Flash photograph limited field blocker
First Claim
1. A photo preventer comprising:
- a housing having an intruder light flash detector which will generate a counter flash when detecting the intruder light flash;
a flash unit and associated reflector means in the housing functioning to direct the counter flash about perpendicular to the detected intruder light flash;
circuitry to minimize false signals from slow rise time flashes in a vehicle traffic environment;
wherein the flash unit further comprises a plurality of voltage storage devices and voltage charge devices to power the flash unit and comprises a high speed switching network to activate one voltage storage device as soon as a predecessor voltage storage device is triggered, such that when a first voltage storage of the plurality of voltage storage devices discharges its voltage to the flash unit, the high speed switching network switches to another voltage storage device of the plurality of voltage storage devices, while the first voltage storage device is recharged from one or more of the plurality of voltage charge devices; and
wherein the counter flash covers a target area and over exposes only a limited portion of the intruding camera'"'"'s field of view.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intruding flash is detected by a light detector in a plastic case that may be mounted adjacent to a license plate or window which is made safe from the intruding camera. The flash detector triggers a counteracting light flash. The case and electrical PC board have reflectors to capture lost light, guiding direct and indirect light to the desired surface area, increasing the invention'"'"'s counteracting flash over the “target” area protected from an intruder camera. The counteracting flash is not directed at the intruding camera to blind the entire camera lens and field of view as with previous art. Instead the counter flash is directed about perpendicular to the incoming angle of the intruding flash, over exposing only that surface area within the intruder camera'"'"'s full field of view to be protected from photography, preventing only that portion of the intruder camera'"'"'s field of view from being imaged.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A photo preventer comprising:
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a housing having an intruder light flash detector which will generate a counter flash when detecting the intruder light flash; a flash unit and associated reflector means in the housing functioning to direct the counter flash about perpendicular to the detected intruder light flash; circuitry to minimize false signals from slow rise time flashes in a vehicle traffic environment; wherein the flash unit further comprises a plurality of voltage storage devices and voltage charge devices to power the flash unit and comprises a high speed switching network to activate one voltage storage device as soon as a predecessor voltage storage device is triggered, such that when a first voltage storage of the plurality of voltage storage devices discharges its voltage to the flash unit, the high speed switching network switches to another voltage storage device of the plurality of voltage storage devices, while the first voltage storage device is recharged from one or more of the plurality of voltage charge devices; and wherein the counter flash covers a target area and over exposes only a limited portion of the intruding camera'"'"'s field of view. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A photo preventer comprising:
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an intruder camera flash detector having circuitry to filter out repetitive non-camera flashes in a vehicle traffic environment; circuitry to minimize false signals from slow rise time flashes in a vehicle traffic environment; a power source to charge a high voltage storage device; a trigger circuit which receives a signal from the intruder camera flash detector and fires a high voltage storage device; wherein said high voltage storage device when fired causes a counter flash generator to fire to over expose only a limited portion of the intruding camera'"'"'s field of view; wherein the counter flash generator further comprises a plurality of voltage storage devices and voltage charge devices to power the counter flash generator and comprises a high speed switching network to activate one voltage storage device as soon as a predecessor voltage storage device is triggered, such that when a first voltage storage of the plurality of voltage storage devices discharges its voltage to the flash unit, the high speed switching network switches to another voltage storage device of the plurality of voltage storage devices, while the first voltage storage device is recharged from one or more of the plurality of voltage charge devices; and wherein the counter flash generator and an associated reflector emits its light substantially perpendicular to the intruder camera flash. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 17)
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13. A method to prevent a photo of a target area, the method comprising the steps of:
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mounting a housing having a flash generator adjacent to the target area; directing an intruder flash detector having a center of sensing field of view about perpendicular to the target area; directing a flash generator output about perpendicular to the sensing field of view; filtering out slow rise time flashes in a vehicle traffic environment; sensing an intruder flash; powering the flash generator with one of a plurality of voltage storage devices; discharging voltage from a first voltage storage device of said plurality of voltage storage devices into said flash generator output; high speed switching from said first voltage storage device to another voltage storage device, of said plurality of voltage storage devices, to apply it'"'"'s voltage as soon as the first voltage storage device discharges it'"'"'s voltage into the flash generator output; recharging said first voltage storage device with at least one of a plurality of voltage charge devices as soon as the first voltage storage device discharges it'"'"'s voltage into the flash generator output; and triggering the flash generator to counter flash a target area and over exposes only a limited portion of the intruding camera'"'"'s field of view. - View Dependent Claims (14, 16, 18, 19)
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15. A method to prevent a photo of a target area, the method comprising the steps of:
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mounting a housing having a flash generator adjacent to the target area; directing an intruder flash detector having a center of sensing field of view about perpendicular to the target area; directing a flash generator output about perpendicular to the sensing field of view; filtering out slow rise time flashes in a vehicle traffic environment; filtering out repetitive non-camera flashes in a vehicle traffic environment; sensing an intruder flash; powering the flash generator with one of a plurality of voltage storage devices; discharging voltage from a first voltage storage device of said plurality of voltage storage devices into said flash generator output; high speed switching from said first voltage storage device to another voltage storage device, of said plurality of voltage storage devices, to apply it'"'"'s voltage as soon as the first voltage storage device discharges it'"'"'s voltage into the flash generator output; recharging said first voltage storage device with at least one of a plurality of voltage charge devices as soon as the first voltage storage device discharges it'"'"'s voltage into the flash generator output; and triggering the flash generator to counter flash a target area and over exposes only a limited portion of the intruding camera'"'"'s field of view.
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Specification