Imaging apparatus and controller for photographing products

• US 9,729,780 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Styleshoots Technologies B.V.
• Original Assignee: Visual Retailing Holding B.V.
• Inventors: Jorgensen, Anders Patrick, Blaas, Jorik, Funk, Mathias
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalapodas, Dramos I
• Application Number:
  US14/130,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,223 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/07 Arrangements of lamps in studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• 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 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects

Abstract

The invention provides an all-in-one imaging apparatus for photographing products, particularly suitable for photographing fashion related products such as apparel products, fashion accessories or other life style products. The imaging apparatus comprising a table part, a portable controller for user interaction with the table part, and a storage for storing images. The table part comprises a substantially horizontal table surface for supporting the product, lights, a fixture for fixing a camera, a backlighting system below the table surface, and an embedded system comprising an embedded computer and a wireless communication controller. The embedded computer controls the camera, switches the backlighting system, wirelessly transmits a live stream from the camera to the portable controller, and wirelessly receives instructions from the portable controller.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus for generating a background separated image of a fashion related product, comprising:

a portable controller having a graphical user interface;

a camera controllable to provide a live stream and selectively take photographs;

a fixture configured to fix the camera;

a backlighting system comprising an LED panel, the backlighting system being configured to produce different light intensities by being dimmable,

the backlighting system being configured to assume a first active powered state and a second active powered state, wherein in one of said active powered states the backlighting system provides a light background for a photograph of the product and in another one of said active powered states the backlighting system provides a substantially black background for a photograph of the product; and

a processing system comprising;

a wireless communication controller operably coupled to the portable controller; and

a computer operably coupled to the wireless communication controller and configured to;

control the camera;

switch the backlighting system between the first active powered state and the second active powered state;

transmit the live stream from the camera to the portable controller via the wireless communication controller, the live stream comprising a live view as seen through the camera; and

receive instructions from the portable controller via the wireless communication controller,

wherein the graphical user interface comprises a live view window configured to display the live stream and comprises a take photo button configured to be triggered by a first user input,

wherein the portable controller is configured to, in response to the first user input, transmit a first instruction to the computer to generate a background separated image of the product, and

wherein the computer is further configured to, in response to the first instruction, generate the background separated image by;

controlling the camera to take a first photograph of the product corresponding to the live stream being rendered while the backlighting system is in the first active powered state;

controlling the backlighting system to switch from the first active powered state to the second active powered state;

controlling the camera to take a second photograph of the product corresponding to the live stream being rendered while the backlighting system is in the second active powered state; and

running a processing algorithm to generate the background separated image on a basis of the first and second photograph.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus comprises a table part comprising:

a support structure;

a substantially horizontal table surface supported by the support structure for supporting the product when placed on the table surface;

one or more lights supported by the support structure above the table surface for illuminating the product when placed on the table surface, wherein the fixture is supported by the support structure above the table surface.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus comprises a storage for storing images, and wherein the storage is an external storage detachably connectable to the computer.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the camera, the lights, and the backlighting system is detachably connected to the table part using one or more brackets that are supported by the support structure.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the table surface comprises a scratch resistant glass surface.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to switch the backlighting system to provide status information about the imaging apparatus.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixture comprises a zoom device that is controllable by the computer to operate a zoom lens on the camera.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the live view window further comprises one or more of:

a library button configured to be triggered by a second user input and result in displaying a library window for selecting a folder on a storage for storing images to store the background separated image;

an overlay icon configured to be triggered by a third user input and result in a popover object being displayed on the live view window, wherein the popover object comprises an overlay toggle button configured to be triggered by a fourth user input and result in an overlay image selected from a list of overlay images to be displayed on the live stream at a predefined opacity;

a slider object configured to be triggered by a fifth user input and result in a second instruction to the computer to zoom the camera in or out to a level indicated by the slider object;

an exposure object configured to be triggered by a sixth user input and result in a third instruction to the computer to adjust an exposure level in the camera; and

an area for displaying the live stream configured to be triggered by a seventh user input and result in a fourth instruction to the computer to rotate the live stream.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a result window configured to display the background separated image as generated by the computer, the result window comprising an export button configured to be triggered by an eighth user input, and wherein the portable controller is configured to, in response to the eighth user input, transmit a fifth instruction to the computer to store the background separated image on a storage for storing images.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the computer is configured to, in response to the fifth instruction, store one or more variants of the background separated image on the storage.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the result window further comprises one or more of:

