APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PANORAMIC VIEW DURING VIDEO TELEPHONY AND VIDEO MESSAGING

• US 20130050394A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: ZHOU, Zhinan
• Granted Patent: US 9,392,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing video telephony by a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes establishing a video telephony connection with another mobile terminal, capturing a first image with a first camera, capturing a second image with a second camera, transmitting image information of at least one of the first image and the second image to a server, determining if image data is received from the server, if the image data is received, creating a panoramic image with the image data and at least one of the first image and the second image, and transmitting the panoramic image to the other mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method for performing video telephony by a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

establishing a video telephony connection with another mobile terminal;

capturing a first image with a first camera;

capturing a second image with a second camera;

transmitting image information of at least one of the first image and the second image to a server;

determining if image data is received from the server;

if the image data is received, creating a panoramic image with the image data and at least one of the first image and the second image; and

transmitting the panoramic image to the other mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting metadata to the server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of location coordinates and landmark information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the image data is not received, the panoramic image is created with the first image and the second image.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an amount of image information to transmit to the server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the amount of image information determined for transmission to the server corresponds to an amount of movement of the mobile terminal during a time period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is greater than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes all of the first image and the second image.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is less than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes less than all of the first image and the second image.

9. A mobile terminal for performing video telephony, the mobile terminal comprising:

a first camera for capturing a first image;

a second camera for capturing a second image;

a control unit for determining if image data is received from a server and for, if the image data is received, creating a panoramic image with the image data and at least one of the first image and the second image; and

a communication unit for establishing a video telephony connection with another mobile terminal, for transmitting image information of at least one of the first image and the second image to the server, and for transmitting the panoramic image to the other mobile terminal.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the communication unit transmits metadata to the server.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of location coordinates and landmark information.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein, if the image data is not received, the control unit creates the panoramic image with the first image and the second image.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the control unit determines an amount of image information to transmit to the server.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the amount of image information determined for transmission to the server corresponds to an amount of movement of the mobile terminal during a time period.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is greater than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes all of the first image and the second image.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 14, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is less than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes less than all of the first image and the second image.

17. A method for supporting video telephony by a server, the method comprising:

receiving image information from a mobile terminal;

determining a location of the mobile terminal;

creating a panoramic image using the image information received from the terminal; and

transmitting the panoramic image to the mobile terminal.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of the location of the mobile terminal comprises determining the location using at least one of the image information and metadata received from the mobile terminal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining, based on the location of the mobile terminal, if image data corresponding to the location is available.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, if the image data corresponding to the location of the mobile terminal is available, the creating of the panoramic image comprises creating the panoramic image using the image data and the image information.