation being due to a movement of the camera relative to the reference location and the reference angle of the camera, wherein the location is based on a geographical location of the camera; and

determining a current zoom amount, wherein determining the current zoom amount includes adjusting the camera zoom based on the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and a change in distance to an object, the change in distance to the object being determined using the movement of the camera detected by the sensor and an image of the object captured by the camera.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein detecting the change in the location and the angle of rotation of the camera and adjusting the camera zoom are performed continuously.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising code for:

detecting a user input for further camera zoom adjustment, wherein the adjusting the camera zoom is further based on the user input.