Camera apparatus and method of recognizing an object by using a camera

A camera apparatus for recognizing an object, the camera apparatus comprising:

• an imaging unit configured to capture preview images;
• an imaging controller configured to change camera setting parameters;
• an image recognition processor configured to detect feature information and perform object recognition;
• and
• a camera setting parameter controller configured to control the imaging unit to capture a first preview image, control the image recognition processor to detect feature information from the first preview image, compare the feature information with a threshold condition, and when the feature information does not satisfy the threshold condition, select a camera setting parameter from a plurality of camera setting parameters based on a preset selection order of the plurality of camera setting parameters, control the imaging controller to change the selected camera setting parameter, control the imaging unit to capture a next preview image in accordance with the changed camera setting parameter, control the image recognition processor to detect next feature information from the next preview image generated based on the changed camera setting parameter, compare the next feature information with the threshold condition, control the image recognition processor to perform object recognition for the next preview image when the next feature information satisfies the threshold condition, and repeat the select, control the image controller to change, control the imaging unit to capture, control the image recognition processor to detect, and compare operations, when the next feature information does not satisfy the threshold condition,
• wherein, when the selected camera setting parameter relates to zoom control, the camera setting parameter controller comprises a zoom control determiner configured to select a region of interest from an image frame and crop the region of interest in the image frame, and
• wherein the image recognition processor is configured to perform the object recognition for the cropped region of interest.

An article of manufacture for recognizing an object by a camera, comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

• capturing a first preview image;
• detecting feature information from the first preview image;
• comparing the first feature information with a threshold condition;
• when the first feature information does not satisfy the threshold condition, selecting a camera setting parameter from a plurality of camera setting parameters based on a preset selection order of the plurality of camera setting parameters, changing the selected camera setting parameter, detecting next feature information from a next preview image generated based on the changed camera setting parameter, capturing a next preview image in accordance with the changed camera setting parameter, detecting next feature information from the next preview image generated based on the changed camera setting parameter, comparing the next feature information with the threshold condition, performing object recognition for the next preview image when the next feature information satisfies the threshold condition, and repeating the selecting, changing, capturing, detecting, and comparing steps, when the next feature information does not satisfy the threshold condition,
• wherein, when the selected camera setting parameter relates to zoom control, changing the selected camera setting parameter comprises:
• selecting a region of interest from an image frame;
• and cropping the region of interest in the image frame,
• wherein the object recognition is performed for the cropped region of interest.