Stereo camera module apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9442363-B2
Application number	US-201113640951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2011
Priority date	Apr 12, 2010
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A stereo camera module includes a substrate provided with a plurality of installation brackets, a plurality of camera modules rotatably coupled to the installation brackets, a rotating part provided on the installation brackets so as to be rotatably coupled to a rotation coupling part provided on the camera modules, a driving unit provided on the installation brackets for rotatably driving the camera modules using magnetic force, and a control unit for adjusting the magnetic force generated by the driving unit by applying a current, which corresponds to inputted angle-adjustment data, to the driving unit to thereby control the rotation of the camera modules using the adjusted magnetic force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of driving a stereo camera module, comprising:
identifying a photographing mode of the stereo camera module and angle-adjusting information for adjusting a rotation angle of a plurality of camera modules included in the stereo camera module, corresponding to a user input;
determining a rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules according to the identified photographing mode;
applying current corresponding to the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information to a driver of each of the plurality of camera modules, in order to rotate each of the plurality of camera modules;
detecting a rotation direction and a rotation angle of each of the plurality of camera modules rotated according to a magnetic field generated by the applied current;
comparing the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle with the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information; and
if the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle are different from the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information, changing the applied current.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determined rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules is different from each other.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules according to the identified photographing mode comprises:
if the identified photographing mode is a first photographing mode, determining the rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules such that optical axes of the plurality of camera modules are converged; and
if the identified photographing mode is a second photographing mode, determining the rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules such that optical axes of the plurality of camera modules are diverged.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein controlling the applied current further comprises:
if the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle correspond to the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information, maintaining the applied current.

5. A stereo camera module, comprising:
a substrate including a plurality of mounting brackets;
a plurality of camera modules rotatably coupled with the mounting brackets;
a driver mounted to the mounting brackets to rotate the plurality of camera modules by using a magnetic field; and
a controller for:
identifying a photographing mode of the stereo camera module and angle-adjusting information for adjusting a rotation angle of the plurality of camera modules, corresponding to a user input;
determining a rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules according to the identified photographing mode;
applying current corresponding to the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information to the driver, in order to rotate each of the plurality of camera modules;
detecting a rotation direction and a rotation angle of each of the plurality of camera modules rotated according to a magnetic field generated by the applied current;
comparing the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle with the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information; and
changing the applied current, if the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle are different from the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information.

6. The stereo camera module as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the determined rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules is different from each other.

7. The stereo camera module as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the controller determines the rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules such that optical axes of the plurality of camera modules are converged, if the identified photographing mode is a first photographing mode, and
determines the rotation direction of each of the plurality of camera modules such that optical axes of the plurality of camera modules are diverged, if the identified photographing mode is a second photographing mode.

8. The stereo camera module as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the controller maintains the applied current, if the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle correspond to the determined rotation direction and the angle-adjusting information.

9. The stereo camera module as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the driver comprises:
a magnetic body mounted to each of the plurality of camera modules;
a coil for rotating each of the plurality of camera modules by an interaction between an electric field generated according to the applied current and a magnetic field of the magnetic body, the coil being formed at each position corresponding to the magnetic body in the mounting brackets;
a hall sensor for detecting the rotation direction and the rotation angle of each of the plurality of camera modules, and outputting the detected rotation direction and the detected rotation angle change as a detected signal value, the hall sensor being mounted while being surrounded by each coil; and
a yoke unit for fixing into place the stereo camera module by the magnetic field of the magnetic body.

Assignees

• Seo Ja-Won
• Shin Doo-Sik
• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Seo Ja-Won
• Shin Doo-Sik

Classifications

• H04N13/296

  Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof · CPC title

• G03B17/14

  interchangeably · CPC title

• G03B35/20 Primary

  using two or more projectors · CPC title

• H04N2213/001

  Constructional or mechanical details · CPC title

• G03B35/10 Primary

  having single camera with stereoscopic-base-defining system · CPC title