System and method for automatic image capture in a handheld camera with a multiple-axis actuating mechanism

• US 8,089,518 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Fahn, Paul, Marti, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chon, Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/941,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.99, 348/208.4, 348/208.5, 348/208.7, 348/208.8, 348/208.11, 348/208.14, 348/290, 348/291, 348/333.06, 348/333.07, 348/333.08, 348/373, 348/374, 348/375, 348/376, 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/208.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/7865 using correlation of the live video image with a stored image
• 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 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A system and method for automatically and optically capturing an image in a handheld image capture device. The system includes an imager and an actuated mounting mechanism attached to the imager. The imager has one or more degrees of freedom (DOF) and includes at least one of a pan DOF, a tilt DOF, and a rotate DOF. In certain embodiments, the device can auto-center a selected object of interest in the image frame, auto-zoom in on the selected object of interest, and/or auto-rotate the captured image. The method includes providing an imager having a pan degree of freedom (DOF) and a tilt DOF, capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame, selecting an object of interest from the captured image, and auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF.

Claims

1. A handheld image capture device having an actuating mechanism, the device comprising:

a camera body;

an imager positioned in front of the camera body and configured to capture an image;

an actuating mechanism positioned between the camera body and the imager and providing the imager with one or more degrees of freedom (DOF), including at least one of a pan DOF, a tilt DOF, and a rotate DOF; and

a programmable processor configured to auto-rotate the imager to align a dominant visual edge of an object with edges of an image field of the imager based on the image, wherein the dominant visual edge is determined by the programmable processor by identifying edges of the object in a temporary image and processing the edges to determine which is a dominant edge, thereby aligning the dominant visual edge of the object when the object is not parallel to edges of the image field.

2. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the handheld image capture device is a still photo camera.

3. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the handheld image capture device is a still photo camera.

4. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the handheld image capture device is a video camera.

5. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the pan DOF enables the actuated imager to pan horizontally left and right with respect to the camera body.

6. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the tilt DOF enables the actuated imager to tilt vertically up and down with respect to the camera body.

7. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the rotate DOF enables the actuated imager to rotate about its axis of symmetry with respect to the camera body.

8. The handheld image capture device of claim 1 additionally comprising a programmable processor configured to perform at least one of:

auto-centering a selected object in an image field;

auto-rotating the imager until the dominant visual edge of the object aligns with the edges of the image field;

auto-rotating the imager until the bottom edge of the imager is perpendicular to gravity;

auto-zooming to the selected object until the object fills a larger portion of the image field; and

automatically selecting between a portrait mode and a landscape mode and auto-rotating the imager according to the selected mode.

9. The handheld image capture device of claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism is a multiple-axis actuating mechanism.

10. The handheld image capture device of claim 1 further comprising a stationary imager mounted on the camera body and configured to capture an image.

11. The handheld image capture device of claim 10, wherein the stationary imager is configured to track a selected object with a software algorithm.

12. The handheld image capture device of claim 10, wherein:

the stationary imager has a first field of view and the actuated imager has a second field of view; and

the first field of view is wider than the second field of view and the second field of view is included in the first field of view.

13. A handheld image capture device with a multiple-axis actuation mechanism, the device comprising:

a camera body;

an imager positioned in front of the camera body and configured to capture an image;

an actuated optical device positioned in front of the imager and mounted on a multiple-axis actuating mechanism, wherein the actuated optical device is configured to adjust the optical axis of the imager; and

a programmable processor configured to auto-rotate the imager to align a dominant visual edge of an object with edges of an image field of the imager based on the image wherein the dominant visual edge is determined by the programmable processor by identifying edges of the object in a temporary image and processing the edges to determine which is the dominant edge, thereby aligning the dominant visual edge of the object when the object is not parallel to edges of the image field.

14. The handheld image capture device of claim 13, wherein the actuated optical device is an actuated prism or an actuated minor.

15. A method of processing an image in a handheld image capture device, the method comprising:

providing an imager having a pan degree of freedom (DOF) and a tilt DOF;

capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame;

selecting an object of interest from the captured image;

determining a dominant visual edge by a programmable processor by identifying edges of an object in a temporary image;

auto-rotating the imager to align the dominant visual edge of the object with edges of the image frame based on the captured image, thereby aligning the dominant visual edge of the object when the object is not parallel to edges of the image field; and

auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the imager is located on a multiple-axis actuation mechanism.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising auto-zooming so that the selected object fills a larger portion of the image frame.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the imager further includes a rotate DOF actuator, and additionally comprising auto-rotating the imager until the captured image is aligned with gravity, or aligned with the dominant visual edge in the image, via the rotate DOF imager.

19. A system of processing an image in a handheld image capture device, the system comprising:

an imager having pan degree of freedom (DOF) and tilt DOF capabilities;

means for capturing an image by the imager to produce an image frame;

means for selecting an object of interest from the captured image;

means for auto-centering the selected object in the image frame using one or both of the pan DOF and the tilt DOF;

means for determining a dominant visual edge by a programmable processor by identifying edges of an object in a temporary image; and

means for auto-rotating the imager to align the dominant visual edge of the object with edges of the image frame based on the captured image, thereby aligning the dominant visual edge of the object when the object is not parallel to edges of the image field.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the imager is located on a multiple-axis actuation mechanism.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for auto-zooming so that the selected object fills a larger portion of the image frame.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the imager further includes a rotate DOF capability, and additionally comprising means for auto-rotating the imager until the captured image is aligned with gravity, or aligned with the dominant visual edge in the image, using the rotate DOF.