Mobile communications device, controller, and method for controlling a mobile communications device

• US 8,229,502 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP USA, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Gavelle, Sylvain, Cotdeloup, Fabrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Cong
• Application Number:
  US12/441,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20090305739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.8, 455/550.1, 348/333.06, 348/370, 348/371
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/007 Details of energy supply or management
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/26 Power supplies; Circuitry or arrangement to switch on the power source; Circuitry to check the power source voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00896 using a low-power mode, e.g. standby
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0282 Using a single or a few point light sources, e.g. a laser diode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40056 Circuits for driving or energising particular reading heads or original illumination means H04N1/401, H04N1/407 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• 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: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile communications device. includes a communication unit for communicating with another device. The mobile communications device further has a communication unit for communicating with another device and at least one other component. A controller is connected to the communication unit and the component. The controller can control the component, during at least a part of time the communication unit is in a communicating mode, based on an operation of the communication unit.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a communication unit for communicating with another device;

a camera for capturing an image of an object;

a camera controller for controlling said camera; and

a light source for illuminating said object in order to enable the camera to capture an amount of light sufficient to capture the image;

a light source controller having a controller output connected to said light source, for controlling said light source,

wherein the light source controller is connected to said communication unit and said camera controller, for controlling, when said camera is capturing an image of an object and said communication unit is in said communicating mode, said light source to emit light having an intensity which is sufficient to provide an effective illumination of the object and which depends on the power consumption of the communication unit; and

wherein said light source controller is connected to an control output of said communication unit, for determining a state of said communication unit and to a control input of said light source for changing a state of said light source from a first state to a second state at which said light source has a lower energy consumption than in said first state when said communication unit enters into a predetermined state during at least a part of said communicating mode.

2. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, during said communicating mode a communication channel is established between the communication unit and said other device, and in said communicating mode, the communication unit can be in a transmitting state in which said communication unit transmits signals to said other device over said communication channel or in a non-transmitting state in which the communication unit does not transmit signals to said other device over said communication channel.

3. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source controller includes:

a comparator connectable to a power source, for comparing a parameter forming a measure for an amount of energy available from the power source with a predetermined control criterion and controlling the state of the light source based on the comparison.

4. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light source controller is arranged to control said light source to be in a first state when said communication unit is in the transmitting state, and control said light source to be in a second state when said communication unit is in the non-transmitting state, in which first state said light source emits less light than in said second state.

5. A mobile communication device as claimed in claim 4, wherein when said communication unit is in said communicating mode, the communication unit alternates between said transmitting state and said non-transmitting state, and said transmitting state has a duration less than a time required to capture an image with said camera.

6. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said light source controller is arranged to switch said light source between a video mode and a flash light mode.

7. A mobile communication device as claimed in claim 4, including a connect for a power source, for providing power to said communication and wherein said light source controller is connected to a power input of said communication unit and is arranged to control said light source based on a consumption of power from said power source by said communication unit.

8. A mobile communication device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said light source controller is arranged to control said light source to be in said second state when said communication unit uses a first amount of power and said second state when said communication unit uses a second amount of power, said second amount of power being higher than said first amount of power.

9. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said communication unit alternates with cycles of 10 ms or less and said camera is able to capture between 10 and 50 images per second.

10. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source controller is arranged to control said light source in a first mode when said camera captures an image of said object and to control said light source to be in a second mode when said camera does not capture an image.

11. A mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein in said first mode said light source can be in a first state or in a second state, in which first state and second state said light source emits light but less light in the first state than in said second state.

12. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said first mode is a light emitting mode and said second mode is an off-mode.

13. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 11, wherein during said communicating mode a communication channel is established between the communication unit and said other device, and in said communicating mode the communication unit can be in a transmitting state in which said communication unit transmits signals to said other device over said communication channel or in a non-transmitting state in which the communication unit does not transmit signals to said other device over said communication channel;

and

wherein said light source controller is arranged to control said light source to be in the first state when said communication unit is in the transmitting state, and control said light source to be in the second state when said communication unit is in the non-transmitting state.

14. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source controller includes:

a first controller input connected to said camera controller;

a second controller input connected to said communication unit; and

a comparator unit connected to said first controller input and said second controller input, for comparing at least one signal received at said first controller input and at least one signal received at said second controller input with at least one light source control criterion, which comparator unit is further connected to said controller output, for controlling said light source based on a result of said comparison.

15. A mobile communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said camera is rolling shutter camera.

16. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, during said communicating mode, the communication unit can be in a transmitting state in which said communication unit transmits signals to said other device or in a non-transmitting state in which the communication unit does not transmit signals to said other device.

17. A mobile communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light source controller includes:

a comparator connectable to a power source, for comparing a parameter forming a measure for an amount of energy available from the power source with a predetermined control criterion and controlling the state of the light source based on the comparison.

18. A light source controller for a mobile communications device comprising a communication unit for communicating with another device in a communicating mode;

a camera for capturing an image of an object;

a camera controller for controlling said camera, and a light source for illuminating an object in order to enable said camera to capture an amount of light sufficient to capture the image, said light source controller comprising;

a controller output connectable to a light source a communication unit for communicating with another device in a communicating mode;

the light source controller being connectable to said communication unit and said camera controller, for controlling an emission of light be said light source during at least a part of time said communication unit is in a communicating mode, based on an operation of said communication unit and on an operation of said camera,

wherein said light source controller is arranged to control, when said camera is capturing an image of an object and said communication unit is in said communicating mode, said light source to emit light having an intensity which is sufficient to provide an effective illumination of the object and which depends on the power consumption of the communication unit, and

wherein said light source controller is connected to an control output of said communication unit, for determining a state of said communication unit and to a control input of said light source for changing a state of said light source from a first state to a second state at which said light source has a lower energy consumption than in said first state when said communication unit enters into a predetermined state during at least a part of said communicating mode.

19. A method for controlling a mobile communications device, including:

communicating by a communication unit in the mobile communication device with another device;

capturing an image of an object with a camera in the mobile communications device while illuminating said object by a light source with an amount of light sufficient to capture the image;

controlling said light source, when said camera is capturing an image of an object and said communication unit is in said communicating mode, to emit light having an intensity which is sufficient to provide an effective illumination of the object and which depends on the power consumption of the communication unit;

determining a state of said communication unit;

changing a state of said light source from a first state to a second state at which said light source has a lower energy consumption than in said first state when said communication unit enters into a predetermined state during at least a part of said communicating mode.