Digital photographing apparatus and method of controlling the same

• US 8,890,938 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jin, Sung-ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US13/236,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The digital photographing apparatus that generates a 3D image includes a digital signal processing unit that generates the 3D image based on a first image obtained by photographing a predetermined object and a second image sent from another digital photographing apparatus photographing the object.

Claims

1. A digital photographing apparatus that generates a 3D image, the digital photographing apparatus comprising:

a lens that receives an optical signal;

an image sensor that converts the optical signal into an electrical signal;

a digital signal processing unit that generates the 3D image based on a first image obtained by photographing a predetermined object and a second image sent from another digital photographing apparatus photographing the object, wherein the other digital photographing apparatus comprises a second lens and a second image sensor; and

a communication unit that communicates with the other digital photographing apparatus,

wherein the digital signal processing unit comprises a photographing controlling unit that generates a shutter synchronization signal so that the image sensor of the digital photographing apparatus and the second image sensor of the other digital photographing apparatus photograph the object at a same time, and sends the generated shutter synchronization signal to the other digital photographing apparatus via the communication unit.

2. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a shutter of the digital photographing apparatus and a shutter of the other digital photographing apparatus are synchronized with each other.

3. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing unit comprises:

a photographing position recording unit that records first position information with respect to the first image together with the first image;

an image correction unit that calculates a relative position based on second position information recorded in the second image sent from the other digital photographing apparatus and the first position information and that generates a third image by using the second image and the calculated relative position; and

a 3D image generating unit that generates the 3D image by using the first and third images.

4. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second position information each comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude, and a photographing direction corresponding to a point where the digital photographing apparatus and the other digital photographing apparatus photograph the object.

5. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital photographing apparatus further comprises a GPS module, and the shutter synchronization signal is generated by using a universal time coordinate (UTC) of the GPS module.

6. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital photographing apparatus further comprises a communication module that communicates with the other digital photographing apparatus.

7. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital photographing apparatus shares a photographing area for photographing the object with the other digital photographing apparatus.

8. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital photographing apparatus stores the generated 3D image in a 3D image format selected from the group consisting of side-by-side, top-down, frame-by-frame, line-by-line, and checkerboard formats.

9. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 6, wherein the communication module is one of a near field communication module and a wire communication module.

10. A digital photographing apparatus that generates a 3D image, the digital photographing apparatus comprising:

a lens that receives an optical signal;

an image sensor that converts the optical signal into an electrical signal;

a photographing controlling unit that controls a photographing operation with respect to an object, generates a shutter synchronization signal in order for the object to be photographed by the image sensor of the digital photographing apparatus and a second image sensor of another digital photographing apparatus at a same time, and sends the generated shutter synchronization signal to the other digital photographing apparatus, wherein the other digital photographing apparatus comprise a second lens and the second image sensor;

a photographing position recording unit that records first position information of the digital photographing apparatus in a first image obtained by photographing the object;

an image correction unit that calculates a relative position based on second position information recorded in a second image sent from the other digital photographing apparatus and the first position information, and generates a third image by using the calculated relative position and the second image; and

a 3D image generating unit that generates the 3D image by using the first and third images.

11. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second position information each comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude, and a photographing direction corresponding to a point where the digital photographing apparatus and the other digital photographing apparatus photograph the object.

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

sending a shutter synchronization signal from a first digital photographing apparatus to a second digital photographing apparatus, wherein the first digital photographing apparatus comprises a first lens and a first image sensor, and the second digital photographing apparatus comprises a second lens and a second image sensor;

synchronizing a shutter of the second digital photographing apparatus with a shutter of the first digital photographing apparatus according to the shutter synchronization signal;

generating a first image by photographing an object by using the first image sensor of the first digital photographing apparatus;

receiving a second image of the object photographed by the second image sensor of the second digital photographing apparatus; and

generating a 3D image based on the first image and the received second image.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

recording position information of the first digital photographing apparatus in the first image;

receiving position information of the second digital photographing apparatus with the second image;

calculating a relative position based on the position information of the first digital photographing apparatus and the received position information of the second digital photographing apparatus;

generating a third image by using the calculated relative position and the received second image; and

generating a 3D image by using the first and third images.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the position information comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude, and a photographing direction corresponding to a point where the first digital photographing apparatus and the second digital photographing apparatus photograph the object.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising sharing a photographing area for photographing the object with the second digital photographing apparatus.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the generated 3D image in a 3D image format selected from the group consisting of side-by-side, top-down, frame-by-frame, line-by-line, and checkerboard formats.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the shutter synchronization signal is generated by using a UTC of a GPS module of the first or second digital photographing apparatus.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second digital photographing apparatuses communicate with each other by using one of a near field communication module and a wire communication module.