Adjustment of flash device based on temperature

• US 9,491,345 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): DAGNEW, MEKONNEN D
• Application Number:
  US14/229,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 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 an ambient temperature of the electronic device;

determining whether the sensed ambient temperature is greater than a previously stored reference temperature;

when the sensed ambient temperature is determined to be greater than the previously stored reference temperature, determining a previously stored high power level for a flash device;

when the sensed ambient temperature is determined to be less than the reference temperature, selecting one of a plurality of pre-stored power levels in which each power level is associated with a different temperature value;

operating the flash device at the determined power level to provide light;

sensing a temperature of a battery of the electronic device; and

shutting down a component of the electronic device when the sensed temperature of the battery is below a minimum value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing an image while providing light from the flash device.

3. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of pre-stored power levels each corresponding specifically to a different corresponding temperature;

a camera to capture an image;

a flash device to provide light;

an ambient temperature sensor to sense an ambient temperature of the electronic apparatus;

a battery temperature sensor to sense a temperature of a battery; and

a processor to determine whether the sensed ambient temperature is greater than a previously stored reference temperature, and when the sensed ambient temperature is determined to be greater than the previously stored reference temperature, the processor to determine a previously stored high power level for a flash device, and when the sensed ambient temperature is determined to be less than the reference temperature, the processor to select one of the plurality of stored power levels of the flash device based on the sensed ambient temperature, and the flash device to operate based on the determined power level to provide light, and the processor to shut down a component of the electronic device when the sensed temperature of the battery is below a minimum value.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flash device includes a light emitting diode.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the flash device further includes a flash driver to control the light emitting diode.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the camera to capture the image while the flash device provides the light.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor to decrease the current of the flash device when the sensed ambient temperature is below a prescribed temperature.

8. An electronic apparatus comprising:

logic, at least a portion of which is hardware, to determine whether a sensed ambient temperature is greater than a previously stored reference temperature, and when the sensed ambient temperature is determined to be greater than the previously stored reference temperature, the logic to determine a previously stored high power level for a flash device, and when the sensed ambient temperature is determined to be less than the reference temperature, the logic to select one of stored plurality of power levels of the flash device based on the sensed ambient temperature and to operate the flash device based on the determined power level, and the power levels are stored to each correspond to a different one of the plurality of temperatures, wherein the logic to sense a temperature of a battery of the electronic device, and to shut down a component of the electronic device when the sensed temperature of the battery is below a minimum value.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

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