Apparatus and method for providing panoramic view during video telephony and video messaging

• US 9,392,102 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhou, Zhinan
• Primary Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US13/215,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20130050394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,785 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.01, 348/2, 348/8, 348/14.02, 348/14.08, 348/211.12, 348/239, 348/432.1, 348/575, 348/14.1, 379/93.21, 379/158, 379/202.01, 379/205.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/145 Handheld terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing video telephony by a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes establishing a video telephony connection with another mobile terminal, capturing a first image with a first camera, capturing a second image with a second camera, transmitting image information of at least one of the first image and the second image to a server, determining if image data is received from the server, if the image data is received, creating a panoramic image with the image data and at least one of the first image and the second image, and transmitting the panoramic image to the other mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method for performing video telephony by a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

establishing a video telephony connection with another mobile terminal;

capturing a first image with a first camera of the mobile terminal, the first image representing an image of a user of the mobile terminal;

capturing a second image with a second camera of the mobile terminal, the second image representing an image of a surrounding environment of the mobile terminal;

determining an amount of image information to transmit to a server;

transmitting image information of at least one of the first image and the second image to the server;

determining if image data is received from the server;

when the image data is received from the server, creating, by the mobile terminal, a panoramic image by combining the image data received from the server with at least one of the first image and the second image; and

transmitting, by the mobile terminal, the panoramic image to the other mobile terminal,

wherein the determined amount of image information to transmit to the server comprises only partial image information of the first image or the second image if one or more conditions are met.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting metadata to the server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of location coordinates and landmark information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the image data is not received, the panoramic image is created with the first image and the second image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of image information determined for transmission to the server corresponds to an amount of movement of the mobile terminal during a time period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is greater than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes all of the first image and the second image.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is less than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes less than all of the first image and the second image.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the amount of image information to transmit to the server is based on a speed of a communication link between the mobile terminal and the server.

8. A mobile terminal for performing video telephony, the mobile terminal comprising:

a first camera for capturing a first image, the first image representing an image of a user of the mobile terminal;

a second camera for capturing a second image, the second image representing an image of a surrounding environment of the mobile terminal;

a control unit configured to;

determine an amount of image information to transmit to a server,

determine if image data is received from the server, and

when the image data is received from the server, create a panoramic image by combining the image data received from the server with at least one of the first image and the second image; and

a communication unit configured to;

establish a video telephony connection with another mobile terminal,

transmit image information of at least one of the first image and the second image to the server, and

transmit the panoramic image to the other mobile terminal,

wherein the determined amount of image information to transmit to the server comprises only partial image information of the first image or the second image if one or more conditions are met.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the communication unit transmits metadata to the server.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 9, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of location coordinates and landmark information.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein, if the image data is not received, the control unit creates the panoramic image with the first image and the second image.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the amount of image information determined for transmission to the server corresponds to an amount of movement of the mobile terminal during a time period.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is greater than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes all of the first image and the second image.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 12, wherein, if the amount of movement of the mobile terminal during the time period is less than a threshold, the image information transmitted to the server includes less than all of the first image and the second image.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 8, wherein the determination of the amount of image information to transmit to the server is based on a speed of a communication link between the mobile terminal and the server.

15. A method for supporting video telephony by a server, the method comprising:

receiving a determined amount of image information transmitted from a mobile terminal, the image information representing at least one of an image of a user of the mobile terminal and an image of a surrounding environment of the mobile terminal;

determining a location of the mobile terminal;

creating a panoramic image by combining the image information received from the terminal and image data of the server; and

transmitting the panoramic image to the mobile terminal,

wherein the determined amount of image information transmitted from the mobile terminal comprises only partial image information of the first image or the second image if one or more conditions are met.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining of the location of the mobile terminal comprises determining the location using at least one of the image information and metadata received from the mobile terminal.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining, based on the location of the mobile terminal, if image data corresponding to the location is available.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, if the image data corresponding to the location of the mobile terminal is available, the creating of the panoramic image comprises creating the panoramic image using the image data and the image information.