Methods and apparatus for capturing images using multiple camera modules in an efficient manner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10075651-B2
Application number	US-201514693351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2015
Priority date	Apr 17, 2015
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for capturing images using a camera device including multiple camera modules, e.g., multiple optical chains, in an efficient manner are described. Different camera devices in the camera device may capture images corresponding to different size fields of view of a scene area. User input is used to identify an object of interest. A first type camera module having a large field of view is used to track the identified object of interest. Sets of second type camera modules having a smaller field of view are used to capture images of the object of interest. Different sets of second type camera modules may be used at different times as a function of object of interest location. In some embodiments, at least some second type camera modules include the capability to adjust, e.g., move, image capture area, e.g., by changing a mirror angle inclination and/or a mirror rotation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a camera device comprising:
receiving user input indicating an object of interest, said object of interest being at a first position when user input indicating the object of interest is received;
identifying, based on the received user input, a first set of one or more first type camera modules which should be used to capture an image of the object of interest, said identified first set of one or more first type camera modules including a first camera module including a first movable mirror, said step of identifying a first set of one or more first type camera modules including identifying said first camera module based on the field of view of said first camera module, said first camera module having a field of view which includes said first position or which can be adjusted to include said first position;
tracking the position of the object of interest;
controlling a position of said first moveable mirror of said first camera module to change based on the tracked position of the object of interest, controlling the position of said first moveable mirror including changing an angle of inclination of said first moveable mirror and rotating said first moveable mirror; and
operating the first camera module to capture an image of the object of interest; and
wherein said first set of one or more first type camera modules includes a plurality of first type camera modules, each camera module of said plurality of first type camera modules being a camera module with a single moveable mirror that can be rotated and tilted.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving user input indicating a size of an area surrounding the object of interest to be captured; and
wherein identifying, based on the received user input, said first set of one or more first type camera modules which should be used to capture an image of the object of interest is further based on the size of the area surrounding the object of interest to be captured.

3. A method of operating a camera device comprising:
receiving user input indicating an object of interest;
identifying, based on the received user input, a first set of one or more first type camera modules which should be used to capture an image of the object of interest, said identified first set of one or more first type camera modules including a first camera module including a first movable mirror;
tracking the position of the object of interest;
controlling a position of said first moveable mirror of said first camera module to change based on the tracked position of the object of interest, controlling the position of said first moveable mirror including changing an angle of inclination of said first moveable mirror and rotating said first moveable mirror; and
operating the first camera module to capture an image of the object of interest;
operating a second type camera module having a first field of view which is larger than a field of view of said first type camera modules to capture images of a scene area;
detecting, based on images captured by the second type camera module a move of the object of interest from the first position to a new position; and
based on the new position, identifying a second set of one or more first type camera modules to be used to capture an image of the object of interest.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein identifying said second set of one or more first type camera modules includes identifying one or more first type camera modules having a field of view including the new position of the object of interest said second set of one or more first type camera modules including a second camera module.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
controlling a position of a second moveable mirror, said second moveable mirror being a moveable mirror in said second camera module, controlling the position of the second moveable mirror including moving the second moveable mirror based on the tracked change in the position of the object of interest to keep the object of interest in the field of view of said second camera module for a period of time.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein controlling the position of the second moveable mirror includes changing an angle of inclination of said second moveable mirror.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein controlling the position of the second moveable mirror includes changing an angle of inclination of said second moveable mirror and rotating said second moveable mirror to point the second moveable mirror in a different direction than a direction used to capture an image of the object of interest at the start of said period of time.

8. A camera device comprising:
a plurality of camera modules;
a module configured to receive user input indicating an object of interest, said object of interest being at a first position when user input indicating the object of interest is received;
a module configured to identify, based on the received user input, a first set of one or more first type camera modules which should be used to capture an image of the object of interest, said identified first set of one or more first type camera modules including a first camera module including a first moveable mirror, said module configured to identify said first set of one or more first type camera modules including a module configured to identify said first camera module based on the field of view of the first camera module, said first camera module having a field of view which includes said first position or which can be adjusted to include said first position;
a module configured to track the position of the object of interest;
a module configured to control a position of said first moveable mirror of said first camera module to change based on the tracked position of the object of interest, controlling the position of the first moveable mirror including changing an angle of inclination of said first moveable mirror and rotating said first moveable mirror; and
a module configured to control the first camera module to capture an image of the object of interest; and
wherein said first set of one or more first type camera modules includes a plurality of first type camera modules, each camera module of said plurality of first type camera modules being a camera module with a single moveable mirror that can be rotated and tilted.

9. The camera device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a module configured to receive user input indicating a size of an area surrounding the object of interest to be captured; and
wherein said module configured to identify said first set of one or more first type camera modules which should be used to capture an image of the object of interest is further configured to base the identification on the size of the area surrounding the object of interest to be captured.

10. A camera device comprising:
a plurality of camera modules;
a module configured to receive user input indicating an object of interest, said object of interest being at a first position when user input indicating the object of interest is received;
a module configured to identify, based on the received user input, a first set of one or more first type camera modules which should be used to capture an image of the object of interest, said identified first set of one or more first type camera modules including a first camera module including a first moveable mirror, said module configured to identify said first set of one or more first type camera modules including a module configured to identify said first camera module based on the field of view of the first camera module, said first camera module having a field of view which includes said first position or which can be adjusted to include s

Assignees

• Lightco Inc
• Light Labs Inc

Inventors

• Laroia Rajiv
• Shroff Sapna A

Classifications

• H04N25/41

  Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/55

  Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N23/58

  Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors · CPC title