Method and Device to extend camera battery life

• US 20100225779A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Muukki, Mikko J.
• Application Number:
  US12/381,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20100225779A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/223.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera

Abstract

The battery power consumption in a camera is adjustable based on the level of camera activity determined from formation on scene changes. Information can be gathered from statistical data on auto-white balance, auto-exposure and auto-focusing calculations, or from scene movement and camera movement. When the activity level is low, the viewfinder frame rate can be reduced, the accuracy of analog-to-digital conversion in the camera can be reduced, and the entire camera operation can be slowed down.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a level of camera activity; and

controlling consumption of electrical power for use in an imaging device at least partly based on the level of camera activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the level of camera activity is determined at least partly based on movement of the imaging device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging device comprises a processor for processing image data indicative of an image of a scene, and wherein the level of camera activity is determined at least partly based on a change in the image data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the level of camera activity is determined at least partly based on a user activity on the imaging device.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

collecting information indicative of white-balance conversion in the image data, wherein the level of camera activity is partly determined based on the information.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the change in the image data is at least partly caused by exposure adjustment on the image.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the change in the image data is at least partly caused by focus adjustment on the image.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a data processing module configured to process image data indicative of an image of a scene, and

an information collection module for determining a level of camera activity at least partly based on a change in the image data, wherein the level of camera activity is used for controlling consumption of the power in the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a detection module for detecting a movement of the apparatus, wherein the information collection module is further configured for determining the level of camera activity based on the movement of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the change in the image data is indicative of a change of lighting of the scene.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a control module for carrying out exposure adjustment of the image, wherein the change in the image data is indicative of the exposure adjustment.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a control module for carrying out focus adjustment of the image, wherein the change in the image data is indicative of the focus adjustment.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the level of camera activity is used for controlling data processing rate in the data processing module.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a control module for carrying out exposure adjustment of the image, wherein the level of camera activity is used for controlling a rate for exposure adjustment.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a control module for carrying out focus adjustment of the image, wherein the level of camera activity is used for controlling a rate for focus adjustment.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a display device for displaying the image data, wherein the level of camera activity is used for controlling an update rate for displaying the image data.

17. A computer readable storage medium embedded therein a software program, said software program comprising programming codes for:

collecting information indicative of a change in an image of a scene;

determining a level of camera activity in an imaging device at least partly based on the information; and

controlling consumption of electrical power in the imaging device at least partly based on the level of camera activity.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

means for collecting information indicative of a change in an image of a scene;

means for determining a level of camera activity in an imaging device at least partly based on the information; and

means for controlling consumption of electrical power for use in the imaging device at least partly based on the level of camera activity.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image data comprises white-balanced image data converted from raw data in a white-balance calculation process, said apparatus further comprising:

means for adjusting a rate for the white-balance calculation process for controlling said consumption.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

means for detecting a movement of the apparatus, wherein the level of camera activity is determined at least partly based on the movement of the apparatus.