Electronic device and method for controlling plurality of image sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11190682-B2
Application number	US-201816647366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2018
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

An electronic device according to various embodiments can include: a first image sensor; a second image sensor electrically connected to the first image sensor through a first designated interface; and a processor connected to the first image sensor through a second designated interface and connected to the second image sensor through a third designated interface, wherein the processor can be set to obtain, from the second image sensor, a second image outputted through the third designated interface, and obtain, from the first image sensor, a first image outputted through the second designated interface, in response to a signal provided to the first image sensor through the first designated interface at the starting time of the output of the second image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a processor;
a first image sensor connected with the processor through a first interface;
a second image sensor connected with the processor through a second interface; and
a third interface configured to connect the first image sensor and the second image sensor to synchronize a transmission timing of first data transmitted from the first image sensor to the processor through the first interface and a transmission timing of second data transmitted from the second image sensor to the processor through the second interface.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fourth interface configured to connect the first image sensor and the second image sensor to synchronize a timing for detecting light received through a first lens of the first image sensor and a timing for detecting light received through a second lens of the second image sensor.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first image sensor is configured to generate the first data based on the light detected through the first lens of the first image sensor,
wherein the second image sensor is configured to:
generate the second data based on the light detected through the second lens of the second image sensor,
in response to generating the second data, transmit the second data to the processor through the second interface, and
in response to generating the second data, change a power level of a signal transmitted to the first image sensor through the third interface, and

wherein the first image sensor is further configured to, based on the change of the power level, transmit the first data to the processor through the first interface.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first image sensor is configured to:
by transmitting the first data based on the change of the power level, synchronize the transmitting timing of the first data with the transmission timing of the second data.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the first image sensor is configured to, in response to detecting the light through the first lens, change other power level of other signal transmitted to the second image sensor through the fourth interface, and
wherein the second image sensor is configured to, based on the change of the other power level of the other signal, detect the light through the second lens.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the second image sensor is configured to synchronize the timing for detecting the light received through the first lens with the timing for detecting the light received through the second lens, by detecting the light received through the second lens based on the change of the other power level.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the first data from the first image sensor through the first interface,
receive the second data from the second image sensor through the second interface, and
generate an image based at least on the first data and the second data.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to:
generate the image, by synthesizing the first data and the second data.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:
synthesize the first data and the second data to make at least part of the generated image more blurry than at least other part of the generated image.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:
generate the image of enhanced brightness, by synthesizing the first data of first brightness and the second data of second brightness.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first data and the second data are usable to generate an omnidirectional image.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first image sensor further comprising:
a memory configured to store the first data while delaying the transmission timing of the first image data.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jo Hyeon-Cheol
• Kang Hwayong
• Kim Dongsoo
• Park Minyoung
• Lee Sangmin
• Yoon Youngkwon
• Won Jonghoon
• Lee Kihuk

Classifications

• H04N5/04 Primary

  Synchronising (for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56) · CPC title

• H04N23/665 Primary

  involving internal camera communication with the image sensor, e.g. synchronising or multiplexing SSIS control signals · CPC title

• H04N23/80

  Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/65

  Control of camera operation in relation to power supply · 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