Perspective change using depth information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9736385-B2
Application number	US-201414362976-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2014
Priority date	Jan 8, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

The invention is directed to determining compensation distance for capturing an image in a zoom mode using a camera. An exemplary method comprises determining the camera is in a non-zoom mode; receiving first depth information associated with an object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode; receiving first angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode; switching from the non-zoom mode to a zoom mode; receiving second angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the zoom mode; determining a compensation distance for capturing the image of the object in the zoom mode based on the first depth information, the first angle information, and the second angle information; and generate an image based on the compensated distance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for determining a compensation distance for capturing an image in a zoom mode using a camera, the method comprising:
determining the camera is in a non-zoom mode;
receiving first depth information associated with an object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode, wherein the first depth information is defined as a first distance from the camera to the object;
receiving first angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode, wherein the first angle information is defined as a first field of view angle provided for in the non-zoom mode;
switching from the non-zoom mode to a zoom mode, wherein the zoom mode comprises a zoom-in mode and zoom-out mode;
receiving second angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the zoom mode, wherein the second angle information is defined as a second field of view angle provided for in the zoom mode, wherein in the zoom-in mode the second angle information is associated with at least one pixel located outside a border of a frame associated with the image and in the zoom-out mode that second angle information is associated with at least one pixel located behind the object in the image;
determining the compensation distance for capturing the image of the object in the zoom mode based on the first depth information, the first angle information, and the second angle information, wherein the compensation distance is defined as a difference in distance between the object in the non-zoom mode and the object in the zoom mode; and
generating an image based on the compensated distance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is not moved physically when switching from the non-zoom mode to the zoom mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera comprises a still camera or a video camera.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is associated with a preview stream.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is part of at least one of a mobile phone, a tablet computing device, a notebook computing device, a watch, or a wearable or portable device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein in the zoom-out mode, the method further comprises cropping an image sensor associated with the camera.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera does not comprise a zoom lens.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera comprises an array camera, a time-of-flight camera, a stereo camera, or a lightfield camera.

9. A system for determining a compensation distance for capturing an image in a zoom mode using a camera, the system comprising:
a memory;
a processor;
a module stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and configured to:
determine the camera is in a non-zoom mode;
receive first depth information associated with an object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode, wherein the first depth information is defined as a first distance from the camera to the object;
receive first angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode, wherein the first angle information is defined as a first field of view angle provided for in the non-zoom mode;
switch from the non-zoom mode to a zoom mode, wherein the zoom mode comprises a zoom-in mode and zoom-out mode;
receive second angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the zoom mode, wherein the second angle information is defined as a second field of view angle provided for in the zoom mode, wherein in the zoom-in mode the second angle information is associated with at least one pixel located outside a border of a frame associated with the image and in the zoom-out mode that second angle information is associated with at least one pixel located behind the object in the image;
determine the compensation distance for capturing the image of the object in the zoom mode based on the first depth information, the first angle information, and the second angle information, wherein the compensation distance is defined as a difference in distance between the object in the non-zoom mode and the object in the zoom mode; and
generate an image based on the compensated distance.

10. A computer program product for determining a compensation distance for capturing an image in a zoom mode using a camera, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code configured to:
determine the camera is in a non-zoom mode;
receive first depth information associated with an object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode, wherein the first depth information is defined as a first distance from the camera to the object;
receive first angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the non-zoom mode, wherein the first angle information is defined as a first field of view angle provided for in the non-zoom mode;
switch from the non-zoom mode to a zoom mode, wherein the zoom mode comprises a zoom-in mode and zoom-out mode;
receive second angle information associated with the object in the image when the camera is in the zoom mode, wherein the second angle information is defined as a second field of view angle provided for in the zoom mode, wherein in the zoom-in mode the second angle information is associated with at least one pixel located outside a border of a frame associated with the image and in the zoom-out mode that second angle information is associated with at least one pixel located behind the object in the image;
determine the compensation distance for capturing the image of the object in the zoom mode based on the first depth information, the first angle information, and the second angle information, wherein the compensation distance is defined as a difference in distance between the object in the non-zoom mode and the object in the zoom mode; and
generate an image based on the compensated distance.

Assignees

• Sony Corp
• Sony Mobile Communications Inc

Inventors

• Gustavsson Jonas
• Linåker Daniel
• Elg Johannes
• Mattisson Fredrik

Classifications

• H04N23/69 Primary

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• H04N23/667

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

• H04N5/222 Primary

  Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment (cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00) · CPC title

• H04N5/23245

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/23296 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic