Methods and apparatus for synchronized image capture in a device including optical chains with different orientations
First Claim
1. A method of operating a camera device including a plurality of optical chains, the method comprising:
- controlling a first sensor of a first optical chain to capture lines of a first image of a scene area in a first order, said first optical chain having a first orientation in the camera device and including a first mirror, said first order being an order proceeding from a top of the first sensor to the bottom of the first sensor causing capture of the scene area by the first sensor in a first scene area capture direction;
controlling a second sensor of a second optical chain to capture lines of a second image of the scene area in a second order, said second optical chain having a second orientation in the camera device which is different from said first orientation and including a second mirror, said second sensor having a second light capture area which is oriented in a different direction in said camera device than a first light capture area of the first sensor, said second order being an order proceeding from a bottom of the second sensor to the top of the second sensor causing capture of the scene area by the second sensor in the first scene area capture direction; and
storing the first and second images in memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Camera device including multiple optical chains, e.g., camera modules, some of which have different orientations relative to the base of the camera device and methods of using such a camera device are described. The orientation of the camera modules within the camera device is taken into consideration when determining the direction in which lines of the sensors of the individual camera modules are read out. Information with regard to the read out direction to be used with particular camera modules is stored in some embodiments and used to control the readout of sensors, e.g., sensors which use a rolling shutter to capture images of a scene area. The sensors may have the same field of view or overlapping fields of view.
133 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of operating a camera device including a plurality of optical chains, the method comprising:
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controlling a first sensor of a first optical chain to capture lines of a first image of a scene area in a first order, said first optical chain having a first orientation in the camera device and including a first mirror, said first order being an order proceeding from a top of the first sensor to the bottom of the first sensor causing capture of the scene area by the first sensor in a first scene area capture direction; controlling a second sensor of a second optical chain to capture lines of a second image of the scene area in a second order, said second optical chain having a second orientation in the camera device which is different from said first orientation and including a second mirror, said second sensor having a second light capture area which is oriented in a different direction in said camera device than a first light capture area of the first sensor, said second order being an order proceeding from a bottom of the second sensor to the top of the second sensor causing capture of the scene area by the second sensor in the first scene area capture direction; and storing the first and second images in memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 8, 9, 10, 21)
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3. A method of operating a camera device including a plurality of optical chains, the method comprising:
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controlling a first sensor of a first optical chain having a first orientation in the camera device to read out lines of a first image of a scene area captured by said first sensor in a first order, said first order being an order proceeding from a top of the first sensor to the bottom of the first sensor; controlling a second sensor of a second optical chain having a second orientation in the camera device to read out lines of a second image of the scene area captured by said second sensor in a second order, said second order being an order proceeding from a bottom of the second sensor to the top of the second sensor; and storing the first and second images in memory; wherein said first optical chain is oriented in said camera device 180 degrees relative to said second optical chain; and wherein said first and second optical chains each include a mirror. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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11. A camera device including a plurality of optical chains, comprising:
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a first optical chain having a first orientation in the camera device, said first optical chain including a first sensor and a first mirror that directs light onto a light capture area of the first sensor; a second optical chain having a second orientation in the camera device, said second optical chain including a second sensor and a second mirror that directs light on a light capture area of the second sensor, the first light capture area of the first sensor being oriented in a different direction within the camera device than the second light capture area of the second sensor; a controller controlling reading out of pixel values from the first sensor of said first optical chain and the second sensor of said second optical chain, the controller being configured to; control said first sensor to read out lines of a first image of a scene area captured by said first sensor in a first order, said first order controlling the first sensor to capture the scene area in a first scene area capture direction, said first order being an order proceeding from a top of the first sensor to the bottom of the first sensor; and control said second sensor to read out lines of a second image of the scene area captured by said second sensor in a second order, said second order being an order proceeding from a bottom of the second sensor to the top of the second sensor, said second order controlling the second sensor to capture the scene area in the first scene area capture direction; and memory including the first and second images. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory machine readable medium for use in a camera device including a plurality of optical chains, the non-transitory machine readable medium including processor executable instructions which when executed by a processor cause said processor to:
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control a first sensor of a first optical chain to capture lines of a first image of a scene area in a first order, said first optical chain having a first orientation in the camera device and including a first mirror, said first order being an order proceeding from a top of the first sensor to the bottom of the first sensor causing capture of the scene area by the first sensor in a first scene area capture direction; control a second sensor of a second optical chain to capture lines of a second image of the scene area in a second order, said second optical chain having a second orientation in the camera device which is different from said first orientation and including a second mirror, said second sensor having a second light capture area which is oriented in a different direction in said camera device than a first light capture area of the first sensor, said second order being an order proceeding from a bottom of the second sensor to the top of the second sensor causing capture of the scene area by the second sensor in the first scene area capture direction; and store the first and second images in memory.
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Specification