Patent Application
20090263117
Some electronic handheld devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cellular phones, have built-in cameras, which enable the users to take pictures using the handheld devices. Typically, the built-in cameras in these electronic handheld devices are small camera modules that include components to electronically capture digital images. Some of these electronic handheld devices with built-in camera also include built-in flash modules, which generate flashes of light when additional illumination is needed for the image capturing process.
However, recent technological advancements have reduced the required illumination level to electronically capture images using the electronic handheld devices with the built-in cameras. Thus, a flash module may no longer be needed in an electronic handheld device with a built-in camera. Although a flash of light from a flash module is primarily used to illuminate a scene that is being electronically captured, the flash of light also serves to alert a subject or subjects in the scene that the picture has been taken, which lets the subject(s) know when to relax.
Therefore, if a flash module is removed from an electronic handheld device with a built-in camera, there is a need for a mechanism to signal to subject(s) that a picture has been taken.
A camera module, camera-enabled device and method for capturing a frame of image data of a targeted scene uses a faux flash of light to indicate that the frame of image data has been captured. Thus, the faux flash of light alerts a subject or subjects in the targeted scene when the subject(s) can relax, which is a desirable feature for an image capturing device.
A camera module for a handheld device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention comprises an image sensor array configured to electronically capture a frame of image data of a targeted scene, a faux flash device configured to produce a faux flash of light, and a processing device operably connected to the image sensor array to receive the frame of image data. The processing device is also operably connected to the faux flash device to activate the faux flash device to generate the faux flash of light to indicate that the frame of image data has been captured.
A camera-enabled device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention comprises an image sensor array configured to electronically capture a frame of image data of a targeted scene, a faux flash device configured to produce a faux flash of light, and a processing device connected to the image sensor array to receive the frame of image data. The processing device is also connected to the faux flash device to activate the faux flash device to produce the faux flash of light to indicate that the frame of image data has been captured.
A method for capturing a frame of image data of a targeted scene in accordance with an embodiment of the invention comprises accumulating electrical signals at an image sensor array of a camera-enabled device during an exposure period to electronically capture the frame of image data of the targeted scene, and generating a faux flash of light from the camera-enabled device to visually indicate that the frame of image data has been captured.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the invention.
With reference to
As shown in
Turning now to
The keypad 214 is an arrangement of keys or buttons to enter alphanumeric characters and/or commands. The keypad 214 may be a standard keypad found in conventional cellular phones. The keypad 214 is primarily used to dial telephone numbers to place telephone calls. However, the keypad 214 may also be used to type text messages and/or enter inputs or commands into the camera-enabled device 100. The camera-enabled device 100 may include other keys, buttons or controls to enter inputs or commands into the camera-enabled device.
The speaker 216 and the microphone 218 are used primarily for the telecommunication functionality of the camera-enabled device 100. The speaker 216 can be used to output audio signals during telephone calls. The microphone 218 can be used to input audio signals during telephone calls. In some embodiments, the microphone 218 may be used to input voice commands into the camera-enabled devices 100.
Turning now to
The other components and circuitries of the telecommunication unit 320, such as a transmitter 326, a receiver 328, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 330, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 332, a digital signal processor (DSP) 334 and memory 336, are not described herein since these components are well known. The camera-enabled device 100 also includes the display device 212, the keypad 214, the photo button 110, the speaker 216, the microphone 218 and other components (not shown) that are commonly found in camera phones.
As shown in
The faux flash device 102 is configured to generate faux flashes of light when frames of image data are captured and the faux flash feature of the camera-enabled device 100 is enabled. As stated above, these faux flashes of light are used to inform subjects in targeted scenes when images have been captured by the camera-enabled device 100. However, the faux flashes of light are not used to illuminate the targeted scenes. Thus, the faux flashes of light do not have to be as bright as standard flashes of light. That is, the intensity of the faux flashes of light produced by the faux flash device 102 need not be as high as standard flashes of light, which are used to illuminate targeted scenes. Furthermore, the faux flashes of light do not have to be white with good color rendering characteristics. Thus, in some embodiments, the faux flash device 102 is configured to generate faux flashes of light that are not as bright as standard flashes of light. As an example, the faux flash device 102 may be configured to generate faux flashes of light that have intensity of less than 2 candelas. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the faux flash device 102 is configured to generate faux flashes of light having a non-white color. As an example, the faux flash device 102 may be configured to produce red faux flashes of lights.
The faux flash device 102 may be any device that can generate flashes of light. The faux flash device 102 includes one or more light sources that generate light, which may be positioned behind an optional lens cover. As an example, each light source of the faux flash device 102 may be a light-emitting diode, an OLED or an electroluminescent display. In other embodiments, the faux flash device 102 may be positioned so that faux flashes of light from the faux flash device are transmitted through the imaging lens 338.
The driver circuit 342 is configured to generate driving signals for the faux flash device 102. The driver circuit 342 is electrically connected to the faux flash device 342 to transmit the driving signals to activate the faux flash device. When the faux flash device 102 is activated by a driving signal from the driver circuit 342, the faux flash device generates a faux flash of light in response to the driving signal.
The local processing device 344 is connected to the image sensor array 340 to receive the frames of image data from the image sensor array. The local processing device 344 is configured to perform various image processing operations on the received frames of image data, such as gamma correction and white balancing. The processed frames of image data can then be compressed and/or formatted and transmitted to the telecommunication unit 320 for further processing, transmission and/or storage. The local processing device 344 is also connected to the driver circuit 342 to provide control signals to the driver circuit, which may be serial commands, to activate the faux flash device 102 via the driver circuit. Thus, the local processing device 344 is able to control the timing of faux flashes of light produced by the faux flash device 102. In an embodiment, the local processing device 344 is configured to activate the faux flash device 102 after a frame of image data of a targeted scene has been captured. In particular, the faux flash device 102 is activated to generate a faux flash of light after an integration or exposure period, which is the time period for the image sensor array 340 to accumulate charges to electronically capture the frame of image data of the targeted scene. Thus, in this embodiment, the faux flash of light does not affect or contaminate the charges accumulated in the image sensor array 340 during the exposure period. However, in other embodiments, the local processing device 344 may be configured to activate the faux flash device 102 during the exposure period.
The local processing device 344 may be a general-purpose digital processor such as a microprocessor or microcontroller. In other embodiments, the local processing device 344 may be a special-purpose processor such as a digital signal processor. In other embodiments, the local processing device 344 may be another type of controller or an FPGA.
The camera module 322 also includes supporting circuitry (not shown) for the image sensor array 340, such as an analog-to-digital converter and row and column decoders. The camera module 322 may also include other elements commonly found in a conventional camera module for use in a handheld device, such as a cellular phone.
In the embodiment of
In other embodiments, the faux flash device 102 and the driver circuit 342 may not be part of any module of the camera-enabled device 100. In these embodiments, the camera-enabled device 100 may simply be a digital camera, which includes the faux driver 102 and the driver circuit 342 as part of the camera.
A method for capturing a frame of image data of a targeted scene in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is described with reference to a process flow diagram of
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
