Portable hand-held device for deblurring sensed images

• US 9,055,221 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, Lapstun, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/620,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 997 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction

Abstract

A portable hand-held device is provided having an image sensor for sensing an image of a scene, a motion sensor for detecting motion of the device relative to the scene, and a processor for receiving image manipulation instructions via encoded media. The processor processes the sensed image to remove blur therein based on the detected relative device motion and the received image manipulation instructions.

Claims

1. A portable handheld device, comprising:

an image sensor configured to sense image data of a scene;

a motion sensor configured to generate motion data based on detecting motion of the portable handheld device relative to the scene in at least two dimensions;

a processor; and

a light source configured to illuminate an image representative of a manipulation to the image data of the scene, wherein the image representative of the manipulation is converted to an electrical signal communicated to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to;

estimate an angular velocity of the portable handheld device at a time corresponding to when the image sensor senses the image of the scene, the angular velocity being estimated using the motion data generated by the motion sensor,

receive the electrical signal, and

process the sensed image to remove blur therein based on the detected motion of the portable handheld device relative to the scene and the electrical signal.

2. The portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the motion sensor is configured to detect motion in two dimensions.

3. The portable handheld device according to claim 2, wherein the motion sensor is an accelerometer.

4. The portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the image representative of the manipulation is received via encoded media.

5. The portable handheld device according to claim 3, wherein the accelerometer comprises a micro-electro mechanical device.

6. The portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture a still, blurred image comprising at least one blurred pixel.

7. The portable handheld device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical signal comprises instructions for manipulation of blurred images.

8. A method, comprising:

sensing image data of a scene by an image sensor;

generating motion data based on detecting motion of a portable handheld device relative to the scene in at least two dimensions by at least one motion sensor;

estimating an angular velocity of the portable handheld device at a time corresponding to when the image sensor senses the image of the scene, the angular velocity being estimated using the motion data generated by the at least one motion sensor;

illuminating an image representative of a manipulation to the image data of the scene;

converting the image representative of the manipulation to an electrical signal; and

processing the sensed image data to remove blur in the sensed image data based on the detected motion of the portable handheld device relative to the scene and the electrical signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one motion sensor is configured to detect motion in two dimensions.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one motion sensor is an accelerometer.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the accelerometer comprises a micro-electro mechanical device.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the image is encoded on encoded media.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture a still, blurred image comprising at least one blurred pixel.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the electrical signal comprises instructions for manipulation of blurred images.