IP Library Granted Patent US 8,890,938
Granted Patent B2
US 8,890,938 · App. 13/236,930 · Granted Nov 18, 2014

Digital photographing apparatus and method of controlling the same

Inventor: Sung-ki Jin (Suwon-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04N13/0239H04N13/0296H04N13/0246H04N13/0011
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,890,938
App. No.
13/236,930
Granted
Nov 18, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The digital photographing apparatus that generates a 3D image includes a digital signal processing unit that generates the 3D image based on a first image obtained by photographing a predetermined object and a second image sent from another digital photographing apparatus photographing the object.

Claims (42)

1. A digital photographing apparatus that generates a 3D image, the digital photographing apparatus comprising:

a lens that receives an optical signal;

an image sensor that converts the optical signal into an electrical signal;

a digital signal processing unit that generates the 3D image based on a first image obtained by photographing a predetermined object and a second image sent from another digital photographing apparatus photographing the object, wherein the other digital photographing apparatus comprises a second lens and a second image sensor; and

a communication unit that communicates with the other digital photographing apparatus,

wherein the digital signal processing unit comprises a photographing controlling unit that generates a shutter synchronization signal so that the image sensor of the digital photographing apparatus and the second image sensor of the other digital photographing apparatus photograph the object at a same time, and sends the generated shutter synchronization signal to the other digital photographing apparatus via the communication unit.

2. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a shutter of the digital photographing apparatus and a shutter of the other digital photographing apparatus are synchronized with each other.

3. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital signal processing unit comprises:

a photographing position recording unit that records first position information with respect to the first image together with the first image;

an image correction unit that calculates a relative position based on second position information recorded in the second image sent from the other digital photographing apparatus and the first position information and that generates a third image by using the second image and the calculated relative position; and

a 3D image generating unit that generates the 3D image by using the first and third images.

4. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first and second position information each comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude, and a photographing direction corresponding to a point where the digital photographing apparatus and the other digital photographing apparatus photograph the object.

5. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital photographing apparatus further comprises a GPS module, and the shutter synchronization signal is generated by using a universal time coordinate (UTC) of the GPS module.

6. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital photographing apparatus further comprises a communication module that communicates with the other digital photographing apparatus.

7. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital photographing apparatus shares a photographing area for photographing the object with the other digital photographing apparatus.

8. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital photographing apparatus stores the generated 3D image in a 3D image format selected from the group consisting of side-by-side, top-down, frame-by-frame, line-by-line, and checkerboard formats.

9. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the communication module is one of a near field communication module and a wire communication module.

10. A digital photographing apparatus that generates a 3D image, the digital photographing apparatus comprising:

a lens that receives an optical signal;

an image sensor that converts the optical signal into an electrical signal;

a photographing controlling unit that controls a photographing operation with respect to an object, generates a shutter synchronization signal in order for the object to be photographed by the image sensor of the digital photographing apparatus and a second image sensor of another digital photographing apparatus at a same time, and sends the generated shutter synchronization signal to the other digital photographing apparatus, wherein the other digital photographing apparatus comprise a second lens and the second image sensor;

a photographing position recording unit that records first position information of the digital photographing apparatus in a first image obtained by photographing the object;

an image correction unit that calculates a relative position based on second position information recorded in a second image sent from the other digital photographing apparatus and the first position information, and generates a third image by using the calculated relative position and the second image; and

a 3D image generating unit that generates the 3D image by using the first and third images.

11. The digital photographing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first and second position information each comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude, and a photographing direction corresponding to a point where the digital photographing apparatus and the other digital photographing apparatus photograph the object.

12. A method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus, the method comprising:

sending a shutter synchronization signal from a first digital photographing apparatus to a second digital photographing apparatus, wherein the first digital photographing apparatus comprises a first lens and a first image sensor, and the second digital photographing apparatus comprises a second lens and a second image sensor;

synchronizing a shutter of the second digital photographing apparatus with a shutter of the first digital photographing apparatus according to the shutter synchronization signal;

generating a first image by photographing an object by using the first image sensor of the first digital photographing apparatus;

receiving a second image of the object photographed by the second image sensor of the second digital photographing apparatus; and

generating a 3D image based on the first image and the received second image.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

recording position information of the first digital photographing apparatus in the first image;

receiving position information of the second digital photographing apparatus with the second image;

calculating a relative position based on the position information of the first digital photographing apparatus and the received position information of the second digital photographing apparatus;

generating a third image by using the calculated relative position and the received second image; and

generating a 3D image by using the first and third images.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the position information comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a latitude, a longitude, an altitude, and a photographing direction corresponding to a point where the first digital photographing apparatus and the second digital photographing apparatus photograph the object.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising sharing a photographing area for photographing the object with the second digital photographing apparatus.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising storing the generated 3D image in a 3D image format selected from the group consisting of side-by-side, top-down, frame-by-frame, line-by-line, and checkerboard formats.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the shutter synchronization signal is generated by using a UTC of a GPS module of the first or second digital photographing apparatus.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second digital photographing apparatuses communicate with each other by using one of a near field communication module and a wire communication module.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2011
From: JIN, SUNG-KI
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 026933/0869 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2010-0109254 · Nov 4, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120113230A1 · May 10, 2012