Electronic camera and method with fill flash function

• US 20050057682A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Senshin Capital LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Staller, Norman D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/371
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means

Abstract

A method and camera for electronic image capture provide an electronic image capture device, a scanning aperture shutter located to control light energy received by the image capture device, a flash unit oriented to illuminate an image scene, a photocell unit adapted for sensing visible spectrum energy and infrared spectrum energy received from the image scene, and an exposure control system responsive to the photocell unit and operatively connected to the scanning aperture shutter and the flash unit. The exposure control system is adapted to control an amount of fill flash energy received from the image scene in relation to visible ambient light energy received from the image scene during image capture by illuminating the flash unit once a predetermined amount of ambient visible spectrum energy is sensed by the photocell unit and by extinguishing the flash unit once a predetermined amount of infrared energy is sensed by the photocell unit.

Claims

1. An electronic camera, comprising:

an electronic image capture device adapted for capturing an image scene;

a scanning aperture shutter located to control light energy received by said electronic image capture device from said image scene;

a photocell adapted for sensing light energy received from said image scene; and

an exposure control system responsive to said photocell and operatively connected to said scanning aperture shutter,

wherein said exposure control system is adapted to control said scanning aperture shutter and a flash unit in response to sensed light energy at said photocell to control an amount of fill flash energy received by said electronic image capture system in relation to ambient light energy received by said electronic image capture system during image capture.

2. The camera of claim 1, wherein said exposure control system is adapted to illuminate said flash unit once a predetermined amount of ambient light energy is sensed by said photocell.

3. The camera of claim 2, wherein said exposure control system is adapted to extinguish said flash unit once a predetermined amount of infrared spectrum energy is sensed by said photocell during flash unit illumination.

4. The camera of claim 1, wherein said photocell includes a visible spectrum photocell and an infrared spectrum photocell, and further wherein, said exposure control system is adapted to use said visible spectrum photocell to sense ambient light energy received from said image scene prior to illumination by said flash unit and to use said infrared photocell for sensing infrared spectrum energy received from said image scene during illumination by said flash unit.

5. The camera of claim 4, wherein said scanning aperture shutter includes separate apertures for said image capture device, said visible spectrum photocell and said infrared spectrum photocell.

6. The camera of claim 1, wherein said exposure control system is adapted to generate control signals for a detachable flash unit.

7. The camera of claim 1, wherein said flash unit is constructed integrally with said camera.

8. An electronic camera, comprising:

an electronic image capture device adapted for capturing an image scene;

a scanning aperture shutter located to control light energy received by said image capture device;

a flash unit oriented to illuminate said image scene;

a photocell unit adapted for sensing visible spectrum energy and infrared spectrum energy received from said image scene; and

an exposure control system responsive to said photocell unit and operatively connected to said scanning aperture shutter and said flash unit,

wherein said exposure control system is adapted to control an amount of fill flash energy received from said image scene in relation to visible ambient light energy received from said image scene during image capture by illuminating said flash unit once a predetermined amount of ambient visible spectrum energy is sensed by said photocell unit and by extinguishing said flash unit once a predetermined amount of infrared energy is sensed by said photocell unit.

9. The camera of claim 8, wherein said visible spectrum and infrared spectrum photocells are separate devices.

10. The camera of claim 9, wherein said shutter includes separate, proportionately operable, variable apertures for said image capture device and said photocell unit.

11. The camera of claim 11, wherein said flash unit is a quenchable strobe light.

12. A method for electronic image capture using a fill flash function, comprising the steps of:

using a scanning aperture shutter to control light energy received by an electronic image capture device;

sensing visible ambient light energy and infrared energy received from an image scene; and

controlling said scanning aperture shutter and a flash unit during image capture in response to said sensing to cause a predetermined ratio of fill flash light energy to ambient light energy to be received by said electronic image capture device including illuminating said flash unit once a predetermined amount of ambient light energy is sensed during image capture.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of sensing uses an infrared spectrum photocell for sensing infrared energy received from said image scene during illumination by said flash unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of sensing uses a visible light spectrum photocell for sensing ambient light energy received from said image scene before illumination by said flash unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said scanning aperture shutter includes separate, proportionately operable, variable apertures for image capture and said step of sensing.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of controlling includes extinguishing said flash unit once a predetermined amount of infrared spectrum energy is sensed during flash unit illumination.