Methods and devices for generating a stereoscopic image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9743067-B2
Application number	US-201514837081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Oct 5, 2012
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Methods and devices for generating a stereoscopic image are described. In one aspect, the electronic device includes a main body and a support rotatably coupled with the main body about an axis of rotation. The support is rotatable between a plurality of positions including a first position and a second position. The electronic device also includes a first camera module for generating first camera data and a second camera module for generating second camera data. The second camera module is positioned in spaced relation to the first camera module and coupled to the support away from the axis of rotation. The electronic device further includes a controller coupled with the first camera module and the second camera module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a main body;
a support rotatably coupled with the main body, the support rotatable about an axis of rotation between a plurality of positions;
a first camera module for generating first camera data, the first camera module being mounted on the support;
a second camera module for generating second camera data, the second camera module positioned in spaced relation to the first camera module, the second camera module mounted on the support away from the axis of rotation;
an electric motor configured to rotate the support; and
a controller coupled with the electric motor, the controller configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the support to horizontally align the first camera module and the second camera module before an image is generated.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an orientation sensor coupled to the controller, the orientation sensor generating orientation data based on an orientation of the electronic device, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the support based on the orientation data.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first camera module is mounted on the support away from the axis of rotation.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the support includes a movable connector configured to maintain an electrical connection between the second camera module and a circuit board associated with the main body for the plurality positions of the support.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the support extends between the first camera module and the second camera module and wherein the support maintains the first camera module in a fixed position relative to the second camera module.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first camera module is stationary relative to the main body and is disposed along the axis of rotation.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the image is a stereoscopic image.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first camera module and the second camera module are equidistant from the axis of rotation.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises:
a housing for housing components of the electronic device, the housing having one or more transparent portions for allowing external light to pass to image sensors associated with the first camera module and the second camera module, the transparent portions aligned with a path of rotation of the second camera module.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more transparent portions include an arc-shaped transparent portion aligned with the path of rotation of the second camera module.

11. A method implemented by a controller of an electronic device, the electronic device having:
a main body;
a support rotatably coupled with the main body, the support rotatable about an axis of rotation between a plurality of positions;
a first camera module for generating first camera data, the first camera module being mounted on the support;
a second camera module for generating second camera data, the second camera module positioned in spaced relation to the first camera module, the second camera module mounted on the support away from the axis of rotation;
an electric motor configured to rotate the support; and
an orientation sensor,

the method comprising:
obtaining orientation data from the orientation sensor; and
rotating the support based on the orientation data to horizontally align the first camera module and the second camera module.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the electronic device has at least two operating modes including a camera operating mode, and wherein said rotation is performed when the camera operating mode is active but is not performed when another operating mode is active.

13. A camera assembly comprising:
an electric motor;
a support coupled with the electric motor at an axis of rotation, the support rotatable between a plurality of positions;
a first camera module for generating first camera data, the first camera module being mounted on the support; and
a second camera module for generating second camera data, the second camera module positioned in spaced relation to the first camera module, the second camera module coupled to the support away from the axis of rotation; and
a controller coupled with the electric motor, the controller configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the support to horizontally align the first camera module and the second camera module before an image is generated.

14. The camera assembly of claim 13 , further comprising:
an orientation sensor coupled to the controller, the orientation sensor generating orientation data based on an orientation of the camera assembly, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the electric motor to rotate the support based on the orientation data.

15. The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first camera module is mounted on the support away from the axis of rotation.

16. The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the support includes a movable connector configured to maintain an electrical connection between the second camera module and a circuit board for the plurality of positions of the support.

17. The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the support extends between the first camera module and the second camera module and wherein the support maintains the first camera module in a fixed position relative to the second camera module.

18. The camera assembly of claim 13 , wherein the first camera module is stationary relative to the main body and is disposed along the axis of rotation.

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Geris Ryan Alexander
• Bhullar Amandeep Singh
• Baker William Keith

Classifications

• H04N13/0296

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N13/0242

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N13/0239 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N2213/001

  Constructional or mechanical details · CPC title

• H04N13/239 Primary

  using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence) · CPC title