Search

WO-2026096252-A1 - ZOOM IMAGE SHIFT COMPENSATION

WO2026096252A1WO 2026096252 A1WO2026096252 A1WO 2026096252A1WO-2026096252-A1

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and devices for image signal processing that support operations to compensate for image shifts introduced during zoom level transitions for variable optical zoom (VOZ) systems. In a first aspect, a method of image processing includes receiving first image data at a first zoom level, the first image data comprising a first image frame; receiving second image data at a second zoom level, the second image data comprising a second image frame; generating a third image frame by applying a digital zoom to the first image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the second zoom level; determining a shift between the second image frame and the third image frame; and determining an output image frame by applying the shift to the second image frame. Other aspects and features are also claimed and described.

Inventors

  • SEN, KOUSHIK
  • Ramisetty, Sandeep
  • RAVIRALA, Narayana, Karthik
  • VEERAMALLA, PRADEEP
  • LIU, SHIZHONG

Assignees

  • QUALCOMM INCORPORATED

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251022
Priority Date
20241029

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A method, comprising: receiving a first image frame at a first zoom level; receiving second image frame at a second zoom level; determining a third image frame by applying a digital zoom to the first image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the second zoom level; determining a shift between the second image frame and the third image frame; and determining an output image frame by applying the shift to the second image frame.
  2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the shift comprises receiving a calibration value corresponding to the second zoom level and a depth of a scene captured by the first image frame or the second image frame.
  3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the calibration value includes an x component for the shift and a y component for the shift.
  4. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a fourth image frame at a third zoom level; determining a fifth image frame by applying a second digital zoom to the second image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the third zoom level; determining a second shift between the fourth image frame and the fifth image frame; and determining a second output image frame by applying the second shift to the fourth image frame, NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO wherein the output image frame and the second output image frame comprise a video sequence captured during a zoom transition.
  5. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a user zoom level, determining the second zoom level based on the user zoom level, and determining a virtual margin between the second zoom level and the user zoom level, wherein determining the output image frame further comprises cropping the virtual margin based on the shift.
  6. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the output image frame is at a same zoom level as the user zoom level.
  7. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first zoom level is a lower zoom level than the second zoom level, and wherein the second zoom level is a lower zoom level than the user zoom level.
  8. 8. An apparatus, comprising: a memory storing processor-readable code; and at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor configured to execute the processor-readable code to cause the at least one processor to perform operations including: receiving first image data at a first zoom level, the first image data comprising a first image frame; receiving second image data at a second zoom level, the second image data comprising a second image frame; generating a third image frame by applying a digital zoom to the first image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the second zoom level; NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO determining a shift between the second image frame and the third image frame; and determining an output image frame by applying the shift to the second image frame.
  9. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein determining the shift comprises receiving a calibration value corresponding to the second zoom level and a depth of a scene captured by the first image frame or the second image frame.
  10. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the calibration value includes an x component for the shift and a y component for the shift.
  11. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a fourth image frame at a third zoom level; determining a fifth image frame by applying a second digital zoom to the second image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the third zoom level; determining a second shift between the fourth image frame and the fifth image frame; and determining a second output image frame by applying the second shift to the fourth image frame, wherein the output image frame and the second output image frame comprise a video sequence captured during a zoom transition.
  12. 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a user zoom level, determining the second zoom level based on the user zoom level, and determining a virtual margin between the second zoom level and the user zoom level, wherein determining the output image frame further comprises cropping the virtual margin based on the shift. NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO
  13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output image frame is at a same zoom level as the user zoom level.
  14. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first zoom level is a lower zoom level than the second zoom level, and wherein the second zoom level is a lower zoom level than the user zoom level.
  15. 15. An image capture device, comprising: a variable optical zoom (VOZ) system; an image sensor; a memory storing processor-readable code; and at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor configured to execute the processor-readable code to cause the at least one processor to perform operations including: receiving first image data at a first zoom level, the first image data comprising a first image frame; receiving second image data at a second zoom level, the second image data comprising a second image frame; generating a third image frame by applying a digital zoom to the first image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the second zoom level; determining a shift between the second image frame and the third image frame; and determining an output image frame by applying the shift to the second image frame.
  16. 16. The image capture device of claim 15, wherein determining the shift comprises receiving a calibration value corresponding to the second zoom level and a depth of a scene captured by the first image frame or the second image frame. NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO
  17. 17. The image capture device of claim 16, wherein the calibration value includes an x component for the shift and a y component for the shift.
  18. 18. The image capture device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a fourth image frame at a third zoom level; determining a fifth image frame by applying a second digital zoom to the second image frame, the digital zoom corresponding to the third zoom level; determining a second shift between the fourth image frame and the fifth image frame; and determining a second output image frame by applying the second shift to the fourth image frame, wherein the output image frame and the second output image frame comprise a video sequence captured during a zoom transition.
  19. 19. The image capture device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a user zoom level, determining the second zoom level based on the user zoom level, and determining a virtual margin between the second zoom level and the user zoom level, wherein determining the output image frame further comprises cropping the virtual margin based on the shift.
  20. 20. The image capture device of claim 19, wherein the first zoom level is a lower zoom level than the second zoom level, and wherein the second zoom level is a lower zoom level than the user zoom level. NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO

