MULTI DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF PHOTOGRAPHING THEREOF

• US 20140098188A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KWAK, Ji-yeon, SEO, Seok-weon
• Granted Patent: US 9,571,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A multi display device and a method of photographing thereof. The multi display device includes a first body having a first display unit, a second body having a second display unit, a hinge unit disposed to connect the first and second bodies to each other, a first imaging unit provided in the first body, a second imaging unit provided in the second body, and a controller which, if photographing is performed by the first or second imaging unit when the first or second body pivots based on the hinge unit, combines a plurality of photographed images to generate a panorama image content.

Claims

1. A multi display device comprising:

a first body having a first display unit;

a second body having a second display unit;

a hinge unit to connect the first and second bodies to each other;

a first imaging unit provided in the first body;

a second imaging unit provided in the second body; and

a controller to combine a plurality of photographed images to generate a panorama image content if photographing is performed by the first or second imaging unit when the first or second body pivots based on the hinge unit.

2. The multi display device of claim 1, wherein if the first body pivots in a first direction based on the hinge unit, the controller controls the second display unit to display a live view generated by the first imaging unit and performs photographing by using the first imaging unit to capture images within a first photographing range, and combines all of the images captured within the first photographing range to one another to generate the panorama image content.

3. The multi display device of claim 1, wherein:

if the first body pivots in a first direction based on the hinge unit, the controller controls the second display unit to display a live view generated by the first imaging unit and performs photographing by using the first imaging unit to capture images within a first photographing range;

if the second body pivots in a second direction opposite to the first direction based on the hinge unit, the controller controls the first display unit to display a live view generated by the second imaging unit and performs photographing by using the second imaging unit to capture images within a second photographing range; and

the controller combines all of the images captured within the first photographing range and the images captured with in the second photographing range to one another to generate the panorama image content.

4. The multi display device of claim 2, wherein if a particular portion of a subject is recognized in the live view, the controller performs automatic photographing.

5. The multi display device of claim 2, wherein if an interval angle between the first and second bodies meets a preset condition, the controller performs automatic photographing.

6. The multi display device of claim 2, wherein if the pivoting starts, the controller performs automatic photographing every preset time period.

7. The multi display device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls at least one of the first and second display units to display a photographing range setting screen if a panorama photographing mode starts and automatically adjusts one or more photographing angles of the first and second imaging units according to a set photographing range if the photographing range is set on the photographing range setting screen.

8. The multi display device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls at least one of the first and second display units to display a photographing range setting screen if a panorama photographing mode starts and displays a guide image on the first and second display units, wherein the guide image induces one or more photographing angles of the first and second imaging units to be adjusted according to a set photographing range if the photographing range is set on the photographing range setting screen.

9. The multi display device of claim 1, wherein the controller controls at least one of the first and second display units to display a setting screen to respectively set one or more functions of the first and second display units and separately controls display operations of the first and second display units according to the one or more functions selected on the setting screen.

10. The multi display device of claim 9, wherein if a panorama display function is set on the first display unit, and a general display function is set on the second display unit, the controller controls to display the panorama image content on the first display unit and controls to display at least one of image contents respectively photographed by the first and second imaging units on the second display unit.

11. A multi display device comprising:

a first body having a first display unit;

a second body having a second display unit;

a hinge unit disposed to connect the first and second bodies to each other;

a first imaging unit provided in the first body;

a second imaging unit provided in the second body; and

a controller to control the first display unit to display a first live view generated by the first imaging unit and to control the second display unit to display a second live view generated by the imaging unit,

wherein, if a portion of an overlapping area of the first and second live views meets a preset condition, the controller respectively controls the first and second imaging units to perform photographing and combines photographed images to generate a panorama image content.

12. A photographing method of a multi display device including a first body having a first display unit, a second body having a second display unit, and a hinge unit disposed to connect the first and second bodies to each other, the photographing method comprising:

performing photographing by using the first imaging unit provided in the first body or the second imaging unit provided in the second body; and

combining a plurality of photographed images to generate a panorama image content,

wherein, if the first or second body pivots based on the hinge unit, the photographing is performed by the first or second imaging unit.

13. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein:

if the first body pivots in a first direction based on the hinge unit, a live view generated by the first imaging unit is displayed on the second display unit, and the photographing is performed by using the first imaging unit to capture images within a first photographing range; and

all of the images captured in the first photographing range are combined to one another to generate the panorama image content.

14. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein:

if the first body pivots in a first direction based on the hinge unit, a live view generated by the first imaging unit is displayed on the second display unit, and the photographing is performed by using the first imaging unit to capture images within a photographing range;

if a second body pivots in a second direction different from the first direction based on the hinge unit, a live view generated by the second imaging unit is displayed on the first display unit, and the photographing is performed by the second imaging unit to capture images within a second photographing range; and

all of the images captured within the first photographing range and the images captured within the second photographing range are combined to one another to generate the panorama image content.

15. The photographing method of claim 13, wherein if a particular portion of a subject is recognized in the live view, automatic photographing is performed.

16. The photographing method of claim 13, wherein if an interval angle between the first and second bodies meets a preset condition, automatic photographing is performed.

17. The photographing method of claim 13, wherein if the pivoting starts, automatic photographing is performed every preset time period.

18. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein if a panorama photographing mode starts, a photographing range setting screen is displayed through at least one of the first and second display units, and if a photographing range is set on the photographing range setting screen, photographing angles of the first and second imaging units are automatically adjusted according to the set photographing range.

19. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein if a panorama photographing mode starts, a photographing range setting screen is displayed through at least one of the first and second imaging units, and a guide image is displayed on the first and second display units, wherein the guide image induces photographing angles of the first and second imaging units to be adjusted according to a set photographing range if the photographing range is set on the photographing range setting screen.

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

displaying a setting screen to respectively set one or more functions of the first and second display units through at least one of the first and second display units; and

displaying the one or more functions selected on the setting screen on the first and second display units.

21. The photographing method of claim 20, wherein if a panorama display function is set on the first display unit, and a general display function is set on the second display unit, the panorama image content is displayed on the first display unit, and at least one of image contents photographed by the first and second imaging units is displayed on the second display unit.

22. A photographing method of a multi display device including a first body having a first display unit, a second body having a second display unit, and a hinge unit disposed to connect the first and second bodies to one another, the photographing method comprising:

performing photographing by using the first imaging unit provided in the first body or the second imaging unit provided in the second body; and

combining a plurality of photographed images to generate a panorama image content,

wherein a first live view generated by the first imaging unit is displayed through the first display unit, a second live view generated by the second imaging unit is displayed through the second display unit, and, if a portion of an overlapping area between the first and second live views meets a preset condition, the first and second imaging units are respectively controlled to perform the photographing.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium to contain computer-readable codes as a program to execute the method of claim 22.

24. A multi display device comprising:

a first body having a first display unit and a first imaging unit;

a second body having a second display unit and a second imaging unit;

a hinge unit disposed to connect the first and second bodies to each other; and

a controller configured to control at least one of the first and second imaging units to perform photographing, to control at least one of the first and second imaging units to display images generated through the photographing, and to combine the images to generate an image content.