APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND CONNECTING COUNTERPART DEVICE BY CAPTURING IMAGE OF COUNTERPART DEVICE IN WIRELESS DEVICE

• US 20120120266A1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Shin-Il, Yeon, Hun-Je, Lee, Jin-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/211.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

An apparatus and a method detect and connect a counterpart device by capturing an image of the counterpart device in a wireless device. A Relative Distance Value (RDV) between the wireless device and the counterpart device is determined via image capture using a camera. The counterpart device is identified using the determined RDV.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless device in a network environment where the wireless device and a counterpart device exist, the method comprising:

determining a Relative Distance Value (RDV) between the wireless device and an object comprising the counterpart device via image capture using a camera; and

identifying the counterpart device using the determined RDV.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a function determined in advance between the wireless device and the counterpart device using the identified counterpart device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the function determined in advance between the wireless device and the counterpart device comprises at least one of an image view function, a multimedia play function, a data backup function, a data share function, a synchronization function, and a slide show function.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the RDV comprises:

displaying a focus zone and a preview image corresponding to the captured image on a display unit;

when a shooting key is selected, determining whether an object image and a height of the focus zone coincide in the preview image;

when the object image and the height of the focus zone coincide in the preview image, capturing the object; and

when the object image and the height of the focus zone do not coincide in the preview image, indicating that the object image and the height of the focus zone do not coincide and requesting to match the object image and the height of the focus zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the object image and the height of the focus zone are matched using at least one of a user'"'"'s position movement, an auto-focus function of a camera, and a zoom function of the camera.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the RDV further comprises:

displaying an input window for receiving a device type of the counterpart device on a display unit; and

when the device type of the counterpart device is input via the input window, determining a height of the object based on the input device type and determining a shooting distance based on the height of the object, a focal length of the camera, and a height of an image sensor of the camera,

wherein the shooting distance D is determined using Equation below;

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the RDV is determined based on the determined shooting distance using the Equations below:

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the counterpart device comprises:

determining whether an RDV that is within a predetermined error range of the determined RDV exists in a database; and

when the RDV that is within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exists in the database, extracting a stored image of the counterpart device mapped to the RDV that is within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV from the database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein extracting a stored image of the counterpart device comprises:

when a plurality of RDVs that are within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exist in the database, collecting auxiliary information for identifying the counterpart device; and

extracting the stored image of the counterpart device mapped to the RDV that is within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV and the collected auxiliary information from the database,

wherein the auxiliary information comprises at least one of position information and bearings information.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising, when the RDV that is within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV does not exist in the database, indicating that relevant counterpart device information is not registered.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering a counterpart device to be connected for performing at least one specific function, by

mapping the determined RDV to a captured image of the object and storing the same.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether a plurality of RDVs that are within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exist in a database;

when a plurality of RDVs that are within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exist in the database, collecting auxiliary information for identifying the counterpart device; and

mapping the determined RDV and the collected auxiliary information to the captured image of the counterpart device and storing the same,

wherein the auxiliary information comprises at least one of position information and bearings information.

13. An apparatus of a wireless device in a network environment where the wireless device and a counterpart device exist, the apparatus comprising:

a camera unit configured to capture an image of an object comprising the counterpart device; and

a counterpart device registration and connection manager configured to determine a Relative Distance Value (RDV) between the wireless device and the object via the captured image, and identifying the counterpart device using the determined RDV.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to perform a function determined in advance between the wireless device and the counterpart device using the identified counterpart device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the function determined in advance between the wireless device and the counterpart device comprises at least one of an image view function, a multimedia play function, a data backup function, a data share function, a synchronization function, and a slide show function.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a display unit configured to display a focus zone and a preview image when capturing the image of the object,

wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to determine whether an object image and a height of the focus zone coincide in the preview image when a shooting key is selected, control the camera unit to capture the object and when the object image and the height of the focus zone coincide in the preview image, and when the object image and the height of the focus zone do not coincide in the preview image, indicate that the object image and the height of the focus zone do not coincide with each other and request to match the object image and the height of the focus zone.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to match the object image and the height of the focus zone using at least one of a user'"'"'s position movement, an auto-focus function of a camera, and a zoom function of the camera.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the display unit is further configured to display an input window for receiving a device type of the counterpart device,

wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to, when the device type of the counterpart device is input via the input window, determine a height of the object based on the input device type, and determine a shooting distance based on the height of the object, a focal length of the camera, and a height of an image sensor of the camera, and

wherein the shooting distance is determined using Equation below:

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the RDV is determined based on the determined shooting distance using the Equations below:

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to determine whether an RDV that is within a predetermined error range of the determined RDV exists in a database, and when the RDV that is within a predetermined error range of the determined RDV exists in the database, extract a stored image of the counterpart device mapped to the RDV from the database.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to, when a plurality of RDVs that are within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exist in the database, collect auxiliary information for identifying the counterpart device, and extract the stored image of the counterpart device mapped to the RDV that is within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV and the collected auxiliary information from the database, wherein the auxiliary information comprises at least one of position information and bearings information.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to, when the RDV that is within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV does not exist in the database, indicate that relevant counterpart device information is not registered.

23. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to register a counterpart device to be connected for performing at least one specific function by mapping the determined RDV to a captured image of the counterpart device and storing the same.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the counterpart device registration and connection manager is further configured to determine whether a plurality of RDVs that are within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exist in a database, collect auxiliary information for identifying the counterpart device when a plurality of RDVs that are within the predetermined error range of the determined RDV exist in the database, and map and store the determined RDV and the collected auxiliary information to the captured image of the counterpart device,

wherein the auxiliary information comprises at least one of position information and bearings information.