PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-11930283-B2
Application Number: US-202117481678-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Camera systems for bendable electronic devices

Abstract:
An electronic device may have a flexible housing formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. Cameras may be mounted on the housing. The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing an exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. The cameras may have respective camera image capture directions. By reorienting the cameras by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device having a first face and an opposing second face, comprising:
 a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion; 
 a display in the housing; 
 a first camera in the first housing portion at the first face and configured to capture a first image along a first camera image capture direction; 
 a second camera in the second housing portion at the second face and configured to capture a second image along a second camera image capture direction; and 
 control circuitry configured to stitch the first and second images together based on the first camera image capture direction and the second camera image capture direction to form a three-dimensional image when the first and second camera image capture directions are directed inwardly. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the first housing portion is configured to rotate relative to the second housing portion between an open state and a closed state. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the first camera image capture direction is opposite the second camera image capture direction in the closed state. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the first camera image capture direction is the same as the second camera image capture direction in the open state. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the housing has a first surface and an opposing second surface in the open state, wherein the first and second cameras receive light through the first surface, and wherein the display is at the second surface of the housing. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  further comprising:
 sensor circuitry configured to detect a difference between the first camera image capture direction and the second camera image capture direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  wherein the control circuitry is configured to dynamically stitch together the first and second images based at least partly on the detected difference as the first and second housing portions are moved relative to each other. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the control circuitry is configured to produce a panorama by stitching together the first and second images and wherein the display is configured to display a preview of the panorama. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing is a flexible housing that is configured to be bent to change the first camera image capture direction and the second camera image capture direction. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising:
 sensor circuitry configured to detect a difference between the first camera image capture direction and the second camera image capture direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein the sensor circuitry comprises a housing bend sensor configured to sense bending in the flexible housing. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the control circuitry is configured to stitch the first and second images together based at least partly on the detected difference between the first camera image capture direction and the second camera image capture direction. 
     
     
       13. An electronic device comprising:
 a housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion that are configured to move relative to one another between an open position and a closed position, wherein the housing has a first surface and an opposing second surface in the open position; 
 a display at the first surface of the housing; 
 a first camera in the first housing portion that receives light through the second surface of the housing in a first direction; 
 a second camera in the second housing portion that receives light through the second surface of the housing in a second direction, wherein an angle between the first and second directions is configured to change as the first housing portion moves relative to the second housing portion, the first direction is opposite the second direction when the housing is in the closed position, and the first and second cameras are configured to capture first and second images when the housing is in the closed position; 
 sensor circuitry that detects the angle between the first and second directions; and 
 control circuitry configured to stitch together the first and second images based on the detected angle between the first and second directions. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 13  wherein the first and second directions are the same when the housing is in the open position. 
     
     
       15. An electronic device comprising:
 a bendable housing; 
 a flexible display in the bendable housing; 
 a first camera in the bendable housing that receives light from a first direction; 
 a second camera in the bendable housing that receives light from a second direction that is different from the first direction, wherein the flexible display overlaps the first and second cameras; and 
 control circuitry that is configured to stitch together images produced by the first camera and the second camera based on a difference between the first direction and the second direction. 
 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 15  further comprising:
 sensor circuitry configured to measure the difference between the first direction and the second direction based on bending of the bendable housing. 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 15  wherein the difference between the first direction and the second direction is configured to be 180° when the bendable housing is bent into a closed position. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 15 , wherein the bendable housing is configured to bend between convex, planar, and concave orientations. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second housing portions are configured to be adjusted to adjust the first and second camera image capture directions to converge toward a real-world object from different angles. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second housing portions are configured to move relative to one another between an open position and a closed position, the housing has a first surface and an opposing second surface in the open position, and the first surface has a concave shape when the first and second camera image capture directions are directed inwardly.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/515,463, filed on Jul. 18, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more particularly, electronic devices with image sensors. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices may have image sensors. For example, a rear-facing camera on a cellular telephone may be used to capture images of a scene. To capture wide angle photographs, some cellular telephones support panoramic image capture modes. In this mode of operation, a user sweeps the camera of a cellular telephone across a scene during image capture operations. After multiple sequential images of different parts of the scene have been captured in this way, the cellular telephone may stitch together the images to form a panoramic photograph. 
