Patent Application
20170289419
The invention relates to the technology of a photoflash light used in a mobile device, and more particularly to an extension photoflash light and a camera system using the same.
Due to the progresses of the pixel and quality of the digital photographing, a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone or a tablet computer) possessing the photographing function has become a trend. However, the performances of these built-in digital cameras in the low-light or backlight environment cannot match with the conventional digital camera. Although each of some mobile devices with built-in digital cameras is also equipped with a light-emitting diode (LED) assistant exposure light, the assistant exposure amount of the LED assistant exposure light is seriously restricted due to the battery capacity of the mobile device and the heat dissipating problem of the LED. When the distance to the to-be-illuminated object exceeds 1 meter, the LED cannot provide the sufficient light source to properly expose the photosensitive members.
A xenon photoflash light (high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp) can provide a lot of auxiliary light in a short period of time, so the conventional digital camera is often equipped with the xenon photoflash light. The xenon photoflash light utilizes a charger to convert the low-voltage battery power into the high-voltage power stored in a high-voltage capacitor with a high capacitance. A mechanical shutter is used to trigger the xenon photoflash light at a proper timing to convert the electric energy, stored in the high-voltage capacitor, into a high luminance auxiliary light source in a very short period of time, so that the photosensitive members are properly exposed in the low light or backlight environment. The xenon photoflash light requires the high-voltage capacitor having the capacitance ranging from several tens of μF to several hundreds of μF, and having the withstanding voltage ranging from 300 to 400 volts. These capacitors have the very large volume, and cannot be accepted by the mobile device under the slim and light preconditions of the mobile device. Thus, the extension xenon photoflash light has become a practical and essential option under the precondition without increasing the volume and weight of the mobile device.
According to the capacitance of the high-voltage capacitor and the specification of the xenon lamp, the flash time of the xenon photoflash light ranges from about several tens of microseconds to about several hundreds of microseconds. How to flash at the correct timing to uniformly expose all the photosensitive members is an important subject of determining whether the extension xenon photoflash light is feasible. The camera device installed in the typical mobile device adopts CMOS photosensitive members and a rolling shutter, as shown in
However, due to the limitation of the rolling shutter, the flash time of the xenon photoflash light is only several microseconds (μs), which is relatively short, and the extension xenon photoflash light often cannot find the optimum flash timing. So, the mobile phone has to provide a signal to inform the optimum flash timing. Further, the extension flash light needs to report the mobile device whether the HID lamp is charged or not. The HID lamp cannot perform flash operation if HID lamp is not sufficiently charged.
An object of the invention is to provide an extension photoflash light and a camera system using the same, wherein the extension photoflash light is to be hung or mounted on a mobile device, and simulates the finger touch to transmit data to the mobile device such that the report of the charging state and/or the information of the photoflash light can be achieved.
In view of this, the invention provides an extension photoflash light to be externally mounted on a mobile device with a photographing function, wherein the mobile device with the photographing function has a flat panel display and a camera lens. The extension photoflash light includes a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp, a mounting mechanism, a touch simulation device and a control circuit. The mounting mechanism is for mounting the extension photoflash light. The touch simulation device is disposed on the mounting mechanism. The control circuit is coupled to the HID lamp. When the mounting mechanism mounts the mobile device and the mounting mechanism is contact with a surface of the flat panel display, the mobile device obtains a mounting position of the extension photoflash light by sensing the touch simulation device.
The invention further provides a camera system. The camera system includes a mobile device and an extension photoflash light. The mobile device has a flat panel display and a camera lens. The extension photoflash light includes a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp, a mounting mechanism, a touch simulation device and a control circuit. The mounting mechanism is for mounting the extension photoflash light. The touch simulation device is disposed on the mounting mechanism. The control circuit is coupled to the HID lamp. When the mounting mechanism mounts the mobile device and the mounting mechanism is contact with a surface of the flat panel display, the mobile device obtains a mounting position of the extension photoflash light by sensing the touch simulation device.
In the extension photoflash light and the camera system using the same according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the extension photoflash light further includes a light sensing circuit disposed on the mounting mechanism, wherein the control circuit is coupled to the light sensing circuit, wherein the mobile device emits a light signal on a specific block of the flat panel display. The control circuit controls the light sensing circuit to detect the light signal of the specific block, decodes luminance of the detected light signal into a decoding message, and controls the HID lamp to perform flashing at a specific timing according to the decoding message.
In the extension photoflash light and the camera system using the same according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the mounting mechanism of the extension photoflash light touches a surface of the flat panel display of the mobile device with the photographing function, the mobile device with the photographing function obtains the mounting position of the extension photoflash light according to a distance between touch points and theirs touch time. In another preferred embodiment, the touch simulation device is further used for outputting a touch signal, wherein the mobile device with the photographing function decodes the touch signal output from the touch simulation device to obtain a received message according to whether touch is detected by the mobile device or not such that a state of the extension photoflash light is determined. In a preferred embodiment, the state of the extension photoflash light includes residual capacity information of a battery. In another preferred embodiment, the state of the extension photoflash light comprises information regarding whether the HID lamp is completely charged. In another preferred embodiment, the state of the extension photoflash light comprises a brand information.
