System and method for detecting image capture device movement with two dual axis linear accelerometers

• US 20060072019A1
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Stavely, Donald J., Wanger, Mark E., Miller, Casey L., Anderson, James H.
• Application Number:
  US10/989,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20060072019A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations

Abstract

A system and method for determining movement of an image capture device is disclosed. Briefly described, one embodiment comprises a first dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in the image capture device that senses a first acceleration in a first direction and that senses a first orthogonal acceleration in an orthogonal direction, a second dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in the image capture device that senses a second acceleration in the first direction and that senses a second orthogonal acceleration in the orthogonal direction, a processor that receives information from the first dual-axis linear accelerometer and the second dual-axis linear accelerometer such that the movement of the image capture device is determined.

Claims

1. A system that determines movement in an image capture device, comprising:

a first dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in the image capture device that senses a first acceleration in a first direction and that senses a first orthogonal acceleration in an orthogonal direction;

a second dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in the image capture device that senses a second acceleration in the first direction and that senses a second orthogonal acceleration in the orthogonal direction; and

a processor that receives information from the first dual-axis linear accelerometer and the second dual-axis linear accelerometer such that the movement of the image capture device is determined.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first dual-axis linear accelerometer comprises an aft dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in a rear portion of the image capture device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second dual-axis linear accelerometer comprises a fore dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in a front portion of the image capture device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the fore dual-axis linear accelerometer resides in the front portion of a body of the image capture device.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the fore dual-axis linear accelerometer resides in a lens of the image capture device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first dual-axis linear accelerometer and the second dual-axis linear accelerometer each have a first axis corresponding to the first direction of acceleration and wherein each have a second axis corresponding to the orthogonal direction of acceleration, and wherein the first direction of acceleration and the orthogonal direction of acceleration are perpendicular to an axis of direction corresponding to the orientation of a lens of the image capture device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first dual-axis linear accelerometer and the second dual-axis linear accelerometer are micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) devices.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a film-based camera wherein the first dual-axis linear accelerometer, the second dual-axis linear accelerometer and the processor reside.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a digital camera wherein the first dual-axis linear accelerometer, the second dual-axis linear accelerometer and the processor reside.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a video camera wherein the first dual-axis linear accelerometer, the second dual-axis linear accelerometer and the processor reside.

11. A method for determining movement of an image capture device, comprising:

sensing a first acceleration in a first direction and a first orthogonal acceleration in an orthogonal direction;

sensing a second acceleration in the first direction and a second orthogonal acceleration in the orthogonal direction;

determining a difference in acceleration between the first acceleration and the second acceleration;

determining a difference in orthogonal acceleration between the first orthogonal acceleration and the second orthogonal acceleration; and

determining the movement of the image capture device based upon the determined difference in acceleration and the determined difference in orthogonal acceleration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein sensing the first acceleration and the first orthogonal acceleration is sensed with a first dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in the image capture device, and wherein sensing the second acceleration and the second orthogonal acceleration is sensed with a second dual-axis linear accelerometer residing in the image capture device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving a lens of the image capture device from a retracted position to an extended position such that the second dual-axis linear accelerometer is moved from a first location to a second location.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining movement of a reference point based upon the determined movement of the image capture device.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining movement of a reference point based upon the determined difference in acceleration and the determined difference in orthogonal acceleration.

16. A system for determining movement of an image capture device, comprising:

means sensing a first acceleration in a first direction and a first orthogonal acceleration in an orthogonal direction;

means for sensing a second acceleration in the first direction and a second orthogonal acceleration in the orthogonal direction;

means for processing information corresponding to a difference in acceleration between the first acceleration and the second acceleration;

means for determining a difference in orthogonal acceleration between the first orthogonal acceleration and the second orthogonal acceleration; and

means for determining the movement of the image capture device based upon the determined difference in acceleration and the determined difference in orthogonal acceleration.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for moving a lens of the image capture device from a retracted position to an extended position such that the means for sensing the second acceleration is moved from a first location to a second location.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for determining movement of a reference point based upon the determined movement of the image capture device.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for determining movement of a reference point based upon the determined difference in acceleration and the determined difference in orthogonal acceleration.

20. A program for determining movement of an image capture device stored on computer-readable medium, the program comprising logic configured to perform:

receiving information corresponding to a sensed first acceleration in a first direction and a sensed first orthogonal acceleration in an orthogonal direction;

receiving information corresponding to a sensed second acceleration in the first direction and a sensed second orthogonal acceleration in the orthogonal direction;

determining a difference in acceleration between the sensed first acceleration and the sensed second acceleration;

determining a difference in orthogonal acceleration between the sensed first orthogonal acceleration and the sensed second orthogonal acceleration; and

determining the movement of the image capture device based upon the determined difference in acceleration and the determined difference in orthogonal acceleration.

21. The program of claim 20, the program further comprising logic configured to perform determining information corresponding to movement of a lens of the image capture device from a retracted position to an extended position such that the determined movement corresponds to the movement of the lens.

22. The program of claim 20, the program further comprising logic configured to perform determining movement of a reference point based upon the determined movement of the image capture device.

23. The program of claim 20, the program further comprising logic configured to perform determining movement of a reference point based upon the determined difference in acceleration and the determined difference in orthogonal acceleration.