Device recruitment for stereoscopic imaging applications

• US 8,504,640 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Blake, Terance B., Dunn, Gregory J., Super, Boaz J., Rios, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Application Number:
  US12/476,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,526 Days
• Field of Search: 709/211, 348/47, 348/48, 348/211.3
• US Class Current: 709/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/20 Image signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/662 by using master/slave camera arrangements for affecting the control of camera image capture, e.g. placing the camera in a desirable condition to capture a desired image
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method of providing three dimensional (3D) information is disclosed in which a master recruits a local slave to provide contemporaneous images. The images are collected and 3D information extracted therefrom. The 3D information or various images may be transmitted to a remote device and is employed to provide a substitute background that replaces the background of the original image. Either the new image is displayed on one or both devices. The images can be collected and the 3D information extracted at either of the master or slave or at a separate device. To recruit the slave, the master broadcasts a query to all local devices, determines the available devices and their characteristics, automatically or manually selects a particular device, requests authorization from the selected device, and pairs with the selected device when authorization is received. Devices of the same or different types may be paired.

Claims

1. A method of providing three dimensional information, the method comprising:

a master electronic device, having a first coupled camera, wirelessly querying for other electronic devices with a second coupled camera within proximity to the master electronic device to participate in extracting three dimensional information;

the master electronic device wirelessly receiving a query response from at least a particular one of the other electronic devices;

the master electronic device recruiting the particular one of the other electronic devices for pairing with the master electronic device, the particular electronic device serving as a slave electronic device to the master electronic device;

the master electronic device wirelessly obtaining image processing characteristics for the slave electronic device and, based on the wirelessly obtained characteristics, self-determining image capture characteristics for the slave electronic device;

the master electronic device determining image capture characteristics for the master electronic device;

storing, at one of the master electronic device, the slave electronic device, and a remote electronic device, an image contemporaneous captured from each of the master and slave electronic devices using the respective determined image capture characteristics of the master and slave electronic;

extracting, at one of the master electronic device, slave electronic device, and remote electronic device, three dimensional information from the stored images and providing the extracted three dimensional information to one of the master electronic device and slave electronic device;

employing the three dimensional information in replacing an original background of at least one of the images with a substitute background to form a replacement image containing the substitute background; and

displaying the replacement image on the screen of at least one of the master and slave electronic devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the three dimensional information to display an image on a screen at one of the master and slave electronic devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the three dimensional information to a second remote device over a first communication interface, the slave electronic device being recruited by the master electronic device through a second communication interface that employs a different type of network from the first communication interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one of the images with its original background as captured by one of the master and slave electronic devices on the screen of the other one of the master and slave electronic devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first communication interface through which the master electronic device recruits the slave electronic device is different from a second communication interface through which the master electronic device receives the image contemporaneously captured from the slave electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the master and slave electronic devices extracts the three dimensional information and provides the three dimensional information to the other of the master and slave electronic devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction is performed at the remote electronic device, different from the master and slave electronic devices, the three dimensional information being transmitted from the remote electronic device to the master and slave electronic devices after being extracted from the collected images.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction is performed at the remote electronic device different from the master and slave electronic devices, the remote electronic device also employing the three dimensional information to provide background replacement information for replacement of original backgrounds of at least one of the contemporaneous images, the background replacement information being subsequently transmitted from the remote electronic device to the master and slave electronic devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the master electronic device recruiting the slave electronic device further comprises the master electronic device:

receiving a plurality of responses to the querying from a plurality of other electronic devices;

transmitting a request for characteristics to each of the plurality of other electronic devices;

receiving characteristics from each of the plurality of other electronic devices;

selecting the particular one of the other electronic devices to be the slave device;

sending a request to the particular one of the other electronic devices to pair with the master electronic device; and

receiving authorization from the particular one of the other electronic devices to pair with the master electronic device such that the particular one of the other electronic devices is paired with the master device as the slave device, the selecting and sending being repeated to different ones of the plurality of other electronic devices until the authorization is received.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein recruiting the slave electronic device further comprises the master electronic device automatically selecting the particular one of the other electronic devices based on the received characteristics, the particular one of the other electronic devices having characteristics most closely matching the characteristics of the master electronic device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein recruiting the slave electronic device further comprises the master electronic device providing a list of the plurality of other electronic devices on the screen of the master electronic device and receiving a user input selecting the particular one of the other electronic devices.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the request for characteristics is sent substantially simultaneously with the querying.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the master and slave electronic devices are different types of communication devices selected from a laptop, a mobile phone, and a wireless-enabled camera.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the master and slave electronic devices are both mobile phones.

