Electronic Equipment and Method in Electronic Equipment for Forming Image Information and a Program Product for Implementation of the Method

• US 20080225129A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Eromaki, Marko, Viinikanoja, Jarkko
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to electronic equipment. The equipment includes camera means for forming data from an object located in the imaging direction, in which case the said camera means include at least two camera units (CAM1, CAM2) and data-processing means, which are arranged to process the data formed using the camera means, in a manner corresponding to the currently selected imaging mode, to form image information. In the equipment, the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other is arranged to be altered to correspond to the current imaging mode.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment, which includes

camera means for forming data on an object located in the imaging direction, in which case the said camera means include at least two camera units (CAM1, CAM2) which mutual distance (A) can be adjusted and which are arranged to be turnable relative to each other and

data processing means, which are arranged to process the data formed by the camera means, according to the currently chosen imaging mode of the equipment, in order to form image information and

in the equipment, the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other is arranged to be altered to correspond to the current imaging mode, characterized in that, the adjustment of the distance (A) between the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) is arranged to generate the turning of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other.

2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other is arranged to be altered by the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) being manually moved by the user.

3. Equipment according to claim 1, which additionally includes a display component arranged on one side of the equipment, characterized in that the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) are arranged on the opposite side of the equipment relative to the display component.

4. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) are connected to each other.

5. Equipment 4 according to claim 1, characterized in that means are arranged in the equipment, for managing the imaging modes and for processing data, in a manner according to the selected imaging mode.

6. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing means are arranged to form 3D image information from the data formed using the camera units (CAM1, CAM2).

7. Equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that the equipment includes means for processing image errors.

8. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the data-processing means are arranged to combine the data formed using the camera units (CAM1, CAM2), at least partly to increase the resolution of the image information.

9. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the data-processing means are arranged to combine the data formed using the camera units (CAM1, CAM2), at least partly to permit a panorama-imaging mode.

10. System for forming image information, which includes

camera means for forming data on an object located in the imaging direction, in which case the said camera means include at least two camera units (CAM1, CAM2) which mutual distance (A) can be adjusted and which are arranged to be turnable relative to each other and

data processing means, which are arranged to process the data formed using the camera means, in a manner according to the currently selected imaging mode, in order to form image information and in which the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other is arranged to be altered to correspond to the current imaging mode, characterized in that, the adjustment of the distance (A) between the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) is arranged to generate the turning of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other.

11. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) is arranged to be altered by the user manually moving the camera units (CAM1, CAM2).

12. System according to claim 10, which additionally includes a display component, characterized in that the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) are aimed in the opposite direction relative to the display component.

14. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the system includes means for managing the imaging modes and for processing data in a manner according to the selected imaging mode.

15. System according to any of claim 10, characterized in that the data processing means are arranged to form 3D image information from the data formed using the camera units (CAM1, CAM2).

16. System according to claim 15, characterized in that the system includes means for processing image errors.

17. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the data processing means are arranged to combine the data formed using the camera units (CAM1, CAM2), at least partly to increase the resolution of the image information.

18. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the data processing means are arranged to combine the data formed using the camera units (CAM1, CAM2), at least partly to permit a panorama-imaging mode.

13. System according to claim, characterized in that the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) are connected to each other.

19. Method in electronic equipment for forming image information, in which camera means are used to perform imaging of an object in the imaging direction, which camera means include at least two camera units (CAM1, CAM2) which mutual distance (A) can be adjusted and which can be turned relative to each other, the data formed by which is processed by processing means, in a manner according to the currently selected imaging mode, in order to form image information and in the method, the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other is altered, to correspond to the current imaging mode, characterized in that, the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) are turned by adjusting the distance (A) between the camera units (CAM1, CAM2).

20. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that, in the method, the mutual position of the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) relative to each other are altered by the user manually moving the camera units (CAM1, CAM2).

21. Method according to claim 19, in which the equipment additionally includes a display component arranged one side, characterized in that the imaging is performed from the opposite side of the equipment relative to the display component.

22. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the imaging is performed to form 3D image information.

23. Method according to claim 22, characterized in that the data are processed to process image errors.

24. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the data are combined at least partly with each other to increase the image resolution.

25. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the data are combined at least partly with each other to permit a panorama-imaging mode.

26. Camera module for forming data from an object in the imaging direction, characterized in that the camera module includes at least two camera units (CAM1, CAM2) aligned in the imaging direction, the mutual position of which relative to each other is functionally arranged to be altered to correspond to the selected imaging mode by adjusting the distance between the camera units (CAM1, CAM2).

27. Camera module according to claim 26, characterized in that an index patterning is arranged in the camera module, to lock the distance between the camera units (CAM1, CAM2) to correspond to the imaging mode.