Apparatus and method for photographing a business card in portable terminal

• US 20070262148A1
• Filed: 05/03/2007
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Eung-Seo, Yoon, Sung-Kyu
• Granted Patent: US 7,793,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/454
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/22 by selection of a specific region containing or referencing a pattern; Locating or processing of specific regions to guide the detection or recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/412 Layout analysis of documents structured with printed lines or input boxes, e.g. business forms or tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00183 Photography assistance, e.g. displaying suggestions to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00408 Display of information to the user, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00477 Indicating status, e.g. of a job for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N2201/3219
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0049 providing a visual indication to the user, e.g. using a lamp H04N1/00408 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0096 Portable devices

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus and method for photographing a business card in a portable terminal. The method includes recognizing boundary lines of the business card from an image received from a camera when a recognition and photographing key for a business card is selected, and allowing the business card to be automatically photographed by using the recognized boundary lines.

Claims

1. A method of photographing a business card in a portable terminal, the method comprising:

recognizing boundary lines of the business card from an image received from a camera when a recognition and photographing key for a business card is selected; and

allowing the business card to be automatically photographed by using the recognized boundary lines.

2. The method of claim 1, when the recognition and photographing key is selected, further comprising displaying on a display unit predetermined reference boundary lines and the image received from the camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the allowing of the business card to be automatically photographed comprises:

determining whether the recognized boundary lines coincide with predetermined reference boundary lines; and

when the boundary lines of the business card coincide with the reference boundary lines, allowing the business card to be automatically photographed.

4. The method of claim 3, when at least one of the boundary lines of the business card coincides with the reference boundary lines, further comprising changing the at least one coinciding reference boundary line according to a predetermined method.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined method comprises changing at least one of the color, shape, and thickness of the coinciding reference boundary line.

6. The method of claim 3, when the business card boundary lines coincide with the reference boundary lines, further comprising informing a user that automatic photographing of the business card is to be performed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the informing of the automatic photographing comprises changing at least one of the shape, thickness, and color of the coinciding reference boundary lines.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the informing of the automatic photographing comprises at least one of generating an alarm sound and displaying a message.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the allowing of the business card to be automatically photographed comprises:

performing auto focusing when the boundary lines of the business card coincide with the reference boundary lines;

determining whether the boundary lines of the business card still coincide with the reference boundary lines after performing auto focusing; and

allowing the business card to be automatically photographed when the boundary lines of the business card still coincide with the reference boundary lines.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the recognition and photographing key is selected, determining whether the brightness of the image received from the camera satisfies a predetermined condition; and

when it is determined that the brightness of the image does not satisfy the predetermined condition, displaying a message requesting brightness control.

11. An apparatus for photographing a business card in a portable terminal, the apparatus comprising:

an image processor for recognizing boundary lines of the business card from an image received from a camera when a menu for recognizing and photographing the business card is selected; and

a controller for controlling the business card to be automatically photographed using the recognized boundary lines.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a display unit displaying reference boundary lines and the image received from the camera when the menu for recognizing and photographing the business card is selected.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller controls the business card to be automatically photographed when the boundary lines of the business card coincide with the reference boundary lines.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller performing auto focusing when the boundary lines of the business card coincide with the reference boundary lines.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the display unit displaying change at least one coinciding reference boundary line according to a predetermined method when at least one of the boundary lines of the business card coincides with the reference boundary lines.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the predetermined method comprises changing at least one of the color, shape, and thickness of the coinciding reference boundary line.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a camera unit extracting brightness data from the image received from the camera, and providing the brightness data to the controller,

wherein the controller compares the brightness data with a reference brightness value, and displays a message requesting brightness control on the display unit when the brightness data is less than the reference brightness value.

18. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for photographing a business card in a portable terminal, comprising:

a first code segment, for recognizing boundary lines of the business card from an image received from a camera when a recognition and photographing key for a business card is selected; and

a second code segment, for allowing the business card to be automatically photographed by using the recognized boundary lines.