     It can be challenging to capture panoramic images in this way. Images may become blurred due to camera movement and/or portions of a scene may move during image capture operations. Alignment issues may also arise causing desired portions of an image to be cut off unintentionally. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may have a housing. The housing may separate an interior region from an exterior region surrounding the housing. Electrical components for forming control circuitry, sensors, and other devices may be received within the interior region. 
     The housing may be a flexible housing having flexible housing walls formed from flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible materials. The electronic device may have cameras that are mounted at various locations across the flexible housing. 
     The housing may be bent into different configurations such as a configuration in which the housing has a convex surface facing the exterior region and a configuration in which the housing has a concave surface facing the exterior region. 
     The cameras on the curved surface of a bent housing may have different camera image capture directions. By orienting the cameras in desired directions by bending the housing, the cameras can be used to capture panoramic images or three-dimensional images. 
     If desired, housing bend sensors or other sensor circuitry may be used in determining the relative orientations of the cameras and this bend sensor information may be used in processing the images from the cameras to form a processed image. Configurations in which a system gathers images from multiple devices and/or includes devices with hinges may also be used. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative flexible electronic device that has been bent into a convex shape to capture a panoramic image using multiple cameras in the device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative flexible electronic device that has been bent into a concave shape to capture a three-dimensional image using multiple cameras in the device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative flexible device such as a wristwatch with a flexible wristband in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of an illustrative flexible device with a display that is configured to display a preview of an image captured using multiple cameras located on a curved housing wall in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device that has been placed in a configuration with cameras facing away from each other in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device that has been placed in a configuration with cameras facing towards each other in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative system with a flexible cover and removable device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer with multiple cameras in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a side view of an illustrative system with wirelessly connected devices that may each have one or more cameras in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  11    is a top view of an illustrative electronic device with multiple cameras in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device may have electronic components. The electronic components may include cameras. The cameras may have image sensors that operate at visible light wavelengths and/or other wavelengths. Visible-light cameras may sometimes be described herein as an example. 
     The electronic device may have portions that can be bent or otherwise reconfigured so that portions of the electronic device move and change orientation relative to each other. Cameras can be distributed across the device and can be used to capture multiple images of a scene. In some arrangements, the cameras can be oriented so that their fields of view fan out and allow the device to capture overlapping images of a scene that are stitched together to form a composite panoramic image. In other arrangements, the cameras can be oriented so that their fields of view converge on an object from different angles. This allows three-dimensional images of the object to be captured. 
     To allow the cameras of the electronic device to be placed in multiple different orientations, the electronic device may have a reconfigurable housing to which the cameras are mounted. The electronic device may, as an example, have portions that are sufficiently pliable to allow the electronic device to be flexed along its length and thereby configured to orient the cameras in a desired arrangement. In some illustrative arrangements, hinges or other structures may be used to allow structures in a device and the cameras mounted these structures to be reoriented with respect to each other. Arrangements in which multiple separate devices are used together in a system to capture images that are stitched together and/or that are processed to form three-dimensional images may also be used. 
     An illustrative system with one or more electronic devices is shown in  FIG.  1   . As shown in  FIG.  1   , system  8  may include one or more electronic devices  10  that may communicate with each other using communications links  38 . Communications links  38  may include wired and/or wireless communications paths. Each device  10  may include a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may have portions that can be bent into different orientations with respect to each other. In some configurations, hinges may be used to allow portions of device  10  to rotate with respect to each other. In other configurations, housing walls or other portions of housing  12  may be flexible (e.g., formed from pliable structures such as flexible polymer, fabric, etc.). Flexible housing structures may exhibit elastic deformation and may return to their original unbent shape once bending forces are removed or may be retain their bent shape following bending (e.g., for a time period of at least 10 s, at least 10 min, or other suitable time period). 
