# US 11,451,694 B1 · Mitigation of obstacles while capturing media content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,694 B1 - Document ID: US11451694B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 17/203,047 - Filed: 2021-03-16 - Published: 2022-09-22 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-16 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Clement Decrop; Tushar Agrawal; Jeremy R. Fox; Sarbajit K. Rakshit - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451694B1 ## CPC - H04N 5/272: Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - H04N 5/265: Mixing - H04N 23/62: Control of parameters via user interfaces - H04N 23/64: {Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image} - H04N 23/661: Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet - H04N 23/662: {by using camera arrangements where one camera controls another camera to affect the control of camera image capture, e.g. placing the camera in a desirable condition to capture a desired image} - H04N 23/695: Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects - H04N 23/80: Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof - H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method comprises detecting blockage of a sensor on a primary device while capturing media content with the sensor on the primary device and, in response to the detected blockage of the sensor, communicating with at least one secondary device in an area of the primary device to activate a corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device which causes the corresponding sensor to capture media content simultaneously with the blocked sensor on the primary device. The method further comprises modifying the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device based on the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device to mitigate effects of the blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: detecting blockage of a sensor on a primary device while capturing media content with the sensor on the primary device; in response to the detected blockage of the sensor, communicating with at least one secondary device in an area of the primary device to activate a corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device which causes the corresponding sensor to capture media content simultaneously with the blocked sensor on the primary device; and modifying the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device based on the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device to mitigate effects of the blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein detecting blockage of the sensor on the primary device includes: monitoring device conditions associated with potential blocking of the sensor on the primary device; and based on a comparison of the monitored device conditions with historical data, predicting future blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the monitored device conditions include one or more of temperature, moisture, orientation of the device, a user's gripping pattern on the primary device, frequency with which the user changes hands to hold the primary device while capturing the media content, time of day, and length of time of capturing the media content. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing haptic feedback to a user holding the primary device in response to detecting blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating with the at least one secondary device to stop capturing media content with the corresponding sensor in response to determining that the sensor on the primary device has stopped capturing media content. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device based on the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device comprises replacing at least a portion of the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device with a corresponding portion of the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary device comprises a plurality of secondary devices; wherein communicating with the at least one secondary device comprises communicating with the plurality of secondary devices in the area of the primary device to activate a corresponding sensor on each of the plurality of secondary devices to capture respective media content with each of the plurality of secondary devices simultaneously with the blocked sensor on the primary device; and wherein modifying the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device comprises selecting the respective media content captured by the corresponding sensor on one of the plurality of secondary devices and modifying the media content captured by the blocked sensor based on the selected respective media content. ### Claim 8 A device comprising: at least one sensor configured to capture media content; a network interface; and a processor communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and the network interface, wherein the processor is configured to: detect blockage of the at least one sensor; in response to the detected blockage of the at least one sensor, communicate via the network interface with at least one secondary device to activate a corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device which causes the corresponding sensor to capture media content simultaneously with the at least one blocked sensor on the device; and modify the media content captured by the at least one blocked sensor based on the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device to mitigate effects of the blockage of the at least one blocked sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to detect blockage of the at least one sensor by: monitoring device conditions associated with potential blocking of the at least one sensor; and based on a comparison of the monitored device conditions with historical data, predicting future blockage of the at least one sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The device of claim 9, wherein the monitored device conditions include one or more of temperature, moisture, orientation of the device, a user's gripping pattern on the device, frequency with which the user changes hands to hold the device while capturing the media content, time of day, and length of time of capturing the media content. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the device further comprises a haptic vibration motor communicatively coupled with the processor; wherein the processor is configured to cause the haptic vibration motor to providing haptic feedback to a user holding the device in response to detecting blockage of the at least one sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with the at least one secondary device to stop capturing media content with the corresponding sensor in response to determining that the at least one sensor on the device has stopped capturing media content. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to modify the media content captured by the at least one blocked sensor by replacing at least a portion of the media content captured by the at least one blocked sensor with a corresponding portion of the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to communicate with a plurality of secondary devices to activate a corresponding sensor on each of the plurality of secondary devices to capture respective media content with each of the plurality of secondary devices simultaneously with the at least one blocked sensor; and wherein the processor is configured to select the respective media content captured by the corresponding sensor on one of the plurality of secondary devices and modify the media content captured by the at least one blocked sensor based on the selected respective media content. ### Claim 15 A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to: detect blockage of a sensor on a primary device while capturing media content with the sensor on the primary device; in response to the detected blockage of the sensor, communicate with at least one secondary device in an area of the primary device to activate a corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device which causes the corresponding sensor to capture media content simultaneously with the blocked sensor on the primary device; and modify the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device based on the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device to mitigate effects of the blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the processor to detect blockage of the sensor on the primary device by: monitoring device conditions associated with potential blocking of the sensor on the primary device; and based on a comparison of the monitored device conditions with historical data, predicting future blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the processor to output commands to a haptic vibration motor to provide haptic feedback to a user holding the primary device in response to detecting blockage of the sensor on the primary device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the processor to communicate with the at least one secondary device to stop capturing media content with the corresponding sensor in response to determining that the sensor on the primary device has stopped capturing media content. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the processor to modify the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device by replacing at least a portion of the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device with a corresponding portion of the media content captured by the corresponding sensor on the at least one secondary device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the processor to: communicate with a plurality of secondary devices to activate a corresponding sensor on each of the plurality of secondary devices to capture respective media content with each of the plurality of secondary devices simultaneously with the at least one blocked sensor; select the respective media content captured by the corresponding sensor on one of the plurality of secondary devices; and modify the media content captured by the blocked sensor on the primary device based on the selected respective media content.