Mobile Camera Top-Down Orientation Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mobile terminals fail to accurately detect and adjust the camera orientation in top-down shooting mode, leading to mismatches between the detected and actual orientations, which affects the quality of document captures.

Innovation Solution

A method that uses the z-axis of the acceleration sensor to automatically detect the top-down shooting mode and adjusts the camera orientation using the gyroscope sensor, while also providing intuitive visual and haptic feedback to users to manually correct any mismatches.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If gravity sensing in x and y axes is used to detect orientation, then portrait and landscape modes can be detected, but top-down angle rotations cannot be detected causing mismatch between detected and actual orientation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorientation detection accuracyVSAvoidshooting mode coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The orientation detection is segmented into two independent systems: one based on gravity sensing for portrait/landscape modes, and another based on acceleration sensing for top-down mode. This segmentation allows each system to specialize in detecting specific shooting modes, resolving the contradiction between detection accuracy and mode coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The z-axis acceleration sensor serves as an intermediary to detect top-down shooting mode, which cannot be detected by the traditional gravity-based x-y axis sensors. This intermediary sensing mechanism bridges the gap between different shooting mode detections without interfering with the existing gravity-based system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If automatic orientation adjustment using gyroscope is implemented, then camera orientation accuracy is improved, but device complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecamera orientation accuracyVSAvoidsensor integration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches between different sensing mechanisms based on the detected shooting mode. The gyroscope-based automatic adjustment is activated only when top-down mode is detected, while gravity-based detection is used for other modes. This dynamic approach improves orientation accuracy when needed without permanently increasing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the active sensing parameters based on the shooting mode. In top-down mode, it switches to using the gyroscope sensor with specific threshold parameters for rotation detection, while in other modes it uses the acceleration sensor. This parameter-based switching optimizes accuracy without requiring permanent complex hardware integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If manual orientation adjustment interface is provided, then user control and accuracy are improved, but ease of operation decreases due to additional steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorientation alignment accuracyVSAvoidorientation adjustment convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary automatic orientation adjustment using the gyroscope before presenting the manual adjustment interface to the user. This preliminary action brings the orientation close to correct, reducing the amount of manual adjustment needed and making the overall operation easier while maintaining high precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides visual feedback through an overlay guide screen that shows the camera orientation status and guides manual adjustment. This feedback mechanism helps users understand the current orientation state and make precise adjustments, improving ease of operation while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution ensures accurate camera orientation detection and adjustment in top-down mode, improving the quality of document captures by aligning the camera orientation with the shooting orientation, even in situations where rotations are not detected by gravity sensing.

Implementation Method 1

detecting automatically whether a mobile terminal camera is set to top-down shooting mode based on the z-axis of a mobile terminal acceleration sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity sensing: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

adjusts an orientation of the camera using a mobile terminal gyroscope sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGyroscope effect: Gyroscope

Data Source

PatentUS9692977B2Method and apparatus for adjusting camera top-down angle for mobile document capture

Publication Date: 2017.06.27 KOREA ADVANCED INST OF SCI & TECH

AI summary

We offer a method of adjusting a camera top-down angle for a mobile terminal. The method involves automatically detecting whether a mobile terminal camera is set to top-down shooting mode based on the z-axis of the mobile terminal acceleration sensor, automatically adjusting a camera orientation by means of a mobile terminal gyroscope sensor when the camera is set to top-down shooting mode, and displaying the camera orientation at the mobile terminal so that a user recognizes the camera orientation and manually adjusts it when it does not correspond to the shooting orientation.