Multi-Stream Camera Preview for Moving Subject Focus Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing terminal devices face challenges in maintaining focus on moving objects during video shooting, leading to out-of-focus issues and focus shifting, which affect the quality of recorded videos.

Innovation Solution

A shooting method that divides image data streams into three paths - panorama, focus tracking, and detection - allowing simultaneous display and recording of a large window panoramic view and a small window close-up view, with focus tracking and human body detection to enhance accuracy and clarity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If focus tracking is performed on moving objects during video shooting, then focus accuracy on the subject is improved, but the system complexity increases due to multiple processing paths

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocus accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the image processing system into three independent data streams: panorama path for wide-angle recording, focus tracking path for subject following, and detection path for object identification. Each path operates independently with dedicated processing, allowing focus tracking to function accurately without overwhelming the system with unified complex processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a temporal dimension by implementing real-time focus tracking that continuously adjusts focus based on moving subjects across video frames. This transforms static focus adjustment into dynamic multi-frame tracking, improving focus accuracy on moving objects while distributing computational load across time-based processing stages.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If simultaneous recording of panoramic and close-up videos is implemented, then user experience is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecording versatilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments video recording into parallel streams: panorama path captures wide-angle footage while focus tracking path simultaneously records close-up subject footage. Both streams are processed independently through dedicated pipelines, enabling simultaneous panoramic and close-up recording without sequential processing delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates separate copies of the image data stream for different recording purposes. The original RAW image is duplicated into multiple processing paths (panorama, focus tracking, detection), allowing simultaneous generation of panoramic and close-up videos from the same captured data without re-capture or sequential processing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple data streams are processed for panoramic and close-up recording, then recording quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecording qualityVSAvoidprocessing architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements three distinct processing paths with dedicated functions: panorama path for wide-field stabilization and recording, focus tracking path for subject-centered close-up recording with automatic focus adjustment, and detection path for identifying and tracking subjects. Each path maintains independent processing logic, ensuring high recording quality through specialized handling while managing complexity through functional separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a multi-functional processing architecture where a single image capture system serves multiple recording purposes simultaneously. The same camera sensor and initial image processing feed into multiple independent paths that can independently produce panoramic video, close-up video, or both simultaneously, providing universal recording capability from a unified system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4398594B1Photographing method and related device
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 HONOR DEVICE CO LTD
  • EP4398594B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4398594B1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4398594B1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

This application provides a shooting method and a related device. The shooting method may be applied to an electronic device with a camera lens. In the shooting method, the electronic device may output a RAW image through the camera lens, and divide the image into three paths of data streams through an image processor. The three paths of data streams are respectively data streams of a panorama path, a focus tracking path, and a detection path respectively. After stabilization processing, the data stream of the panorama path is used to display and preview a large window of a camera application interface. After human body detection and successful focus tracking, information about a human body cropping frame may be output, through the data stream of the detection path, to the focus tracking path for cropping a human body frame. After stabilization processing, smoothing processing, and cropping processing, the data stream of the focus tracking path may be used to display and preview a small window of the camera application interface. It may be understood that related processing on the three data streams is performed in a camera software architecture, and does not depend on a platform. This greatly facilitates transplantation, development, and the reuse at another platform at a later stage.