     If desired, housing walls, internal housing support structures, and/or portions of housing  12  may be formed from flexible fabric. The fabric may be formed from intertwined strands of material such a strands  32  and may be woven, knit, braided, etc. Optional binder (e.g., polymer) may be used to secure strands  32  to each other. In another illustrative arrangement, flexible housing walls and other flexible housing portions may be formed using flexible polymer and/or flexible sheets of metal. In general, housing  12  may be formed from any suitable structures that accommodate bending and may include polymer, metal, glass, crystalline material such as sapphire, ceramic, fabric, fibers, fiber composite material, natural materials such as wood and cotton, other materials, and/or combinations of such materials. 
     Housing  12  (e.g., housing walls) may enclose one or more interior regions such as interior region  24  and may separate interior region  24  from exterior region  22 . Electrical components  18  may be mounted in interior region  24 . Electrical components  18  may include integrated circuits, discrete components, light-emitting components, image sensors, housing bend sensors, other sensors, and/or other circuits. Components  18  may be interconnected using signal paths in one or more printed circuits such as printed circuit  20 . If desired, one or more portions of the housing walls may be transparent (e.g., so that light associated with an image on a display, light for a camera, and/or light for other light-emitting or light-detecting components can pass between exterior region  22  and interior region  24 ). 
     Electrical components  18  may include control circuitry. The control circuitry may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device  10 . The storage and processing circuitry may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in the control circuitry may be used to control the operation of device  10 . For example, the processing circuitry may use sensors and other input-output circuitry to gather input and to provide output and/or to transmit signals to external equipment. The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors, power management units, audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc. The control circuitry may include wired and/or wireless communications circuitry (e.g., antennas and associated radio-frequency transceiver circuitry such as cellular telephone communications circuitry, wireless local area network communications circuitry, etc.). The communications circuitry of the control circuitry may allow device  10  to communicate with other electronic devices. For example, the control circuitry (e.g., communications circuitry in the control circuitry) may be used to allow wired and/or wireless control commands and other communications to be conveyed between devices such as cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, head-mounted devices, handheld controllers, wristwatch devices, other wearable devices, keyboards, computer mice, remote controls, speakers, accessory displays, accessory cameras, and/or other electronic devices. Wireless communications circuitry may, for example, wirelessly transmit control signals and other information to external equipment in response to receiving user input or other input from sensors or other devices in components  18 . 
     Input-output circuitry in components  18  of device  10  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. The input-output circuitry may include input devices that gather user input and other input and may include output devices that supply visual output, audible output, or other output. 
     Output may be provided using light-emitting diodes (e.g., crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diodes for status indicators and/or displays, organic light-emitting diodes in displays and other components), lasers, and other light-emitting devices, audio output devices (e.g., tone generators and/or speakers), haptic output devices (e.g., vibrators, electromagnetic actuators, piezoelectric actuators, and/or other equipment that supplies a user with haptic output), and other output devices. 
     The input-output circuitry of device  10  (e.g., the input-output circuitry of components  18 ) may include sensors. Sensors for device  10  may include force sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistive force sensors, etc.), audio sensors such as microphones, touch and/or proximity sensors such as capacitive sensors (e.g., a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor integrated into a display, a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor and/or a two-dimensional force sensor overlapping a display, and/or a touch sensor or force sensor that forms a button, trackpad, or other input device not associated with a display), and other sensors. Touch sensors for a display or for other touch components may be based on an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, acoustic touch sensor structures, resistive touch components, force-based touch sensor structures, a light-based touch sensor, or other suitable touch sensor arrangements. If desired, a display may have a force sensor for gathering force input (e.g., a two-dimensional force sensor may be used in gathering force input on a display). 
     If desired, the sensors may include optical sensors such as optical sensors that emit and detect light, ultrasonic sensors, optical touch sensors, optical proximity sensors, and/or other touch sensors and/or proximity sensors, monochromatic and color ambient light sensors, image sensors, fingerprint sensors, temperature sensors, sensors for measuring three-dimensional non-contact gestures (“air gestures”), pressure sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation, and/or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes, and/or inertial measurement units that contain some or all of these sensors), health sensors, radio-frequency sensors (e.g., sensors that gather position information, three-dimensional radio-frequency images, and/or other information using radar principals or other radio-frequency sensing), depth sensors (e.g., structured light sensors and/or depth sensors based on stereo imaging devices), optical sensors such as self-mixing sensors and light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors that gather time-of-flight measurements, humidity sensors, moisture sensors, gaze tracking sensors, three-dimensional sensors (e.g., time-of-flight image sensors, pairs of two-dimensional image sensors that gather three-dimensional images using binocular vision, three-dimensional structured light sensors that emit an array of infrared light beams or other structured light using arrays of lasers or other light emitters and associated optical components and that capture images of the spots created as the beams illuminate target objects, and/or other three-dimensional image sensors), facial recognition sensors based on three-dimensional image sensors, and/or other sensors. 
