Method and electronic device for focus control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10771706-B2
Application number	US-201815946383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

An electronic device includes a camera, a memory storing first unit information and second unit information to be used to move a lens driving part, and a processor. The first unit information is configured such that the camera causes a first focus sharpness variation and the second unit information is configured such that the camera causes a second focus sharpness variation. The processor is configured to receive a signal for adjusting a focus associated with an external object by using the camera, to verify a state of the electronic device associated with the reception of the signal, to select corresponding unit information among the first unit information and the second unit information, based at least partly on the state, and to move the lens driving part depending on the corresponding unit information to adjust the focus associated with the external object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first camera module including a first lens driving part configured to move according to a first unit, wherein movement of the first lens driving part causes a first focus sharpness variation;
a second camera module including a second lens driving part configured to move according to a second unit, wherein movement of the second lens driving part causes a second focus sharpness variation, wherein the first focus sharpness variation based on a first distance movement of the first lens driving part is different than the second focus sharpness variation based on a second distance movement of the second lens driving part, and wherein the first distance movement matches the second distance movement;
a memory; and
a processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive a request to execute a camera function,
receive a signal for adjusting a focus associated with an external object by using the first camera module or the second camera module, in response to the request to execute the camera function,
adjust the first unit or the second unit such that a difference between the first focus sharpness variation and the second focus sharpness variation belongs within a specified range, and
move the first lens driving part based on the adjusted first unit or the second lens driving part based on the adjusted second unit to adjust the focus associated with the external object.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
adjust the first unit or the second unit such that the first focus sharpness variation and the second focus sharpness variation are substantially equal to each other.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
adjust the first unit or the second unit based at least partly on a first f-number corresponding to the first lens driving part or a second f-number corresponding to the second lens driving part, to reduce the difference between the first focus sharpness variation and the second focus sharpness variation.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
adjust the first unit or the second unit so as to reduce the difference between the first focus sharpness variation and the second sharpness variation, based at least partly on a first sensitivity corresponding to the first lens driving part or a second sensitivity corresponding to the second lens driving part.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
adjust the first unit or the second unit based on depth associated with the external object from the first camera module or the second camera module.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive an external input through a controller for adjusting the focus; and
move the first lens driving part or the second lens driving part based on a corresponding adjusted unit among the adjusted first unit and the adjusted second unit to adjust the focus, in response to the external input.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to:
present the controller through a display operatively connected to the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to:
change a form of the controller based at least partly on the adjustment.

9. An electronic device comprising:
a camera including a lens driving part, the lens driving part comprising a first lens driving part and a second lens driving part;
a memory configured to store first unit information and second unit information, which are used to move the lens driving part, wherein the first unit information is configured such that the camera causes a first focus sharpness variation and the second unit information is configured such that the camera causes a second focus sharpness variation, wherein the first focus sharpness variation based on a first distance movement of the first lens driving part is different than the second focus sharpness variation based on a second distance movement of the second lens driving part, and wherein the first distance movement matches the second distance movement; and
a processor,
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive a signal for adjusting a focus associated with an external object by using the camera,
verify a state of the electronic device associated with the received signal,
select corresponding unit information among the first unit information and the second unit information, based at least partly on the state of the electronic device, and
move the lens driving part based on the corresponding unit information to adjust the focus associated with the external object.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first lens driving part is driven according to a first unit and the second lens driving part is driven according to a second unit, and wherein the processor is configured to:
adjust the first unit or the second unit such that the first focus sharpness variation and the second focus sharpness variation are substantially equal to each other;
adjust the first unit or the second unit so as to reduce a difference between the first focus sharpness variation and the second focus sharpness variation, based at least partly on a first f-number corresponding to the first lens driving part or a second f-number corresponding to the second lens driving part;
adjust the first unit or the second unit so as to reduce the difference between the first focus sharpness variation and the second focus sharpness variation, based at least partly on a first sensitivity corresponding to the first lens driving part or a second sensitivity corresponding to the second lens driving part; and
adjust the first unit or the second unit based on depth associated with the external object from a first camera module or a second camera module.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive an external input through a controller for adjusting the focus; and
move the first lens driving part or the second lens driving part based on a corresponding adjusted unit among the adjusted first unit and the adjusted second unit to adjust the focus, in response to the external input.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to:
present the controller through a display operatively connected to the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
change a form of the controller based at least partly on the adjustment.

14. An electronic device comprising:
a display;
a first camera module including a first lens module and a first lens driving part configured to move the first lens module in a first movement unit;
a second camera module including a second lens module and a second lens driving part configured to move the second lens module in a second movement unit; and
a processor electrically connected to the first camera module and the second camera module,
wherein the processor is configured to:
receive a user input with respect to one or more external objects, in a state where the first camera module is activated,
determine activation of the second camera module with respect to the one or more external objects, in response to the user input,
present a user interface controlled such that a difference between a first focus sharpness variation of the first camera module changed by a change of a focus of the first camera module and a second focus sharpness variation of the second camera module changed by a chang

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Seung Han
• Won Jong Hoon
• Kim Pyo Jae
• Yoon Young Kwon
• Chun Jong Hyeok

Classifications

• H04N23/67 Primary

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N23/45 Primary

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/62

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title