Tracker assisted image capture

• US 10,474,921 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhong, Xin, Gao, Dashan, Bi, Ning, Laver, Steven Douglas, Beith, Scott David, MacCormack, Diarmuid
• Primary Examiner(s): Sosanya, Obafemi O
• Application Number:
  US14/036,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/25 Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/49 Segmenting video sequences, i.e. computational techniques such as parsing or cutting the sequence, low-level clustering or determining units such as shots or scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/196 using television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/02 Editing, e.g. varying the order of information signals recorded on, or reproduced from, record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A method for picture processing is described. A first tracking area is obtained. A second tracking area is also obtained. The method includes beginning to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area. Picture processing is performed once a portion of the first tracking area overlapping the second tracking area passes a threshold.

Claims

1. A method for picture processing, comprising:

receiving a user selection of a first tracking area;

receiving a user selection of a second tracking area;

beginning to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area;

determining, in a first frame, an amount of overlap between the first tracking area of a first tracked object captured in the first frame and the second tracking area of a second tracked object captured in the first frame, wherein determining the amount of overlap is based on whether the first tracking area is larger than the second tracking area; and

performing picture processing in response to determining that the amount of overlap passes a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes greater than the threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes less than the threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture processing comprises capturing a photograph, wherein the photograph is captured from prerecorded video footage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture processing comprises capturing a photograph, wherein the photograph is captured from live footage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture processing comprises editing a video sequence, wherein the first tracked object is removed from the video sequence.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a second frame of the video sequence, wherein the first tracking area does not overlap a corresponding replacement area in the second frame; and

replacing the first tracking area in the first frame with the corresponding replacement area from the second frame.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second frame occurs later in time than the first frame.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the second frame occurs earlier in time than the first frame.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising storing the first frame as part of an edited video sequence.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein user selection of the first tracking area and the second tracking area are entered by a user via a focus ring.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein beginning to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area occurs after the user has released a finger from a touchscreen.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second tracking area comprises an action line.

37. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a first user-interface element representative of the first tracking area, wherein the first user-interface element changes appearance depending on a tracking state.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a first user-interface element representative of the first tracking area; and

displaying a second user-interface element representative of the second tracking area.

14. An electronic device configured for picture processing, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in memory, the instructions being executable to;

receive a user selection of a first tracking area;

receive a user selection of a second tracking area;

begin to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area;

determine, in a first frame, an amount of overlap between the first tracking area of a first tracked object captured in the first frame and the second tracking area of a second tracked object captured in the first frame, wherein the instructions are executable to determine the amount of overlap based on whether the first tracking area is larger than the second tracking area; and

perform picture processing in response to determining that the amount of overlap passes a threshold.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes greater than the threshold.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes less than the threshold.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the picture processing comprises capturing a photograph, wherein the photograph is captured from prerecorded video footage.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the picture processing comprises capturing a photograph, wherein the photograph is captured from live footage.

19. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the picture processing comprises editing a video sequence, wherein the first tracked object is removed from the video sequence.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

select a second frame of the video sequence, wherein the first tracking area does not overlap a corresponding replacement area in the second frame; and

replace the first tracking area in the first frame with the corresponding replacement area from the second frame.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the second frame occurs later in time than the first frame.

22. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the second frame occurs earlier in time than the first frame.

23. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further executable to store the first frame as part of an edited video sequence.

24. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein user selection of the first tracking area and the second tracking area are entered by a user via a focus ring.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein beginning to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area occurs after the user has released a finger from a touchscreen.

26. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the second tracking area comprises an action line.

39. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable to:

display a first user-interface element representative of the first tracking area; and

display a second user-interface element representative of the second tracking area.

27. An apparatus for picture processing, comprising:

means for receiving a user selection of a first tracking area;

means for receiving a user selection of a second tracking area;

means for beginning to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area;

means for determining, in a first frame, an amount of overlap between the first tracking area of a first tracked object captured in the first frame and the second tracking area of a second tracked object captured in the first frame, wherein the means for determining the amount of overlap is based on whether the first tracking area is larger than the second tracking area; and

means for performing picture processing in response to determining that the amount of overlap passes a threshold.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes greater than the threshold.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes less than the threshold.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the picture processing comprises editing a video sequence, wherein the first tracked object is removed from the video sequence.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

means for selecting a second frame of the video sequence, wherein the first tracking area does not overlap a corresponding replacement area in the second frame; and

means for replacing the first tracking area in the first frame with the corresponding replacement area from the second frame.

40. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

means for displaying a first user-interface element representative of the first tracking area; and

means for displaying a second user-interface element representative of the second tracking area.

32. A computer-program product for picture processing, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

code for causing an electronic device to receive a user selection of a first tracking area;

code for causing the electronic device to receive a user selection of a second tracking area;

code for causing the electronic device to begin to track the first tracking area and the second tracking area;

code for causing the electronic device to determine, in a first frame, an amount of overlap between the first tracking area of a first tracked object captured in the first frame and the second tracking area of a second tracked object captured in the first frame, wherein the code for causing the electronic device to determine the amount of overlap is based on whether the first tracking area is larger than the second tracking area; and

code for causing the electronic device to perform picture processing in response to determining that the amount of overlap passes a threshold.

33. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes greater than the threshold.

34. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the picture processing is performed once the amount of overlap becomes less than the threshold.

35. The computer-program product of claim 32, wherein the picture processing comprises editing a video sequence, wherein the first tracked object is removed from the video sequence.

36. The computer-program product of claim 35, the instructions further comprising:

code for causing the electronic device to select a second frame of the video sequence, wherein the first tracking area does not overlap a corresponding replacement area in the second frame; and

code for causing the electronic device to replace the first tracking area in the first frame with the corresponding replacement area from the second frame.

41. The computer-program product of claim 32, further comprising:

code for causing the electronic device to display a first user-interface element representative of the first tracking area; and

code for causing the electronic device to display a second user-interface element representative of the second tracking area.