Qualcomm Incorporated

Liang Liang

Ruben Manuel Velarde

Szepo Robert Hung

Bob R Hung

Gokce Dane

Ying Noyes

Thomas Wesley Osborne

Haiyin Wang

Kalin Mitkov Atanassov

Hengzhou Ding

Ying Chen Lou

Leung Chun Chan

Sanket Krishnamurthy Sagar

Edward G Atrero

Thomas W Osborne

Ying X Noyes

An apparatus includes an initializer configured to adjust one or more settings of a camera prior to initialization of the camera. The one or more settings are adjusted based on an indication of motion detected using at least one measurement performed by a sensor device. The apparatus further includes a processing device configured to execute a camera application to initialize the camera after adjustment of the one or more settings.

Sensor-based camera initialization

This disclosure describes techniques for improving functionalities of a video encoder, using parameters detected and estimated by a front-end video capture device. The techniques may involve estimating a blurriness level associated with frames captured during a refocusing process. Based on the estimated blurriness level, the quantization parameter (QP) used to encode blurry frames is adjusted either in the video capture device or in the video encoder. The video encoder uses the adjusted QP to encode the blurry frames. The video encoder also uses the blurriness level estimate to adjust encoding algorithms by simplifying motion estimation and compensation in the blurry frames.

Control of video encoding based on one or more video capture parameters

This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for decoding data. In one aspect, the method comprises decoding encoded video data to obtain decoded video frame data, the encoded video data comprising encoded video frame data encoded at a first frame rate and embedded data. The method further comprises determining a camera parameter from the embedded data and up-converting the decoded video frame data to a second frame rate based on the camera parameter. The determined camera parameter may be, for example, a parameter associated with one or more of a zoom factor, an auto focus status, lens position information, frame luma information, an auto exposure (AE) convergence status, an automatic white balance (AWB) convergence status, global motion information, and frame blurriness information, and the like. An encoding device may embed the camera parameter(s) in an encoded video bit stream for a decoder to utilize during frame rate up-conversion.

Camera parameter-assisted video frame rate up conversion

Described are a system, apparatus, and method to capture a stereoscopic image pair using an imaging device with a single imaging sensor. Particularly, discussed are systems and methods for capturing a first and second image through an image sensor, determining a vertical and horizontal disparity between the two images, and applying corrections for geometric distortion, vertical disparity, and convergence between the two images. Some embodiments contemplate displaying a directional indicator before the second image of the stereoscopic image pair is captured. By displaying a directional indicator, a more optimal position for the second image of the stereoscopic image pair may be found, resulting in a higher quality stereoscopic image pair.

Systems and methods to capture a stereoscopic image pair

This disclosure describes techniques for obtaining one or more video capture parameters associated with a video capture device and using the obtained video capture parameters to control a video decoding process. The obtained video capture parameters may be, for example, parameters associated with auto exposure control (AE), auto focus (AF), and auto white balance (AWB), zooming, motion in captured frames, and the like. The video encoding device may embed the video capture parameters in the encoded video bit stream such that a decoder may utilize the camera parameters during frame rate up-conversion.

Systems and methods to improve the white balance of a high dynamic range image are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, an imaging device includes a camera sensor and a processor, the processor configured to capture a lighter image and a darker image of a scene. The processor is then configured to white balance the lighter image based on the lighter regions of the image, and to white balance the darker image based on the darker regions of the image. The two images can then be combined to produce a final image.

White balance optimization with high dynamic range images

This disclosure describes techniques for improving functionalities of a back-end device, e.g., a video encoder, using parameters detected by a front-end device, e.g., a video camera. The techniques may involve detecting a scene change in a captured frame, based on one or more parameters of auto exposure (AE), auto white balance (AWB), and auto focus (AF) functions. If a scene change is detected in a captured frame, a video processing device, which may be a stand-alone device, or may be integrated into one of the front-end or back-end devices, provides an indication of the scene change. The video encoder interprets the signal as a trigger to encode the frame indicated as the frame where a scene change occurred as a reference I frame.

Camera parameter-assisted video encoding

An example image capture device determines a region of interest using a first image captured while a light source is powered off and a second image captured while a light source is powered on and uses the region of interest to automatically set configurations. In one example, an image capture device includes a controlled light source, an image sensor configured to capture images, and a processing unit configured to cause the image sensor to capture a first image of a scene while the controlled light source is powered off, cause the image sensor to capture a second image of the scene while the controlled light source is powered on, calculate luminance differences between a plurality of regions in the first image and a plurality of collocated regions in the second image, and determine that a region of interest includes those regions for which the luminance differences exceed a threshold.

Region of interest extraction

A method for adjusting parameters in a video capture device using motion information is disclosed. Motion information that indicates motion of a video capture device is determined. The motion information is compared to an upper bound and a lower bound. An aggressiveness level that indicates a change in a white balance gain for the video capture device is determined based on the comparison. A new white balance gain for the video capture device is determined based on the aggressiveness level. An exposure convergence holding time is adjusted based on the motion information. An exposure step size is increased based on the motion information. A brightness level of the video capture device is adjusted based on the convergence step size.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Liang Liang