Flash lamp control method, circuit and system

Abstract

Disclosed in the present disclosure are a flash lamp control method, circuit and system. The method comprises: on the basis of a flash power setting indicated by a flash lamp control instruction, determining discharge path information of an energy storage circuit, the energy storage circuit being used for storing energy required by a flash lamp to emit light, and the discharge path information indicating inductance information of a discharge path of the energy storage circuit; on the basis of the discharge path information, selecting at least one target current path from among a plurality of current paths, the current paths being connected in parallel and having different inductance values; and controlling the at least one target current path to be turned on, such that the energy storage circuit discharges on the basis of the at least one target current path, and the flash lamp flashes on the basis of the flash power setting. The technical solution of the present disclosure reduces the difference of color temperatures of the flash lamp at different flash power, such that when the flash lamp flashes on the basis of the different power, a light color is kept in a relatively stable state.

Description

Flash control methods, circuits and systems

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411728722.9, filed on November 28, 2024, entitled "Flashlight Control Method, Circuit and System", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure belongs to the field of lighting control technology, specifically relating to a flash lamp control method, circuit, and system. Background Technology

[0004] A flash is a photographic aid used to provide additional light in low-light conditions for better exposure. In some situations, users need to control the flash intensity, typically by changing the flash power. Changing the flash power alters the current in the flash circuit, leading to significant changes in color temperature and consequently, different colors produced by the flash. For example, high-power flashes have an average color temperature between warm and cool tones, while low-power flashes have a higher average color temperature, resulting in a warmer-toned light. However, in some cases, users only want to change the flash frequency without altering the color temperature and thus the color of the light. Therefore, current flash control methods need improvement.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0006] Public content

[0007] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a flash control method, circuit, and system to reduce the color temperature difference of a flash at different flash powers.

[0008] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, or may be learned in part from practice of this disclosure.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a flash control method is provided, comprising:

[0010] The discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command; wherein, the energy storage circuit is used to store the energy required for the flash to emit light; the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit;

[0011] Based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, wherein each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value, and the combined inductance value of the at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information.

[0012] Control the conduction of at least one target current path to enable the energy storage circuit to discharge based on the at least one target current path and enable the flash lamp to flash based on the flash power level.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a flash control device is provided, comprising:

[0014] An information determiner is used to determine the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command; wherein, the energy storage circuit is used to store the energy required for the flash to emit light; and the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit.

[0015] A selector is configured to select at least one target current path from multiple current paths based on the discharge path information, wherein the current paths are connected in parallel and have different inductance values, and the combined inductance value of the at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information.

[0016] A controller is used to control the conduction of the at least one target current path so that the energy storage circuit discharges based on the at least one target current path and causes the flash lamp to flash based on the flash power level.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a flash control circuit is provided, comprising:

[0018] An energy storage circuit, connected to a power supply, is used to store the energy required for the flash lamp to emit light through the power supply.

[0019] A current path selection circuit is connected to both the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp. The current path selection circuit includes multiple current paths, each connected in parallel with a different inductance value. The current path selection circuit is used to select at least one target current path from the multiple current paths to conduct according to the flash power level of the flash lamp, so as to connect the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a flash control system is provided, comprising:

[0021] An energy storage circuit, connected to a power supply, is used to store the energy required for the flash lamp to emit light through the power supply.

[0022] A controller is configured to determine the discharge path information of an energy storage circuit based on the flash power level indicated by a flash control command; wherein the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit; based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, and a control signal for the at least one target current path is generated; the combined inductance value of the at least one target current path is matched with the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information.

[0023] A current path selection circuit is connected to the controller, the energy storage circuit, and the flash lamp respectively; the current path selection circuit includes multiple current paths, each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value; the current path selection circuit is used to conduct at least one target current path according to the control signal of at least one target current path, so as to connect the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp.

[0024] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the flash control method as described above.

[0025] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor; and a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor executes the executable instructions to cause the electronic device to perform the flash control method as described in the above technical solution.

[0026] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer program product or computer program is provided, comprising computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the flash control method as described above.

[0027] In the technical solution provided in this embodiment, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is first determined according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command. The energy storage circuit stores the energy required for the flash to emit light. The discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit. Then, based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, wherein each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value. The combined inductance value of the at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information. Finally, at least one target current path is controlled to conduct, so that the energy storage circuit discharges based on the at least one target current path, and the flash illuminates based on the flash power level. Thus, when the flash is controlled to emit light according to different flash power levels, the inductance value in the discharge path of the energy storage circuit is different. Different inductances can cause different rates of current change, thereby adapting the rate of current change to the flash power and keeping the color temperature relatively stable at different power levels. This reduces the color temperature difference of the flash at different flash power levels, and consequently, keeps the light color relatively stable when the flash illuminates at different power levels.

[0028] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort.

