Method for controlling camera and electronic device therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11350033-B2
Application number	US-202117193474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2021
Priority date	Aug 31, 2016
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and a method for controlling a plurality of cameras in an electronic device. Herein, the electronic device comprises: a first camera; a second camera set to have an angle of view included in an angle of view of the first camera; a display; and a processor, wherein the processor may be configured to display, on the display, a first image acquired through the first camera of the plurality of cameras; detect information corresponding to the second camera from the first image; activate the second camera, when it is determined to activate the second camera on the basis of the information corresponding to the second camera; and display, on the display, at least one image corresponding to activation of the first camera and the second camera. Other embodiments are also possible.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first camera capable of supporting a first angle of view;
a second camera capable of supporting a second angle of view narrower than the first angle of view;
a display; and
a processor operatively coupled with the display,
wherein the processor is configured to perform:
displaying, via the display, a first preview image based on a first image obtained via the first camera using the first angle of view, the first preview image including an image object corresponding to an external object,
determining a distance between the first camera and the external object based at least in part on focus information applied with respect to the image object,
based at least in part on a determination that the distance exceeds a range associated with the first camera, displaying, instead of the first preview image, a second preview image based on a second image obtained via the second camera using the second angle of view, and
based at least in part on a determination that the distance is within the range associated with the first camera, maintaining the displaying of the first preview image.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to activate the second camera based at least in part on the determination that the distance exceeds the range associated with the first camera.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein, in response to the second camera being activated, the processor is further configured to modify a form of a capture icon so as to correspond to the activation of the first camera and the second camera.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, in response to determining to activate the second camera, the processor is further configured to perform activating of the second camera that currently operates in an idle mode.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, the processor is further configured to perform:
detecting an image attribute of the image object within an area corresponding to the second angle of view of the second camera from the first image obtained via the first camera, and
determining whether to activate the second camera based on the image attribute.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the image attribute comprises the focus information comprising a focal distance of the external object included in the area corresponding to the second angle of view of the second camera.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first camera and the second camera are disposed to be close to each other in the same side of the electronic device.

8. An operation method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
displaying, on a display of the electronic device, a first preview image based on a first image obtained via a first camera of the electronic device using a first angle of view, the first preview image including an image object corresponding to an external object;
determining a distance between the first camera and the external object based at least in part on focus information applied with respect to the image object;
based at least in part on a determination that the distance exceeds a range associated with the first camera, displaying, instead of the first preview image, a second preview image based on a second image obtained via a second camera using a second angle of view; and
based at least in part on a determination that the distance is within the range associated with the first camera, maintaining the displaying of the first preview image.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:
activating the second camera based at least in part on the determination that the distance exceeds the range associated with the first camera.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the activating of the second camera comprises:
detecting an image attribute of the image object within an area corresponding to the second angle of view of the second camera from the first image obtained via the first camera;
determining whether to activate the second camera based on the image attribute; and
activating the second camera in response to determining to activate the second camera.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the image attribute comprises the focus information comprising a focal distance of the external object.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the displaying the second preview image comprises:
modifying a form of a capture icon so as to correspond to the activation of the first camera and the second camera in response to the second camera being activated.

13. An electronic device, comprising:
a first camera capable of supporting a first angle of view;
a second camera capable of supporting a second angle of view narrower than the first angle of view;
a sensor configured to detect information to determine a distance to an external object;
a display; and
a processor operatively coupled with the display,
wherein the processor is configured to:
display, via the display, a first preview image based on a first image obtained via the first camera using the first angle of view, the first preview image including an image object corresponding to the external object,
determine the distance to the external object based on the information detected by the sensor,
based at least in part on a determination that the distance exceeds a range associated with the first camera, display, instead of the first preview image, a second preview image based on a second image obtained via the second camera using the second angle of view, and
based at least in part on a determination that the distance is within the range associated with the first camera, maintain the displaying of the first preview image.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to activate the second camera based at least in part on the determination that the distance exceeds the range associated with the first camera.

15. The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the sensor comprises a distance measurement sensor separated to the first camera and the second camera.

16. An operation method of an electronic device, the method comprising:
displaying, on a display of the electronic device, a first preview image based on a first image obtained via a first camera of the electronic device using a first angle of view, the first preview image including an image object corresponding to an external object;
determining a distance to the external object based on information detected by a sensor of the electronic device;
based at least in part on a determination that the distance exceeds a range associated with the first camera, displaying, instead of the first preview image, a second preview image based on a second image obtained via a second camera using a second angle of view; and
based at least in part on a determination that the distance is within the range associated with the first camera, maintaining the displaying of the first preview image.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
activating the second camera based at least in part on the determination that the distance exceeds the range associated with the first camera.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• An Gyushik
• Lee Seungwoo
• Yang Ahron
• Jeon Jaehee
• Heo Soyeon

Classifications

• H04N23/667 Primary

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/661 Primary

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/00

  Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title