Electronic device having a photographing function and photographing method thereof

• US 9,992,411 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Yung-Yen, Jiang, Haiyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brumfield, Shanika
• Application Number:
  US14/588,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 348 38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

An electronic device with photographing function is provided. The electronic device includes a first image-capturing unit, a second image-capturing unit, a touch display screen and a processing unit. The first image-capturing unit includes a straight photosensitive unit. The second image-capturing unit includes a transverse photosensitive unit. The processing unit is coupled to the first image-capturing unit, the second image-capturing unit and the touch display screen. The processing unit determines, according to the user'"'"'s operation of the electronic device, to use the straight photosensitive unit of the first image-capturing unit to capture a first image from a pickup target or to use the transverse photosensitive unit of the second image-capturing unit to capture a second image from the pickup target.

Claims

1. An electronic device with photographing function, comprising:

a first image-capturing unit having a straight photosensitive unit, the straight photosensitive unit arranged to capture images having a first aspect ratio when the electronic device is positioned in a first orientation;

a second image-capturing unit having a transverse photosensitive unit, the transverse photosensitive unit arranged to capture images having a second aspect ratio when the electronic device is positioned in the first orientation, wherein the first and second aspect ratios are different;

a touch display screen; and

a processing unit coupled to the first image-capturing unit, the second image-capturing unit and the touch display screen, determining, according to the user'"'"'s operation of the electronic device, to use the straight photosensitive unit of the first image-capturing unit to capture a first image from a pickup target or to use the transverse photosensitive unit of the second image-capturing unit to capture a second image from the pickup target,

wherein the first image-capturing unit and the second image-capturing unit respectively comprise a first camera lens and a second camera lens,

wherein the first and second camera lenses are disposed on the same planar surface of the electronic device and the first camera lens is adjacent to second camera lens.

2. The electronic device with photographing function of claim 1, wherein when the processing unit obtains the second image by the transverse photosensitive unit, the processing unit further adjusts the dimensions of the second image for display on the touch display screen which is upright.

3. The electronic device with photographing function of claim 1, wherein when the user'"'"'s operation is a sliding trajectory on the touch display screen made by the user, the processing unit selects the first or second image-capturing unit according to the coordinate values of a starting point and an end point of the sliding trajectory.

4. The electronic device with photographing function of claim 3, wherein the sliding trajectory is a continuous and smooth trajectory, and the distance between the sliding trajectory and a center point of the touch display screen is greater than a predetermined value.

5. The electronic device with photographing function of claim 1, wherein the processing unit further captures at least a third image by the straight photosensitive unit of the first image-capturing unit from the pickup target and at least a fourth image by the transverse photosensitive unit of the second image-capturing unit from the pickup target, and processes the third and fourth images to obtain a panorama image.

6. The electronic device with photographing function of claim 1, further comprising a button unit coupled to the processing unit and disposed on the electronic device, wherein the user'"'"'s operation is turning or touching the button unit for determining to choose the first or second image-capturing units.

7. The electronic device with photographing function of claim 1, wherein the first aspect ratio is the inverse of the second aspect ratio.

8. A photographing method comprising:

disposing a first image-capturing unit having a straight photosensitive unit and a first camera lens in an electronic device with photographing function;

disposing a second image-capturing unit having a transverse photosensitive unit and a second camera lens in the electronic device, wherein the first and second camera lenses are disposed on a same planar surface of the electronic device and the first camera lens is adjacent to second camera lens, and wherein the straight photosensitive unit is arranged to capture images having a first aspect ratio when the electronic device is in a first orientation, and the transverse photosensitive unit is arranged to capture images having a second aspect ratio when the electronic device is in the first orientation, wherein the first and second aspect ratios are different;

determining, according to the user'"'"'s operation of the electronic device, to use the straight photosensitive unit of the first image-capturing unit to capture a first image from a pickup target or to use the transverse photosensitive unit of the second image-capturing unit to capture a second image from the pickup target.

9. The photographing method of claim 8, further comprising:

adjusting the dimensions of the second image for display on the touch display screen which is upright.

10. The photographing method of claim 8, wherein when the user'"'"'s operation is a sliding trajectory on the touch display screen made by the user, the processing unit selects the first or second image-capturing unit according to the coordinate values of a starting point and an end point of the sliding trajectory.

11. The photographing method of claim 10, wherein the sliding trajectory is a continuous and smooth trajectory, and the distance between the sliding trajectory and a center point of the touch display screen is greater than a predetermined value.

12. The photographing method of claim 8, further comprising:

capturing at least a third image by the straight photosensitive unit of the first image-capturing unit from the pickup target and at least a fourth image by the transverse photosensitive unit of the second image-capturing unit from the pickup target; and

processing the third and fourth images to obtain a panorama image.

13. The photographing method of claim 8, further comprising:

disposing a button unit in the electronic device, wherein the user'"'"'s operation is turning or touching the button unit for determining to choose the first or second image-capturing units.

14. The photographing method of claim 8, wherein the first aspect ratio is the inverse of the second aspect ratio.