Patent Publication Number: US-2011050928-A1

Title: Selection system and method for camera

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a selection system and a selection method for cameras. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Conventional media players cannot customize the display of media in response to input, such as different visual angles. Many commonly used media players are non-interactive, thus reducing the level of user satisfaction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a selection system including a storage system. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of the storage system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3A-3C  are schematic diagrams of an electronic device in three states. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of images captured by a camera according to the electronic device in  FIGS. 3A-3C , respectively. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of the images displayed by the electronic device in  FIGS. 3A-3C , respectively. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic block diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of a selection system including a storage system. 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram of the storage system of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart of a first embodiment of a selection method. 
         FIG. 9  is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a selection method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of a selection system  1  includes a G-sensor  10 , a storage system  12 , a processing unit  15 , a network unit  16 , and a plurality of cameras  20 . The selection system  1  is operable to select one of the cameras  20  according to the state of an electronic device  100 . The electronic device  100  displays images captured by the selected camera  20 . 
     The G-sensor  10  is mounted on the electronic device  100  and detects motion of the device. 
     The plurality of cameras  20  forms an array camera system. In the array camera system, the plurality of cameras  20  is arranged in circularity, or on a curved surface. The plurality of cameras  20  align with or opposite to an object to be monitored. The array camera system shoots the object from multi-angles at a same time to obtain composite images, or shoots environment around the object from multi-angles at a same time to obtain composite images. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the storage system  12  includes an angle processing module  120 , a control module  122 , and a selection module  125 . The angle processing module  120 , the control module  122 , and the selection module  125  may include one or more computerized instructions and are executed by the processing unit  15 . 
     The angle processing module  120  receives input from the G-sensor  10  and obtains an angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to a datum plane. It can be understood that the angle processing module  120  calculates and compares voltages of the G-sensor  10  corresponding to the position of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane to obtain the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A-3C , an angle of 135° is between the electronic device  100  in a first state and a datum plane YOZ shown in  FIG. 3A . An angle of 0° is between the electronic device  100  in a second state and the datum plane YOZ shown in  FIG. 3B . An angle of 45° is between the electronic device  100  in a third state and the datum plane YOZ shown in  FIG. 3C . 
     The control module  122  receives the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane from the angle processing module  120 , and outputs an angle control signal correspondingly. For example, if the angle between the electronic device  100  in the first state and the datum plane YOZ is 135°, the control module  122  outputs a first angle control signal. If the angle between the electronic device  100  in the second state and the datum plane YOZ is 0°, the control module  122  outputs a second angle control signal. If the angle between the electronic device  100  in the third state and the datum plane YOZ is 45°, the control module  122  outputs a third angle control signal. 
     The selection module  125  selects one of the plurality of cameras  20  according to the angle control signal. For example, if the control module  122  outputs the third angle control signal, the selection module  125  selects the camera  20   c . The camera  20   c  captures the image M 3 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 4 , the camera  20   a  captures the image M 1 , and the camera  20   b  captures the image M 2 . 
     The selection module  125  also transmits the images captured by the selected camera  20   a ,  20   b , or  20   c  to the electronic device  100  via the network unit  16 . The electronic device  100  displays the images as shown in  FIG. 5 . It can be understood that the network unit  16  may include communication tools, such as a router, to enable the storage system  12  to communicate with the electronic device  100 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of a selection system  2  includes an accelerometer  11 , a storage system  13 , a processing unit  15 , a network unit  16 , and a plurality of cameras  20 . 
     The accelerometer  11  is mounted on the electronic device  100  and provides measurement of detected changes in acceleration to the storage system  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the storage system  13  includes an angle processing module  126 , a control module  122 , and a selection module  125 . The angle processing module  126  receives input from the accelerometer  11  to obtain an angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to a datum plane. The control module  122  receives the measured angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane from the angle processing module  126 , and outputs an angle control signal correspondingly. In a similar way, the selection system  2  selects one of the cameras  20  correspondingly. 
     In other embodiments, the datum plane may be another plane or multi-planes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a first exemplary embodiment of a selection method includes the following steps. 
     In step S 1 , the G-sensor  10  measures changes in the position of the electronic device  100 . 
     In step S 2 , the angle processing module  120  receives the measurement results from the G-sensor  10  and obtains the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane. It can be understood that the angle processing module  120  calculates and compares measurement from the G-sensor  10  corresponding to the position of the mobile phone  100  relative to the datum plane to obtain the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3A , the angle between the electronic device  100  in the first state and the datum plane YOZ is 135°. As shown in  FIG. 3B , the angle between the electronic device  100  in the second state and the datum plane YOZ is 0°. As shown in  FIG. 3C , the angle between the electronic device  100  in the third state and the datum plane YOZ is 45°. 
     In step S 3 , the control module  122  receives the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane from the angle processing module  120 , and outputs an angle control signal correspondingly. 
     In step S 4 , the angle control signal is transmitted to the selection module  125 . 
     In step S 5 , the selection module  125  selects one of the plurality of cameras  20  according to the angle control signal. For example, if the control module  122  outputs the first angle control signal, the selection module  125  selects the camera  20   a . The camera  20   a  captures the image M 1  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In step S 6 , the image M 1  captured by the camera  20   a  is transmitted to the electronic device  100  via the network unit  16 . The electronic device  100  displays the image M 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a second exemplary embodiment of a selection method includes the following steps. 
     In step S 11 , the accelerometer  11  detects changes in the acceleration of the electronic device  100 , and converts the detected changes to measurement results. 
     In step S 12 , the angle processing module  126  receives the measurement results from the accelerometer  11  and obtains the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane. It can be understood that the angle processing module  126  calculates and compares voltages of the accelerometer  11  when the electronic device  100  is parallel with the datum plane and when the electronic device  100  is angled relative to the datum plane, to obtain the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane. 
     In step S 13 , the control module  122  receives the angle of inclination of the electronic device  100  relative to the datum plane from the angle processing module  125 , and outputs an angle control signal correspondingly. 
     In step S 14 , the angle control signal is transmitted to the selection module  125 . 
     In step S 15 , the selection module  125  selects one of the plurality of cameras  20  according to the angle control signal. 
     In step S 16 , the image captured by one of the plurality of cameras  20  is transmitted to the electronic device  100  via the network unit  16 . The electronic device  100  displays the image. 
     The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above everything. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skills in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.