Vertical and horizontal pictures taken without camera rotation

• US 20050286888A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Konttinen, Marko
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/374
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

This invention describes a method for changing a picture orientation of a picture taken by an image sensor of an electronic device, e.g., for taking horizontal and vertical pictures, preferably having identical picture size and a picture aspect ratio, without changing an orientation of an electronic device containing said image sensor. The electronic device can be a camera, a portable communication device, a mobile electronic device or a mobile phone. When using a cross-shaped image sensor, both horizontal and vertical pictures can be taken without rotating the camera. The image sensor can have other shapes for accomplishing the same goal, e.g., square shape. A user interface needs just one button for choosing the orientation and the chosen orientation will be also seen on the display (viewfinder) of the electronic device. The viewfinder can have non-picture areas used for displaying image and photography information.

Claims

1. A method for changing an orientation of a picture taken by an image sensor of an electronic device without changing an orientation of said electronic device, comprising the steps of:

providing a picture orientation command signal to a picture orientation switch of the electronic device by a user;

providing a readout switch signal to a sensor readout module by the picture orientation switch in response to said picture orientation command signal; and

switching said picture orientation in said sensor readout module from an initial picture orientation to a further picture orientation in response to said readout switch signal before said picture is taken by the image sensor of said electronic device, wherein said initial picture orientation is one of M possible picture orientations available for switching in said sensor readout module and said further picture orientation is one of said remaining M−

1 possible picture orientations, M in an integer of at least a value of two.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a picture size and a picture aspect ratio for all said M possible picture orientations are identical.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial picture orientation is set to a predetermined default picture orientation when an electric power is turned on in said electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said predetermined default picture orientation is a horizontal orientation.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

providing a picture taking command signal to the readout module by the user; and

providing a readout signal to the image sensor by the sensor readout module in response to the picture taking command signal for taking the picture with said further picture orientation using only an active area of the image sensor which corresponds to said further picture orientation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

automatically re-setting said further picture orientation to said predetermined default picture orientation after said picture with the further picture orientation is taken.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said picture taking command signal is provided by the user through a user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a non-picture area of an image viewfinder of said electronic device is used for displaying image and photography information related to said picture, wherein said non-picture area is an area of the image viewfinder which does not correspond to an active area of the image sensor used for taking a picture with the initial picture orientation or with said further picture orientation, or which is not used for taking pictures with any combination of said M picture orientations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said image sensor has a cross shape or a square shape.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said image sensor is a charged-coupled device (CCD) or a complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said initial picture orientation is a horizontal picture orientation or a vertical picture orientation and said further picture orientation is the vertical picture orientation or the horizontal picture orientation, respectively.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a camera, a portable communication device, a mobile electronic device or a mobile phone.

13. An electronic device capable of taking a picture with different picture orientations without changing an orientation of the electronic device, comprising:

a picture orientation switch, responsive to a picture orientation command signal from a user, for providing a readout switch signal;

a sensor readout module, responsive to the readout switch signal, for providing a readout signal, wherein said picture orientation in said sensor readout module is switched from an initial picture orientation to a further picture orientation in response to said readout switch signal, said initial picture orientation is one of M possible picture orientations available for switching in said sensor readout module and said further picture orientation is one of said remaining M−

1 possible picture orientations, M in an integer of at least a value of two; and

an image sensor, responsive to the readout signal, for taking said picture with any of said M possible picture orientations.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein a picture size and a picture aspect ratio for all said M possible picture orientations are identical.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein said initial picture orientation is set to a predetermined default picture orientation when an electric power is turned on in said electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein said predetermined default picture orientation is a horizontal orientation.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein said readout signal to the image sensor is provided in response to a picture taking command signal provided to the sensor readout module for taking the picture with said further picture orientation using only an active area of the image sensor which corresponds to said further picture orientation.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein said picture taking command signal is provided by the user through a user interface.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, after taking said picture with the further picture orientation, said further picture orientation is automatically re-set to said predetermined default picture orientation

20. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein a non-picture area of an image viewfinder of said electronic device is used for displaying image and photography information related to said picture, wherein said non-picture area is an area of the image viewfinder which does not correspond to an active area of the image sensor used for taking the picture with the initial picture orientation or with said further picture orientation, or which is not used for taking pictures with any combination of said M picture orientations.

21. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein said image sensor has a cross shape or a square shape.

22. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein said image sensor is a charged-coupled device (CCD) or complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS).

23. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein said initial picture orientation is a horizontal picture orientation or a vertical picture orientation and said further picture orientation is the vertical picture orientation or the horizontal picture orientation, respectively.

24. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein said electronic device is a camera, a portable communication device, a mobile electronic device or a mobile phone.

25. A cross-shaped image sensor for taking pictures with two perpendicular orientations, comprising:

a square set of pixels with four perimeter sides A; and

four rectangular sets of the pixels each attached to one of said four perimeter sides A of said square set of the pixels by one rectangular perimeter side equals to the perimeter side A,

wherein, when one picture orientation of said two perpendicular orientations is required, the pixels are activated in said square set of the pixels and in two of the four rectangular sets of the pixels attached to corresponding opposite sides of the square set of the pixels and, when another picture orientation perpendicular to said one picture orientation is required, the pixels are activated in said square set of the pixels and in further two of the four rectangular sets of the pixels attached to further opposite sides of the square set of the pixels, said further opposite sides being perpendicular to said corresponding opposite sides of the square set of the pixels.

26. The method of the claim 25, wherein all said four rectangular sets of the pixels are equal.