Portable device and control method thereof

• US 9,667,850 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Yongsin, Lee, Doyoung, Park, Hyorim
• Primary Examiner(s): Velez, Roberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Segura, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US14/092,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077580A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 34821199
• 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 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• 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

Disclosed is a portable device including a first camera unit configured to capture a first image and a second camera unit configured to capture a second image; a communication unit configured to transmit and receive data to and from an external device; and a processor configured to control the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the communication unit, wherein the processor is further configured to: detect a state of a third camera unit contained in the external device when activating at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, the state of the third camera unit including an active state and an inactive state, detect a direction of the third camera unit when the third camera unit is in the active state, and activate at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit in a different direction from the detected direction of the third camera unit.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

a first camera unit configured to capture a first image and a second camera unit configured to capture a second image, wherein the first camera unit is located at a front surface of the portable device and the second camera unit is located at a rear surface of the portable device respectively;

a transmitter/receiver configured to transmit and receive data to and from a wearable device; and

a processor configured to control the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the transmitter/receiver,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

detect a state of a third camera unit contained in the wearable device when activating at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, the state of the third camera unit including an active state and an inactive state,

detect a direction of the third camera unit when the third camera unit is in the active state,

activate at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit in a different direction from the detected direction of the third camera unit, and

provide a notification when switching of a state of at least one of the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the third camera unit is detected.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, when activating at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit in the different direction from the detected direction of the third camera unit, the processor is further configured to activate the first camera unit or the second camera unit in an opposite direction to the direction of the third camera unit.

3. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, when activating at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, the processor is further configured to:

receive state information regarding the state of the third camera unit from the wearable device, and

detect the state of the third camera unit from the state information.

4. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the most recently activated camera unit among the first camera unit and the second camera unit when the third camera unit is in the inactive state.

5. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit by comparing the first image and the second image with a third image acquired by the third camera unit.

6. The portable device according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare the third image with the first image and the second image, and

activate the second camera unit when the third image corresponds to the first image over a predetermined region, or activate the first camera unit when the third image corresponds to the second image over the predetermined region.

7. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect the wearable device using at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, and

activate the first camera unit when detecting the wearable device using the first camera unit, or activate the second camera unit when detecting the wearable device using the second camera unit.

8. The portable device according to claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display visual information,

wherein, when at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit is activated, the processor is further configured to control the display so as to display at least one of the first image and the second image.

9. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, when at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit is activated, the processor is further configured to transmit image information, regarding at least one of the first image and the second image, to the wearable device.

10. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the first camera unit and the second camera unit when the detected direction of the third camera unit is different from a first direction of the first camera unit and a second direction of the second camera unit.

11. The portable device according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a single successive panoramic image using images acquired by the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the third camera unit when the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the third camera unit are in the active state.

12. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, in a same direction as the detected direction of the third camera unit, when the third camera unit is in the active state and a capture mode of the third camera unit is a panoramic capture mode.

13. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, when the first camera unit or the second camera unit is in the active state and the third camera unit is in the inactive state, the processor is further configured to activate at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, in the different direction from the direction of the third camera unit when detecting that the third camera unit is switched to the active state.

14. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, when the third camera unit as well as the first camera unit or the second camera unit of the different direction from the direction of the third camera unit are in the active state, the processor is further configured to provide a selection user interface for the first camera unit and the second camera unit when detecting that the third camera unit is switched to the inactive state.

15. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein, when activating at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit, the processor is further configured to activate the most recently activated camera unit among the first camera unit and the second camera unit when the third camera unit is in the active state and capture modes of the first camera unit and the second camera unit are different from a capture mode of the third camera unit.

16. The portable device according to claim 15, wherein the capture mode includes a photograph capture mode capturing the first image or the second image instantly, and a moving image capture mode capturing the first image or the second image sequentially.

17. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the wearable device is a device paired with the portable device.

18. A control method of a portable device, the method comprising:

detecting a state of a third camera unit contained in a wearable device when activating at least one of a first camera unit configured to capture a first image and a second camera unit configured to capture a second image, wherein the state of the third camera unit includes an active state and an inactive state, wherein the first camera unit is located at a front surface of the portable device and the second camera unit is located at a rear surface of the portable device respectively;

detecting a direction of the third camera unit when the third camera unit is in the active state;

activating at least one of the first camera unit and the second camera unit in a different direction from the detected direction of the third camera unit; and

providing a notification when switching of a state of at least one of the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the third camera unit is detected.