In the extension photoflash light and the camera system using the same according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the touch simulation device includes a first touch simulation electrode, a second touch simulation electrode, a switch element and a grounded conductor. The first touch simulation electrode is disposed on a surface at which the mounting device is to be contact with the mobile device. The second touch simulation electrode is disposed on a surface at which the mounting device is to be contact with the mobile device, wherein there is a preset distance between the first touch simulation electrode and the second touch simulation electrode. The switch element includes a control terminal, a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the control terminal of the switch element is coupled to the control circuit, the first terminal of the switch element is coupled to the second touch simulation electrode and the first touch simulation electrode, wherein whether the first terminal and the second terminal of the switch element are conducted or not is determined according to a signal received by the control terminal of the switch element. The grounded conductor is coupled to the second terminal of the switch element, wherein an area of the grounded conductor is at least greater than a preset area, wherein the mobile device with the photographing function performs a specific application program to determine whether the mounted device is the extension photoflash light or not and the position of the extension photoflash light according to a touch point by the first touch simulation electrode and a touch point by the second touch simulation electrode, wherein the control circuit control a conduction time of the switch element to transmit a specific information to the mobile device with the photographing function.
In the extension photoflash light and the camera system using the same according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the specific information is encoded by a time encoding, wherein the time encoding comprises TP=(1+(N/5))×P×10, TR=(1+(N%5))×P×10, wherein TP represents a time of touch, TR represents a time without touch, wherein N is a natural number between 0 to 15, P is a adjustable time constant, wherein the adjustable time constant is adjustable according to a response time of a touch device of the mobile device.
The essence of the invention is to provide an extension photoflash light that can be mounted on the mobile device, wherein a touch simulation device is disposed on the mounting mechanism of the extension photoflash light. Through the touch simulation device, the mobile device can obtain the mounting position of the extension photoflash light. Moreover, in this embodiment, the extension photoflash light can also report brand information, residual capacity information of a battery, the charging state and/or the information of the extension photoflash light by the touch simulation device. Thus, the extension photoflash light can communicate with the mobile device.
Further scope of the applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The mounting mechanism 212 is for mounting or hanging the extension photoflash light 21, the detailed structure of which will be described later. The signal receiving device 213 in this embodiment is for example implemented by a light sensing circuit, and the signal receiving device 213 is disposed on the mounting mechanism 212 and for sensing a light signal outputted from the display device 201 of the mobile device 20. The photoflash light control circuit 214 is coupled to the HID lamp 211 and the light sensing circuit 213. The touch simulation device 215 is also disposed on the mounting mechanism 212. Different from the signal receiving device 213, the touch simulation device 215 is disposed on the surface which can be contact with the touch screen of the mobile device 20.
In order to make the essence of the invention be understood more easily, it is assumed that the mobile device 20 is a smart mobile phone having a specific photography APPlication program (photography APP). When the photography APP is being executed, the mobile device control circuit 203 of the mobile device 20 detects the touch simulation device 215 by the photography APP, such that the position of the extension photoflash light 21. Further, based on the position of the extension photoflash light 21, the mobile device control circuit 203 enables a specific block of the display device 201 to emit a light signal such that the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21 can receive the light signal.
When user executes the photography APP, the photography APP would start to detects the touch position to determine the position of the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21. When the position of the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21 is verified, the mobile device 20 disposes a specific block for outputting the light signal on the display device 201. In addition, the touch simulation device 215 simulates the finger touch to transmit specific information to the mobile device 20. The specific information may be a brand information, residual power information, charging information of the HID lamp 211.
In step S301, the method starts.
In step S302, the photography APP is performed.
In step S303, a hint information is displayed. The hint information teaches how to attach or mount the extension photoflash light 21 to the mobile device 20.
In step S304, the position of the extension photoflash light 21 is detected. By the photography APP, the touch points and their distance are detected to determine the mounted position of the extension photoflash light 21.
In step S305, the brand information is decoded by touch sensing of the mobile device 20. In this time, the mobile device 20 sends a light signal to the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21 through the display device 201. And then, the touch simulation device 215 of the extension photoflash light 21 sends the touch simulation signal. By alternatively occurring of “touching” and “non-touching”, the brand information is transmitted to the mobile device 20. The mobile device 20 decodes the touch simulation signal to obtain the brand information.
In step S306, it is determined whether the extension photoflash light 21 is supported by this mobile device or this photography APP. If the determination is positive, the step S308 is performed. If the determination is negative, the step S307 is performed.
