DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING IMAGE IN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20170094168A1
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Donggoo, Kim, YunKyung, Kong, Jinah
• Granted Patent: US 10,506,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0241 using relative motion of the body parts to change the operational status of the telephone set, e.g. switching on/off, answering incoming call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• 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 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 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• 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

A device and method for photographing a panoramic image in a foldable electronic device. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic device may set a photographing mode and determine the folding of a housing in the photographing mode. The electronic device may acquire images from an image sensor, the photographing position of which varies according to the folding and generate a panoramic image by composing the acquired images.

Claims

1. A method of processing an image in an electronic device, comprising:

setting a photographing mode of the electronic device;

determining a folding of a housing of the electronic device in the photographing mode;

acquiring images from a camera of the electronic device, a photographing position of which varies according to the folding; and

generating a panoramic image by composing the acquired images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the panoramic image comprises:

ending the acquiring of the images when unfolding of the housing is determined; and

creating a general panoramic image by composing the acquired images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the images comprises acquiring images at set intervals, and the generating the panoramic image comprises creating a moving panoramic image by composing the images such that moving subjects do not overlap each other.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the set intervals are set folding angles or set time intervals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the images comprises acquiring the images according to the folding as consecutive images, and

the generating the panoramic image comprises:

displaying the acquired consecutive images;

editing the displayed images by removing images selected from the displayed images; and

processing the edited displayed images into the panoramic image by composing the edited displayed images.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the images comprises:

ending the processing of a first panoramic image when unfolding is determined;

determining a rotation angle when rotation is determined;

acquiring images corresponding to the determined rotation angle;

generating a second panoramic image by composing the acquired images; and

generating a third panoramic image by composing the first and second panoramic images in response to the determined rotation angle when the unfolding is determined.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring of the images comprises acquiring

the images according to the folding as consecutive images, and

the generating the panoramic image comprises:

displaying the consecutive images;

editing the displayed images by removing images selected from the displayed images; and

generating the panoramic image by composing the edited displayed images.

8. A method of processing an image in an electronic device, comprising:

setting a panorama photographing mode of the electronic device selected from a displayed menu;

determining a folding of a housing of the electronic device in the set photographing mode; and

generating a panoramic image by composing images acquired from a camera of the electronic device, a photographing position of which varies according to the folding.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the panoramic image comprises:

when a general panorama photographing mode is set, processing the acquired images according to the folding into a general panoramic image by composing the acquired images.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the panoramic image comprises:

when a moving panorama photographing mode is set, determining moving subjects in the acquired images;

acquiring the images according to the folding at set intervals; and

generating a moving panoramic image by composing the acquired images such that the moving subjects do not overlap each other in the acquired images.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the panoramic image comprises:

when a complex panorama photographing mode is set, determining a first rotation angle of the electronic device and generating a first panoramic image corresponding to the determined first rotation angle;

ending the processing of the first panoramic image when unfolding is determined;

determining a second rotation angle when rotation is determined and generating a second panoramic image corresponding to the determined second rotation angle; and

creating a third panoramic image by composing the first and second panoramic images such that the first and second panoramic images correspond to the determined first and second rotation angles when the ending of the panoramic photographing is determined.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the panoramic image comprises:

when a consecutive photographing mode is set, acquiring the images according to the folding as consecutive images;

displaying the consecutive images when the electronic device is unfolded;

editing the displayed images by removing selected images from the displayed images; and

generating a panoramic image by composing the edited consecutive images.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a housing including a connecting part, a first housing, and a second housing and configured such that the housing is folded about the connecting part;

a flexible display corresponding to the folding of the housing;

at least one camera located in the housing and configured to acquire images in response to the folding;

a sensor configured to determine the folding by the connecting part; and

a processor operatively coupled to the display, the camera, and the sensor, the processor is configured to generate a panoramic image by composing the acquired images when the folding is determined in a photographing mode.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to a general panoramic image by composing the acquired images when the photographing mode is a general panorama photographing mode.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine moving subjects in the acquired images when a moving panorama photographing mode is set;

acquire the images according to the folding at set intervals; and

generate a panoramic image by composing the acquired images such that the moving subjects do not overlap each other in the acquired images.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the set intervals are specified time intervals or specified folding angles.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a rotation angle of the electronic device and generate a first panoramic image corresponding to the determined rotation angle when a complex panorama photographing mode is set;

end the processing of the first panoramic image when unfolding is determined;

determine a second rotation angle when rotation is determined, and generate a second panoramic image corresponding to the determined second rotation angle; and

create a third panoramic image by composing the first and second panoramic images such that the first and second panoramic images correspond to the determined first and second rotation angles when the ending of the panoramic photographing is recognized.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the sensor comprises:

a first sensor configured to recognize a folding angle according to the connecting part; and

a second sensor configured to detect a rotation direction of the electronic device,

wherein the processor is configured to;

determine a folding angle and unfolding based on a signal from the first sensor; and

determine the rotation angle based on a signal from the second sensor.

19. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to:

acquire the images according to the folding as consecutive images when a consecutive photographing mode is set;

display the consecutive images when the electronic device is unfolded;

edit the displayed images by removing images selected from the displayed images; and

generate a panoramic image by composing the edited images.

20. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the camera comprises dual cameras located on opposite ends of the housing.