Frame syncrhonization in a dual-aperture camera system

• US 10,616,484 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2017
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Noy, Shabtay, Gal, Gigushinski, Oded, Geva, Nadav, Leshem, Anat, Bachar, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yoder, III, Chriss S
• Application Number:
  US15/570,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20180359392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0015 characterised by the lens design
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0075 with means for altering, e.g. increasing, the depth of field or depth of focus
• 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 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• 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 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/0733 for distributing synchronisation pulses to different TV cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0127 by changing the field or frame frequency of the incoming video signal, e.g. frame rate converter

Abstract

A dual-aperture camera comprising a first camera having a first sensor and a first image signal processor (ISP), the first camera operative to output a first stream of frames, a second camera having a second sensor and a second ISP, the second camera operative to output a second stream of frames, and a synchronization and operation control module configurable to control operation of one camera in a fully operational mode and operation of the other camera in a partially operational mode and to output an output of the fully operational camera as a dual-aperture camera output, whereby the partially operational mode of the other camera reduces a dual-aperture camera the power consumption in comparison with a full operational mode of the other camera.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) a dual-aperture camera that comprises a first camera having a first camera image sensor that communicates with a first image signal processor (ISP) and is operative to output a first camera output, and a second camera having a second camera image sensor that communicates with a second ISP and is operative to output a second camera output; and

b) a synchronization and operation control module configurable to control operation of the first camera image sensor and/or the first ISP in a fully operational mode and operation of the second camera image sensor and/or the second ISP in a partially operational mode,

wherein the control of the operation of the first camera image sensor in the fully operational mode includes control to output a frame size of the first camera in the fully operation mode, and

wherein the control of the operation of the second camera image sensor in the partially operational mode includes control to output a fraction of a frame size of the second camera in the fully operational mode,

whereby operation of the dual-aperture camera with one camera in a partially operational mode and another camera in a fully operational mode reduces system power consumption in comparison with the system power consumption when both cameras operate in fully operational mode.

2. A system, comprising:

a) a dual-aperture camera that comprises a first camera having a first camera image sensor that communicates with a first image signal processor (ISP) and is operative to output a first camera output and a second camera having a second camera image sensor that communicates with a second ISP and is operative to output a second camera output; and

b) a synchronization and operation control module configurable to control operation of the first camera image sensor and/or the first ISP in a fully operational mode and operation of the second camera image sensor and/or the second ISP in a partially operational mode,

wherein the control of the operation of the first ISP in the fully operational mode includes control to output an ISP processing rate of the first camera in the fully operational mode, and

wherein the control of the operation of the second ISP in the partially operational mode includes control to output a fraction of an ISP processing rate of the second camera in the fully operational mode,

whereby operation of the dual-aperture camera with one camera in a partially operational mode and another camera in a fully operational mode reduces system power consumption in comparison with the system power consumption when both cameras operate in fully operational mode.

3. A method, comprising:

a) providing a dual-aperture camera that includes a first camera operative to output a respective first camera output and a second camera operative to output a respective second camera output;

b) operating one camera in a fully operational mode and operating the other camera in a partially operational mode; and

c) synchronizing a parameter of the output of the camera operating in the fully operational mode with a parameter of the output of the camera operating in the partially operational mode, wherein the parameter is a frame size and wherein a frame size of the camera operating in the partially operational mode is a fraction of the frame size of the same camera when operating in the fully operational mode,

thereby reducing dual-camera power consumption in comparison with a power consumption when both cameras operate in a fully operational mode.

4. A method, comprising:

a) providing a dual-aperture camera that includes a first camera operative to output a respective first camera output and a second camera operative to output a respective second camera output, wherein each camera includes a respective image sensor and a respective image signal processor (ISP);

b) operating one camera in a fully operational mode and operating the other camera in a partially operational mode; and

c) synchronizing a parameter of the output of the camera operating in the fully operational mode with a parameter of the output of the camera operating in the partially operational mode, wherein the parameter is an ISP processing rate and wherein the processing rate of the ISP of the camera operating in the partially operational mode is a fraction of the processing rate of the ISP of the same camera when operating in the fully operational mode,

thereby reducing dual-camera power consumption in comparison with a power consumption when both cameras operate in the fully operational mode.