     In some configurations, components  18  may include mechanical devices for gathering input (e.g., buttons, joysticks, scrolling wheels, key pads with movable keys, keyboards with movable keys, and other devices for gathering user input). During operation, device  10  may use sensors and/or other input-output devices in components  18  to gather user input (e.g., buttons may be used to gather button press input, touch and/or force sensors overlapping displays can be used for gathering user touch screen input and/or force input, touch pads and/or force sensors may be used in gathering touch and/or force input, microphones may be used for gathering audio input, etc.). The control circuitry of device  10  can then take action based on this gathered information (e.g., by transmitting the information over a wired or wireless path to external equipment, by supplying a user with output using a haptic output device, visual output device, an audio component, or other input-output device in housing  12 , etc.). 
     If desired, electronic device  10  may include a battery or other energy storage device, connector ports for supporting wired communications with ancillary equipment and for receiving wired power, and other circuitry. In some configurations, device  10  may serve as an accessory and/or may include a wired and/or wireless accessory (e.g., a keyboard, computer mouse, remote control, trackpad, etc.). 
     Device  10  may include one or more displays. Displays for device  10  may have pixel arrays for displaying images for a user. As shown in  FIG.  1   , display  14  of device  10  may have an array of pixels P. Display  14  may be mounted on front face F of device  10  or other suitable portion of device  10 . Display  14  may be an organic light-emitting diode display, a liquid crystal display, a display having an array of pixels formed from respective light-emitting diodes (e.g., a pixel array having pixels with crystalline light-emitting diodes formed from respective light-emitting diode dies such as micro-light-emitting diode dies), and/or other displays. Display  14  may include rigid display structures and/or may be a flexible display. For example, a light-emitting diode display may be sufficiently flexible to be bent. 
     Each pixel array in device  10  (which may sometimes be referred to as a display panel, display substrate, or display) may be mounted under an optional transparent display cover layer (e.g., a transparent portion of housing  12 ) to help protect the pixel array. During operation, the pixels of display  14  produce image light for images viewed by a user. 
     Device  10  may have multiple cameras (image sensors) such as illustrative cameras  26 . Cameras  26  of  FIG.  1    include first camera  26 A and second camera  26 B on front face F. If desired, cameras  26  may be mounted on opposing rear face R of device  10 , on sidewall structures in device  10 , and/or on other portions of device  10 . In general, device  10  may include any suitable number of cameras  26  (e.g., at least two, at least three, at least five, fewer than twenty, fewer than ten, etc. Each camera may have a respective field of view characterized by a respective imaging direction. The imaging direction, which may sometimes be referred to as the camera&#39;s orientation, viewing direction, camera imaging direction, camera image capture direction, or pointing direction, corresponds to the direction in which the camera is pointed and therefore the direction in which the camera captures images. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  1   , cameras  20 A and  20 B are oriented in the same direction (the Z direction), as shown by camera image capture direction  30 A of camera  26 A and parallel camera image capture direction  30 B of camera  26 B. 
     By providing the structures of device  10  with the ability to bend (by flexing about a bend axis by deforming fabric, flexible polymer, or other pliable structures, by rotating flexible and/or rigid structures about one or more hinges, and/or by otherwise bending device  10 ), device  10  can be placed in multiple configurations, each characterized by a different set of camera image capture directions. 
