Methods and apparatus for supporting zoom operations

• US 9,423,588 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: The LightCo Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhan, Ahmed A
• Application Number:
  US14/327,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/008 Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/04 with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1805 for prisms G02B7/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming for optical zoom lenses in general G02B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• 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 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 : Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 : for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 : by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/531 : by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2622 : Signal amplitude transition in the zone between image portions, e.g. soft edges
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 : for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 : Mixing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for performing a zoom operation are described using multiple optical chains in a camera device. At least one optical chain in the camera device includes a moveable light redirection device, said light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism. The moveable light redirection device is moved to a position in accordance with a zoom setting, and a portion of a scene area of interest in captured. Different discrete zoom setting values correspond to different positions of the moveable light redirection device resulting in different capture areas. In some embodiments, multiple optical chains with moveable light redirection devices are used to capture different portions of a scene of interest. A composite image is generated from a plurality of captured images corresponding to different optical chains. A higher zoom setting corresponds to more overlap between captured images of different optical chains.

Claims

1. A method of using a camera device, the method comprising;

moving a first light redirection device, said first light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism, of a first optical chain of the camera device to a first position in accordance with an indicated zoom setting;

capturing a first image of a first portion of a scene area of interest using said first optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position; and

capturing, using a second optical chain of said camera device, a second image of a second portion of a scene area of interest, said second image being captured while said first light redirection device is at said first position, said first and second optical chains having different focal lengths.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first optical chain has a larger focal length than said second optical chain.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said first light redirection device is a movable light redirection device and wherein said second optical chain does not include a movable light redirection device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving a second light redirection device of a third optical chain of the camera device to a second light redirection device position in accordance with the indicated zoom setting;

moving a third light redirection device of a fourth optical chain of the camera device to a third light redirection device position in accordance with the indicated zoom setting;

moving a fourth light redirection device of a fifth optical chain of the camera device to a fourth light redirection device position in accordance with the indicated zoom setting;

capturing a third image of a third portion of the scene area of interest using said third optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position;

capturing a fourth image of a fourth portion of the scene area of interest using said fourth optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position; and

capturing a fifth image of a fifth portion of the scene area of interest using said fifth optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

combining the first, second, third, fourth and fifth images to generate a composite image corresponding to the indicated zoom setting.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

storing in memory information mapping zoom settings to light redirection device positions.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

computing light redirection device positions based on the indicated zoom setting prior to moving the first light redirection device in accordance with the indicated zoom setting.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving user input indicating said zoom setting.

9. A camera device comprising:

a first optical chain including a first light redirection device, said first light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism;

a second optical chain;

a light redirection device positioning control module configured to control the first light redirection device to move to a first position in accordance with an indicated zoom setting; and

an image capture control module configured to control the first optical chain to capture a first image of a first portion of a scene area of interest while said first light redirection device is at said first position and control the second optical chain to capture a second image of a second portion of a scene area of interest, said second image being captured while said first light redirection device is at said first position, said first and second optical chains having different focal lengths.

10. The camera device of claim 9, wherein said first optical chain has a larger focal length than said second optical chain.

11. The camera device of claim 10, wherein said first light redirection device is a movable light redirection device and wherein said second optical chain does not include a movable light redirection device.

12. The camera device of claim 9, further comprising:

a third optical chain including a second light redirection device;

a fourth optical chain including a third light redirection device;

a fifth optical chain including a fourth light redirection device; and

wherein said light redirection device positioning control module is further configured to;

move the second light redirection device of the third optical chain to a second position in accordance with the indicated zoom setting;

move the third light redirection device of the fourth optical chain to a third position in accordance with the indicated zoom setting;

moving the fourth light redirection device of the fifth optical chain to a fourth position in accordance with the indicated zoom setting; and

wherein said image capture control module is further configured to;

control the third optical chain to capture a third image of a third portion of the scene area of interest while said first light redirection device is at said first position;

control the fourth optical chain to capture a fourth image of a fourth portion of the scene area of interest while said first light redirection device is at said first position; and

control the fifth optical chain to capture a fifth image of a fifth portion of the scene area of interest while said first light redirection device is at said first position.

13. The camera device of claim 12, further comprising:

a composite image generation module configured to combine the first, second, third, fourth and fifth images to generate a composite image corresponding to the indicated zoom setting.

14. The camera device of claim 13, further comprising:

memory including stored information mapping zoom settings to light redirection device positions.

15. The camera device of claim 13, further comprising:

a light redirection device position computation module configured to compute light redirection device positions based on the indicated zoom setting prior to moving the first light redirection device in accordance with the indicated zoom setting.

16. A non-transitory machine readable medium including machine executable instructions which when executed by a processor of a camera device control said camera device to:

move a first light redirection device, said first light redirection device being one of a substantially plane mirror or a prism, of a first optical chain of a camera device to a first position in accordance with an indicated zoom setting;

capture a first image of a first portion of a scene area of interest using said first optical chain while said first light redirection device is at said first position; and

capture, using a second optical chain of said camera device, a second image of a second portion of a scene area of interest, said second image being captured while said first light redirection device is at said first position, said first and second optical chains having different focal lengths.