IP Library Granted Patent US 10,165,199
Granted Patent B2
US 10,165,199 · App. 15/254,515 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Image capturing apparatus for photographing object according to 3D virtual object

Inventors: Xu Zhang (Beijing, CN); Gengyu Ma (Beijing, CN); Hui Zhang (Beijing, CN); Ya Lu (Beijing, CN); Su-jung Bae (Yongin-si, KR); Moon-sik Jeong (Seongnam-si, KR); Hyeon-hee Cha (Suwon-si, KR); Minhyo Jung (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H04N5/265G06K9/00912G06T19/20H04N5/23222H04N5/332G06T2200/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,165,199
App. No.
15/254,515
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method are provided. The image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit configured to capture an image; and a controller connected to the image capturing unit, wherein the controller is configured to obtain a background image with depth information, position a three-dimensional (3D) virtual image representing a target object in the background image based on the depth information, and control the image capturing unit to capture the target object based on a difference between the target object viewed from the image capturing apparatus and the 3D virtual image in the background image.

Claims (54)

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

an image capturing unit for capturing an image, the image capturing unit including an image sensor; and

a controller connected to the image capturing unit,

wherein the controller is configured to:

obtain a background image with depth information,

position a three-dimensional (3D) virtual image in the background image based on the depth information, the 3D virtual image being used in identifying a 3D space position and/or a 3D posture of a target object to be photographed,

determine a difference between the 3D virtual image in the background image and the target object in a live preview image of the image capturing unit while the image capturing unit is positioned to capture a scene corresponding to the background image, and

control the image capturing unit to photograph the target object automatically when the difference becomes less than a predetermined threshold.

2. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to determine at least one of a 3D virtual space position and a 3D posture of the 3D virtual image.

3. The image capturing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein

the controller is further configured to determine a photograph accessory and configure at least one of a 3D space position and a 3D posture of the photograph accessory in the background image.

4. The image capturing apparatus of claim 3 ,

wherein the controller is further configured to position the 3D virtual image based on the photograph accessory of the 3D virtual image in the background image, and

wherein a relation between the 3D virtual image and the photograph accessory of the 3D virtual image is predetermined in a pre-configured photographing scene template.

5. The image capturing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein

the controller is further configured to configure the 3D posture of the 3D virtual image based on a 3D space position of at least one joint point of the 3D virtual image.

6. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to output a capturing guidance indicating the difference through at least one of the image capturing apparatus and a wearable device worn by the target object based on the determined difference.

7. The image capturing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein

the controller is further configured to detect the target object based on at least one of a 3D posture of the 3D virtual image, 3D space position information that indicates a 3D space position and is provided by the wearable device, and a reference object selected by a user for target object tracking.

8. The image capturing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein

the difference comprises at least one of a 3D space position difference and a 3D posture difference between the target object and the 3D virtual image.

9. The image capturing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein

the controller is further configured to determine the 3D posture difference by comparing a 3D space position of at least one joint point of the target object with a 3D space position of at least one corresponding joint point of the 3D virtual image.

10. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to detect a posture of the target object, determine whether the posture of the target object is consistent with a focusing posture, and control the image capturing unit to focus on and photograph the target object when the detected posture of the target object is consistent with the focusing posture.

11. The image capturing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein

the focusing posture comprises at least one of a pre-configured posture representing a target posture corresponding to a 3D posture of the 3D virtual image and a posture stored in a pre-configured photographing posture database.

12. The image capturing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein

the controller is further configured to determine an anticipating posture that is different from a target posture, and control the image capturing unit to automatically focus on and photograph the target object when it is detected that the target object is in the anticipating posture.

13. The image capturing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein

the controller is further configured to control the image capturing unit to automatically focus on and continuously photograph the target object when the target object is continuously consistent with the 3D virtual image in the background image during a preset time period.

14. The image capturing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the target object comprises multiple objects, and

the controller is further configured to remove an object inconsistent with the 3D virtual image before or after the target object is focused on and photographed.

15. A method for an image capturing apparatus to capture an image, the method comprising:

obtaining a background image with depth information;

positioning a three-dimensional (3D) virtual image in the background image based on the depth information, the 3D virtual image being used in identifying a 3D space position and/or a 3D posture of a target object to be photographed;

determining a difference between the 3D virtual image in the background image and the target object in a live preview image of the image capturing apparatus while the image capturing apparatus is positioned to capture a scene corresponding to the background image; and

photographing the target object automatically when the difference becomes less than a predetermined threshold.

16. The image capturing method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining at least one of a 3D virtual space position and a 3D posture of the 3D virtual image.

17. The image capturing method of claim 15 , further comprising:

outputting a capturing guidance through at least one of the image capturing apparatus and a wearable device worn by the target object based on the determined difference.

18. The image capturing method of claim 15 , further comprising:

detecting a posture of the target object;

determining whether the posture of the target object is consistent with a focusing posture; and

focusing on and photographing the target object when the detected posture of the target object is consistent with the focusing posture,

wherein the focusing posture comprises at least one of a pre-configured posture representing a target posture corresponding to a 3D posture of the 3D virtual image and a posture stored in a pre-configured photographing posture database.

19. The image capturing method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining an anticipating posture that is different from a target posture; and

automatically focusing on and photographing the target object when it is detected that the target object is in the anticipating posture.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for performing the image capturing method of claim 15 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2016
From: ZHANG, XU; MA, GENGYU; ZHANG, HUI; LU, YA; BAE, SU-JUNG; JEONG, MOON-SIK; CHA, HYEON-HEE; JUNG, MINHYO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 039616/0263 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 2015 1 0552980 · Sep 1, 2015 · national
KR 10-2016-0062168 · May 20, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170064214A1 · Mar 2, 2017