     Consider, as an example, the configuration of  FIG.  2    in which device  10  has three cameras  26  on rear face R with three associated camera image capture directions  30 . In the example of  FIG.  1   , device  10  has been bent from an initial planar shape (or other initial shape) so that rear face R takes on a convex shape (e.g., a convex cross-sectional profile). The convex curved shape (with curved cross-sectional profile) of the exterior surface of device  10  on which cameras  26  are mounted allows cameras  26  to simultaneously capture images for stitching together to form a panoramic image. In this configuration, cameras  26  of  FIG.  2    may be used to capture images of respective overlapping portions A 1 , A 2 , and A 3  of real-world object  42  (e.g., an indoor or outdoor scene). During image capture operations, the control circuitry of device  10  can use each of cameras  26  to simultaneously (or nearly simultaneously) capture these images and can stitch the captured images together in real time to form a static or moving panoramic image. When images are captured simultaneously in this way, artifacts due to object motion may be reduced or eliminated. Display  14  may be formed on front face F and may be used to display the panoramic image in real time (e.g., the image content that is being captured by cameras  26  can be previewed). This allows a user to orient device  10  satisfactorily with respect to the horizon and/or to otherwise capture desired images. 
     To assist the control circuitry with image stitching operations, device  10  may be provided with one or more optional housing bend sensors such as bend sensors  44 . Bend sensors  44  may be formed from strain gauge sensors, capacitive sensors, optical sensors, resistive sensors, rotational sensors, compasses, accelerometers, other sensors for measuring position and/or orientation, and/or other sensors. Because sensors  44  determine the orientations of the portions of housing  12  that support cameras  26 , sensors  44  can be used in measuring the orientations of cameras  26  with respect to each other. For example, bend sensors  44  may determine that the camera image capture directions of the left and right cameras  26  of  FIG.  2    are oriented respectively at −25° and +25° with respect to the orientation of the central camera  26 . This information can then be used in real time by the control circuitry of device  10  in processing the captured images (e.g., in determining how much image overlap is to be expected between adjacent images). By using bend sensors  44  to measure the camera image capture directions of cameras  26 , image stitching accuracy can be enhanced. If desired, dynamic movements of the housing and camera orientations by the user can be accommodated. For example, if a user is capturing moving images and desires to widen the view of the panoramic image, sensors  44  can detect this widening in real time so that the control circuitry of device  10  can dynamically update the captured images by accurately stitching the image together based on the real time sensor data. If desired, image stitching operations can be performed without using camera orientation data (e.g., by using image processing techniques to identify overlapping image portions without using orientation information). The use of bend sensors  44  to assist during image capture operations is illustrative. 
     In the example of  FIG.  3   , device  10  has been bent so that front face F has a concave shape (e.g., a concave cross-sectional surface profile). With this configuration, cameras  26  are pointed inwardly and converge towards real-world object  42  from different angles. This allows cameras  26  to perform three-dimensional imaging operations (e.g., to capture a three-dimensional view of object  42 ). 
     In general, device  10  may have a shape that is normally planar (when relaxed and not bent) or other suitable shape. Device  10  may bend in one direction (e.g., to allow rear face R to alternate between planar and convex shapes or to allow rear face R to alternate between planar and concave shapes) or device  10  may be sufficiently flexible to be bent into convex, planar, and concave shapes. In some configurations, the pliable materials of device  10  that allow device  10  to bend may be sufficiently stiff to temporarily hold device  10  in its bent shape after bending. 
       FIG.  4    shows how cameras  26  may be formed on a wristwatch device. Wristwatch device  10  has main unit  50  and flexible band  52 . Optional clasps  54  may help hold band  52  together around a user&#39;s wrist as device  10  is being worn. Cameras  26  may be mounted on band  52  and/or main unit  50  and may be directed outwardly (e.g., to capture panoramic images as shown by camera image capture directions  30 P) and/or inwardly (e.g., to capture three-dimensional images when device  10  is not being worn, as shown by camera image capture directions  30 D). When clasps  54  are attached to each other, inwardly facing cameras  26  may surround an object from all sides. A user may move device  10  along a longitudinal axis associated with an elongated object to capture a three-dimensional scan of the object from all sides. 
