Digital camera with integrated accelerometers

• US 8,189,058 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Phase One A/S
• Original Assignee: Phase One A/S
• Inventors: Molgaard, Claus
• Primary Examiner(s): Giles, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/624,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.1, 348/208.2, 348/208.3, 348/231.2, 348/231.3, 348/231.6, 348/333.01, 348/333.03, 348/333.04, 348/333.11
• US Class Current: 348/208.3
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3878 Skew detection or correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4092 Edge or detail enhancement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory

Abstract

A digital camera system has integrated accelerometers for determining static and dynamic accelerations of the digital cameral system. Data relating to static and dynamic accelerations are stored with recorded image data for further processing, such as for correcting image data for roll, pitch and vibrations and for displaying recorded images with a predetermined orientation using information about, e.g., roll. Data may also be used on-the-fly for smear suppression caused by vibrations.

Claims

1. A digital camera having an electronic spirit level for capturing images aligned with the horizon, comprising:

a detector which determines static and dynamic accelerations, said detector comprising

a first sensor sensitive to acceleration in a first direction, said first sensor providing a first output signal in response to acceleration in the first direction,

a second sensor sensitive to acceleration in a second direction, said second sensor providing a second output signal in response to acceleration in the second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, and

a first processor adapted to process the first and second output signals, said processor including a first filter adapted to low-pass filter the first and second output signals so as to obtain updated information relating to static accelerations; and

a second processor adapted to correlate said updated information relating to static accelerations with stored information relating to static accelerations, and to generate one or more correlation signals indicative of a relative difference between the updated and stored information; and

an indicator providing an output based on said one or more correlation signals, wherein the stored information relating to static accelerations comprises a pre-set roll value corresponding to a horizontal orientation of the digital camera.

2. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the output from the indicator is adapted to guide a user to orient the digital camera so that the updated information relating to static accelerations is at least substantially equivalent to the stored information relating to static accelerations.

3. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said first and second output signals provided by first and second accelerometers comprise respective output signals that are continuous functions of accelerations in the first and second directions.

4. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said first and second accelerometers comprise first and second micro-mechanical accelerometers integrated on a monolithic chip.

5. A method of guiding a user to a stored orientation of a digital camera, said method comprising:

low-pass filtering first and second output signals of respective first and second accelerometers, the first and second accelerometers sensitive to accelerations in respective first and second directions to identify angles of roll, the second direction being different from the first direction;

providing present orientation information for the digital camera, said orientation information identifying a roll angle and being provided by the low-pass filtered first and second output signals of the respect first and second accelerometers;

retrieving stored orientation information for the digital camera relating to static accelerations comprising a pre-set roll value corresponding to a horizontal orientation of the digital camera; and

indicating a difference between roll angles in the present and stored orientation information to the user using an electronic spirit level of the digital camera to capture images aligned with the horizon.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the present orientation information and the indicated difference is updated continuously, or two or more times per second.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said orientation information provided by the first and second accelerometers comprises respective outputs that are continuous functions of accelerations in the first and second directions.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein providing said respective outputs comprises using first and second micro-mechanical accelerometers integrated on a monolithic chip as the first and second accelerometers.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the present and stored orientation information further identify a pitch angle of the digital camera, said orientation information being further provided by a third accelerometer sensitive to accelerations in a third direction normal to the first and second directions, the method further comprises indicating a difference between pitch angles in the present and stored orientation information to the user.

10. A digital camera having an electronic spirit level for capturing images aligned with the horizon, comprising:

first and second accelerometers sensitive to accelerations in first and second directions to provide first and second signals that are continuous functions of accelerations in the first and second directions, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction;

a low-pass filter configured to low-pass filter the first and second signals so as to obtain first and second low-pass filtered signals;

a processor configured to generate one or more correlation signals correlating with a difference between stored first and second signals and presently received first and second low-pass filtered signals; and

an indicator providing an output based on the generated one or more correlation signals, wherein the stored first and second signals comprise a pre-set roll value corresponding to a horizontal orientation of the digital camera.

11. The digital camera according to claim 10, further comprising a third accelerometer sensitive to accelerations in a third direction normal to the first and second directions to provide a third signal that is a continuous function of accelerations in the third direction, wherein the processor is configured to also receive the third signal, store the third signal, and correlate the one or more correlation signals also with a difference between a stored third signal and a presently received third signal.

12. The digital camera according to claim 10, wherein said first and second accelerometers comprise first and second micro-mechanical accelerometers integrated on a monolithic chip.