Electronic device and method for controlling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11933599-B2
Application number	US-201917289977-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Nov 8, 2018
Publication date	Mar 19, 2024
Grant date	Mar 19, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device. The electronic device comprises: a first image sensor and a second image sensor; and a processor which alternately performs a first image capture mode, in which a plurality of captured images are acquired by controlling the respective exposure times of the first image sensor and the second image sensor differently, and a second imager capture mode, in which a plurality of captured images are acquired by controlling the respective exposure times of the first image sensor and the second image sensor identically, identifies an object by using the plurality of captured images acquired in the first image capture mode, and acquires distance information about the identified object on the basis of the plurality of captured images acquired in the second image capture mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a storage configured to store information on an object of interest, the information including a pixel value of the object of interest;
a first image sensor and a second image sensor; and
a processor configured to:
alternately perform a first capture mode, in which a plurality of captured images are obtained by controlling an exposure time of the first image sensor to a first exposure time and controlling an exposure time of the second image sensor to a second exposure time, and a second capture mode, in which a plurality of captured images are obtained by controlling the exposure time of the first image sensor and the exposure time of the second image sensor to the first exposure time,
generate a high dynamic range (HDR) image by compositing the plurality of captured images having different brightness, obtained in the first capture mode,
identify an object corresponding to the object of interest on the HDR image based on an area having a pixel value similar to the pixel value of the object of interest a pixel value stored in the storage, and
obtain distance information about the identified object based on a parallax between the plurality of captured images obtained in the second capture modes,

wherein the processor is further configured to:
update the first exposure time so that an average pixel value of pixels included in at least one previous image obtained by the first image sensor corresponds to a first target value, and
update the second exposure time so that an average pixel value of pixels included in at least one previous image obtained by the second image sensor in the first capture mode corresponds to a second target value, and

wherein the second target value is higher than the first target value.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second exposure time exceeds the first exposure time.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to alternately perform the first capture mode and the second capture mode in a preset frame interval.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the average pixel value of the pixels included in an image obtained by the second image sensor in the first capture mode being less than the second target value, control the second exposure time of the second image sensor to exceed the preset frame interval.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a driving assistant device mounted on a vehicle.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the vehicle based on at least one of type information and distance information of the object.

7. A method for controlling an electronic device comprising information on an object of interest, the information including a pixel value of the object of interest, the method comprising:
alternately performing a first capture mode, in which a plurality of captured images are obtained by controlling an exposure time of a first image sensor to a first exposure time and controlling an exposure time of a second image sensor to a second exposure time, and a second capture mode, in which a plurality of captured images are obtained by controlling the exposure time of the first image sensor and the exposure time of the second image sensor to the first exposure time;
generating a high dynamic range (HDR) image by compositing the plurality of captured images having different brightness, obtained in the first capture mode;
identifying an object corresponding to the object of interest on the HDR image based on an area having a pixel value similar to the pixel value of the object of interest a pixel value; and
obtaining distance information about the identified object based on a parallax between the plurality of captured images obtained in the second capture mode,

wherein the method further comprises:
updating the first exposure time so that an average pixel value of pixels included in at least one previous image obtained by the first image sensor corresponds to a first target value, and
updating the second exposure time so that an average pixel value of pixels included in at least one previous image obtained by the second image sensor in the first capture mode corresponds to a second target value, and

wherein the second target value is higher than the first target value.

8. The method of claimer 7 , wherein the second exposure time exceeds the first exposure time.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the alternately performing comprises alternately performing the first capture mode and the second capture mode in a preset frame interval.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the alternately performing comprises, based on the average pixel value of the pixels included in an image obtained by the second image sensor in the first capture mode being less than the second target value, controlling the exposure time of the second image sensor to exceed the preset frame interval.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Taehee
• Kang Hwayong
• Kim Dongsoo
• Kim Minjae
• Park Sahnggyu
• Yeo Dongwon
• Lee Haesun
• Jeon Seungryong
• Jeong Yongju
• Jang Donghoon

Classifications

• G01B11/026 Primary

  by measuring distance between sensor and object (G01B11/0608 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60W40/02

  related to ambient conditions · CPC title

• G06T7/55

  from multiple images · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• G06V10/25

  Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI] · CPC title