IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,172,867
Granted Patent B2
US 9,172,867 · App. 14/140,077 · Granted Oct 27, 2015

Method for running camera and electronic device thereof

Inventors: Pil-Joo Yoon (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Soo-Ji Hwang (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Jin-Hong Jeong (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Geon-Soo Kim (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Han-Jib Kim (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Kwang-Weon Park (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Jeong-Hyun Pang (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04N5/23219G06T7/408H04N5/23245H04N5/23293H04N5/335H04N5/2258
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,172,867
App. No.
14/140,077
Granted
Oct 27, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method usable by an electronic device executes at least one application operating a first camera and a second camera and determines whether an image acquired by the second camera is shaded by an object obscuring a portion of the acquired second camera image. In response to a determination the acquired second camera image is shaded, the method displays on a preview screen an image acquired by the first camera.

Claims (54)

1. A method usable by an electronic device, comprising:

executing at least one application operating a first camera and a second camera;

determining whether an image acquired by the second camera is shaded by an object obscuring a portion of the acquired second camera image as a result of blocking light reaching a camera lens with an object;

in response to a determination that the acquired second camera image is shaded by the object, determining whether the object is a specific object; and

in response to a determination that the object is the specific object, displaying on a preview screen an image acquired by the first camera.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the image acquired by the second camera is shaded comprises:

identifying luminance brightness color information of individual pixels of the image acquired by the second camera; and

comparing the identified luminance brightness color information of the individual pixels with a previously stored pattern of luminance brightness color information in a previously acquired image.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising determining whether an image acquired by the second camera is shaded by a specific object by, in response to the identified luminance brightness color information of the image having a pattern exhibiting a darkish red color with progression away from a center of the image, determining that the second camera has been shaded by a user hand.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

in response to a determination the identified luminance brightness color information of the image does not indicate a similar pattern as the previously stored pattern, determining that the second camera has not been shaded by the specific object; and

displaying a preview screen showing an image acquired by the second camera.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the specific object comprises a portion of at least one of, a user hand and a cellular phone case.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to a determination the second camera acquires a shaded image, maintaining operation of the second camera and acquiring an input of an image from the second camera.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

analyzing the image input from the second camera and identifying when the second camera acquires a non-shaded image; and

in response to a determination the second camera acquires a non-shaded image subsequent to acquisition of a shaded image, using an image input from the first camera at a changed different time of acquisition.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

analyzing the image input from the second camera and identifying when the second camera image is not shaded by a specific object following acquisition of an image shaded by the specific object;

in response to the second camera changing state from shaded to non-shaded acquisition, initiating acquisition of a video sequence by using the first camera at a selected time;

analyzing an image input from the second camera and identifying when the second camera image is shaded by a specific object following acquisition of a non-shaded image; and

in response to identifying the second camera is acquiring a shaded image following acquisition of a non-shaded image, terminating acquisition of the video sequence.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, analyzing an image input from the second camera and identifying a state transition wherein a second camera image is shaded by a specific object following acquisition of a non-shaded image and in response to identifying the transition, terminating operation of the second camera.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first camera is a camera mounted on a first surface of the electronic device, and the second camera is a camera mounted on a second surface of the electronic device.

11. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors for executing computer programs;

an Input/Output (I/O) unit for performing data input output operations;

at least two cameras for acquiring images and videos;

a memory for storing data and instructions; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executable by the one or more processors,

wherein the one or more programs comprise executable instructions for:

operating a first camera and a second camera,

identifying a state transition by analyzing an image acquired by the second camera to identify whether the image is shaded by a specific object as a result of blocking light reaching a camera lens with the specific object, in response to a determination that the acquired second camera image is shaded by the object, determining whether the object is a specific object, and

in response to a determination that the object is the specific object, displaying on a preview screen an image acquired by the first camera.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the program comprises executable instructions for:

identifying pixel information of an image acquired by the second camera;

identifying luminance brightness color information of individual pixels; and

in response to determining the identified luminance brightness color information comprises a substantially similar pattern as a stored pattern, determining that the second camera has been shaded by the specific object.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more programs comprise executable instructions for, in response to the identified luminance brightness color information of the image having a pattern exhibiting a progressively darker red color with distance away from a center of the image, determining that the second camera has been shaded by a user hand.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more programs comprises executable instructions for:

in response to the identified luminance brightness color information of the image having a substantially different pattern from the stored pattern, determining that the second camera has not been shaded by the specific object; and

displaying a preview screen acquired by the second camera.

15. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the specific object comprises at least one of a user hand and a cellular phone case.

16. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs comprise executable instructions for, in response to a determination the second camera acquires a shaded image, maintaining operation of the second camera and acquiring an input of an image from the second camera.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs comprise executable instructions for:

analyzing the image input from the second camera and identifying when the second camera acquires a non-shaded image; and

in response to a determination the second camera acquires a non-shaded image subsequent to acquisition of a shaded image, using an image input from the first camera at a changed different time of acquisition.

18. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs comprise executable instructions for:

analyzing the image input from the second camera and identifying when the second camera image is not shaded by a specific object following acquisition of an image shaded by the specific object;

in response to the second camera changing state from shaded to non-shaded acquisition, initiating acquisition of a video sequence by using the first camera at a selected time;

analyzing an image input from the second camera and identifying when the second camera image is shaded by a specific object following acquisition of a non-shaded image; and

in response to identifying the second camera is acquiring a shaded image following acquisition of a non-shaded image, terminating acquisition of the video sequence.

19. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more programs comprise executable instructions for, analyzing an image input from the second camera and identifying a state transition wherein a second camera image is shaded by a specific object following acquisition of a non-shaded image and in response to identifying the transition, terminating operation of the second camera.

20. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the first camera is a camera mounted on a first surface of the electronic device, and the second camera is a camera mounted on a second surface of the electronic device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2013
From: YOON, PIL-JOO; HWANG, SOO-JI; JEONG, JIN-HONG; KIM, GEON-SOO; KIM, HAN-JIB; PARK, KWANG-WEON; PANG, JEONG-HYUN
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 031845/0342 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2013-0000689 · Jan 3, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140184846A1 · Jul 3, 2014