Using narrow field of view monochrome camera for producing a zoomed image

• US 9,443,335 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Grandin, Thomas Guillaume, Shah, Joey, Choi, Yun Seok
• Primary Examiner(s): Allison, Andrae S
• Application Number:
  US14/030,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20150078678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• 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 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

Methods and electronic devices for producing a zoomed image using a narrow field of view monochrome camera are described. In one aspect, the method includes: receiving a color image that is captured by a color camera; receiving an achromatic image that is captured by a monochrome camera with the monochrome camera having a narrower field of view than the color camera; and merging the color image and the achromatic image to produce an enhanced image.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a processor of an electronic device for producing an enhanced image, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction to adjust a digital zoom level of the color camera;

receiving a color image that is captured by a color camera;

receiving an achromatic image that is captured by a monochrome camera, the monochrome camera having a narrower field of view than the color camera, the monochrome camera generating the achromatic image based on visible light, wherein the monochrome camera and the color camera have a common resolution for capturing images, and wherein the achromatic image has more detail than the color image;

after capturing the color image, cropping the color image based on the adjusted digital zoom level of the color camera to obtain a cropped color image; and

merging the cropped color image and the achromatic image to produce an enhanced image that has a higher level of detail than the color image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monochrome camera has a field of view that covers half a view of the color camera along each of a width and height axis, and wherein the cropped color image has a lesser view than the color image by a factor of two along each of the width and height axis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an instruction to adjust a digital zoom level of the monochrome camera; and

after capturing the achromatic image, cropping the achromatic image based on the adjusted digital zoom level of the monochrome camera to obtain a cropped achromatic image,

wherein the merging includes merging the color image and the cropped achromatic image to produce the enhanced image that has a greater level of detail than the color image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monochrome camera has a field of view that covers half a view of the color camera along each of a width and height axis, and wherein the color image has a greater view than the achromatic image by a factor of two along each of the width and height axis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging includes combining color information from the color image and detail information from the achromatic image to produce the enhanced image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the color camera and the monochrome camera are aligned in a common direction and positioned relative to one another so that the achromatic image captured by the monochrome camera is substantially centered on the color image captured by the color camera.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining depth information from the color image and the achromatic image.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a third image that is captured by a second monochrome camera, and wherein the merging includes merging the third image with the color image and the achromatic image to produce the enhanced image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the monochrome camera includes a folding lens.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cameras is a fixed-focus camera.

11. An electronic device for producing an enhanced image, the electronic device comprising:

a memory;

a color camera and a monochrome camera; and

a processor coupled with the memory, the color camera, and the monochrome camera, the processor being configured to;

receive an instruction to adjust a digital zoom level of the color camera;

receive a color image that is captured by the color camera;

receive an achromatic image that is captured by the monochrome camera, the monochrome camera having a narrower field of view than the color camera, the monochrome camera generating the achromatic image based on visible light, wherein the monochrome camera and the color camera have a common resolution for capturing images, and wherein the achromatic image has more detail than the color image;

after capturing the color image, crop the color image based on the adjusted digital zoom level of the color camera to obtain a cropped color image; and

merge the cropped color image and the achromatic image to produce an enhanced image that has a higher level of detail than the color image.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the monochrome camera has a field of view that covers half a view of the color camera along each of a width and height axis, and wherein the cropped color image has a lesser view than the color image by a factor of two along each of the width and height axis.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, further configured to:

receive an instruction to adjust a digital zoom of the monochrome camera; and

after capturing the achromatic image, crop the achromatic image based on the adjusted digital zoom level of the monochrome camera to obtain a cropped achromatic image,

wherein the merging includes merging the color image and the cropped achromatic image to produce the enhanced image that has a greater level of detail than the color image.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the monochrome camera has a field of view that covers half a view of the color camera along each of a width and height axis, and wherein the color image has a greater view than the achromatic image by a factor of two along each of the width and height axis.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the merging includes combining color information from the color image and detail information from the achromatic image to produce the enhanced image.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for producing an enhanced image, the computer executable instructions including instructions for:

receiving an instruction to adjust a digital zoom level of the color camera;

receiving a color image that is captured by a color camera;

receiving an achromatic image that is captured by a monochrome camera, the monochrome camera having a narrower field of view than the color camera, the monochrome camera generating the achromatic image based on visible light, wherein the monochrome camera and the color camera have a common resolution for capturing images, and wherein the achromatic image has more detail than the color image;

after capturing the color image, cropping the color image based on the adjusted digital zoom level of the color camera to obtain a cropped color image; and

merging the cropped color image and the achromatic image to produce an enhanced image that has a higher level of detail than the color image.