Description

IMAGE SHIFT COMPENSATION CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 18/930,684, entitled “IMAGE SHIFT COMPENSATION”, filed October 29, 2024, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to image processing, and more particularly, to improved image capture during zoom level transitions. Some features may enable and provide improved image processing, including control of optical and digital zoom levels to compensate for image shifts introduced during zoom level transitions. INTRODUCTION [0003] Image capture devices are devices that can capture one or more digital images, whether still images for photos or sequences of images for videos. Image capture devices can be incorporated into a wide variety of devices. By way of example, image capture devices may comprise stand-alone digital cameras or digital video camcorders, camera-equipped wireless communication device handsets, such as mobile telephones, cellular or satellite radio telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), panels or tablets, gaming devices, computing devices such as webcams, video surveillance cameras, or other devices with digital imaging or video capabilities. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLES [0004] The following summarizes some aspects of the present disclosure to provide a basic understanding of the discussed technology. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of the disclosure and is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the disclosure in summary form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO [0005] In some aspects, techniques are provided to improve the capture of image frames by compensating for drift between image frames captured at different zoom levels and during zoom level transitions. One application of the techniques described herein is to improve the capture of image frames by variable optical zoom (VOZ) systems, in particular during zoom level transitions of the VOZ systems. VOZ systems for image capture devices can change a zoom level for image frames captured by an image sensor by physically moving a zoom lens relative to the image sensor. VOZ systems may include an actuator to cause the zoom lens to move. In some aspects, VOZ systems may include more than one lens, such as a zoom lens and an autofocus lens. Each lens may have its own actuator. Differences in manufacturing between actuators or lenses may cause the center of image frames captured at different zoom levels to drift with respect to each other. For example, if an object in a scene captured in an image frame at a first zoom level is centered in the image frame at the first zoom level, after the transition to a second zoom level, the object may appear to be shifted away from the center of an image frame captured at a second zoom level. Higher focal lengths achieved by VOZ systems may exacerbate the effects of such center drift on the field of view (FOV) of the image frames. This kind of FOV drift (e.g., FOV center drift) for image frames captured at different zoom levels of a VOZ system may reduce image quality or diminish the user experience for the VOZ system. [0006] Shortcomings mentioned here are only representative and are included to highlight problems that the inventors have identified with respect to existing devices and sought to improve upon. Aspects of devices described below may address some or all of the shortcomings as well as others known in the art. Aspects of the improved devices described herein may present other benefits than, and be used in other applications than, those described above. [0007] This disclosure provides systems, apparatus, methods, and computer-readable media that support image processing, including techniques for compensating for drift in the field of view (FOV) of image frames captured at different zoom levels. For example, the techniques of this disclosure may be applied to image frames captured during zoom level transitions of a variable optical zoom (VOZ) system. Image frames may be captured at different zoom levels and a shift in the image frames may be determined. For example, a first image frame may be captured at a at a first zoom level and a second image frame may be captured at a second zoom level. To determine the shift between the first image frame and the second image frame, a digital zoom may be performed on the first image frame to digitally zoom the first image frame to the second zoom level. Then the second NRF NO. QLXX.P2117WO image frame and the digitally zoomed first image frame may be compared to determine the shift, and the shift may be applied to the second image fra