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Methods and devices for adjusting brightness of a light source

  • US 9,692,954 B2
  • Filed: 03/28/2013
  • Issued: 06/27/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:

  • a light source comprising a variable brightness that ranges between a first brightness and a second brightness, the second brightness being greater than the first brightness;

    a camera, the camera and the light source being configured to be advanced into a target, the light source being configured to illuminate one or more internal components of the target, and the camera being configured to gather one or more images of the illuminated one or more internal components; and

    a control circuit configured to adjust the brightness of the light source without using on/off cycling of the light source, the control circuit comprising;

    at least one switchable gain block coupled to the light source, the at least one switchable gain block being selectively switchable between a first current gain and a second current gain, the first and second current gains being different current gains, wherein the control circuit is adapted for switching the switchable gain block to the first current gain responsive to a light source brightness control element changing the brightness of the light source in a first range of brightness of the light source that extends between the first brightness to a first intermediate brightness that is between the first and second brightnesses, and to the second current gain responsive to the light source brightness control element changing the brightness of the light source in a second range of brightness of the light source that extends between a second intermediate brightness and the second brightness, the second intermediate brightness being less than the first intermediate brightness;

    wherein the first and second ranges have an overlap range of brightness, the overlap range of brightness extending from the second intermediate brightness to the first intermediate brightness and facilitating a transition of the brightness of the light source between the first range and the second range; and

    wherein the control circuit is adapted for controlling the switchable gain block using in part a predetermined illumination performance function, the controlling comprising;

    receiving first input signals from the light source and second input signals from the brightness control element;

    determining, from the first and second input signals and the predetermined illumination performance function, a brightness transition between a first range of brightness of the light source and a second range of brightness of the light source;

    switching the switchable gain block from the first current gain to the second current gain responsive to the brightness transition being from less than the overlap range of brightness into the overlap range of brightness; and

    switching the switchable gain block from the second current gain to the first current gain responsive to the brightness transition being from greater than the overlap range of brightness into the overlap range of brightness; and

    a processing module, the processing module being adapted for correcting the gathered one or more images of the illuminated one or more internal components for a shift in a color temperature of the light source due to the adjustment of the brightness without using on/off cycling of the light source.

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