Digital image photographing apparatuses and methods of controlling the same to provide location information

• US 8,547,454 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-hoon, Jang, Nam-young
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhan, Ahmed A
• Application Number:
  US13/238,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20120162481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 348/116, 348/240.1, 348/333.02, 348/207.99, 348/240.99, 348/345, 348/347, 348/240.2, 348/240.3
• US Class Current: 348/240.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3245 of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 Display
• 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

Abstract

Digital image photographing apparatuses and methods of controlling the same to provide location information are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes generating a preview image by photographing an object; detecting the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus; detecting a photographing direction in which the digital image photographing apparatus photographed the object; generating distance information regarding the object; and displaying the distance information regarding the object according to the photographing direction around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus. Digital image photographing apparatuses disclosed herein are capable of providing location information and/or additional information regardless of its their optical limits.

Claims

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

generating a preview image by photographing an object;

applying an optical zoom or a digital zoom;

determining whether maximum optical zoom and/or maximum digital zoom is/are applied;

detecting a current location of the digital image photographing apparatus;

detecting a photographing direction in which the digital image photographing apparatus photographed the object;

generating distance information regarding the object; and

displaying the distance information regarding the object according to the photographing direction around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus,

wherein displaying the distance information regarding the object comprises displaying the distance information regarding the object in the photographing direction from the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus when the maximum optical zoom and/or the maximum digital zoom is/are applied.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring additional information regarding the object from a database storing additional information according to location information of the object; and

displaying the additional information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital image photographing apparatus comprises a display unit on a front surface and on a rear surface,

the distance information being displayed on one of the display units, and

the additional information being displayed on the other one of the display units.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the distance information regarding the object comprises displaying the preview image and the distance information regarding the object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an object of interest located within a predetermined distance range around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus;

generating distance information regarding the object of interest; and

displaying the distance information regarding the object of interest.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising setting the predetermined distance range around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus according to a user operation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, setting the predetermined distance range around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus, according to a user operation, comprises setting a larger distance range from the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus as the user operates an operating unit for instructing enlargement of an image.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting additional information regarding the object of interest from a database storing additional information according to objects of interest; and

displaying the additional information regarding the object of interest.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing auto-focus (AF) with respect to the preview image to focus on the object, wherein generating distance information regarding the object comprises generating the distance information regarding the object via the AF operation.

10. A digital image photographing apparatus comprising:

a preview generating unit to generate a preview image by photographing an object;

a location information detecting unit to detect a current location of the digital image photographing apparatus;

a directional information detecting unit to detect a photographing direction in which the digital image photographing apparatus photographed the object;

a first distance information generating unit to generate distance information regarding the object;

a display image generating unit to generate a first display image that displays the distance information regarding the object according to the photographing direction around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus;

a driving unit to apply an optical zoom;

an image enlarging unit to apply a digital zoom; and

a determining unit to determine whether maximum optical zoom and/or maximum digital zoom is/are applied,

wherein the display image generating unit is to generate the first display image that displays the distance information regarding the object in the photographing direction from the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus when the maximum optical zoom and/or the maximum digital zoom is/are applied.

11. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an additional information generating unit to acquire additional information regarding the object from a database storing additional information according to location information of the object,

wherein the display image generating unit is to generate a second display image that displays the additional information.

12. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a display unit on a front surface and on a rear surface,

wherein the first display image or a fourth display image is displayed on one of the display units, and

the second display image or a fifth display image is displayed on the other one of the display units.

13. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display image generating unit is to generate a third display image that displays the preview image and the distance information regarding the object.

14. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a detecting unit to detect an object of interest located within a predetermined distance range around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus; and

a second distance information generating unit to generate distance information regarding the object of interest,

wherein the display image generating unit is to generate a fourth display image that displays the distance information regarding the object of interest.

15. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a distance range setting unit to set the predetermined distance range around the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus.

16. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an operation console by which a user instructs to enlarge an image,

wherein the distance range setting unit is to set a farther distance range from the current location of the digital image photographing apparatus as the user operates the operation console for instructing enlargement of the image.

17. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 14, further comprising an additional information generating unit to detect additional information regarding the object of interest from a database storing additional information according to the objects of interest,

wherein the display image generating unit is to generate a fifth display image that displays the information regarding the object of interest.

18. The digital image photographing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a focus adjusting unit to perform auto-focus (AF) with respect to the preview image to focus on the object,

wherein the first distance information generating unit is to generate the distance information regarding the object via the AF operation.