a live view button configured to be triggered by a ninth user input and result in displaying the live view window;

a background color button configured to be triggered by a tenth user input and result in changing a color and/or pattern of a transparent part of the background separated image; and

a loupe object configured to be triggered by a eleventh user input and result in a portion of the background separated image to be zoomed in and displayed in the loupe object.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the portable controller comprises a touch screen for operating the graphical user interface and receiving user inputs.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the product is a fashion related product, such as an apparel product, a fashion accessory or any other life style product.

14. A method for generating a background separated image of a product in an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying a live stream in a live view window of a graphical user interface of a portable controller, the live stream originating from a camera controllable to provide the live stream and selectively take photographs, of the imaging apparatus and being transmitted via a computer;

providing a light background for a photograph of the product with a powered backlighting system comprising a LED panel, the backlighting system being configured to produce different light intensities by being dimmable and being configured to assume a first active powered state and a second active powered state, wherein in one of said active powered states the backlighting system provides a light background for a photograph of the product and in another one of said active powered states the backlighting system provides a substantially black background for a photograph of the product; and

in response to a first user input triggering a take photo button in the live view window, transmitting a first instruction to the computer to generate a background separated image of the product using the camera by controlling the camera to take a first photograph of the product corresponding to the live stream being rendered while the backlighting system is in the first active powered state;

controlling the backlighting system to switch from the first active powered state to the second active powered state;

controlling the camera to take a second photograph of the product corresponding to the live stream being rendered while the backlighting system is in the second active powered state.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising one or more of:

in response to a second user input triggering a library button in the live view window displaying in the live view window a library window for selecting a folder on a storage to store the background separated image;

in response to a third user input triggering an overlay icon in the live view window displaying a popover object on the live view window, wherein the popover object comprises an overlay toggle button configured to be triggered by a fourth user input resulting in an overlay image selected from a list of overlay images to be displayed on the live stream at a predefined opacity;

in response to a fifth user input triggering a slider object in the live view window transmitting a second instruction to the computer to zoom the camera in or out to a level indicated by the slider object;

in response to a sixth user input triggering an exposure object in the live view window transmitting a third instruction to the computer to adjust an exposure level in the camera; and

in response to a seventh user input triggering an area for displaying the live stream in the live view window transmitting a fourth instruction to the computer to rotate the live stream.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the background separated image in a result window of the graphical user interface; and

in response to an eighth user input triggering an export button in the result window, transmitting a fifth instruction to the computer to store the background separated image on the storage.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the computer is configured to, in response to the fifth instruction, store one or more variants of the background separated image on the storage.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising one or more of:

in response to a ninth user input triggering a live view button in the result window displaying the live view window;

in response to a tenth user input triggering a background color button in the result window changing a color and/or pattern of a transparent part of the background separated image; and

in response to an eleventh user input triggering a loupe object in the result window displaying in the loupe object a zoomed in portion of the background separated image.

19. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium which, when being executed by a processor, is configured to perform a method for photographing a product in an imaging apparatus, the method comprising:

displaying a live stream in a live view window of a graphical user interface of a portable controller, the live stream originating from a camera, controllable to provide the live stream and selectively take photographs, of a table part of the imaging apparatus and being transmitted via an embedded computer of the table part;

providing a light background for a photograph of the product with a powered backlighting system comprising a LED panel, the backlighting system being configured to produce different light intensities by being dimmable and being configured to assume a first active powered state and a second active powered state, wherein in one of said active powered states the backlighting system provides a light background for a photograph of the product and in another one of said active powered states the backlighting system provides a substantially black background for a photograph of the product;

triggering a take photo button in the live view window by a first user input;

in response to the first user input, transmitting a first instruction to the embedded computer to generate a background separated image of the product using the camera by controlling the camera to take a first photograph of the product corresponding to the live stream being rendered while the backlighting system is in the first active powered state;

controlling the backlighting system to switch from the first active powered state to the second active powered state; and

controlling the camera to take a second photograph of the product corresponding to the live stream being rendered while the backlighting system is in the second active powered state.