     In the example of  FIG.  5   , an end of device  10  has been bent into a curled shape. Cameras  26  on the curved surface of the bent portion of device  10  can capture panoramic images (when facing outwardly) or can capture three-dimensional images of an object that is partially or fully surrounded by cameras  26  (when facing inwardly). Display  14  may be used to display a preview of an image formed by processing the individual images captured by respective cameras  26 . For example, display  14  may display a composite image formed by stitching together overlapping images from multiple respective cameras  26  (e.g., to form a real-time preview image that allows a user to orient device  10  and cameras  26  as desired to capture a desired panorama). The portion of display  14  that is used in displaying the preview image may be located partially or fully on a curved portion of device  10  and/or may be located partially or fully on a planar (unbent) portion of device  10 . 
       FIGS.  6  and  7    show how device  10  may have a hinge such as optional hinge  56 . Hinges such as hinge  56  may be placed at one or more locations along the length of housing  12  to allow device  10  to be bent into desired configurations. If desired, hinges  56  may be replaced by pliable housing walls and/or other bendable device structures. Display  14  may be located on the same housing face as cameras  26  and/or on an opposing face. 
     Due to the presence of bendable structures such as hinge  56  (or flexible housing portions), housing  12  may be bent about bend axis  58 . As shown in  FIG.  6   , for example, device  10  may be bent from a first configuration (e.g., a planar configuration) into a second configuration in which housing portion  12 - 1  and housing portion  12 - 2  are parallel to each other with cameras  26  facing outwardly. Camera image capture directions  30  in this configuration face away from each other. As shown in  FIG.  7   , device  10  may be bend about axis  58  so that housing portions  12 - 1  and  12 - 2  are oriented towards each other (e.g., so that camera image capture directions  30  are oriented toward opposing sides of an object, allowing device  10  to capture a three-dimensional image of the object). The relative angle between the surface normals of respective portions  12 - 1  and  12 - 2  may, in general, range between 0 and 360°. In some device configurations, the range of possible angles permitted by hinge  56  (or flexible portions of housing  12  formed from fabric, pliable polymer, etc.) may be smaller (e.g., 0-180°, 180-360°, etc.). 
     In the example of  FIG.  8   , system  8  includes two devices. First device  10 A is a portable device such as a cellular telephone, tablet computer, etc. and second device  10 B is a cover with a camera (sometimes referred to as a case, enclosure, accessory keypad, etc.). Devices  10 A and  10 B may use their cameras  26  to capture panoramic images and/or three-dimensional images. Wired and/or wireless communications may be used to provide image data from one device to the other or to another electronic device in system  8  for processing (e.g., to produce three-dimensional images from multiple camera images captured at different orientations, to stitch overlapping images together to form a panoramic image, etc.). Device  10 B may have a bendable portion such as portion  60  that allows device  10 B to be folded and unfolded. Device  10 B may also have straps, a recess, or other structures that are configured to receive and hold removable device  10 A against device  10 B. Once devices  10 A and  10 B have been mechanically coupled together in this way, device  10 B may be bent into various desired shapes using a hinge, flexible fabric, flexible polymer, or other flexible structure in portion  60 . Cameras  26  can capture images while device  10 B is in a desired configuration. Portion  60  may allow camera image capture directions  30  to be oriented in a fanning out arrangement (e.g., to capture panoramic images) or a converging arrangement (e.g., to capture three-dimensional images). Device  10 B of  FIG.  8    and devices  10  of  FIGS.  6  and  7    and other devices  10  may, if desired, have bend sensors  44  for gathering information on the relative orientation of cameras  26  (e.g., differences between respective camera image capture directions) for use by the control circuitry of device  10  during image processing operations (e.g., when stitching together camera images to form a panoramic image). 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  9   , device  10  is a laptop computer having a first housing portion  12 - 1  that rotates relative to a second housing portion  12 - 2  about bend axis  58  using hinge  56 . Display  14  may be mounted in second housing portion  12 - 2 . Keyboard  62  and trackpad  64  may be mounted in first housing portion  12 - 1 . Cameras  26  may be mounted at locations the inwardly-facing surfaces of portions  12 - 1  and  12 - 2  (e.g., at one or more locations about the peripheral edges of portions  12 - 1  and  12 - 2 ). In these locations, three-dimensional images may be captured of objects in locations such as illustrative object location  70 . Three-dimensional air gestures (e.g., hand gestures) may also be captured using cameras  26 . In device  10  of  FIG.  9    and/or the other devices  10  described herein, cameras  26  may be visible light cameras, infrared cameras, ultraviolet cameras, cameras that include time-of-flight measurements, and/or cameras that use structured light, and/or other optical sensors for gathering image data and/or other optical readings. Visible-light cameras that use two-dimensional visible-light digital image sensors are sometimes described herein as an example. 
