IP Library Granted Patent US 11,508,033
Granted Patent B2
US 11,508,033 · App. 16/735,334 · Granted Nov 22, 2022

Display-covered camera

Inventors: John Weldon Nicholson (Cary, NC); Howard Locker (Cary, NC); Daryl Cromer (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G06T3/4038G03B7/09977G06T11/60G03B2205/0053H04M1/0264
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,508,033
App. No.
16/735,334
Granted
Nov 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at an information handling device having a display, an indication to capture an image of a scene using a camera sensor positioned underneath the display; capturing, responsive to the receiving, a plurality of partial images of the scene, wherein the capturing comprises adjusting, using an adjustment mechanism, a physical position of the camera sensor after each of the plurality of partial images of the scene are captured; and stitching, subsequent to the capturing, the plurality of partial images together to form the image of the scene. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims (40)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an information handling device having a display, an indication to capture an image of a scene using a camera sensor positioned underneath the display;

capturing, responsive to the receiving, a plurality of partial images of the scene, wherein the capturing comprises adjusting, using an adjustment mechanism, a physical position of the camera sensor after each of the plurality of partial images of the scene are captured; and

stitching, subsequent to the capturing, the plurality of partial images together to form the image of the scene.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display comprises:

a grid of pixels, each of the pixels in the grid being composed of another grid of subpixel color elements;

wherein each subpixel color element in the another grid is separated from other subpixel color elements by a transparent portion.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the camera sensor comprises:

a plurality of columned groups of camera sensor pixels;

wherein the camera sensor pixels are smaller than the subpixel color elements;

wherein at least one columned group of camera sensor pixels in the plurality of columned groups is situated at least partially in the transparent portion at any physical position of the camera sensor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the adjusting the physical position of the camera sensor correspondingly changes which of the at least one columned groups of camera sensor pixels is situated in the transparent portion.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one columned group of camera sensor pixels situated in the transparent portion is different for each partial image of the plurality of partial images of the scene.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the stitching comprises combining, from each of the plurality of partial images, image data obtained from the at least one columned group of camera sensor pixels situated in the transparent portion.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting the physical position of the camera sensor a predetermined number of times.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises translating the physical position of the camera sensor.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting comprises rotating the physical position of the camera sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the physical position of the camera sensor back to an original physical position subsequent to the stitching.

11. An information handling device, comprising:

a display;

a camera sensor positioned underneath the display;

an adjustment mechanism operatively coupled to the camera sensor;

a processor;

a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

receive an indication to capture an image of a scene using the camera sensor;

capture, responsive to the receiving, a plurality of partial images of the scene, wherein the capturing comprises adjusting, using the adjustment mechanism, a physical position of the camera sensor after each of the plurality of partial images of the scene are captured; and

stitch, subsequent to the capturing, the plurality of partial images together to form the image of the scene.

12. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the display comprises:

a grid of pixels, each of the pixels in the grid being composed of another grid of subpixel color elements;

wherein each subpixel color element in the another grid is separated from other subpixel color elements by a transparent portion.

13. The information handling device of claim 12 , wherein the camera sensor comprises:

a plurality of columned groups of camera sensor pixels;

wherein the camera sensor pixels are smaller than the subpixel color elements;

wherein at least one columned group of camera sensor pixels in the plurality of columned groups is situated at least partially in the transparent portion at any physical position of the camera sensor.

14. The information handling device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to adjust the physical position of the camera sensor correspondingly change which of the at least one columned groups of camera sensor pixels are situated in the transparent portion.

15. The information handling device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one columned group of camera sensor pixels situated in the transparent portion is different for each partial image of the plurality of partial images of the scene.

16. The information handling device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to stitch comprise instructions executable by the processor to combine, from each of the plurality of partial images, image data obtained from the at least one columned group of camera sensor pixels situated in the transparent portion.

17. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to adjust comprise instructions executable by the processor to translate the physical position of the camera sensor.

18. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to adjust comprise instructions executable by the processor to rotate the physical position of the camera sensor.

19. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to adjust the physical position of the camera sensor back to an original physical position subsequent to the stitching.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070269/0019 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2020
From: NICHOLSON, JOHN WELDON; LOCKER, HOWARD; CROMER, DARYL
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 051428/0148 →