Electronic device having pivotably connected sides with selectable displays

Abstract

An electronic device has an imaging device (such as a still camera or video camera) and is capable of displaying a viewfinder on one side or multiple sides of the device. The device may determine the side or sides on which to display the viewfinder based on factors such as user input, object proximity, grip detection, accelerometer data, and gyroscope data. In one implementation, the device has multiple imaging devices and can select which imaging device to use to capture an image based on the above factors as well.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 generating, by a foldable smart phone that includes two or more cameras, images by each of the two or more cameras, each image being annotated with fold angle information;   determining, by the foldable smart phone, that a particular image generated by one of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone at least partially overlaps a particular image generated by another of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone, then generating a panoramic image based at least on some of the images of the two or more cameras and the fold angle information; and   providing, by the foldable smart phone, the panoramic image for output.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each camera is associated with a respective pivotable side of the foldable smart phone. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the images are generated as the foldable smart phone is closed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the images are generated as the foldable smart phone is opened. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the images of each camera are generated independently of each other. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 generating a first camera panoramic image based on the images generated by a first camera of the two or more cameras; and   generating a second camera panoramic image based on the images generated by a second camera of the two or more cameras,   wherein generating the panoramic image comprises generating a stitched-together panoramic image based on the first camera panoramic image and the second camera panoramic image.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining that a particular image generated by one of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone at least partially overlaps a particular image generated by another of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone comprises determining that a portion of the particular image generated by the one of the two or more cameras includes a 3D element that is also included in a portion of the particular image generated by the another of the two or more cameras. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a data processing apparatus and upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 generating, by a foldable smart phone that includes two or more cameras, images by each of the two or more cameras, each image being annotated with fold angle information;   determining, by the foldable smart phone, that a particular image generated by one of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone at least partially overlaps a particular image generated by another of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone, then generating a panoramic image based at least on some of the images of the two or more cameras and the fold angle information; and   providing, by the foldable smart phone, the panoramic image for output.   
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein each camera is associated with a respective pivotable side of the foldable smart phone. 
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the images are generated as the foldable smart phone is closed. 
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the images are generated as the foldable smart phone is opened. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the images of each camera are generated independently of each other. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the operations comprise:
 generating a first camera panoramic image based on the images generated by a first camera of the two or more cameras; and   generating a second camera panoramic image based on the images generated by a second camera of the two or more cameras,   wherein generating the panoramic image comprises generating a stitched-together panoramic image based on the first camera panoramic image and the second camera panoramic image.   
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein determining that a particular image generated by one of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone at least partially overlaps a particular image generated by another of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone comprises determining that a portion of the particular image generated by the one of the two or more cameras includes a 3D element that is also included in a portion of the particular image generated by the another of the two or more cameras. 
     
     
         16 . A foldable smart phone that includes two or more cameras, the foldable smart phone comprising:
 one or more processing devices; and   one or more storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:   generating images by each of the two or more cameras, each image being annotated with fold angle information;   determining that a particular image generated by one of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone at least partially overlaps a particular image generated by another of the two or more cameras of the foldable smart phone, then generating a panoramic image based at least on some of the images of the two or more cameras and the fold angle information; and   providing the panoramic image for output.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein each camera is associated with a respective pivotable side of the foldable smart phone. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the images are generated as the foldable smart phone is closed. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the images are generated as the foldable smart phone is opened. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the images of each camera are generated independently of each other. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 2 , comprising:
 generating a first camera panoramic image based on the images generated by a first camera of the two or more cameras; and   generating a second camera panoramic image based on the images generated by a second camera of the two or more cameras,   wherein generating the panoramic image comprises generating a stitched-together panoramic image based on the first camera panoramic image and the second camera panoramic image.