ADJUSTMENT OF FLASH DEVICE BASED ON TEMEPRATURE

• US 20150281537A1
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Hynix NAND Product Solutions Corporation (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: NOKKONEN, Erkki
• Granted Patent: US 9,491,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 7/00 Measuring temperature based on the use of electric or magnetic elements directly sensitive to heat giving results other than momentary value of temperature G01K3/00 ; Power supply therefor, e.g. using thermoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback

Abstract

A method may be provided that includes sensing a temperature, determining a current of a flash device based on the sensed temperature, and operating the flash device based on the determined current to provide light.

Claims

1. A method of an electronic device comprising:

sensing a temperature;

determining a current of a flash device based on the sensed temperature; and

operating the flash device based on the determined current to provide light.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing an image while providing light from the flash device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the temperature includes sensing a temperature of a battery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing the temperature includes sensing an ambient temperature of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current includes determining a power level of the flash device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein operating the flash device based on the determined current includes operating the flash device at the determined power level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current includes determining a decreased current of the flash device when the sensed temperature is below a prescribed temperature.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a camera to capture an image;

a flash device to provide light;

a sensor to sense a temperature; and

a processor to determine a current of the flash device based on the sensed temperature, and the flash device to operate based on the determined current to provide light.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the flash device includes a light emitting diode.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the flash device further includes a flash driver to control the light emitting diode.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the camera to capture the image while the flash device provides the light.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sensor is a battery temperature sensor to sense a temperature of a battery.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sensor is an ambient temperature sensor to sense an ambient temperature of the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor to adjust a power level of the flash device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the flash device to operate at the adjusted power level to provide light.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor to decrease the current of the flash device when the sensed temperature is below a prescribed temperature.

17. An electronic apparatus comprising:

logic, at least a portion of which is hardware, to determine a current of a flash device based on a sensed temperature and to operate the flash device based on the determined current.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a camera to capture an image while light is provided from the flash device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a sensor to sense a temperature of a battery.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a sensor to sense an ambient temperature of the apparatus.