       FIG.  10    shows and illustrative system arrangement with two devices that are not physically connected. Devices  10 A and  10 B in system  8  of  FIG.  10    may communicate wirelessly with each other and/or with additional electronic devices in system  8  using wireless communications links  38 . Images may be captured using multiple cameras  26  and processed to form three-dimensional images and/or panoramas. The relative orientations of devices  10 A and  10 B (and, if desired, additional devices with cameras  26  in system  8 ) may be determined by measuring the absolute orientation of each device  10  (e.g., by measuring the orientation of each device&#39;s camera  26  using an inertial measurement unit based on components such as an accelerometer, compass, and/or gyroscope or other orientation sensor) and by using the absolute orientation information to determine the relative orientations of devices  10 A and  10 B. Information on the camera image capture direction of each camera  26  during image capture operations and image data can then be transferred to one of devices  10 A and  10 B and/or other equipment in system  8  for processing to form three-dimensional images, panoramic images, and/or other images. The orientation information may help enhance accuracy when processing images to form a three-dimensional image or a panoramic image. For example, the orientation information can be used to determine which sides of an object are being imaged, can be used to help determine the degree to which a pair of adjacent images overlap, etc. 
     If desired, device  10  may have a rigid housing that allows multiple cameras  26  to point in different directions. As shown in the top view of device  10  of  FIG.  11   , for example, rear face R of housing  12  may have angled left and right edges. One or more displays such as display  14  may be mounted on the front or rear of housing  12  and may be used in previewing images (e.g., previewing panoramic images formed by stitching together images captured from cameras  26  simultaneously). Cameras  26  on portions of housing  12  (e.g., the left and right edges of rear face R and the central planar portion of rear face R) will have camera image capture directions  30  that angle away from the camera image capture direction of the camera  26  in the center of rear face R and that therefore angle away from rear face surface normal n). This fanning out of the camera image capture directions of the cameras  26  on rear face R allows these cameras to be used to capture three simultaneous overlapping images for a panorama. On front face F, cameras  26  are mounted on a planar front surface of housing  12 , but may be configured so that their camera image capture directions fan out (see, e.g., camera image capture directions  30 P) to capture a panoramic image or so that their camera image capture directions converge (see, e.g., camera image capture directions  30 D) to capture a three-dimensional image. Cameras  26  on front face F of  FIG.  11    and/or on other portions of housing  12  may have mechanical mounting arrangements and/or optical components that determine their respective camera image capture directions. For example, cameras  26  on front face F may all be mounted under a planar cover layer but may be angled in different fixed directions (e.g., to fan out or to converge). If desired, mirrors, prisms, lenses, gratings, and/or other optical components may be used in establishing desired camera image capture directions for cameras  26 . Fixed optical systems and/or adjustable optical systems (e.g., steerable mirrors, etc.) can be used in establishing the camera image capture directions for cameras  26 . 
     Device  10  may be operated in a system that uses personally identifiable information. It is well understood that the use of personally identifiable information should follow privacy policies and practices that are generally recognized as meeting or exceeding industry or governmental requirements for maintaining the privacy of users. In particular, personally identifiable information data should be managed and handled so as to minimize risks of unintentional or unauthorized access or use, and the nature of authorized use should be clearly indicated to users. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20210922
Publication Date: 20240312
Grant Date: 20240312
Priority Date: 20190718
Inventors: TONG, KATHERINE E.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04N23/90", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/182", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06T3/4038", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N13/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/54", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/57", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/632", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/698", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/90", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N13/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1626", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1656", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06T1/0007", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N13/239", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N2213/001", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/51", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/54", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/57", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/45", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/66", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/698", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/632", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/90", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N13/243", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/182", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1652", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/163", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06T3/4038", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/54", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/57", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/632", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04N23/698", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 74346347