Focus control for a plurality of cameras in a smartphone
Methods and apparatus to create and display screen stereoscopic and panoramic images are disclosed. Methods and apparatus are provided to generate multiple images that are combined into a stereoscopic or a panoramic image. An image may be a static image. It may also be a video image. A controller provides correct camera settings for different conditions. A focus sensor is included and determines a focus setting of one lens/sensor unit having a plurality of focus settings. Focus settings of other lens/sensor units are associated with the focus settings determined for the one lens/sensor unit. A focus mechanism controlled by the controller sets the focus settings of the plurality of lens/sensor units based on the focus setting of the one lens/sensor unit determined by the focus sensor.
1. A mobile and portable computing device to focus lenses on a scene, comprising: a plurality of cameras of at least three cameras on a same side of the mobile and portable computing device, each camera in the plurality of cameras having a lens and an image sensor, the plurality of cameras being included in a housing of the mobile and portable computing device, each camera being fixed in the housing; a focus sensor that determines during a calibration a first focus setting in a plurality of focus settings of a lens of a first camera in the plurality of cameras, the first focus setting depending on a distance of the housing to the scene; a memory that stores a first focus setting of a lens of a second camera based on the first focus setting of the lens of the first camera; the memory stores a plurality of focus settings of the lens of the second camera and of the third camera, each of the plurality of focus settings of the lens of the second camera and of the lens of the third camera being associated in the memory with a focus position of the lens of the first camera; and an auto-focus mechanism controlled by a controller enabled to place the lens of the first camera in the first focus position related to a scene based on an output of the focus sensor, the controller enabled to retrieve the first focus setting of the lens of the second camera and of the lens of the third camera from the memory and to place the lens of the second camera and the lens of the third camera in a first focus position based on the first focus setting of the lens of the first camera.
2. The mobile and portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cameras generates a video image.
3. The mobile and portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cameras generates a panoramic image.
4. The mobile and portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile and portable computing device is a cellular phone.
5. The mobile and portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile and portable computing device is a smartphone.
6. The mobile and portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile and portable computing device is a tablet computer.
7. A method for lens focusing on a scene in a plurality of cameras,
each camera in the plurality of cameras including a lens and an image sensor, comprising:
determining during a calibration with a focus sensor a first focus setting in a plurality of focus settings of the lens of a first camera in the plurality of cameras including at least three cameras, the plurality of cameras being fixed on a same side of a housing of a portable and mobile computing device, the first focus setting depending on a distance of the housing to the scene;
storing on a memory a first focus setting of the lens of a second camera and a third camera in the housing based on the first focus setting of the lens of the first camera determined by the focus sensor;
storing on the memory a plurality of focus settings of the lens of the second camera and the third camera, each of the plurality of focus settings of the lens of the second camera and the lens of the third camera being associated in the memory with a focus setting of the lens of the first camera; and
placing by an auto-focus mechanism controlled by a controller the lens of the first camera in a first focus position related to a scene based on an output of the focus sensor, the controller enabled to retrieve the first focus setting of the lens of the second camera and the lens of the third camera from the memory and placing the lens of the second camera and the lens of the third camera in a first focus position based on the retrieved first focus setting of the lens of the first camera.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the portable and mobile computing device has at least four cameras on the same side of the housing.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of cameras generates a video image.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of cameras generates a panoramic image.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile and portable computing device is a smartphone.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile and portable computing device is a tablet computer.
13. The mobile and portable computing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
the memory stores additional data associated with the first focus setting of the lens of the first camera, the additional data determines an active sensor area of the image sensors of the first and the second camera, the active areas being smaller than a total pixel area of the image sensors and image data generated by the active areas of the first and second cameras establishing an aligned image.
14. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
storing in the memory additional data associated with the first focus setting of the lens of the first camera, the additional data determines an active sensor area of the image sensors of the first and the second camera, the active areas being smaller than a total pixel area of the image sensors and image data generated by the active areas of the first and second cameras establishing an aligned image.