Digital photographing apparatuses for controlling hand shake correction and methods of controlling the digital photographing apparatus

• US 8,310,551 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Soon-geun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US12/432,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 3482081-20816, 348/208.99
• US Class Current: 348/208.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal

Abstract

Provided are a digital photographing apparatuses and methods of controlling the same. The method includes: inputting previous preview image data; inputting current preview image data; comparing and determining a pixel value of the previous preview image data and a pixel value of the current preview image data; and controlling the operation of a hand shake correcting unit according to the comparison and determination result. Accordingly, the hand shake correcting unit is selectively turned off by easily detecting a case where hand shake correction is not necessary, such as a case where a tripod is used, thereby reducing power consumption.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus, the method comprising:

comparing pixel values of a previous preview image data with pixel values of a current preview image data; and

controlling the operation of a hand shake correcting unit based on the comparison;

wherein controlling the operation of a hand shake correcting unit comprises;

turning off the hand shake correcting unit during photographing of an image if a result of the comparison meets a first criteria; and

turning on the hand shake correcting unit during photographing of an image if the result of the comparison meets a second criteria;

the hand shake correcting unit moving a hardware unit of the digital photographing apparatus when it is turned on, and not moving the hardware unit when it is turned off;

wherein the hardware unit comprises at least one of a lens and an image pickup device of the digital photographing apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing further comprises:

calculating a pixel value error between the pixel value of the previous preview image data and the pixel value of the current preview image data; and

comparing the pixel value error with a reference value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the first criteria is if the pixel value error is less than the reference value; and

the second criteria is if the pixel value error is not less than the reference value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing further comprises:

dividing pixels of the preview image data into a plurality of blocks;

calculating a pixel value error between the pixel values of the previous preview image data and the pixel values of the current preview image data for each block;

comparing the pixel value error with a reference value for each block.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling further comprises controlling the operation of the hand shake correcting unit according to the number of the blocks greater than the reference value.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the pixel value error is calculated as the square of a pixel value difference between the pixel value of the previous preview image data and the pixel value of the current preview image data.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the pixel value error is calculated as the square of a pixel value difference between the pixel value of the previous preview image data and the pixel value of the current preview image data.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the pixel values of the current preview image data with pixel values of the next preview image data;

if the comparison between the previous preview image data and the current preview image data is determined to be the same as the comparison between the current preview image data and the next preview image data, then turning off the hand shake correcting unit; and

if it is determined that the comparison is not the same and the last preview image data is input, then turning on the hand shake correcting unit; and

if the last preview image data is not input, then inputting a new next preview image and repeating the steps of the method on the new next preview image.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

comparing the pixel values of the current preview image data with pixel values of the next preview image data;

if the comparison between the previous preview image data and the current preview image data is determined to be the same as the comparison between the current preview image and the next preview image, then turning off the hand shake correcting unit; and

if it is determined that the comparisons are not the same and the last preview image data is input, then turning on the hand shake correcting unit; and

if the last preview image data is not input, then inputting a new next preview image data and repeating the steps of the method on the new next preview image data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the current preview image data is input at least when or after a shutter-release signal is input.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising inputting a captured image data by turning on or off the hand shake correcting unit.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the hardware unit moved is at least one of a lens or image pickup device.

12. A digital photographing apparatus comprising:

an image signal processing unit configured to generate preview image data;

a hand shake correction control unit configured to control operation of a hand shake correcting unit by comparing pixel values of previous preview image data and pixel values of a current preview image data; and

the hand shake correcting unit correcting hand shake under the control of the hand shake correction control unit;

the control of the operation of the hand shake correcting unit comprises;

turning off the hand shake correcting unit during photographing of an image if a result of the comparison meets a first criteria; and

turning on the hand shake correcting unit during photographing of an image if the result of the comparison meets a second criteria;

the hand shake correcting unit configured to move a hardware unit of the digital photographing apparatus when it is turned on, and configured to not move the hardware unit when it is turned off;

wherein the hardware unit comprises at least one of a lens and an image pickup device of the digital photographing apparatus.

13. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hand shake correction control unit comprises:

a calculating unit configured to calculate a pixel value error between the pixel values of the previous preview image and the pixel values of the current preview image;

a comparing unit configured to compare the pixel value error with a reference value; and

a controlling unit configured to turn off the hand shake correcting unit if based on the comparison the pixel value error is less than the reference value, and turn on the hand shake correcting unit if the pixel value error is not less than the reference value.

14. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hand shake correction control unit comprises:

a block setting unit configured to divide pixels of the preview image into a plurality of blocks;

a block calculating unit configured to calculate a pixel value error between the pixel value of the previous preview image and the pixel value of the current preview image data for each block;

a block comparing unit configured to compare the pixel value error with a reference value for each block;

a counting unit configured to write the result of the block comparing unit and count the number of blocks having the same comparison result;

a number determining unit configured to compare the counted number of the blocks with a reference number; and

a control unit configured to control the operation of the hand shake correcting unit according to the result of the number determining unit.

15. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

the hand shake correction control unit further comprises a maintenance determining unit configured to determine whether the comparison of the pixel value error between the previous preview image data and the current preview image data with a reference value is the same as a comparison of the pixel value error between the current preview image data and a next preview image data with the reference value;

if the comparison is not the same and the last preview image data is input, the control unit turns on the hand shake correcting unit; and

if the last preview image is not input, the control unit controls the image signal processing unit to output new next preview image data.

16. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the hand shake correction control unit further comprises a maintenance determining unit configured to whether the comparison of the pixel value error between the previous preview image data and the current preview image data with a reference value is the same as a comparison of the pixel value error between the current preview image data and a next preview image data with the reference value;

if the comparison is not the same and the last preview image data is input, the control unit turns on the hand shake correcting unit; and

if the last preview image is not input, the control unit controls the image signal processing unit to output new next preview image data.

17. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 12, further comprises an operating unit configured to input a shutter-release signal, wherein the current preview image data is generated at least when or after the shutter-release signal is input.

18. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the image signal processing unit further generates captured images when the hand shake correcting unit is turned on or off.

20. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the hardware unit moved is at least one of a lens or image pickup device.