IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,094,129
Granted Patent B2
US 12,094,129 · App. 17/144,488 · Granted Sep 17, 2024

Electronic apparatus and controlling method thereof

Inventors: Jaeha Lee (Suwon-si, KR); Taehyeong Kim (Suwon-si, KR); Hyunjung Nam (Suwon-si, KR); Jaebum Park (Suwon-si, KR); Joonah Park (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G06T7/248G01S17/08G01S17/89G06V10/811G06V20/10G06V40/103H04N23/695
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,094,129
App. No.
17/144,488
Granted
Sep 17, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus includes a camera, a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) sensor, and a processor configured to track an object based on a plurality of images photographed by the camera sequentially, wherein, to track the object based on the plurality of images, the processor is configured to, based on the object being identified in a first image from among a plurality of images and subsequently, not being identified in a second image after the first image, control a photographing direction of the camera based on scanning information obtained by the LiDAR sensor.

Claims (61)

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a camera;

a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) sensor;

memory storing one or more computer programs; and

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the camera, the LiDAR sensor, and the memory,

wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to track an object based on a plurality of images photographed by the camera sequentially and LiDAR scan information obtained by the LiDAR sensor,

wherein the LiDAR scan information comprises a corresponding location of the object,

wherein, to track the object, the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to:

identify the object in a first image from among the plurality of images,

determine that the object is not identified in a second image from among the plurality of images,

transition the LiDAR sensor from an off state to an on state,

obtain the LiDAR scan information from the LiDAR sensor, and

control a photographing direction of the camera based on a first location of the object from the first image and a second location of the object from the LiDAR scan information corresponding to the second image, and

wherein, to track the object, the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to:

change a range of an area of the LiDAR scan information for identifying the object based on whether information regarding the object is stored in the memory.

2. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a driving unit configured to control the photographing direction of the camera,

wherein, to control the photographing direction of the camera, the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to control the driving unit to change the photographing direction of the camera from the first location of the object to the second location of the object.

3. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to:

identify at least one object based on the LiDAR scan information,

identify a second object corresponding to location information of a matched object stored in the memory from among the at least one object, and

control the driving unit to change a photographing direction of the camera based on the second object corresponding to the location information of the matched object stored in the memory.

4. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to, based on a plurality of objects being identified based on the LiDAR scan information:

identify an object most adjacent to the matched object stored in the memory from among the plurality of objects based on the location information of the matched object stored in the memory, and

control the driving unit to change a photographing direction of the camera based on the most adjacent object.

5. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to, based on the object being identified in a third image obtained by the camera after the photographing direction of the camera is changed, terminate control of the driving unit.

6. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to obtain location information of a matched object stored in the memory based on the identified object.

7. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to:

based on a plurality of objects being identified from the LiDAR scan information, identify one of the plurality of objects based on a photographing direction of the camera.

8. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a case where the object is not identified in the second image includes a case where the object is not identified in an image photographed by the camera based on at least one of a motion of the object, a motion of the electronic apparatus or a quality of the image photographed by the camera.

9. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the LiDAR scan information obtained by the LiDAR sensor is information obtained by scanning a direction of 180° or 360° with reference to the electronic apparatus.

10. A method performed by an electronic apparatus, the method comprising:

tracking an object based on a plurality of images photographed by a camera of the electronic apparatus sequentially and LiDAR scan information obtained by a LiDAR sensor; and

wherein the LiDAR scan information comprises a corresponding location of the object, and

wherein the tracking of the object comprises:

identifying the object in a first image from among the plurality of images;

determining that the object is not identified in a second image from among the plurality of images;

transitioning the LiDAR sensor from an off state to an on state;

obtaining the LiDAR scan information from the LiDAR sensor;

changing a range of an area of the LiDAR scan information for identifying the object based on whether information regarding the object is stored in a memory of the electronic apparatus; and

controlling a photographing direction of the camera based on a first location of the object from the first image and a second location from the object from the LiDAR scan information corresponding to the second image.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controlling of the photographing direction of the camera comprises:

identifying at least one object based on the LiDAR scan information;

identifying a second object corresponding to location information of a matched object stored in the memory of the electronic apparatus from among the at least one object; and

changing a photographing direction of the camera based on the second object corresponding to the location information of the matched object stored in the memory.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 ,

wherein the identifying of the second object corresponding to location information of a matched object stored in the memory comprises, based on a plurality of objects being identified based on the LiDAR scan information, identifying an object most adjacent to the matched object stored in the memory from among the plurality of objects based on the location information of the matched object stored in the memory; and

wherein the changing of the photographing direction of the camera comprises changing a photographing direction of the camera based on the most adjacent object.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising:

based on the object being identified in a third image obtained by the camera after the photographing direction of the camera is changed, terminating control of the photographing direction of the camera.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:

obtaining location information of a matched object based on the identified object.

15. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controlling of the photographing direction of the camera comprises:

based on a plurality of objects being identified from the LiDAR scan information, identifying one of the plurality of objects based on a photographing direction of the camera.

16. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to:

identify another object in the second image,

compare the object in the first image and the other object in the second image, and

determine that the object in the first image is not identified in the second image after the first image based on the comparison.

17. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic apparatus to:

assign a weight to the other object based on the second image and on the LiDAR scan information, and

control the photographing direction of the camera based on the assigned weight to the other object.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2021
From: LEE, JAEHA; KIM, TAEHYEONG; NAM, HYUNJUNG; PARK, JAEBUM; PARK, JOONAH
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054859/0542 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2020-0013563 · Feb 5, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210241467A1 · Aug 5, 2021