Battery current consumption adjustment for an illumination unit

• US 9,955,429 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Perkamppi, Antti, Yl-Soininmki, Lassi
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Kiet M
• Application Number:
  US15/080,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20170150451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 455574, 455418, 4555561, 307 25, 307 66, 307141, 307140, 307126, 315152, 315201, 340 81, 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/007 Details of energy supply or management
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• 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: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/14 by determining electrical parameters of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one example, an apparatus comprises a battery that has a first characteristic capability for providing continuous power and a second characteristic capability for providing intermittent power to the apparatus. The apparatus further comprises an illumination unit. The apparatus further comprises a controller that is configured to determine the total current consumption of the apparatus, determine the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit, and adjust current consumption of the illumination unit based on the determined available amount of battery current to ensure that the current consumption of the illumination unit stays below a battery safety circuit current limit.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery having a first characteristic capability for providing continuous power and a second characteristic capability for providing intermittent power to the apparatus;

an illumination unit; and

a controller configured to determine total current consumption of the apparatus, determine the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit, and adjust current consumption of the illumination unit based on the determined available amount of battery current to ensure that the current consumption of the illumination unit stays below a battery safety circuit current limit;

wherein the adjusting of the current consumption of the illumination unit comprises maximizing the current consumption of the illumination unit within the determined available amount of battery current.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to utilize at least one of battery voltage, internal battery resistance, or temperature to assist in at least one of the determination of the total current consumption of the apparatus or the determination of the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the determination of the total current consumption of the apparatus by acquiring data related to the total current consumption of the apparatus transpired over a time period, and to utilize the acquired data to perform the determination of the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to perform at least one of the determination of the total current consumption of the apparatus, the determination of the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit, or the adjusting of the current consumption of the illumination unit repeatedly for a time period.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a driver of the illumination unit.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises at least one of software and hardware.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the determination of the total current consumption of the apparatus at a given time is performed substantially in real-time.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a digital image capture unit, wherein the illumination unit is associated with the digital image capture unit.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the illumination unit comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless communication apparatus.

11. A system, comprising:

a battery having a first characteristic capability for providing continuous power and a second characteristic capability for providing intermittent power to the system;

a digital image capture unit comprising an illumination unit; and

a controller configured to determine total current consumption of the system, determine the amount of battery current available to the digital image capture unit, and adjust current consumption of the digital image capture unit based on the determined available amount of battery current to ensure that the current consumption of the digital image capture unit comprising the illumination unit stays below a battery safety circuit current limit;

wherein the adjusting of the current consumption of the digital image capture unit comprises maximizing the current consumption of the digital image capture unit within the determined available amount of battery current.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the illumination unit is re-attachable.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to utilize at least one of battery voltage, internal battery resistance, or temperature to assist in at least one of the determination of the total current consumption of the system or the determination of the amount of battery current available to the digital image capture unit.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to perform the determination of the total current consumption of the system by acquiring data related to the total current consumption of the system transpired over a time period, and to utilize the acquired data to perform the determination of the amount of battery current available to the digital image capture unit.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to perform at least one of the determination of the total current consumption of the system, the determination of the amount of battery current available to the digital image capture unit, or the adjusting of the current consumption of the digital image capture unit repeatedly for a time period.

16. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller comprises a driver of the illumination unit.

17. A method, comprising:

determining, by a controller, total current consumption of an apparatus, the apparatus comprising a battery having a first characteristic capability for providing continuous power and a second characteristic capability for providing intermittent power to the apparatus, and an illumination unit;

determining, by the controller, the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit; and

adjusting, by the controller, current consumption of the illumination unit based on the determined available amount of battery current to ensure that the current consumption of the illumination unit stays below a battery safety circuit current limit;

wherein the adjusting of the current consumption of the illumination unit comprises maximizing the current consumption of the illumination unit within the determined available amount of battery current.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein:

the determining of the total current consumption of the apparatus comprises acquiring data related to the total current consumption of the apparatus transpired over a time period; and

the determining of the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit comprises utilizing the acquired data.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising utilizing, by the controller, at least one of battery voltage, internal battery resistance, or temperature to assist the determination of the total current consumption of the apparatus.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising utilizing, by the controller, at least one of battery voltage, internal battery resistance, or temperature to assist in the determination of the amount of battery current available to the illumination unit.