Collaborative image capturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9560269-B2
Application number	US-201615019960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 12, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

Systems and approaches are provided to allow for collaborative image capturing. Multiple user devices subscribed to the collaborative image capturing system can be synchronized to perform certain image capturing related tasks, including coordinated image capture. When the user devices are widely dispersed, the image data can be aggregated to generate composited image data, such as panoramas, 3-D transformations, or stereoscopic image data. Multiple user devices can also be coordinated to simultaneously flash or activate other light emitting components that may improve lighting condition than would otherwise be capable of a single computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining, by a first computing system, a time period for a first camera to capture a first image representing a scene and a second camera to capture a second image representing at least a first portion of the scene, the first camera and the second camera being remote to the first computing system;
determining, by the first computing system, an aggregate amount of lumens to be emitted by one or more light emitting components corresponding to one or more cameras for capturing image data including at least a portion of the scene at a specified exposure within the time period;
determining, by the first computing system, a first amount of lumens to be emitted by a first light emitting component corresponding to the first camera for generating a first portion of the aggregate amount of lumens within the time period;
determining, by the first computing system, a second amount of lumens to be emitted by a second light emitting component corresponding to the second camera for generating a second portion of the aggregate amount of lumens within the time period;
sending, by the first computing system, first information for causing the first light emitting component to emit the first amount of lumens within the time period;
sending, by the first computing system, second information for causing the second light emitting component to emit the second amount of lumens within the time period;
receiving the first image, captured by the first camera within the time period, by the first computing system;
receiving the second image, captured by the second camera within the time period, by the first computing system;
generating, by the first computing system, composited image data using the first image and the second image, the composited image data representing at least one of a panorama, a three-dimensional transformation, or a stereoscopic image representing at least a second portion of the scene; and
providing, by the first computing system to a second computing system that is remote to the first computing system, access to the composited image data.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, by the first computing system, first data causing the first camera to capture the first image within the time period; and
sending, by the first computing system, second data causing the second camera to capture the second image within the time period.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the first data comprises at least one of a formatted time of day, a delay period, a shutter release signal, or a generator locking signal.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first computing system, data corresponding to input to a shutter button of the first camera; and
causing a shutter release of the first camera to be delayed until at least the time period.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the first computing system, at least one of user data, geolocation data, position data, orientation data, time data, camera parameters, image parameters, or a description associated with at least one of the first camera or the first image.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing system operates with zero shutter lag (ZSL) to capture the first image.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first camera is incorporated within the first computing system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first camera and the second camera are incorporated within a same computing device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first camera is incorporated within a first computing device and the second camera is incorporated within a second computing device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the aggregate amount of lumens is a non-zero value and at least one of the first amount of lumens or the second amount of lumens is zero.

11. A computing system, comprising:
one or more processors;
memory including instructions that, upon being executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to:
determine a time period for a first camera to capture a first image representing a scene and a second camera to capture a second image representing at least a first portion of the scene, the first camera and the second camera being remote to the computing system;
determine an aggregate amount of lumens to be emitted by one or more light emitting components corresponding to one or more cameras for capturing image data of at least a portion of the scene at a specified exposure within the time period;
determine a first amount of lumens to be emitted by a first light emitting component corresponding to the first camera for generating a first portion of the aggregate amount of lumens within the time period;
determine a second amount of lumens to be emitted by a second light emitting component corresponding to the second camera for generating a second portion of the aggregate amount of lumens within the time period;
send first information for causing the first light emitting component to emit the first amount of lumens within the time period;
send second information for causing the second light emitting component to emit the second amount of lumens within the time period;
receive the first image captured by the first camera within the time period;
receive the second image captured by the second camera within the time period;
generate composited image data using the first image and the second image, the composited image data representing at least one of a panorama, a three-dimensional transformation, or a stereoscopic image representing at least a second portion of the scene; and
provide access to the composited image data to a second computing system that is remote to the computing system.

12. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the computing system to:
receive data corresponding to input to a shutter button of the first camera; and
cause a shutter release of the first camera to be delayed until at least the time period.

13. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the first camera is operated using zero shutter lag within the time period.

14. The computing system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions upon being executed further cause the computing system to:
generate a generator lock signal;
send the generator lock signal to a first computing device incorporating the first camera; and
send the generator lock signal to a second computing device.

15. The computing system of claim 11 , wherein the first amount of lumens is the aggregate amount of lumens and the second amount of lumens is zero.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
determining, by a first computing system, a time for a first camera to capture a first image representing a scene and a second camera to capture a second image representing at least a first portion of the scene, the first camera and the second camera being remote to the first computing system;
determining, by the first computing system, an aggregate amount of lumens to be emitted by one or more light emitting components corresponding to one or more cameras for capturing image data of at least a portion of the scene at a specified exposure at the time;
determining, by the first computing system, a first amount of lumens to be emitted by a first light emitting component corresponding to the first camera for g

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Baldwin Leo Benedict

Classifications

• H04N23/66

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

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/661

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

• H04N23/64 Primary

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title