System for Controlling a Plurality of Cameras in A Device

Abstract

A portable device includes first and second camera openings. The portable device further includes an imager coupled to the first and second camera openings. The imager is configured to capture a first image associated with an object viewed through the first camera opening and a second image associated with an object viewed through the second camera opening. The portable device further includes a processor coupled to the imager. The processor is configured to detect a gesture over one of the first and second camera openings, and respond to the detected gesture to control image processing of either the first image or the second image

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable device comprising:
 a first camera opening and a second camera opening;   at least one imager coupled to the first and second camera openings, the at least one imager configured to capture a first image associated with an object viewed through the first camera opening and a second image associated with an object viewed through the second camera opening; and   a processor coupled to the at least one imager, the processor configured to:
 detect a gesture over one of the first or second camera openings; and 
 respond to the detected gesture to control image processing of either the first image or the second image. 
   
     
     
         2 . The portable device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to switch an image capture function from the first camera opening to the second camera opening based on a brightness level associated with the first image. 
     
     
         3 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a comparator configured to compare first input light received via the first camera opening and second input light received via the second camera opening, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine that the first camera opening is to be used by the at least one imager as an input control to trigger image capture via the second camera opening based on a comparison of the first input light with the second input light determined by the comparator; or   determine that the second camera opening is to be used by the at least one imager as the input control to trigger image capture via the first camera opening based on the comparison of the first input light with the second input light determined by the comparator.   
     
     
         4 . The portable device of  claim 3 , wherein the first input light and the second input light are compared based on at least one of a brightness level, a hue, a chroma, a saturation, a lightness, or an aperture opening value. 
     
     
         5 . The portable device of  claim 3 , wherein the comparison of the first input light with the second input light includes a comparison of one or more parameters of the first input light with one or more corresponding parameters of the second input light over a defined period of time based on a threshold value. 
     
     
         6 . The portable device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one imager includes a main camera and a co-working camera;   the main camera is configured to capture the first image through the first camera opening; and   the co-working camera is configured to capture the second image through the second camera opening.   
     
     
         7 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a comparator configured to analyze the first image based on one or more threshold values corresponding to one or more image parameters,
 wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine that the first camera opening is obscured based on the analysis; 
 detect the gesture over the first camera opening based on the determination that the first camera opening is obscured; and 
 respond to the detected gesture by causing the at least one imager to capture the object viewed through the second camera opening. 
   
     
     
         8 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a comparator configured to:
 obtain a first parameter of the first image; 
 obtain a second parameter of the second image; and 
 analyze the first parameter of the first image with the second parameter of the second image based on a predetermined threshold value for a defined period of time; and 
   a controller configured to, based on the analysis, send an action command to cause the at least one imager to transmit the first image to the processor for display via a display device.   
     
     
         9 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a comparator configured to:
 obtain a first parameter of the first image; and 
 analyze the first parameter of the first image based on a predetermined threshold value for a defined period of time; and 
   a controller configured to, based on the analysis, cause the at least one imager to capture an image of the object through the second camera opening.   
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a first imager coupled to a first aperture of a housing, the first imager configured to capture a first image of an object viewed through the first aperture;   a second imager coupled to a second aperture of the housing, the second imager configured to capture a second image of the object viewed through the second aperture;   a processor coupled to the first imager and the second imager, the processor configured to:
 detect a gesture over the first aperture or the second aperture; and 
 respond to the detected gesture to control image processing of the first image or the second image. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the gesture is detected over the first aperture, and the response to the detected gesture includes triggering an image capture function by the second imager. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to switch an image capture function from the first imager to the second imager based on a brightness level associated with the first image. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a comparator configured to compare first input light received via the first aperture and second input light received via the second aperture, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine that the first aperture is to be used as an input control to trigger an image capture by the second imager based on a comparison of the first input light with the second input light determined by the comparator; or   determine that the second aperture is to be used as the input control to trigger an image capture by the first imager based on the comparison of the first input light with the second input light determined by the comparator.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first input light and the second input light are compared based on at least one of a brightness level, a hue, a chroma, a saturation, a lightness, or an aperture opening value. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the comparison includes a comparison of one or more parameters of the first input light with one or more corresponding parameters of the second input light over a defined period of time based on a threshold value. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a comparator configured to:
 obtain a first parameter of the first image; 
 obtain a second parameter of the second image; and 
 analyze the first parameter of the first image with the second parameter of the second image based on a predetermined threshold value for a defined period of time; and 
   a controller configured to, based on the analysis, send an action command to cause the first imager to transmit the first image to the processor for display via a display device.   
     
     
         17 . A method of operation of a portable device with multiple imagers, the method comprising:
 capturing, by a first imager, a first image associated with an object viewed through a first camera opening of the portable device;   capturing, by a second imager, a second image associated with the object viewed through a second camera opening of the portable device;   detecting a gesture over the first or second camera opening; and   responding to the detected gesture by controlling image processing of the first image or the second image.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the detecting includes detecting the gesture as a finger over the first camera opening; and   the responding includes triggering an image capture function by the second imager via the second camera opening, responsive to the detecting of the finger.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 obtaining an image parameter of the first image and a corresponding image parameter of the second image;   analyzing the image parameter of the first image with the corresponding image parameter of the second image; and   based on the analyzing, sending an action command to cause an imager that captured the second image to transmit the second image for display via a display device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 analyzing the first image based on one or more threshold values corresponding to one or more image parameters; and   determining that the first camera opening is obscured based on the analyzing,   wherein the detecting includes detecting the gesture over the first camera opening based on the determining that the first camera opening is obscured, and   wherein the responding to the detected gesture includes initiating an image capture of the object via the second camera opening.