Bidirectional synchronizing camera, camera system including the same and method of operating the camera

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017085755-A1
Application number	US-201615271868-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 23, 2015
Publication date	Mar 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one example embodiment, a camera system includes a plurality of cameras, a camera controller configured to control the plurality of cameras, a control signal line configured to facilitate an exchange of at least one control signal between the camera controller and the plurality of cameras and a synchronization signal line commonly connected to the plurality of cameras, and configured to transmit at least one transmission synchronization signal for synchronizing at least two cameras among the plurality of cameras.

First claim

1 . A camera system comprising:
a plurality of cameras; a camera controller configured to control the plurality of cameras; a control signal line configured to facilitate an exchange of at least one control signal between the camera controller and the plurality of cameras; and a synchronization signal line commonly connected to the plurality of cameras, and configured to transmit at least one transmission synchronization signal for synchronizing at least two cameras among the plurality of cameras.

2 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of cameras comprises:
a transmitter electrically connected to the synchronization signal line and configured to transmit a corresponding transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line; a receiver electrically connected to the synchronization signal line, and configured to receive one or more transmission synchronization signals transmitted by other ones of the plurality of cameras from the synchronization signal line; and a timing controller configured to,
receive the corresponding transmission synchronization signal and the received one or more transmission synchronization signals,
detect a timing difference between the transmission synchronization signal and the received one or more transmission synchronization signals, and
control a timing of the corresponding transmission synchronization signal according to the timing difference.

3 . The camera system of claim 2 , wherein the timing controller is configured to,
detect a time period during which the corresponding transmission synchronization signal and at least one of the received one or more transmission synchronization signals have different levels, and one of advance or delay a point of time when the corresponding transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled, by the detected time period.

4 . The camera system of claim 2 , wherein the timing controller is configured to,
detect a timing difference between one edge of the corresponding transmission synchronization signal and one edge of at least one of the received one or more transmission synchronization signals, and one of advance or delay a point of time when the corresponding transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled, by the detected timing difference.

5 - 7 . (canceled)

8 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of cameras includes a first camera and a second camera, the first camera is configured to output a first transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line, the second camera is configured to output a second transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line, the second transmission synchronization signal is enabled later than the first transmission synchronization signal, and the first camera is configured to,
detect a timing difference between the second transmission synchronization signal received from the synchronization signal line and the first transmission synchronization signal, and
delay a point of time when the first transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled according to the timing difference.

9 . The camera system of claim 8 , wherein
the plurality of cameras further includes a third camera, the third camera is configured to output a third transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line, the third transmission synchronization signal is enabled earlier than the first transmission synchronization signal, and the third camera is configured to,
detect a timing difference between at least one of the first and second transmission synchronization signals received from the synchronization signal line and the third transmission synchronization signal, and
delay a point of time when the third transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled according to the timing difference.

10 . The camera system of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of cameras includes a first camera and a second camera, the first camera is configured to output a first transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line, the second camera is configured to output a second transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line, the second transmission synchronization signal is enabled later than the first transmission synchronization signal, and the second camera is configured to,
detect a timing difference between the first transmission synchronization signal received from the synchronization signal line and the second transmission synchronization signal, and
advance a point of time when the second transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled according to the timing difference.

11 . The camera system of claim 10 , wherein
the plurality of cameras further includes a third camera, the third camera is configured to output a third transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line, the third transmission synchronization signal is enabled later than the second transmission synchronization signal, and the third camera is configured to,
detect a timing difference between at least one of the first and second transmission synchronization signals received from the synchronization signal line and the third transmission synchronization signal, and
advance a point of time when the third transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled according to the timing difference.

12 . A first camera connected to at least a second camera via a synchronization signal line, the first camera comprising:
a transmitter electrically connected to the synchronization signal line and configured to transmit a first transmission synchronization signal to the synchronization signal line; a receiver electrically connected to the synchronization signal line and configured to receive at least a second transmission synchronization signal from the second camera via the synchronization signal line; and a timing controller configured to,
receive the first transmission synchronization signal and the second transmission synchronization signal,
detect a timing difference between the first transmission synchronization signal and the second transmission synchronization signal, and
control a timing of the first transmission synchronization signal according to the timing difference.

13 . The first camera of claim 12 , further comprising:
an image sensor configured to sense an image of an object captured by a lens and transmit image data of the sensed image to a camera controller according to the first transmission synchronization signal, under control of the camera controller.

14 . The first camera of claim 12 , wherein the timing controller is configured to,
detect a timing difference between one edge of the first transmission synchronization signal and one edge of the second transmission synchronization signal, and one of advance or delay a point of time when the first transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled according to the detected timing difference.

15 . The first camera of claim 14 , wherein the first camera is commonly connected to the second camera and a third camera via the synchronization signal line, and is configured to,
detect which one of the second camera and the third camera is enabled at a later point of time than the other one of the second camera and the third camera based on the second transmission synchronization signal, and delay a point of time when the first transmission synchronization signal is to be enabled to be synchronized with the later point of time.

16 . The first camera of claim 14 , wherein the first cam

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Il Joong
• Jo Jeong A

Classifications

• H04N23/00

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

• H04N23/66

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• H04N23/90

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

• H04N5/067 Primary

  Arrangements or circuits at the transmitter end · CPC title

• H04N13/296

  Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof · CPC title