Method and apparatus for producing a sharp image from a handheld device containing a gyroscope

• US 20080166115A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invensense Incorporated (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Nasiri, Steven S., Sachs, David, Moturi, Kishore, Shi, Jianbo
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/55
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6845 by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for electronically stabilizing an image captured by a device including a motion detection unit are provided. In one implementation, the method includes capturing a first exposure of the image, and capturing a second exposure of the image including using the motion detection unit to ensure that the second exposure of the image has a pre-determined blur property. The second exposure is longer than the first exposure. The method further includes combining the second exposure of the image having the pre-determined blur property and the first exposure of the image to electronically stabilize the image captured by the device.

Claims

1. A method for electronically stabilizing an image captured by a device, the device including a motion detection unit, the method comprising:

capturing a first exposure of the image, the first exposure being a short exposure;

capturing a second exposure of the image including using the motion detection unit to ensure that the second exposure of the image has a pre-determined blur property, the second exposure being longer than the first exposure; and

combining the second exposure of the image having the pre-determined blur property and the first exposure of the image to electronically stabilize the image captured by the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion detection unit comprises one or more of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a magnetic field sensor, an ultrasonic transducer, or an image processor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gyroscope comprises a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscope, a piezo gyroscope, or a quartz gyroscope.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the MEMS gyroscope comprises a dual-axis MEMS gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the gyroscope to ensure that the second exposure of the image has a pre-determined blur property includes ensuring that an output reading of the gyroscope indicates a pre-determined movement of the device during the second exposure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pre-determined movement of the device during the second exposure corresponds to a substantially linear movement of the device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein combining the second exposure of the image having the pre-determined blur property and the first exposure of the image to electronically stabilize the image captured by the device includes:

performing edge detection in the second exposure of the image to detect edges that are substantially parallel to the linear movement of the device to isolate usable edges from the second exposure of the image; and

combining the useable edges from the second exposure of the image with edges in the first exposure of the image that are not substantially parallel to the linear movement of the device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein performing edge detection in the second exposure of the image to detect edges that are substantially parallel to the linear movement of the device includes using an edge detection algorithm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the edge detection algorithm comprises wavelet edge detection.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first exposure is substantially in the range of 5 ms-50 ms and the second exposure is approximately 4-16 times longer than the first exposure.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a duration of the short exposure and a duration of the long exposure are based upon a motion of the device and ambient lighting conditions.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises one of a camera phone or a compact digital still camera.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing a third exposure of the image including using the motion detection unit to ensure that the third exposure of the image has the pre-determined blur property, the third exposure also being longer than the first exposure;

wherein combining the second exposure of the image having the pre-determined blur property and the first exposure of the image additionally includes combining the third exposure of the image having the pre-determined blur property to electronically stabilize the image captured by the device.

14. A device comprising:

a motion detection unit;

an image generator to capture a first exposure of an image, the first exposure being a short exposure;

the image generator to further capture a second exposure of the image including using the motion detection unit to ensure that the second exposure of the image has a pre-determined blur property, the second exposure being longer than the first exposure; and

a processor to combine the second exposure of the image having the pre-determined blur property and the first exposure of the image to electronically stabilize the image.