Panoramic Imaging Azimuth Control Using Geomagnetic Sensor
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile phone photographing devices face challenges in capturing panoramic images due to limited focusing range, high power consumption, and vulnerability to shocks of acceleration and gyro sensors, making accurate control of photographing angles difficult.
Innovation Solution
A photographing device and method utilizing a geomagnetic sensor to measure and control the azimuth, combining image data to create panoramic images, with a sensor module including X-axis and Y-axis fluxgates to detect geomagnetism and compute the azimuth, and a controller to adjust the photographing direction based on target azimuths and tilts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acceleration sensor and gyro sensor are used to measure relative azimuth and position, then panoramic image capture is enabled, but power consumption increases and vulnerability to shocks occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the acceleration sensor and gyro sensor from the system, keeping only the geomagnetic sensor for azimuth measurement. This eliminates the power consumption and shock vulnerability associated with the removed sensors while maintaining the core panoramic imaging functionality through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a geomagnetic sensor which is simpler, more reliable, and less power-consuming compared to acceleration and gyro sensors. Although the geomagnetic sensor may have limitations in dynamic response, it provides sufficient accuracy for panoramic imaging while being more suitable for mobile devices with power and size constraints.
2Reliability
If acceleration sensor and gyro sensor are used, then panoramic imaging is achieved, but device size increases due to sensor miniaturization difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the bulky acceleration sensor and gyro sensor from the system, retaining only the compact geomagnetic sensor. This extraction reduces the overall device volume while maintaining the capability to capture panoramic images through azimuth measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The geomagnetic sensor is significantly smaller and easier to miniaturize compared to acceleration and gyro sensors. This allows the device to maintain panoramic imaging functionality while reducing overall size, making it suitable for mobile phones and other compact electronic devices.
3Measurement precision
If gyro sensor is used with double integration to acquire displacement information, then position tracking is achieved, but error from integral constant causes inaccurate photographing angle control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gyro sensor and the problematic double integration process from the system. By eliminating this component, the source of error from integral constants is removed, and azimuth measurement is achieved through the more reliable geomagnetic sensor without cumulative errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The geomagnetic sensor provides direct azimuth measurement without requiring integration processes. This simpler measurement approach avoids the accumulation of errors from integral constants that plagues gyro-based systems, resulting in more accurate and reliable photographing angle control throughout extended usage.
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
Enables precise control of photographing direction for capturing panoramic images, avoiding errors from integral constants and sensor vulnerabilities, and is suitable for small-sized devices with reduced power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor module for computing and outputting an azimuth of a photographing direction toward the subject
Implementation Method 2
a geomagnetism detector for including an X-axis fluxgate and a Y-axis fluxgate that are mutually orthogonal, and the geomagnetism detector that detects electric signals corresponding the geomagnetism from the X-axis and Y-axis fluxgates
Data Source
AI summary
A photographing device supporting a panoramic imaging includes an image capture section for photographing a subject and outputting image data representing the subject, a sensor module for computing and outputting an azimuth of a photographing direction toward the subject, an image processor for creating a panoramic image by combining a plurality of image data captured at the image capture section, an output section for displaying a message using a display, and a controller for controlling the output section to set a target azimuth corresponding to an azimuth at an image capture and to adjust a photographing direction to the target azimuth when one of the plurality of the image data is captured. Thus, after photographing the subject in various angles while precisely controlling the photographing direction, the panoramic image can be created by combining the captured images.