Apparatus and method for image capture using image stored in camera

• US 9,154,700 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoon, Young-Kwon, Lee, Seung-Woo, Park, Jae-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): FLOHRE, JASON A
• Application Number:
  US12/580,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20110090366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2137 with temporary storage before final recording, e.g. in a frame buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2145 of a sequence of images for selection of a single frame before final recording, e.g. from a continuous sequence captured before and after shutter-release
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/743 Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions

Abstract

An apparatus for capturing an image using an image stored in a camera includes a lens system for optically receiving an image, an image signal processor for converting the received image into a preview image and generating a first-resolution image using the received image at predetermined periods, a first buffer for receiving the first-resolution image from the image signal processor and temporarily storing the received first-resolution image, a display for displaying the preview image received from the image signal processor and the first-resolution image received from the first buffer, and a controller for controlling the image signal processor to display the first-resolution image temporarily stored in the first buffer on the display upon receiving an image capturing signal.

Claims

1. A method for capturing an image using an image stored in a camera, the method comprising:

receiving images from an image sensor;

converting, at each one of a plurality of first time points separated by a first predetermined interval, one of the received images corresponding to the one of the first time points into a preview image, and displaying each preview image on a display;

generating, at each one of a plurality of second time points separated by a second predetermined interval having a different length than the first predetermined interval, a high-resolution image from one of the received images corresponding to the one of the second time points, each high-resolution image having a higher resolution than each preview image;

providing the generated high-resolution images sequentially to a first buffer and a second buffer;

temporarily storing the sequentially provided high-resolution images sequentially in the first buffer and the second buffer; and

storing, in a separate area of memory, in response to an input of an image capturing signal, a high-resolution image sequentially temporarily stored in the first buffer and the second buffer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined interval is a longer length of time than the first predetermined interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first buffer temporarily stores a plurality of the provided high-resolution images simultaneously.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying the plurality of the high-resolution images sequentially temporarily stored in the first buffer and the second buffer; and

selecting the high-resolution image among the displayed plurality of the high-resolution images in response to the input of the image capturing signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein storing includes storing the selected high-resolution image in the separate storage space.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein temporarily storing the sequentially provided high-resolution image in the first buffer and the second buffer comprises:

temporarily storing the sequentially provided high-resolution image in the first buffer;

temporarily storing the sequentially provided high-resolution image in the second buffer;

deleting the sequentially provided high-resolution image previously stored in the first buffer and temporarily storing the sequentially provided high-resolution image in the first buffer; and

deleting the sequentially provided high-resolution image previously stored in the second buffer and temporarily storing the sequentially provided high-resolution images in the second buffer.

7. An apparatus for capturing an image using an image stored in a camera, the apparatus comprising:

a lens system for optically receiving images;

an image signal processor for converting, at each one of a plurality of first time points separated by a first predetermined interval, one of the received images corresponding to the one of the first time points into a preview image, generating, at each one of a plurality of second time points separated by a second predetermined interval having a different length than the first predetermined interval, a high-resolution image from one of the received images corresponding to the one of the second time points, each high-resolution image having a higher resolution than each preview image, and providing generated the high-resolution images sequentially to a first buffer and a second buffer;

the first buffer for temporarily storing, for each of the high-resolution images provided to the first buffer, the sequentially provided high-resolution image;

the second buffer for temporarily storing, for each of the high-resolution images provided to the second buffer, the sequentially provided high-resolution image;

a display for displaying each of the preview images; and

a controller for controlling storing, in response to an input of an image capturing signal, a high-resolution image sequentially temporarily stored in the first buffer and the second buffer into a separate area of memory.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second predetermined interval is a longer length of time than the first predetermined interval.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first buffer temporarily stores a plurality of the provided high-resolution images simultaneously.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the display displays the plurality of high-resolution images and the controller controls storing the temporarily stored high-resolution image into the separate memory, in response to the input of the image capturing signal.