Electronic apparatus and method for controlling electronic apparatus thereof

• US 10,587,799 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Jae-il, An, Jin-hyoung, Kim, Min-chul, Kim, Young-kuk, Kim, Yong-jin, Cho, Sung-rae
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jean Baptiste, Jerry T
• Application Number:
  US15/359,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20170150047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

An electronic apparatus for acquiring a panorama image using a plurality of cameras and a method for controlling the electronic apparatus thereof are provided. The electronic apparatus includes a plurality of cameras for capturing an image, a sensor for acquiring movement information, and a processor for determining individual movement information of the plurality of cameras with reference to a predefined location using movement information acquired through the sensor, acquiring a plurality of images through the plurality of cameras based on the individual movement information and generating a panorama image using the plurality of photographed images.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus for acquiring a panorama image, the electronic apparatus comprising:

a plurality of cameras, each configured to capture an image;

a sensor configured to acquire movement information; and

a processor configured to;

determine individual movement information of the plurality of cameras with reference to a predefined location using the movement information acquired through the sensor;

acquire a plurality of processed images by processing the images captured through the plurality of cameras based on the individual movement information of each of the plurality of cameras; and

generate a panorama image using the plurality of processed images,

wherein the sensor is external to each camera among the plurality of cameras,

wherein the sensor and each camera among the plurality of cameras are located on a circumference of a virtual circle with a center of the virtual circle corresponding to the predefined location, and

wherein the sensor is positioned directly across from one camera, among the plurality of cameras, on the circumference of the virtual circle.

2. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a 3-axis acceleration sensor and a 3-axis angle sensor, and

wherein the sensor is further configured to acquire a movement amount of the sensor by using the 3-axis acceleration sensor and acquire a rotation amount of the sensor using the 3-axis angle sensor.

3. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predefined location is a center of gravity of the plurality of cameras.

4. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an individual rotation amount of the plurality of cameras based on a rotation amount of the sensor which is sensed by using the 3-axis angle sensor, and

determine an individual movement amount of the plurality of cameras based on the movement amount of the sensor which is sensed by using the 3-axis acceleration sensor and the rotation amount of the sensor which is sensed by using the 3-axis angle sensor.

5. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the individual rotation amount (RC) is equal to a rotation amount of the sensor (RS),

wherein the individual movement amount (TC) is TC=PC−

RS*PC+TS,

wherein TS indicates a movement amount of the sensor, and PC indicates an original location of a camera.

6. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the plurality of cameras comprises an Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) unit to correct shake of the plurality of cameras, and

wherein the processor is further configured to acquire a plurality of processed images in which movement is compensated by controlling the OIS unit based on an individual rotation amount and an individual movement amount of the plurality of cameras.

7. A method for controlling an electronic apparatus which acquires a panorama image using a plurality of cameras, the method comprising:

capturing images using the plurality of cameras;

acquiring movement information using a sensor;

determining individual movement information of the plurality of cameras with reference to a predefined location using the movement information acquired through the sensor;

acquiring a plurality of processed images by processing the images captured through the plurality of cameras based on the individual movement information of each of the plurality of cameras; and

generating a panorama image using the plurality of processed images,

wherein the sensor is external to each camera among the plurality of cameras,

wherein the sensor and each camera among the plurality of cameras are located on a circumference of a virtual circle with a center of the virtual circle corresponding to the predefined location, and

wherein the sensor is positioned directly across from one camera, among the plurality of cameras, on the circumference of the virtual circle.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sensor comprises a 3-axis acceleration sensor and a 3-axis angle sensor, and

wherein the acquiring movement information comprises acquiring a movement amount of the sensor by using the 3-axis acceleration sensor and acquiring a rotation amount of the sensor using the 3-axis angle sensor.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the predefined location is a center of gravity of the plurality of cameras.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the determining comprises determining an individual rotation amount of the plurality of cameras based on a rotation amount of the sensor which is sensed by using the 3-axis angle sensor, and

determining an individual movement amount of the plurality of cameras based on the movement amount of the sensor which is sensed by using the 3-axis acceleration sensor and the rotation amount of the sensor which is sensed by using the 3-axis angle sensor.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the individual rotation amount (RC) is equal to a rotation amount of the sensor (RS),

wherein the individual movement amount (TC) is TC=PC−

S*PC+TS,

wherein TS indicates a movement amount of the sensor, and PC indicates an original location of a camera.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plurality of cameras comprises an Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) unit to correct shake of the plurality of cameras, and

wherein the acquiring a plurality of images comprises acquiring a plurality of processed images in which movement is compensated by controlling the OIS unit based on an individual rotation amount and an individual movement amount of the plurality of cameras.