Methods and apparatus for facilitating selective blurring of one or more image portions
First Claim
1. A method of operating a camera device, the method comprising:
- capturing an image of a scene;
setting a blur level to a user selected blur level;
displaying a preview image of the scene showing an effect of the user selected blur level;
controlling a first set of camera modules to focus based on a user selected object or to focus based on an autofocus determined focus setting, said first set of camera modules being in-focus camera modules, wherein the focus of the in-focus camera modules is not based on the user selected blur level; and
controlling a second set of camera modules to focus based on the user selected blur level, said second set of camera modules being out of focus camera modules.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus provide for simulated, e.g., synthetic, aperture control. In some embodiments a user, after a camera autofocus or user selection of an object to focus on, sets a blur level and views the effect. Once the user controlled blur setting is complete, images are captured with the in-focus, e.g., autofocus, setting and other images are captured with the focus set to capture a blurred image based on the set blur level. In focus and out of focus images are captured in parallel using different camera modules in some embodiments. A composite image is generated by combining portions of one or more sharp and blurred images. Thus a user can capture portions of images with a desired level of blurriness without risking blurring other portions of an image while controlling how the captured images are combined to form a composite image with in-focus and blurred portions.
174 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of operating a camera device, the method comprising:
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capturing an image of a scene; setting a blur level to a user selected blur level; displaying a preview image of the scene showing an effect of the user selected blur level; controlling a first set of camera modules to focus based on a user selected object or to focus based on an autofocus determined focus setting, said first set of camera modules being in-focus camera modules, wherein the focus of the in-focus camera modules is not based on the user selected blur level; and controlling a second set of camera modules to focus based on the user selected blur level, said second set of camera modules being out of focus camera modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A camera device comprising:
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a first set of camera modules; a second set of camera modules; an input device for receiving a user selected blur level selection setting; a display device configured to display a preview image of the scene showing an effect of the inputted blur level setting selection; and a processor configured to; control a camera module to capture an image of a scene; control the first set of camera modules to focus based on a user selected object or to focus based on an autofocus determined focus setting, said first set of camera modules being in-focus camera modules, wherein the focus of the in-focus camera modules is not based on the user selected blur level selection setting; and control the second set of camera modules to focus based on the user selected blur level selection setting, said second set of camera modules being out of focus camera modules. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor control a camera device to:
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capture an image of a scene; set a blur level to a user selected blur level; display a preview image of the scene showing an effect of the user selected blur level; control a first set of camera modules to focus based on a user selected object or to focus based on an autofocus determined focus setting, said first set of camera modules being in-focus camera modules, wherein the focus of the in-focus camera modules is not based on the user selected blur level; and control a second set of camera modules to focus based on the user selected blur level, said second set of camera modules being out of focus camera modules.
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19. A method of operating a camera device, the method comprising:
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capturing an image of a scene; displaying a preview image; receiving user input indicating a first user selected blur level; controlling a first set of optical chains including one or more optical chains to focus based on a user selected object or to focus based on an autofocus determined focus setting, said first set of optical chains being in-focus optical chains, wherein the focus of the in-focus optical chains is not based on the first user selected blur level, each optical chain in the first set of optical chains including a sensor; and controlling a second set of optical chains to focus based on the first user selected blur level, said second set of optical chains including multiple optical chains, each optical chain in the second set of optical chains including a sensor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification