IMAGE CAPTURING TERMINAL AND IMAGE CAPTURING METHOD

• US 20170223256A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 08/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yulong Computer Telecommunications Scientific Company Limited (Coolpad Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Yulong Computer Telecommunications Scientific Company Limited (Coolpad Group Limited)
• Inventors: Xiao, Lifeng
• Granted Patent: US 9,986,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/743 Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions

Abstract

Provided is an image capturing method and an image capturing terminal. The terminal includes a first camera module, a second camera module, and a processing module. The first camera module and the second camera module are used for framing concurrently a same scene. The resolution of an image outputted by the first camera module is greater than the resolution of an image outputted by the second camera module. The processing module detects and analyzes on the basis of the contrast ratios of different frames of images, and controls the second camera to automatically focus on a determined focus. The processing module also is used for determining a focus for the first camera module on the basis of focus information of the second camera module, controlling the first camera module to focus directly on the basis of the determined focus and to capture an image while focused on the focus.

Claims

1. A terminal for image capturing, comprising:

a first camera module;

a second camera module, wherein the first camera module and the second camera module are configured to frame concurrently the same scene, wherein a first resolution of a first image outputted by the first camera module is greater than a second resolution of a second image outputted by the second camera module;

a processing module, wherein the processing module is configured to;

based on detecting and analyzing contrast ratios of different frames of images, control the second camera module to automatically focus on a second focus of the second camera module; and

determine a first focus for the first camera module based on focus information of the second camera module, and control the first camera module to focus directly based on the first focus for capturing an image while focused on the first focus.

2. The terminal of claim 1, the second camera module comprising a second lens, a second actuator, and a second image sensor, wherein

the second actuator is configured to drive the second lens to move relative to the second image sensor to realize autofocus under control of the processing module.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein, a second frame rate of the second image is greater than a first frame rate of the first image.

20. The terminal of claim 2, the first camera module comprising a first lens, a first actuator, and a first image sensor, wherein the processing module is configured to control the first actuator to directly drive the first lens to move to the first focus according to position information of the second focus of the second camera module.

21. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the first lens is the same as the second lens, and the first image sensor is the same as the second image sensor.

22. The terminal of claim 21, wherein when the first lens is located at the first focus and the second lens is located at the second focus, a first distance between the first lens and the first image sensor is equal to a second distance between the second lens and the second image sensor.

23. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the first lens is the same as the second lens and first physical resolution of the first image sensor is greater than second physical resolution of the second image sensor.

24. The terminal of claim 23, wherein each focus of the first camera module corresponds to the second focus of the second camera module, and the first focus of the first camera module is determined according to the second focus of the second camera module and a corresponding relationship between the first focus of the first camera module and the second focus of the second camera module.

25. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the second actuator is a closed-loop motor, and the second actuator is further configured to sense the position information of the second focus of the second camera module and send the position information of the second focus to the processing module.

26. The terminal of claim 20, wherein the first actuator is a closed-loop motor or a voice coil motor.

3-8. -8. (canceled)

10. A method for image capturing for an image capturing terminal comprising a first camera module, a second camera module, and a processing module, the method comprising:

controlling the first camera module and the second camera module to frame concurrently the same scene, wherein first resolution of an image outputted by the first camera module is greater than second resolution of an image outputted by the second camera module;

controlling the second camera module to automatically focus on a second focus and obtaining position information of the second focus of the second camera module;

determining a first focus for the first camera module based on focus information of the second camera module; and

controlling the first camera module to focus for capturing an image while focused on the first focus.

11. The method of claim 10, the second camera module comprising a second lens, a second actuator, and a second image sensor, wherein the second actuator is configured to drive the second lens to move relative to the second image sensor to realize autofocus under control of the processing module.

12. The method of claim 11, the first camera module comprising a first lens, a first actuator, and a first image sensor, wherein the processing module is configured to control the first actuator to directly drive the first lens to move to the first focus according to the position information of the second focus of the second camera module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first lens is the same as the second lens and the first image sensor is the same as the second image sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein when the first lens is located at the first focus and the second lens is located at the second focus, a first distance between the first lens and the first image sensor is equal to a second distance between the second lens and the second image sensor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first lens is the same as the second lens, and first physical resolution of the first image sensor is greater than second physical resolution of the second image sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first focus of the first camera module corresponds to the second focus of the second camera module, and the first focus of the first camera module is determined according to the second focus of the second camera module and a corresponding relationship between the first focus of the first camera module and the second focus of the second camera module.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second actuator is a closed-loop motor, and the second actuator is further configured to sense the position information of the second focus of the second camera module and send the position information of the second focus to the processing module.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein, the first actuator is a closed-loop motor or a voice coil motor.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein a second frame rate of the second image is greater than a first frame rate of the first image.