Apparatus and method for generating moving image data including multiple section images in electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11159739-B2
Application number	US-201916534081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2018
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

According to various embodiments, an electronic device includes an image sensor, a memory, and a processor. The processor is configured to control the electronic device to: obtain a plurality of image frames including external light and an external object at a first designated frame rate using the image sensor, based on a capturing signal; identify a frequency of a flicker related to the external light source; generate first section images for at least a part of a time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained using frames selected from the plurality of image frames corresponding to a second designated frame rate based at least on the frequency, the second designated frame rate being lower than the first designated frame rate; generate second section images for at least a part of the time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained in response at least to a designated input using image frames obtained at the first designated frame rate after the designated input from among the plurality of image frames; and generate moving image data including at least the first section images and the second section images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an image sensor;
a memory; and
a processor,
wherein the processor is configured to control the electronic device to:
obtain a plurality of image frames comprising external light generated by external light source and an external object at a first designated frame rate using the image sensor, based on a capturing signal;
identify a frequency of a flicker related to the external light source;
generate first section images for at least a part of a time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained using frames selected from the plurality of image frames corresponding to a second designated frame rate based at least on the frequency, the second designated frame rate being lower than the first designated frame rate;
generate second section images for at least a part of the time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained in response at least to a designated event using image frames obtained at the first designated frame rate after the designated event from among the plurality of image frames; and
generate moving image data comprising at least the first section images and the second section images.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a flicker frequency detection unit comprising flicker frequency detecting circuitry configured to detect a flicker frequency based on the external light source,
wherein the processor is configured to identify the flicker frequency using at least the flicker frequency detection unit, and to select frames having a similar luminance from the plurality of image frames as the selected frames based on the flicker frequency.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to monitor a motion of the external object in the image based on at least a part of the plurality of image frames, for at least a part of the time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained, and to recognize occurrence of the motion of the external object as the designated event.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , further comprising a sensor module comprising at least one sensor configured to detect a motion of the electronic device,
wherein the processor is configured to monitor the motion of the electronic device through the sensor module while generating the second section images using the image frames obtained after the designated event, and to generate the first section images based on occurrence of the motion of the electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to scan a luminance period of the plurality of image frames based on the flicker frequency, to identify peak frames corresponding to brightest frames over the period from among the plurality of image frames, and to select the peak frames as at least a part of the selected frames.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
select the first designated frame rate images based on the flicker frequency during a preview section;
scan a luminance period of the selected first designated frame rate images, to identify a peak frame corresponding to a brightest frame over the period from among the plurality of image frames, and to store information of the identified peak frame;
select the first designated frame rate images based on the flicker frequency while generating the first section images;
identify luminance of a frame image corresponding to the stored peak frame information from among the selected first designated frame rate images;
identify luminance of at least one frame image adjacent to the peak frame; and
select a frame having a highest luminance from the identified frame images as at least a part of the selected frames.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to identify a luminance period of the plurality of image frames based on the flicker frequency, to add luminance of the plurality of image frames, to average the luminance of the plurality of image frames, and to select image frames having the average luminance as at least a part of the selected frames.

8. A method for generating a moving image of an electronic device, the method comprising:
obtaining a plurality of image frames comprising external light generated from an external light source and an external object at a first designated frame rate using an image sensor, based on a capturing signal;
identifying a frequency of a flicker related to the external light source;
generating first section images for at least a part of a time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained using frames selected from the plurality of image frames corresponding to a second designated frame rate based at least on the frequency, the second designated frame rate being lower than the first designated frame rate;
generating second section images for at least a part of the time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained in response at least to a designated event using image frames obtained at the first designated frame rate after the designated event from among the plurality of image frames; and
generating moving image data comprising at least the first section images and the second section images.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the first section images further comprises identifying the designated event, and
wherein identifying the designated event comprises: monitoring a motion of the external object in the image based on at least a part of the plurality of image frames for at least a part of the time for which the plurality of image frames are obtained; and recognizing occurrence of the motion of the external object as the designated event for switching at least to generating the second section images.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the second section images further comprises identifying an input for switching to generating the first section images, and
wherein identifying the input for switching to generating the first section images comprises: monitoring the motion of the electronic device while generating the second section images using the image frames obtained after the designated event; and recognizing occurrence of the motion of the electronic device as the input for switching at least to generating the first section images.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the first section images comprises: scanning a luminance period of the plurality of image frames based on the flicker frequency; identifying peak frames corresponding to brightest frames over the period from among the plurality of image frames; and selecting the peak frames as at least a part of the selected frames.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising identifying peak frame information in a preview section,
wherein identifying the peak frame information comprises: selecting the first designated frame rate images based on the flicker frequency during the preview section; scanning a luminance period of the selected first designated frame rate images; identifying a peak frame corresponding to a brightest frame over the period from among the plurality of image frames; and storing information of the identified peak frame,
wherein generating the first section images comprises: selecting the first designated frame rate images based on the flicker frequency while generating the first section images; identifying luminance of a frame image corresponding to the stored peak frame information from among the selected first designated frame rate images; identifying luminance of at least one frame image adjacent to the peak frame; and selecting a frame having a highest luminance from the identified frame i

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Dongsoo
• Shimokawa Shuichi
• Kang Kawang
• Kang Hwayong
• Kim Yeongeun
• Youn Yeotak
• Yoon Youngkwon
• Lee Changbae
• Won Jonghoon
• Lee Kihuk

Classifications

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/951

  by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio · CPC title

• H04N23/61 Primary

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H04N23/745 Primary

  Detection of flicker frequency or suppression of flicker wherein the flicker is caused by illumination, e.g. due to fluorescent tube illumination or pulsed LED illumination · CPC title

• H04N23/80

  Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof · CPC title