15. A master communication device comprising:

a camera;

wireless transmitter circuitry;

wireless receiver circuitry; and

a processor configured to;

wirelessly query, via the transmitter circuitry, for other electronic devices with a second coupled camera within proximity to the master communication device to participate in extracting three dimensional information;

wirelessly receive, via the receiver circuitry, a query response from at least a particular one of the other electronic devices;

recruit, using the transmitter and receiver circuitry, the particular one of the other electronic devices for pairing with the master communication device, the particular electronic device serving as a slave electronic device to the master communication device;

wirelessly obtain image processing characteristics for the slave electronic device and, based on the wirelessly obtained characteristics, self-determine image capture characteristics for the slave electronic device;

determine image capture characteristics for the master communication device and transmit a command to the slave electronic device including the determined image capture characteristics of the slave electronic device using the transmitter circuitry;

receive and store an image contemporaneously captured from each of the slave electronic device and the master communication device using the determined image capture characteristics;

extract three dimensional information from the stored images;

employ the three dimensional information in replacing an original background of at least one of the images with a substitute background to form a replacement image containing the substitute background; and

arrange for display of the replacement image on the screen of at least one of the master and slave communication devices.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor, using the transmitter circuitry, is further configured to transmit the three dimensional information over a first communication interface that is different from a second communication interface through which the slave electronic device is recruited, the first and second communication interfaces employing different types of networks.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to employ the three dimensional information to provide a substitute background for replacement of original backgrounds of the contemporaneous images from the master communication device and the slave electronic device to form replacement images and to send a command to the slave electronic device such that one of:

a screen of the slave electronic device is locked so that the replacement image of one of the master communication device and the slave electronic device is displayed on screens of both the master communication device and the slave electronic device; and

the replacement image of one of the master communication device and slave electronic device is displayed on the one of the master communication device and slave electronic device and the contemporaneous image of the other of the master communication device and slave electronic device is displayed on the screen of the other of the master communication device and slave electronic device.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein in recruiting the slave electronic device the processor of the master communication device is further configured to:

receive a plurality of responses to the query from a plurality of other electronic devices using the receiver circuitry;

transmit a request for characteristics to each of the plurality of other electronic devices using the transmitter circuitry;

receive characteristics from each of the plurality of other electronic devices using the receiver circuitry;

send a request to a particular one of the other electronic devices selected from the plurality of other electronic devices to pair with the master communication device using the transmitter circuitry; and

receive, using the receiver circuitry, authorization from the particular one of the other electronic devices to pair with the master communication device such that the particular one of the other electronic devices is paired with the master communication device as the slave electronic device, the sending being repeated to different ones of the plurality of other electronic devices until the authorization is received.

19. A communication system comprising:

a second electronic devices that comprises a camera;

a first electronic device that is local to the second electronic device and that comprises another camera, wherein the first electronic device is configured to;

act as a master electronic device and wirelessly query for other electronic devices within proximity to the first electronic device to participate in extracting three dimensional information;

wirelessly receive a query response from the second electronic device and recruits the second electronic device as a slave electronic device to the first electronic device for the purpose of extracting three dimensional information;

wirelessly obtain image processing characteristics for the slave electronic device and, based on the wirelessly obtained characteristics, self-determine image capture characteristics for the slave electronic device;

determine image capture characteristics for the master electronic device;

store an image contemporaneously captured from each of the master and slave electronic devices using the respective determined image capture characteristics, the stored images being employed to extract three dimensional information;

employ the three dimensional information in replacing an original background of at least one of the images with a substitute background to form a replacement image containing the substitute background; and

arrange for display of the replacement image on the screen of at least one of the master and slave electronic devices.