[0030] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a flowchart of a flash control method provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 2 schematically shows a circuit block diagram of a flash control circuit provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 3 schematically shows a circuit diagram of a flash control circuit provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 4 schematically illustrates a schematic diagram of a PWM signal provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 5A schematically illustrates a high flash power color temperature profile provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 5B schematically illustrates a low flash power color temperature profile provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 6 schematically illustrates a flash control system provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 7 schematically shows a structural block diagram of a flash control device provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be more thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0039] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this disclosure.

[0040] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0041] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0042] In traditional technologies, flash units cannot select discharge paths when flashing at different power levels. Whether high or low power, the energy storage circuit is discharged through the same path. Assuming there's no inductor in the discharge path, the flash color temperature curve initially shows a high color temperature, resulting in a cooler (bluer) color. Subsequently, the current in the circuit decreases rapidly, and the color temperature curve shifts to a lower value, resulting in a warmer (redr) color. At high power, such as with full-power output, the average flash color temperature falls between cool and warm tones, for example, between 5400K and 5600K; while at low power, the average flash color temperature is significantly higher. Alternatively, assuming an inductor in the discharge path, the color temperature is significantly lower in high-power flash mode. Therefore, with traditional control circuits, the average color temperature changes continuously as the flash power changes, thus altering the light color. Based on this, this disclosure proposes a flash control method that can reduce the color temperature difference of the flash at different flash powers, thereby ensuring that the light color remains relatively stable when the flash fires at different powers. The flash control method provided by this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0043] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a flowchart of a flash control method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure, which can be implemented by a flash control device. As shown in Figure 1, the flash control method provided in this embodiment includes steps 110 to 130, as detailed below:

[0044] Step 110: Determine the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command; wherein, the energy storage circuit is used to store the energy required for the flash to emit light; the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit.

[0045] Specifically, the circuitry of a flash unit typically includes an energy storage circuit. This circuit stores the energy required for the flash to emit light. During the flash, the energy stored in the circuit is transferred to the flash unit through a connected discharge path, enabling the flash to start firing after being powered on. Generally, the faster the energy is transferred from the storage circuit to the flash unit, the greater the energy released by the flash, meaning a higher flash power. Visually, this results in a brighter flash. Flash power (Ws, watt-seconds) is a unit that measures the amount of energy released by a flash unit in a single flash; it represents the amount of energy transferred by the flash unit within a specific time period.

[0046] Flash units can emit light at different flash powers, which are set using corresponding flash power levels. Each flash power level is labeled as the ratio of the current flash power to the maximum flash power. For example, if the maximum flash power is denoted as 1, then full power output is denoted as 1 / 1, half of full power (half power) is denoted as 1 / 2, half of half power is denoted as 1 / 4, and so on, resulting in multiple flash power levels. Table 1 schematically illustrates the flash power levels for two flash unit models, where model AD600 indicates a maximum flash power of 600Ws, and model AD200 indicates a maximum flash power of 200Ws. It can be seen that different flash unit models have different flash powers, but can have the same flash power levels. The specific flash power corresponding to a flash power level needs to be determined based on the flash unit's maximum flash power.

[0047] Table 1

[0048] Flash control commands can be triggered by the user or automatically by the program. For example, a user adjusts the flash power level to a target level according to their needs, triggering the flash control command. Alternatively, if the program specifies that the flash power level needs to be changed to a target level at a certain time, the program will automatically trigger the flash control command at that specific moment. The flash control command includes the desired flash power level, such as the target level in the previous example. The flash power level indicates the flash power; generally, a higher flash power level indicates higher flash power. Here, the flash power level refers to the numerical value representing the flash power level; for example, flash power level 1 / 1 is greater than flash power level 1 / 2. Higher flash power means the flash needs to acquire energy from the energy storage circuit more quickly, which means the energy storage circuit needs to discharge more rapidly, resulting in lower inductance in the discharge path. Conversely, lower flash power means the flash does not need to acquire energy from the energy storage circuit quickly, meaning the energy storage circuit can discharge more slowly, resulting in higher inductance in the discharge path. Therefore, when the flash power level is high, the inductance required for the discharge path of the energy storage circuit indicated by the discharge path information is small; when the flash power level is low, the inductance required for the discharge path of the energy storage circuit indicated by the discharge path information is large.

[0049] In one embodiment of this disclosure, a mapping relationship between flash power levels and the inductance data required by the energy storage circuit can be pre-set. This mapping relationship allows the acquisition of discharge path information corresponding to the current flash control command. Since the specific flash power indicated by the flash power level needs to be determined based on the flash lamp's maximum flash power, the maximum flash power can be included in the mapping relationship. When determining the discharge path information, the mapping relationship is queried based on the flash power level indicated by the flash control command and the flash lamp's maximum flash power to obtain the corresponding discharge path information. Optionally, different flash lamp models have different maximum flash powers. Therefore, a mapping relationship between flash power levels, flash lamp models, and the inductance data required by the energy storage circuit can be pre-set. When determining the discharge path information, the mapping relationship is queried based on the flash power level indicated by the flash control command and the flash lamp model to obtain the corresponding discharge path information.

