Camera flash for improved color balance
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a camera unit to generate a digital image, the camera unit comprising a camera controller, a camera sensor sub-unit, a camera activation input, and a camera flash sub-unit configured to emit flash light, the method comprising:
- in response to receiving, at the camera controller of the camera unit, a first activation signal from the camera activation input, the first activation signal indicative of initiation of the camera unit;
pre-exposing an image sensor of the camera sensor sub-unit to generate pre-image data;
processing, at an image sensor processor of the camera sensor sub-unit, the pre-image data to determine an intensity of the ambient light that is incident on or in a vicinity of the camera unit and to determine a color temperature of the ambient light that is incident on or in the vicinity of the camera unit;
configuring the camera flash sub-unit, using the camera controller, based on the intensity level of the ambient light that is determined to adjust an intensity level of the flash light and based on the color temperature of the ambient light that is determined to adjust a color temperature of the flash light; and
determining, at the camera controller, whether a second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, the second activation signal indicative of a command for instructing the camera unit to generate the digital image;
absent determining, at the camera controller, that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, repeating pre-exposing, processing, and configuring; and
,in response to determining, at the camera controller, that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input;
controlling the camera-flash sub-unit to cease pre-exposing, processing, and configuring the camera-flash sub-unit;
determining whether to operate the camera-flash unit to emit the flash light to increase illumination;
controlling the camera-flash sub-unit to emit the flash light having the adjusted the intensity level and the adjusted color temperature in response to determining to operate the camera-flash unit during image exposure to increase illumination; and
,exposing an image sensor of the camera sensor sub-unit to generate raw color data for processing into the digital image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A camera unit and method of control are described. The camera unit has a camera flash sub-unit configurable to emit flash light having an adjustable characteristic. A camera sensor sub-unit generates raw color data when exposed to light for processing into a digital image. The camera unit also includes a camera controller for coordinating operation of the camera flash sub-unit and the camera sensor sub-unit. The camera controller monitors one or more ambient light characteristics in a vicinity of the camera unit. Prior to receiving a command instructing the camera unit to generate the digital image, the camera controller repeatedly configures the camera flash sub-unit based on the monitored ambient light characteristics to adjust the characteristics of the emitted flash light. Once the camera controller receives the command, the camera sensor sub-unit is instructed to expose an image sensor using the pre-adjusted camera flash light to increase illumination.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a camera unit to generate a digital image, the camera unit comprising a camera controller, a camera sensor sub-unit, a camera activation input, and a camera flash sub-unit configured to emit flash light, the method comprising:
in response to receiving, at the camera controller of the camera unit, a first activation signal from the camera activation input, the first activation signal indicative of initiation of the camera unit; pre-exposing an image sensor of the camera sensor sub-unit to generate pre-image data; processing, at an image sensor processor of the camera sensor sub-unit, the pre-image data to determine an intensity of the ambient light that is incident on or in a vicinity of the camera unit and to determine a color temperature of the ambient light that is incident on or in the vicinity of the camera unit; configuring the camera flash sub-unit, using the camera controller, based on the intensity level of the ambient light that is determined to adjust an intensity level of the flash light and based on the color temperature of the ambient light that is determined to adjust a color temperature of the flash light; and determining, at the camera controller, whether a second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, the second activation signal indicative of a command for instructing the camera unit to generate the digital image; absent determining, at the camera controller, that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, repeating pre-exposing, processing, and configuring; and
,in response to determining, at the camera controller, that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input; controlling the camera-flash sub-unit to cease pre-exposing, processing, and configuring the camera-flash sub-unit; determining whether to operate the camera-flash unit to emit the flash light to increase illumination; controlling the camera-flash sub-unit to emit the flash light having the adjusted the intensity level and the adjusted color temperature in response to determining to operate the camera-flash unit during image exposure to increase illumination; and
,exposing an image sensor of the camera sensor sub-unit to generate raw color data for processing into the digital image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 19)
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9. A camera unit for generating a digital image, the camera unit comprising:
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a camera activation input; a camera flash sub-unit comprising a plurality of emissive light sources arranged to emit flash light having an adjustable characteristic; a camera sensor sub-unit comprising an image sensor configured to generate raw color data when exposed and an image sensor processor coupled to the image sensor and configured to process the raw color data generated by the image sensor into the digital image; and a camera controller coupled to the camera activation input, the camera flash sub-unit and the camera sensor sub-unit for coordinating operation thereof, the camera controller configured to; in response to receiving a first activation signal from the camera activation input, the first activation signal indicative of initiation of the camera unit; instruct the camera-sensor sub-unit to perform the steps of; pre-exposing the image sensor to generate pre-image data; and processing, using the image sensor processor, the pre-image data to determine the intensity level of the ambient light and to determine a color temperature of the ambient light that is incident on or in a vicinity of the camera unit; configuring the plurality of emissive sources in the camera flash sub-unit based on the intensity level of the ambient light that is determined to adjust the intensity level of the flash light and based on the color temperature of the ambient light that is determined to adjust a color temperature of the flash light; and determining whether a second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, the second activation signal indicative of command for instructing the camera unit to generate the digital image; absent determining that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, repeating pre-exposing, processing, and configuring; in response to determining that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input; ceasing pre-exposing, processing, and configuring; determining whether to operate the camera-flash sub-unit to increase illumination; instructing the camera-flash sub-unit to emit the flash light having the adjusted intensity level and the adjusted color temperature in response to determining to operate the camera-flash unit to increase illumination; and
,instructing the camera sensor sub-unit to expose the image sensor to generate raw color data for processing into the digital image. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20)
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18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors coupled to the storage medium, the stored instructions for programming the one or more processors when executed to control a camera unit to generate a digital image, the camera unit comprising a camera flash sub-unit for emitting flash light, a camera activation input, a camera controller, and the stored instructions comprising:
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in response to receiving, at the camera controller of the camera unit, a first activation signal from the camera activation input, the first activation signal indicative of initiation of the camera unit; pre-exposing an image sensor of the camera sensor sub-unit to generate pre-image data; processing, at an image sensor processor of the camera sensor sub-unit, the pre-image data to determine an intensity of the ambient light that is incident on or in a vicinity of the camera unit and to determine a color temperature of the ambient light that is incident on or in a vicinity of the camera unit; configuring the camera flash sub-unit, using the camera controller, based on the intensity level of the ambient light that is determined to adjust an intensity level of the flash light and based on the color temperature of the ambient light that is determined to adjust a color temperature of the flash light; determining, at the camera controller, whether second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, the second activation signal indicative of a command for instructing the camera unit to generate the digital image; absent determining, at the camera controller, that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input, repeating pre-exposing, processing, and configuring; and
,in response to determining, at the camera controller, that the second activation signal has been received from the camera activation input; controlling the camera-flash sub-unit to cease pre-exposing, processing, and configuring determining whether to operate the camera-flash unit to emit the flash light to increase illumination; controlling the camera-flash sub-unit to emit the flash light having the adjusted intensity level and the adjusted color temperature in response to determining to operate the camera-flash unit during image exposure to increase illumination; and
,exposing an image sensor of the camera unit to generate raw color data for processing into the digital image.
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Specification