3D IMAGE CAPTURE METHOD WITH 3D PREVIEW OF PREVIEW IMAGES GENERATED BY MONOCULAR CAMERA AND RELATED ELECTRONIC DEVICE THEREOF

• US 20140285637A1
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheng, Chia-Ming, Chan, Cheng-Che, Huang, Po-Hao
• Granted Patent: US 9,967,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/211 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/30 Image reproducers optical systems for producing stereoscopic or other three-dimensional effects G02B30/00

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) image capture method, employed in an electronic device with a monocular camera and a 3D display, includes at least the following steps: while the electronic device is moving, deriving a 3D preview image from a first preview image and a second preview image generated by the monocular camera, and providing 3D preview on the 3D display according to the 3D preview image, wherein at least one of the first preview image and the second preview image is generated while the electronic device is moving; and when a capture event is triggered, outputting the 3D preview image as a 3D captured image.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) image capture method employed in an electronic device with a monocular camera and a 3D display, comprising:

while the electronic device is moving, deriving a 3D preview image from a first preview image and a second preview image generated by the monocular camera, and providing 3D preview on the 3D display according to the 3D preview image, wherein at least one of the first preview image and the second preview image is generated while the electronic device is moving; and

when a capture event is triggered, outputting the 3D preview image as a 3D captured image.

2. The 3D image capture method of claim 1, wherein the first preview image is generated when the electronic device is still, and the second preview image is generated while the electronic device is moving.

3. The 3D image capture method of claim 2, wherein the first preview image is generated before the second preview image, the first preview image is fixed while the electronic device is moving, and the second preview image is continuously updated by the monocular camera while the electronic device is moving.

4. The 3D image capture method of claim 1, wherein the first preview image and the second preview image are both generated while the electronic device is moving.

5. The 3D image capture method of claim 4, wherein each of the first preview image and the second preview image is continuously updated by the monocular camera while the electronic device is moving.

6. The 3D image capture method of claim 1, wherein while the electronic device is moving, the at least one of the first preview image and the second preview image that is automatically generated by the monocular camera without user intervention.

7. The 3D image capture method of claim 1, wherein the step of deriving the 3D preview image from the first preview image and the second preview image comprises:

performing an image rectification upon the second preview image to make the 3D preview image satisfy a stereoscopic vision requirement; and

generating the 3D preview image according to the first preview image originally generated by the monocular camera and the second preview image adjusted by the image rectification.

8. The 3D image capture method of claim 7, wherein the electronic device further includes a motion sensor, and motion information provided by the motion sensor is referenced by the image rectification.

9. The 3D image capture method of claim 1, wherein the step of deriving the 3D preview image from the first preview image and the second preview image comprises:

performing an image permutation upon the first preview image and the second preview image to generate the 3D preview image.

10. The 3D image capture method of claim 9, wherein the electronic device further includes a motion sensor, and motion information provided by the motion sensor is referenced by the image permutation.

11. An electronic device with a three-dimensional (3D) image capture function, comprising:

a monocular camera;

a 3D display; and

a controller, coupled to the monocular camera and the 3D display, wherein while the electronic device is moving, the controller derives a 3D preview image from a first preview image and a second preview image generated by the monocular camera, and controls the 3D display to provide 3D preview according to the 3D preview image, wherein at least one of the first preview image and the second preview image is generated while the electronic device is moving; and

when a capture event is triggered, the controller outputs the 3D preview image as a 3D captured image.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first preview image is generated when the electronic device is still, and the second preview image is generated while the electronic device is moving.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first preview image is generated before the second preview image, the first preview image is fixed while the electronic device is moving, and the second preview image is continuously updated by the monocular camera while the electronic device is moving.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first preview image and the second preview image are both generated while the electronic device is moving.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein each of the first preview image and the second preview image is continuously updated by the monocular camera while the electronic device is moving.

16. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein while the electronic device is moving, the at least one of the first preview image and the second preview image that is automatically generated by the monocular camera without user intervention.

17. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the controller further performs an image rectification upon the second preview image to make the 3D preview image satisfy a stereoscopic vision requirement, where the 3D preview image is generated according to the first preview image originally generated by the monocular camera and the second preview image adjusted by the image rectification.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising a motion sensor, wherein motion information provided by the motion sensor is referenced by the image rectification performed by the controller.

19. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the controller performs an image permutation upon the first preview image and the second preview image to generate the 3D preview image.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, further comprising:

a motion sensor, wherein motion information provided by the motion sensor is referenced by the image permutation performed by the controller.