Method, apparatus and system for performing a zoom operation

1. A method of performing a zoom operation on a camera, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

determining a camera motion direction which is relatively towards one of the plurality of regions of interest;

selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction; and

initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

determining a speed of motion of the camera;

determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and a distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

the zooming operation being performed using the determined zoom speed.

3. A method of performing a zoom operation on a camera, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

determining a camera motion direction;

determining a speed of motion of the camera;

selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction;

determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and the distance from a current image frame to the target image frame; and

initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a zoom speed to the target region of interest is determined using a smoothing function.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the set of regions of interest is determined using a saliency map.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the set of regions of interest is determined using face detection.

7. The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

detecting a trigger for altering a zoom level;

performing a zoom-out operation if necessary; and

determining one or more further regions of interest.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein a trigger is based on no region of interest being detected.

9. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the selected target region of interest is in a vicinity of a pre-set location received by the camera.

10. A system for performing a zoom operation on a camera, the system comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program;

a processor coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for:

determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

determining camera motion direction which is relatively towards one of the plurality of regions of interest;

selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction; and

initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

11. A system for performing a zoom operation on a camera, the system comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program;

a processor coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for:

determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

determining a camera motion direction towards one of the regions of interest;

determining a speed of motion of the camera;

selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction;

determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and the distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

12. An apparatus for performing a zoom operation on a camera, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

means for determining camera motion direction which is relatively towards one of the plurality of regions of interest;

means for selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction; and

means for initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

13. An apparatus for performing a zoom operation on a camera, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

means for determining a camera motion direction;

means for determining a speed of motion of the camera;

means for selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction;

means for determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and the distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

means for initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being configured for performing a zoom operation on a camera, the program comprising:

code for determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

code for determining camera motion direction which is relatively towards one of the plurality of regions of interest;

code for selecting a target region of interest from the determined plurality of regions of interest based on the determined camera motion direction; and

code for initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being configured for performing a zoom operation on a camera, the program comprising:

code for determining a plurality of regions of interest within a captured image of a scene;

code for determining a camera motion direction towards one of the regions of interest;

code for determining a speed of motion of the camera;

code for selecting a target region of interest based on the determined camera motion direction;

code for determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and the distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

code for initiating the zoom operation for the selected target region of interest in response to the camera motion before the target region of interest occupies a center area of a new image captured by the camera.

16. The system according to claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

determining a speed of motion of the camera;

determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and a distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

the zooming operation being performed using the determined zoom speed.

17. The apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising:

means for determining a speed of motion of the camera;

means for determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and a distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

means for the zooming operation being performed using the determined zoom speed.

18. The medium according to claim 14 , further comprising:

code for determining a speed of motion of the camera;

code for determining a zoom speed based on the speed of camera motion and a distance from a current image frame to the target region of interest; and

code for determining the zooming operation being performed using the determined zoom speed.