Array camera, electrical device, and method for operating the same

A method for operating an array camera comprising a plurality of camera modules, the method comprising:

• receiving sensing signals output from the respective camera modules;
• extracting image signals corresponding to the respective camera modules from the received sensing signals;
• and
• sorting the extracted image signals per camera module and sequentially composing the sorted image signals.

A method for operating an electrical device having an array camera comprising a plurality of camera modules, the method comprising:

• acquiring images through the camera modules;
• when a first object is located at a first position or a first distance, extracting a first image and a second image acquired by a first camera module and a second camera module selected from among the camera modules, respectively;
• calculating distance information regarding the first object based on the first image and the second image;
• and
• when a second object is located at a second position or a second distance, calculating distance information regarding the second object located at the second position or the second distance based on at least one of a third image acquired by a camera module different from the first camera module and a fourth image acquired by a camera module different from the second camera module.

An array camera comprising:

• a plurality of camera modules;
• an image processing unit to image signal process images acquired by the respective camera modules;
• and
• a processor to, when a first object is located at a first position or a first distance, extract a first image and a second image acquired by a first camera module and a second camera module selected from among the camera modules, respectively, and to calculate distance information regarding the first object based on the first image and the second image and to, when a second object is located at a second position or a second distance, calculate distance information regarding the second object located at the second position or the second distance based on at least one of a third image acquired by a camera module different from the first camera module and a fourth image acquired by a camera module different from the second camera module.

An electrical device comprising:

• a plurality of camera modules;
• an image processing unit to image signal process images acquired by the respective camera modules;
• and
• a processor to, when a first object is located at a first position or a first distance, extract a first image and a second image acquired by a first camera module and a second camera module selected from among the camera modules, respectively, and to calculate distance information regarding the first object based on the first image and the second image and to, when a second object is located at a second position or a second distance, calculate distance information regarding the second object located at the second position or the second distance based on at least one of a third image acquired by a camera module different from the first camera module and a fourth image acquired by a camera module different from the second camera module.