Digital photographing apparatus and control method

• US 8,599,300 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Byeong-chan, Yu, Hyun-sik, Son, Sang-ryoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannett, James M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhan, Ahmed A
• Application Number:
  US13/238,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.99, 3482081-2086, 348/222.1, 348/220.1, 348/335, 348/352, 348/223.1, 348/221.1, 348/360, 348/363
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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

A digital photographing apparatus such as a digital camera, having a retractable body tube containing a lens assembly, and a method of controlling the same. The digital camera receives an ongoing series of images, analyzes differences between images to determine an abnormal camera condition such as dropping the camera, and automatically retracts the body tube into the camera to protect it from impact.

Claims

1. An image analyzer operable to receive a first image and a second image and analyze image characteristics of the first image and the second image;

a body tube driving controller operable to control driving a body tube according to a result of the analysis;

wherein the image analyzer comprises a motion vector comparator operable to calculate motion vectors between the first image and the second image and determine whether a magnitude of one or more of the motion vectors is equal to or greater than a threshold;

if the magnitude of the one or more motion vectors is equal to or greater than the threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus; and

when a predetermined time elapses after moving the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus, the body tube driving controller outputs a body tube extend control signal to move the body tube from within the digital photographing apparatus.

2. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are live-view images.

3. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image analyzer comprises an image variation comparator operable to calculate a variation between the first image and the second image and determine whether the variation is more than a threshold, and

if the variation is equal to or greater than the threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus.

4. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image analyzer comprises an Automatic Exposure (AE) comparator operable to calculate a brightness value of the first image and the second image and determine whether a difference between the brightness values is more than a threshold, and

if the difference between the brightness values is more than the threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus.

5. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image analyzer comprises an Automatic White Balance (AWB) comparator operable to calculate a color change value between the first image and the second image and determine whether the color change value is more than a threshold, and

if the color change value is more than the threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus.

6. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image characteristics comprise at least one of a magnitude of a motion vector, an image variation, a brightness difference, and a color change value.

7. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 6, wherein, if at least one of the magnitude of a motion vector, the image variation, the brightness difference, and the color change value is more than a corresponding threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus.

8. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image and the second image are consecutive images among a plurality of live-view images.

9. A digital photographing apparatus comprising:

a frame selector operable to select a first image frame and a second image frame from a continuously moving live-view image or from a plurality of stationary live-view images;

an image analyzer operable to analyze at least one image characteristic of the first image frame and the second image frame;

a body tube driving controller for outputting a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus from an extended condition according to a result of the image characteristic analysis; and

a body tube driver operable to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus from an extended condition according to the retract body tube control signal;

wherein the image analyzer comprises a motion vector comparator operable to calculate motion vectors between the first image and the second image and determine whether a magnitude of one or more of the motion vectors is equal to or greater than a threshold;

if the magnitude of the one or more motion vectors is equal to or greater than the threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus; and

when a predetermined time elapses after moving the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus, the body tube driving controller outputs a body tube extend control signal to move the body tube from within the digital photographing apparatus.

10. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the image characteristics comprise at least one of a magnitude of a motion vector, an image variation, a brightness difference, and a color change value.

11. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 10, wherein, if at least one of the image variation, the brightness difference, and the color change value is more than a corresponding threshold, the body tube driving controller outputs the retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus from an extended condition.

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

receiving a first image and a second image;

analyzing at least one image characteristic of the first image and the second image;

controlling driving a body tube according to a result of the analysis;

calculating motion vectors between the first image and the second image;

determining whether a magnitude of one or more of the motion vectors is equal to or greater than a threshold;

if the magnitude of the one or more motion vectors is equal to or greater than the threshold, retracting the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus and

wherein when a predetermined time elapses after retracting the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus, the controlling comprises outputting an extend body tube control signal to move the body tube forth from within the digital photographing apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first image and the second image are consecutive images among a plurality of live-view images.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing image characteristics including at least one of a magnitude of a motion vector, an image variation, a brightness difference, and a color change value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, if at least one of the image variation, the brightness difference, and the color change value is more than a corresponding threshold, the controlling comprises outputting a retract body tube control signal to move the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the controlling comprises controlling moving the body tube into the digital photographing apparatus according to a result of the analysis.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting the first image and the second image from among a plurality of consecutive live-view images.