IMAGE-BASED MOTION SENSOR AND RELATED MULTI-PURPOSE CAMERA SYSTEM

• US 20170163893A1
• Filed: 02/22/2017
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xueshan Technologies Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MediaTek, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Ding-Yun, Ju, Chi-Cheng, Ho, Cheng-Tsai
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/90 Determination of colour characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• 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 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal

Abstract

An image-based motion sensor has a camera system and a processing system. The camera system generates an image output including a plurality of captured images. The processing system obtains a motion sensor output by processing the image output, and identifies a user input as one of a plurality of pre-defined user actions according to the motion sensor output. Different functions of at least one application performed by one electronic device are controlled by the pre-defined user actions. The motion sensor output includes information indicative of at least one of a motion status and an orientation status of the image-based motion sensor. Each of the captured images has more than one color component, and only values of one single color component are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.

Claims

1. An image-based motion sensor, comprising:

a camera system, arranged for generating an image output including a plurality of captured images; and

a processing system, arranged for obtaining a motion sensor output by processing the image output, and identifying a user input as one of a plurality of pre-defined user actions according to the motion sensor output, wherein different functions of at least one application performed by one electronic device are controlled by the pre-defined user actions; and

the motion sensor output includes information indicative of at least one of a motion status and an orientation status of the image-based motion sensor;

wherein each of the captured images comprises more than one color component, and only values of one single color component are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.

2. The image-based motion sensor of claim 1, wherein the camera system performs predetermined processing upon the captured images, and only the values of said one single color component derived from the predetermined processing are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.

3. The image-based motion sensor of claim 2, wherein the predetermined processing comprises RGB color processing.

4. The image-based motion sensor of claim 3, wherein the RGB color processing is performed upon the captured images to generate grayscale images, and only the values of said one single color component derived from the grayscale images are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.

5. The image-based motion sensor of claim 3, wherein the RGB color processing comprises a color transform from an RGB color space to a different color space.

6. The image-based motion sensor of claim 2, wherein the predetermined processing comprises a color transform from one color space to another color space.

7. The image-based motion sensor of claim 2, wherein the predetermined processing is performed upon the captured images to generate grayscale images, and only the values of said one single color component derived from the grayscale images are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.

8. The image-based motion sensor of claim 1, wherein said one single color component is one of YUV components.

9. The image-based motion sensor of claim 8, wherein said one single color component is a luminance component of the YUV components.

10. The image-based motion sensor of claim 1, wherein said one single color component is a luminance component.

11. The image-based motion sensor of claim 10, wherein the camera system performs predetermined processing upon the captured images, and only the values of the luminance component derived from the predetermined processing are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.

12. The image-based motion sensor of claim 11, wherein the predetermined processing comprises a color transform from one color space to another color space, and said another color space comprises the luminance component.

13. The image-based motion sensor of claim 11, wherein the predetermined processing is performed upon the captured images to generate grayscale images, and only the values of the luminance component derived from the grayscale images are involved in obtaining the motion sensor output.