METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVIEWING A DUAL-SHOT IMAGE

• US 20150009349A1
• Filed: 02/26/2014
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Moon-Soo
• Granted Patent: US 9,307,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A dual-shot image preview method and apparatus is disclosed. An electronic device with dual image sensors provides a preview screen combining in real-time a partial image captured from a first image sensor and a rear image captured from a second image sensor. The partial image is a portion of a front image that includes a desired portion of the user, such as the user'"'"'s face based on algorithmic detection. The electronic device displays a dual-shot preview screen by overlaying the partial image on the rear image.

Claims

1. An electronic device for previewing dual-shot images, comprising:

a display screen;

a first image sensor configured to capture a front image;

a second image sensor configured to capture a rear image;

an image signal processor configured to perform image processing on images captured by the first and second image sensors;

a controller configured to;

set an area of pixels of interest based on algorithmic recognition of a subject part within the front image, the area of pixels of interest enclosing the subject part,

output from the first image sensor a partial image based on the set area of pixels of interest,

create, using the image signal processor, a combined image by overlaying the partial image on the rear image; and

display on the display screen the combined image.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the subject part exists in the front image;

and set a portion of the front image that includes the subject part to be the area of pixels of interest when it is determined that the subject part exists in the front image.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to set a pixel area of a predetermined size with the subject part centered therein to be the area of pixels of interest.

4. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the subject part exists in the front image based on a face detection algorithm.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the image signal processor is configured to create the combined image by placing the partial image into the rear image at a predetermined position in a Picture-In-Picture format.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the partial image of the area of pixels of interest is smaller in size than the front image.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first image sensor is configured to send the partial image to the image signal processor based on information regarding the area of pixels of interest.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to capture in real-time the front image and the partial image from the first image sensor and the rear image from the second image sensor for preview in the display screen.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls the first image sensor and the second image sensor to capture a partial image from the first image sensor in real-time and a rear image from the second image sensor in real-time while the combined image is previewed in the display screen;

and store the combined image.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether there is a change in position of the subject part between a first front image and a subsequent front image captured by the first image sensor;

upon determining that there is the change, resetting the area of pixels of interest based on algorithmic recognition of the subject part within the subsequent front image;

output from the first image sensor the partial image based on the reset area of pixels of interest.

11. A method for previewing dual-shot images, the method comprising:

algorithmically recognizing, using a processor, a subject part in a front image captured by a first image sensor;

setting an area of pixels of interest based on recognition of a subject part in the front image, the area of pixels of interest enclosing the subject part;

instructing the first image sensor to output a partial image based on the set area of pixels of interest;

creating a combined image by overlaying the partial image on a rear image output from a second image sensor; and

displaying the combined image by displaying it on a display screen.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the partial image of the area of pixels of interest is smaller in size than a pixel count of the first image sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein setting an area of pixels of interest comprises:

determining whether the subject part exists in the front image; and

setting some portion of the front image that includes the subject part to be the area of pixels of interest when it is determined that the subject part exists.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the area of pixels of interest comprises a pixel area of a predetermined size with the subject part centered therein.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of determining whether the subject part exists in the front image is performed using a face detection algorithm.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the area of pixels of interest comprises an area of a predetermined size that includes a face recognized according to the face detection algorithm.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the combined image comprises the partial image overlaid on the rear image at a predetermined position according to a Picture-In-Picture format.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the front image and the partial image are captured by the first image sensor, and the rear image is captured by the second image sensor in real-time for preview.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a command to capture a photo while the combined image is displayed on the display screen;

capturing a partial image using the first image sensor and a rear image using the second image sensor; and

storing the combined image.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether there is a change in position of the subject part between the front image and a subsequent front image captured by the first image sensor;

when it is determined that there is the change, resetting the area of pixels of interest based on algorithmic recognition of the subject part within the subsequent front image; and

displaying from the first image sensor the partial image based on the reset area of pixels of interest.