In step S307, a unsupported device message is output. It may display on the display device 201.
In step S308, a timing sequence request is sent. The mobile device 20 send the light signal from the display device 201 to the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21. Afterward, the extension photoflash light 21 transmits the timing sequence to the mobile device through the touch simulation signal. The timing sequence may be a time information from the time when the photographing is trigger to the time when the photoflash is performed.
In step S309, the correctness of the time sequence is confirmed. When the mobile device 20 receives and decodes the timing sequence, the mobile device 20 start to confirm whether the time information on the extension photoflash light 21 is matched with the time information of the mobile device 20. If the determination is positive, the step S311 is performed. If the determination is negative, the step S310 is performed.
In step S310, a timing setup is performed. The display device 201 of the mobile device 20 transmits the light signal to the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21 to perform the timing setup for the extension photoflash light 21. Thus, the timing information of the extension photoflash light 21 can be matched with the timing information of the mobile device 20. Afterward, the step S311 is performed.
Since the camera device 202 of the mobile device 20 adopts a rolling shutter. There is a uncertain time delay from when user trigger the photographing function to the image capture time. And the sustained time of the photoflash of the HID lamp is only several microseconds. Thus, a precise time information is necessary such that the flash in a correct time can be performed. In this embodiment, the signal receiving device (light sensing circuit) 213 would capture the light signal from the specific block and convert it to the electric signal to the photoflash light control circuit 214. The photoflash light control circuit 214 then starts to decode a decoding message, wherein the decoding message has a time information. The time information is highly correlated with the image capture time of the camera device 202 of the mobile device 20. Therefore, the photoflash light control circuit 214 controls that the HID lamp 211 perform photoflash in a correct time.
In step S311, the charging information request of the HID lamp 211 of the extension photoflash light 21 is transmitted. The mobile device 20 sends the light signal to the signal receiving device 213 of the extension photoflash light 21 through the display device 201 to request whether the HID lamp 211 is completely charged or not. If the charge is not complete, return to step S311. If the charge is complete, perform the step S312.
In step S312, it is determined whether the photographing is triggered. If user trigger the photographing, perform the step S313.
In step S313, perform a photographing with photoflash. The mobile device triggers the extension photoflash light 21 through the display device 201, and the mobile device 20 performs photographing. When the step finished, return to step S311.
In the transmission encoding, the present embodiment adopts an encoding formula as follow:
TP=(1+(N/5))×P×10;
TR=(1+(N%5))×P×10;
wherein TP represents a time of touch, TR represents a time without touch, wherein N is a natural number between 0 to 15, P is a adjustable time constant,
In a multi-layered architecture system, such as smart mobile phone, when the touch and no touch respectively serve as “0” and “1”, it may only transmit 1 or 2 bits per second. In this embodiment, the time encoding as above is adopted. The abovementioned P is a parameter to be adjusted according to the response time of the touch panel of the different mobile device. If P is equal to 10, the table 1 can be obtained as follow:
Referring to table 1, it is assumed that the data to be transmitted is 0x6, substituting it into the formula, it can obtain TP=(1+6/5)×10×10=200, TR=(1+(6%5))×10×10=200. Thus, if the extension photoflash light 21 transmits 0x6 to the mobile device 20, the touch simulation device 215 simulates “touch” for 200 milliseconds, and then simulates “no-touch” for 200 milliseconds. Similarly, if the extension photoflash light 21 transmits 0xA to the mobile device 20, the touch simulation device 215 simulates “touch” for 300 milliseconds, and then simulates “no-touch” for 100 milliseconds. Based on the time encoding, the transmission data rate can be increased to 8 to 16 bits per second.
The above-mentioned embodiment is implemented using the rear lens 501 to shoot. However, the more popular selfie uses the front lens to shoot. The following embodiment provides a camera system using the front lens to shoot, and an extension photoflash light 21.
In the abovementioned embodiment, the light sensing circuit is adopted to serve as the signal receiving device 213. However, people having ordinary skill in the art should know that the optical communication is one of the signal receiving method. People having ordinary skill in the art can also adopt serial transmission from USB or NFC to replace the optical communication from the display device 201. Thus, the present invention is not limited thereto. Moreover, the mounting mechanism 212 is not limited to the configuration of
In summary, the essence of the invention is to provide an extension photoflash light that can be mounted on the mobile device, wherein a touch simulation device is disposed on the mounting mechanism of the extension photoflash light. Through the touch simulation device, the mobile device can obtain the mounting position of the extension photoflash light. Moreover, in this embodiment, the extension photoflash light can also report brand information, residual capacity information of a battery, the charging state and/or the information of the extension photoflash light by the touch simulation device. Thus, the extension photoflash light can communicate with the mobile device.
While the present invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/317,062 filed on Apr. 1, 2016 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62317062 | Apr 2016 | US |
