Camera device for portable equipment

• US 20030117501A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shirakawa, Hirotsugu
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/53 of electronic viewfinders, e.g. rotatable or detachable
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/665 involving internal camera communication with the image sensor, e.g. synchronising or multiplexing SSIS control signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A camera device captures a plurality of images and superimposes them to output image data of a superimposed image. The plurality of images are captured by a plurality of cameras. A processor superimposes the plurality of images to produce the superimposed image, which is displayed on screen and is sent by moving-image mail.

Claims

1. A camera device for portable equipment, comprising:

a plurality of cameras directed in different directions, each of the cameras capturing an image to produce image data; and

a processor for superimposing image data each captured by the cameras to produce output data of a superimposed image.

2. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the image data captured by each of the cameras is moving-image data.

3. A camera device for a portable communication terminal, comprising:

at least two cameras including a back camera and a front camera which are each provided in the back and front of the portable communication terminal, wherein each of said at least two cameras captures an image to produce image data;

a memory for storing image data produced by each of said at least two cameras; and

a processor for processing image data each captured by said at least two cameras to produce output data of a superimposed image.

4. The camera device according to claim 3, wherein the processor sequentially selects the image data produced by said at least two cameras in units of one of a horizontal line and a frame to store them onto the memory.

5. The camera device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a selector for sequentially selects the image data produced by said at least two cameras in units of one of a horizontal line and a frame to store them onto the memory.

6. A method for capturing a plurality of images in a portable communication terminal having at least two cameras including a back camera and a front camera which are each provided in the back and front of the portable communication terminal, wherein each of said at least two cameras captures an image to produce image data, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data from each of said at least two cameras;

selecting the image data in units of one of a horizontal line and a frame to storing the image data in a memory;

superimposing the image data stored in the memory to produce a superimposed image data such that one image is superimposed on another.

7. A method for capturing a plurality of images in a portable communication terminal having at least two cameras including a back camera and a front camera which are each provided in the back and front of the portable communication terminal, wherein each of said at least two cameras captures an image to produce image data, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting image data from each of said at least two cameras;

selecting first image data to storing it in a memory;

reducing a size of second image data to storing the second image data in the memory such that the second image data is overwritten on the first image data; and

outputting a superimposed image data such that a second image of the second image data is superimposed on a first image of the first image data.

8. A portable communication terminal with a moving-image communication function, comprising:

a display;

an operation key section;

a main circuit section including a microprocessor of the portable communication terminal; and

a camera section,

wherein the camera section comprises;

a back camera provided in the back of the portable communication terminal, wherein the back camera outputs first image data;

a front camera provided in the front of the portable communication terminal, wherein the front camera outputs second image data;

a memory for storing image data produced by each of the back and front cameras; and

a processor for processing image data each captured by the back and front cameras to produce output data of a superimposed image,

wherein the microprocessor instructs the display to display the superimposed image to be sent.

9. The portable communication terminal according to claim 8, wherein position and/or size of a second image of the second image data is allowed to be changed by the processor under control of the microprocessor depending on operations of the operation key section.