Dynamic illumination

• US 20070263999A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Keam, Nigel
• Granted Patent: US 7,515,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/155
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units

Abstract

In one embodiment, a level of direct illumination for an imaging system is dynamically adjusted based on a level of at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination. A level of the at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination may be detected. The level of direct illumination may be altered based on the detected level of the at least one of ambient illumination or displayed illumination. Operation of a non-visible light-sensitive image sensor of the imaging system may be adjusted based on the altered level of direct illumination.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically adjusting a level of direct illumination for an imaging system based on a level of ambient or displayed illumination, the method comprising:

detecting the level of at least one of ambient or displayed illumination;

altering the level of direct illumination based on the detected level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination; and

adjusting operation of an image sensor of the imaging system based on the altered level of direct illumination, wherein the image sensor is sensitive to non-visible light.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the image sensor is sensitive to at least one of infrared light or ultraviolet light,

the direct illumination includes the at least one of infrared light or ultraviolet light, and

detecting the level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination comprises detecting the level of ambient illumination.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the level of ambient illumination comprises:

detecting the level of ambient illumination in a same frequency range as the direct illumination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the level of direct illumination based on the detected level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination further comprises:

altering the level of direct illumination to one of a plurality of discrete illumination levels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the level of direct illumination based on the detected level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination further comprises:

altering the level of direct illumination to a level from a continuous range of illumination levels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination, further comprises:

using the image sensor to measure a level of ambient illumination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination, further comprises:

using at least one light sensor to measure the level of ambient illumination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination comprises:

detecting brightness of a displayed image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination comprises:

extinguishing direct illumination while measuring the level of the at least one of ambient or displayed illumination.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting operation of an image sensor of the imaging system based on the altered level of direct illumination further comprises:

performing, in response to a change in the level of direct illumination, at least one of adjusting an amount of time to integrate a camera image, adjusting a camera signal, or programmatically compensating for a resultant camera image.

11. A system for dynamically adjusting a level of direct illumination for an imaging system based on a level of illumination, the system comprising:

a camera sensitive to at least one of infrared light or ultraviolet light;

an adjustable direct non-visible light source for illuminating an area of interest with non-visible light;

a light detector configured to detect a level of ambient illumination, the light detector including at least one of the camera or a light sensor, wherein;

the adjustable direct non-visible light source is configured to be adjusted in response to the detected level of ambient illumination from the light detector,

the camera is configured to be more sensitive to the at least one of infrared light or ultraviolet light when the adjustable direct non-visible light source is reduced, and

the camera is configured to be less sensitive to the at least one of infrared light or ultraviolet light when the adjustable direct non-visible light source is increased.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the light detector is configured to detect the level of ambient illumination in a same frequency range as the non-visible light from the adjustable direct non-visible light source.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the light detector is configured to detect the level of ambient illumination of non-visible light in a different frequency range as the non-visible light from the adjustable direct non-visible light source.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the adjustable direct non-visible light source is configured to be extinguished when the light detector is detecting the level of ambient illumination.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the light detector is configured to detect a level of visible ambient illumination.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the camera is configured to amplify signals in response to the light detector detecting a reduced level of ambient illumination.

17. A system for dynamically adjusting a level of direct illumination for an imaging system based on a level of ambient illumination, the system comprising:

a camera sensitive to infrared illumination;

means for detecting a level of infrared ambient illumination;

means for altering a level of direct infrared illumination to one of a plurality of discrete illumination levels; and

means for amplifying camera signals in response to a reduction of the direct non-visible illumination by the means for altering the level of direct non-visible illumination to one of a plurality of discrete illumination levels.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the means for detecting a level of infrared ambient illumination comprises the camera and at least one light sensor.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for detecting a level of infrared ambient illumination comprises:

means for extinguishing a source of the direct infrared illumination when detecting the level of the infrared ambient illumination.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising at least one of:

means for adjusting an opening of an aperture of the camera;

or

means for altering processing of pixels of an image taken by the camera.