Image signal processing apparatus and method thereof in mobile communications terminal

• US 9,065,997 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Tae-Haeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chon, Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/351,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 348/42, 348/43, 348/46, 348/47, 348/48, 348/51, 348/53, 348/153, 348/159, 348/207.99, 348/211.11, 348/211.12, 348/262, 348/263, 348/264, 348/369, 348/373, 348/374, 396/322, 396/324, 396/325, 396/332, 396/333, 396/334, 396/335, 396/336
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

An image signal processing apparatus and a method thereof which can simplify design of a circuit for controlling each of camera modules when a terminal has two camera modules therein, the image signal processing apparatus includes: first and second camera modules for capturing a subject; a digital signal processor for controlling each operation of the first and second camera modules and processing image signals captured by the first and the second camera modules; and a switch module for supplying control signals inputted through the digital signal processor to the first and second camera modules, and selectively outputting the image signals captured by the first and second camera modules to the digital signal processor.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication module;

a microphone configured to receive a voice input;

a key input unit;

a first camera module fixedly located on a back side of the mobile terminal and configured to capture an image of an object facing the back side of the mobile terminal during a camera mode and to capture video of an object facing the back side of the mobile terminal during a video mode;

a second camera module fixedly located on a front side of the mobile terminal and configured to capture an image of an object facing the front side of the mobile terminal during the camera mode and to capture video of an object facing the front side of the mobile terminal during the video mode;

a switch selectively coupled to the first camera module via a first data path and the second camera module via a second data path; and

a control unit coupled to the switch via a first outgoing control signal path and via an incoming data path, and being further coupled to the first and second camera modules via a second outgoing control signal path, wherein the control unit is configured to;

receive a first user input in response to manipulation of the key input unit selecting either the camera mode or the video mode;

when the first user input is for the camera mode, the control unit outputs a first signal to the first camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to activate the first camera module to function as an image camera and outputs a second signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the first camera module to receive image data via the first data path;

when the first user input is for the video mode, the control unit outputs a first signal to the second camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to activate the second camera module to function as a video camera and outputs a second signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the second camera module to receive video data via the second data path;

receive a second user input;

when the second user input is received while in the camera mode, the control unit outputs a third signal to the first camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to deactivate the first camera module and outputs a fourth signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the second camera module to receive image data via the second data path; and

when the second user input is received while in the video mode, the control unit outputs a third signal to the second camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to deactivate the second camera and outputs a fourth signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the first camera module to receive video data via the first data path.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display an edit menu for editing the image data received from the first camera module and the second camera module.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first camera module-comprises a high resolution camera and the second camera module comprises a low resolution camera.

4. A method performed by a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receive a first user input in response to manipulation of a key input unit selecting either the camera mode or the video mode;

when the first user input is for the camera mode, outputting a first signal to a first camera module via a second outgoing control signal path to activate the first camera module to function as an image camera and outputting a second signal to a switch via a first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the first camera module to receive image data via the first data path;

when the first user input is for the video mode, outputting a first signal to the second camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to activate the second camera module to function as a video camera and outputting a second signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the second camera module to receive video data via the second data path;

receiving a second user input;

when the second user input is received while in the camera mode, outputting a third signal to the first camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to deactivate the first camera module and outputting a fourth signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the second camera module to receive image data via the second data path; and

when the second user input is received while in the video mode, outputting a third signal to the second camera module via the second outgoing control signal path to deactivate the second camera and outputting a fourth signal to the switch via the first outgoing control signal path to cause the switch to couple to the first camera module to receive video data via the first data path.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying on a display an edit menu for editing the image data received from the first camera module and the second camera module.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the camera module comprises a high resolution camera and the second camera module comprises a low resolution camera.