Multi display device and method of photographing thereof

• US 9,571,734 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Seo, Seok-weon, Kwak, Ji-yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Sun, Yulin
• Application Number:
  US14/050,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 348/38
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 disposed to couple to the first and second bodies;

a first imaging unit disposed in the first body and configured to perform photographing;

a second imaging unit disposed in the second body and configured to perform photographing; and

a controller configured to, in response to one of the first and second imaging units performing photographing of a plurality of images while one of the first and second bodies having the one of the first and second imaging units pivots based on the hinge unit, combine the plurality of photographed images to generate a panorama image content.

2. The multi display device of claim 1, wherein, while 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 of the plurality of images by using the first imaging unit to capture the plurality of images within a first photographing range, and combines the plurality of captured images within the first photographing range to generate the panorama image content.

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

while 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 of a first plurality of images by using the first imaging unit to capture the first plurality of images within a first photographing range;

while 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 of a second plurality of images by using the second imaging unit to capture the second plurality of images within a second photographing range; and

the controller combines the first plurality of captured images captured within the first photographing range and the second plurality of captured 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, while a particular portion of a subject is recognized in the live view, the controller performs automatic photographing of the plurality of images.

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

6. The multi display device of claim 2, wherein, while the pivoting starts, the controller performs automatic photographing of the plurality of images every set 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 photographing method of a multi display device including a first body having a first display unit, a second body having a second display unit, a hinge unit disposed to couple to the first and second bodies, a first imaging unit disposed in the first body and configured to perform photographing, and a second imaging unit disposed in the second body and configured to perform photographing, the photographing method comprising:

performing photographing of a plurality of images by using one of the first and second imaging units in response to one of the first and second bodies having the one of the first and second imaging units pivots based on the hinge unit; and

combining the plurality of photographed images to generate a panorama image content.

12. The photographing method of claim 11, wherein:

while 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 of the plurality of images is performed by using the first imaging unit to capture the plurality of images within a first photographing range; and

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

13. The photographing method of claim 11, wherein:

while 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 of a first plurality of images is performed by using the first imaging unit to capture the first plurality of images within a photographing range;

while 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 of a second plurality of images is performed by the second imaging unit to capture the second plurality of images within a second photographing range; and

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

14. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein, while a particular portion of a subject is recognized in the live view, automatic photographing of the plurality of images is performed.

15. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein, while an interval angle between the first and second bodies meets a set condition, automatic photographing of the plurality of images is performed.

16. The photographing method of claim 12, wherein, while the pivoting starts, automatic photographing of the plurality of images is performed every set time period.

17. The photographing method of claim 11, 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.

18. The photographing method of claim 11, 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.

19. The photographing method of claim 11, 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.

20. The photographing method of claim 19, 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.

21. A multi display device comprising:

a first body having a first display unit and a first imaging unit, the first imaging unit configured to perform photographing;

a second body having a second display unit and a second imaging unit, the second imaging unit configured to perform photographing;

a hinge unit disposed to couple to the first and second bodies; and

a controller configured to;

control the first imaging unit to perform photographing of a plurality of images while the first body pivots based on the hinge unit,

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

combine the plurality of photographed images to generate an image content.