DEVICE RECRUITMENT FOR STEREOSCOPIC IMAGING APPLICATIONS

• US 20100306335A1
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: BLAKE, TERANCE B., SUPER, BOAZ J., DUNN, GREGORY J., RIOS, EDWARD
• Granted Patent: US 8,504,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/211
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/20 Image signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/662 by using master/slave camera arrangements for affecting the control of camera image capture, e.g. placing the camera in a desirable condition to capture a desired image
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method of providing three dimensional (3D) information is disclosed in which a master recruits a local slave to provide contemporaneous images. The images are collected and 3D information extracted therefrom. The 3D information or various images may be transmitted to a remote device and is employed to provide a substitute background that replaces the background of the original image. Either the new image is displayed on one or both devices. The images can be collected and the 3D information extracted at either of the master or slave or at a separate device. To recruit the slave, the master broadcasts a query to all local devices, determines the available devices and their characteristics, automatically or manually selects a particular device, requests authorization from the selected device, and pairs with the selected device when authorization is received. Devices of the same or different types may be paired.

Claims

1. A method of providing three dimensional information, the method comprising:

recruiting a local communication device for pairing with a master communication device, the recruited device serving as a slave device to the master device, the master and slave devices each being associated with a camera;

matching at least one of image capture, image transmission or image display characteristics of the slave device with those of the master device;

collecting a contemporaneous image from each of the master and slave devices after the characteristics of the master and slave devices have been matched; and

extracting three dimensional information from the collected images.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing the three dimensional information to display an image on a screen associated with at least one of the master or slave devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the three dimensional information to a remote device over a first communication interface, the slave device being recruited by the master device through a second communication interface that employs a different network from the first communication interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

employing the three dimensional information when replacing an original background of at least one of the images with a substitute background to form a replacement image containing the substitute background; and

displaying the replacement image on the screen of at least one of the master or slave devices.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying an image with the original background captured by one of the master and slave devices on the screen of the one of the master or slave devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a first communication interface through which the master device recruits the slave device is different from a second communication interface through which the contemporaneous image is collected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the master and slave devices extracts the three dimensional information and provides the three dimensional information to the other of the master and slave devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction is performed at a processing device different from the master and slave devices, the three dimensional information being transmitted from the processing device to the master and slave devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction is performed at a processing device different from the master and slave devices, the processing device also employing the three dimensional information to provide background replacement information for replacement of original backgrounds of at least one of the contemporaneous images, the background replacement information being transmitted from the processing device to the master and slave devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein recruiting the slave device comprises the master device:

broadcasting a query to local devices;

receiving a response to the query from available local devices;

transmitting a request for characteristics of the available devices;

receiving the characteristics from the available devices;

selecting a particular device from the available devices to be the slave device;

sending a request to the particular device to pair with the master device; and

receiving authorization from the particular device to pair with the master device such that the particular device is paired with the master device as the slave device, the selecting and sending being repeated to different particular devices until the authorization is received.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein recruiting the slave device further comprises the master device automatically selecting the particular device based on the received characteristics.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein recruiting the slave device further comprises the master device providing a list of the available devices on the screen of the master device and waiting for a user input selecting the particular device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the query contains the request for characteristics.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the master and slave devices are different types of communication devices.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the master and slave devices are the same type of communication devices.

16. A communication device comprising:

a camera;

transmitter circuitry;

receiver circuitry; and

a processor configured to;

recruit a local device for pairing as a slave device using the transmitter and receiver circuitry;

transmit a command to have the slave device match at least one of image capture, image transmission or image display characteristics of the communication device using the transmitter circuitry;

collect a contemporaneous image from the slave device after the characteristics of the master and slave devices have been matched using the receiver circuitry; and

extract three dimensional information from the contemporaneous images.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor, using the transmitter circuitry, is further configured to transmit the three dimensional information over a first communication interface that is different from a second communication interface through which the slave device is recruited, the first and second communication interfaces employing different networks.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to employ the three dimensional information to provide a substitute background for replacement of original backgrounds of the contemporaneous images of the communication and slave devices to form replacement images and send a command to the slave device such that either:

a screen of the slave device is locked so that the replacement image of the communication or slave device is displayed on screens both the communication and slave devices, or

the replacement image of one of the communication or slave devices is displayed on the one of the communication or slave devices and;

the contemporaneous image of the one of the communication or slave devices or

the contemporaneous image of the other of the communication or slave devices

is displayed on the other of the screens of the communication or slave devices.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein in recruiting the slave device the communication device:

broadcasts a query to local devices using the transmitter circuitry;

receives a response to the query from available local devices using the receiver circuitry;

transmits a request for characteristics of the available devices using the transmitter circuitry;

receives the characteristics from the available devices using the receiver circuitry;

sends a request to a particular device selected from the available devices to pair with the communication device using the transmitter circuitry; and

receives, using the receiver circuitry, authorization from the particular device to pair with the communication device such that the particular device is paired with the communication device as the slave device, the sending being repeated to different particular devices until the authorization is received.

20. A communication system comprising a plurality of devices, at least a first and second of the devices being local and comprising a camera, wherein the first device recruits the second device, one of the paired first or second devices acting as a master device and the other of the first or second devices acting as a slave device, the master and slave devices matching at least one of image capture, image transmission or image display characteristics transmitted therebetween and capturing contemporaneous images after the characteristics of the master and slave devices have been matched, the contemporaneous images being collected at one of the plurality of devices and being employed to extract three dimensional information.