APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTO-FOCUSING IN DEVICE HAVING CAMERA

• US 20140307146A1
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Kyunghwa, Kim, Seonhwa, Kim, Heejin, Park, Mijung, Yu, Seockhyun, Choi, Joah
• Granted Patent: US 9,641,740 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.11
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

This disclosure provides an apparatus and a method for auto-focusing in a device having a camera. The method includes displaying a focus item in a preview screen while driving a camera, auto-focusing by searching an image of the focus item from a preview image and displaying a focus mark, and processing a focused image if the auto-focusing is completed.

Claims

1. A method for focusing in a device having a camera, the method comprising:

displaying a focus item in a preview screen while driving a camera;

auto-focusing by searching an image of the focus item from a preview image and displaying a focus mark; and

processing a focused image if the auto-focusing is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering at least one focus item in a text.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the auto-focusing comprises:

searching the preview image by obtaining an image of the focus item from contact information; and

focusing the image of the focus item obtained from the preview image, and displaying a focus mark.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the focus item is a person'"'"'s name, and the auto-focusing searches the preview image for one of a portion and a whole of a face image registered in the contact information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the focus item is a color, and the auto-focusing searches the preview image for a color included in a color range of the contact information.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the auto-focusing further comprises searching a website,

wherein the searching of the website sets an image of the focus item by searching a website.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing a focusing by using an image of the contact information if the image of the focus item is obtained by searching both the contact information and the website.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the auto-focusing further comprises recognizing a character, and the recognizing of the character focuses a character area of a matching preview image by comparing a character recognized in the preview image with a character of the focus item.

9. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to generate a preview image;

a display unit configured to display the preview image; and

a control unit configured to control the display unit to display a predetermined focus item in the preview screen while driving the camera, and to focus display a focus mark by searching the preview image for an image of the focus item.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to register at least one focus item in a text.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to search the preview image by obtaining an image of the focus item from contact information, focus the image of the focus item found in the preview image, and control the display unit to display a focus mark.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the focus item is a person'"'"'s name, and the control unit is configured to search the preview image for one of a portion and whole of a face image registered in the contact information.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the focus item is a color and the control unit is configured to search the preview image for a color included in a color range of the contact information.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a communication unit configured to connect with an Internet network for searching a website,

wherein the control unit is configured to set an image of the focus item by searching a website.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to perform a focusing by using an image of the contact information of the image of the focus item is obtained by searching both the contact information and website.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a character recognizer,

wherein the control unit is configured to recognize a character of the preview image through the character recognizer, and focuses a character area of a matching preview image by comparing a character recognized in the preview image with a character of the focus item.

17. A camera, the camera comprising:

a display configured to display the preview image; and

a controller configured to generate a preview image, to control the display to display a predetermined focus item in the preview screen while driving the camera, and to focus display a focus mark by searching the preview image for an image of the focus item.

18. The camera of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to register at least one focus item in a text.

19. The camera of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to search the preview image by obtaining an image of the focus item from contact information, focus the image of the focus item found in the preview image, and control the display to display a focus mark.

20. The camera of claim 19, wherein the focus item is a person'"'"'s name, and the controller is configured to search the preview image for one of a portion and whole of a face image registered in the contact information.