Digital image capturing system and method

• US 20050041123A1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reynolds, Donald Kevin Jr., Ansari, Ahmad C., Hartman, David Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,553,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/41 Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors

Abstract

A digital image capturing system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include a processing engine that performs digital image processing functions like noise reduction, gain control, white balance and others. In one embodiment, the image capturing system may have a first image sensor operable to capture a first view of a scene and a second image sensor operable to capture a second and different view of the scene. A selector may be employed to selectively route either the first view information or the second view information onto the processing engine. In preferred embodiments, the sensors may be CMOS sensors and, as such, relatively inexpensive. By allowing two inexpensive sensors to share image processing electronics, an image capturing system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may be able to offer compelling functional characteristics at a reasonable price.

Claims

1. An image capture system comprising:

a processing engine operable to perform an image processing function;

a first image sensor operable to capture a first view of a scene and to output first information representing the first view;

a second image sensor operable to capture a second view of the scene and to output second information representing the second view;

a selector operable to selectively route at least a portion of scene view information to the processing engine, the scene view information comprising the first information and the second information; and

a mounting surface on which the first and the second image sensors are secured.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a support having an exterior surface that comprises the mounting surface, the support having a geometry selected from the group consisting of a generally planar geometry, a generally cylindrical geometry, and a generally spherical geometry.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a third image sensor operable to capture a third view of the scene; and

an integrated circuit comprising the first image sensor, the second image sensor, the third image sensor, and the processing engine.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second image sensors are operable as digital video sensors, further wherein the first and second image sensors are adjustably secured to the mounting surface.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a triggering engine operable to signal the selector to route all of the scene information to the processing engine.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a microphone assembly.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first image sensor has an orientation and the second image sensor has a different orientation, further wherein the first and second image sensors are operable as digital video sensors, the system further comprising:

a triggering engine communicatively coupled to the selector and operable to signal the selector to route a specific portion of the scene view information to the processing engine; and

a directional determination assembly operable to detect a direction of activity in the scene, the assembly further operable to output a signal that informs the triggering engine of the direction.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the triggering engine is further operable to signal the selector to route the second information to the processing engine in response to a determination that the second view should capture the activity.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a support having an exterior surface that comprises the mounting surface, the support having a geometry that facilitates differing orientations of the first and the second image sensors; and

an interface operable to communicatively couple an output of the processing engine to an external computing system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the activity comprises sound generation and the system further comprises a computer coupled to the interface.

11. An image capturing system comprising:

a first image module communicatively coupled to a processing engine, the first image module operable to capture first image information;

a second image module communicatively coupled to the processing engine, the second image module operable to capture second image information; and

the processing engine operable to perform an image processing function on information received from the first image module and the second image module.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a third image module communicatively coupled to the processing engine; and

an interface operable to facilitate communication of a processing engine output to a device selected from the group consisting of a cable modem, a DSL modem, and a computing device.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein an integrated circuit comprises the first image module, the second module, and the processing engine.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising a selection mechanism operable to switch the information received by the processing engine from the first image information to the second image information.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing engine is operable to simultaneously perform an image processing function on information received from the first image module and the second image module.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the first image module has a field of view and the second module has a different field of view.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the first image module has a resolution and the second module has a different resolution.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the first image module comprises a digital zoom lens.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the first image module comprises an optical zoom lens with autofocus.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the first image module comprises a fixed-focus and fixed-zoom lens.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the first image inforation represent a first view of a scene and the second image information represents a second view of the scene, further wherein at least a portion of the first information represents a portion of the scene captured in the second view.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable data to correlate a plurality of image sensors with a plurality of different views of a scene, to direct a triggering engine to identify from the plurality of image sensors a first image sensor generating specific scene information that represents a chosen view of the scene, to signal a selector to route the specific scene information to a processing engine, and to perform a digital image processing function with the processing engine on the specific scene information.

23. An image capturing method, comprising:

correlating a plurality of digital image sensors with different views of a scene;

receiving information that represents a first view of the scene;

receiving additional information that represents a second view of the scene;

determining that the first view of the scene comprises a desired portion of the scene; and

allowing the information to progress to a processing engine.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising disallowing progression of the additional information to the processing engine.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising performing an image signal processing function on the information.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

performing an image signal processing function on the information; and

initiating presentation of the information on a display after performing the image signal processing function.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

determining that the second view of the scene comprises another desired portion of the scene; and

allowing the additional information to progress to the processing engine.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

correlating the first view to a first image sensor and the second view with a second image sensor; and

receiving a directional identification signal indicating that the first view contains a desired scene activity.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

performing an image signal processing function on the information; and

outputting post processed image signal information.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising initiating communication of the post processed image signal information as data packets across a network.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising streaming the post processed image signal information.