DIGITAL CAMERA WITH INTEGRATED ACCELEROMETERS
First Claim
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1. A method of correcting forward slant in an image recorded by a digital camera with a predetermined orientation, said method comprising:
- providing a first accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the first accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a first direction lying in an imaging plane of the digital camera, said first accelerometer being adapted to provide a first output signal in response to acceleration in the first direction;
providing a second accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the second accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a second direction lying in an imaging plane of the digital camera and being different from the first direction, said second accelerometer being adapted to provide a second output signal in response to acceleration in the second direction;
providing a third accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the third accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a third direction normal to the first and second directions, said third accelerometer being adapted to provide a third output signal in response to acceleration in the third direction;
low-pass filtering the first, second, and third output signals to obtain information relating to static accelerations;
using the information relating to static accelerations to identify a pitch angle of the digital camera when the image was recorded; and
correcting forward slant in the recorded image in accordance with the identified pitch angle to reduce the influence of pitch away from a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.
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Abstract
A digital camera system has integrated accelerometers for determining static and dynamic accelerations of the digital cameral system. Data relating to static and dynamic accelerations are stored with recorded image data for further processing, such as for correcting image data for roll, pitch and vibrations and for displaying recorded images with a predetermined orientation using information about, e.g., roll. Data may also be used on-the-fly for smear suppression caused by vibrations.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of correcting forward slant in an image recorded by a digital camera with a predetermined orientation, said method comprising:
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providing a first accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the first accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a first direction lying in an imaging plane of the digital camera, said first accelerometer being adapted to provide a first output signal in response to acceleration in the first direction; providing a second accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the second accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a second direction lying in an imaging plane of the digital camera and being different from the first direction, said second accelerometer being adapted to provide a second output signal in response to acceleration in the second direction; providing a third accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the third accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a third direction normal to the first and second directions, said third accelerometer being adapted to provide a third output signal in response to acceleration in the third direction; low-pass filtering the first, second, and third output signals to obtain information relating to static accelerations; using the information relating to static accelerations to identify a pitch angle of the digital camera when the image was recorded; and correcting forward slant in the recorded image in accordance with the identified pitch angle to reduce the influence of pitch away from a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Post-processing software for correction of forward slant in an image recorded by a digital camera and being configured to perform the following when executed by a processor:
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obtaining a first output signal in response to acceleration in a first direction lying in an imaging plane of the digital camera; obtaining a second output signal in response to acceleration in a second direction lying in an imaging plane of the digital camera and being different from the first direction; obtaining a third output signal in response to acceleration in a third direction normal to the first and second directions; low-pass filtering the first, second, and third output signals to obtain information relating to static accelerations; using the information relating to static accelerations to identify a pitch angle of the digital camera when the image was recorded; and correcting forward slant in the image in accordance with the identified pitch angle to reduce the influence of pitch away from a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A digital camera providing correction of sideways slant of images, the digital camera comprising:
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an image sensor a first accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the first accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a first direction lying in a plane of the image sensor, said first accelerometer being adapted to provide a first output signal in response to acceleration in the first direction; a second accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the second accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a second direction lying in a plane of the image sensor and being different from the first direction, said second accelerometer being adapted to provide a second output signal in response to acceleration in the second direction; a third accelerometer integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera, the third accelerometer being sensitive to acceleration in a third direction normal to the first and second directions, said third accelerometer being adapted to provide a third output signal in response to acceleration in the third direction; a processor being configured to process the first, second, and third output signals, said processor comprising a low-pass filter for filtering the first, second, and third output signals to obtain information relating to static accelerations and to use the information relating to static accelerations to identify a pitch angle of the digital camera; and means for automatically correcting forward slant in images in accordance with the identified pitch angle to reduce the influence of pitch away from a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of correcting keystone or perspective in an image recorded by a digital camera, comprising the steps of
providing output signals indicative of acceleration from first, second, and third orthogonal accelerometers integrated on a monolithic chip in the digital camera; -
low-pass filtering the output signals to obtain information relating to static accelerations; using the information relating to static accelerations to identify a pitch and roll angle of the digital camera when the image was recorded; and performing a keystone or a perspective correction of the recorded image based on the identified pitch and roll angles.
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Specification