[0050] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit can be divided into two cases, which correspond to different flash powers. The corresponding discharge path information is then determined based on the flash power level indicated by the flash control command. Specifically, if the flash power level indicated by the flash control command is greater than a preset power threshold, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined to be a low-inductance discharge path; if the flash power level indicated by the flash control command is less than the preset power threshold, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined to be a high-inductance discharge path.

[0051] In other words, the discharge path of the energy storage circuit is divided into two cases: a low-inductance discharge path and a high-inductance discharge path. Based on the previous analysis, low-inductance discharge is suitable for high flash power, and high-inductance discharge is suitable for low flash power. Therefore, the corresponding flash power can be determined based on the flash power level indicated by the flash control command and the maximum flash power of the flash unit. When the flash power is greater than a preset power threshold, it is considered high flash power, and the discharge path information is a low-inductance discharge path; when the flash power is less than the preset power threshold, it is considered low flash power, and the discharge path information is a high-inductance discharge path. It can be understood that the case where the flash power is equal to the preset power threshold can be classified into either the case where the flash power is greater than the preset power threshold or the case where the flash power is less than the preset power threshold, depending on the actual needs. In this way, multiple flash power levels can be controlled by using both high and low inductance discharge paths.

[0052] Step 120: Based on the discharge path information, select at least one target current path from multiple current paths, wherein each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value, and the combined inductance value of at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information.

[0053] Specifically, multiple current paths are set between the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp. These current paths are connected in parallel, and their respective inductance values ​​are not the same. After determining the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit, at least one target current path is selected from the multiple current paths according to the inductance value indicated by the discharge path information. These target current paths are used to connect the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp, transferring the energy released by the energy storage circuit to the flash lamp. The combined inductance value of at least one target current path should match the inductance value indicated by the discharge path information. For example, if the difference between the combined inductance value of at least one target current path and the inductance value indicated by the discharge path information is within a preset range, they are considered to match. Assuming there are n target current paths, the inductance value of the i-th target current path is Li, the combined inductance value of the n target current paths is Leq, the inductance value indicated by the discharge path information is denoted as Lo, and ε represents a preset threshold, then the following equation is satisfied: |Leq-Lo|≤ε

[0054] In one embodiment of this disclosure, when the discharge path of the energy storage circuit is divided into a low-inductance discharge path and a high-inductance discharge path, if the discharge path information indicates a low-inductance current path, then at least one current path with a combined inductance value lower than a preset inductance threshold is selected as at least one target current path; if the discharge path information indicates a high-inductance current path, then at least one current path with a combined inductance value higher than the preset inductance threshold is selected as at least one target current path. That is, for low flash power, a high-inductance discharge path can be selected as much as possible, and for high flash power, a low-inductance discharge path can be selected as much as possible.

[0055] Step 130: Control at least one target current path to conduct, so that the energy storage circuit discharges based on at least one target current path, and the flash lamp flashes based on the flash power level.

[0056] Specifically, not all of the multiple current paths between the energy storage circuit and the flash are in a conducting state. Instead, at least one of the aforementioned selected target current paths is controlled to be conducting. In this way, the energy released by the energy storage circuit is transferred to the flash through at least one target current path. During the discharge process, the current change of the energy storage circuit is affected by the inductance in at least one target current path, which is adapted to the flash power indicated by the flash power setting. Therefore, when the flash is flashing based on the flash power setting, the current change in the discharge path will not be too fast or too slow, thus keeping the color temperature of the flash relatively stable.

[0057] In one embodiment of this disclosure, each current path can be connected to the energy storage circuit via a switch. After determining at least one target current path, a switch control signal for each target current path can be generated. This switch control signal can control the switch in the corresponding target current path to close, thus controlling at least one target current path to be turned on.

[0058] In the technical solution provided in this embodiment, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is first determined according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command. The energy storage circuit stores the energy required for the flash to emit light. The discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit. Then, based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, wherein each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value. The combined inductance value of the at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information. Finally, at least one target current path is controlled to conduct, so that the energy storage circuit discharges based on the at least one target current path, and the flash illuminates based on the flash power level. Thus, when the flash is controlled to emit light according to different flash power levels, the inductance value in the discharge path of the energy storage circuit is different. Different inductances can cause different rates of current change, thereby adapting the rate of current change to the flash power and keeping the color temperature relatively stable at different power levels. This reduces the color temperature difference of the flash at different flash power levels, and consequently, keeps the light color relatively stable when the flash illuminates at different power levels.

[0059] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the technical solution further includes: generating a flash control signal based on the flash power level, the flash control signal being used to control the flash frequency of the flash unit, and the flash frequency matching the flash power level. Specifically, the aforementioned energy storage circuit is used to power the flash unit, and the flash control signal is used to control the on / off state of the circuit containing the flash unit. When the circuit containing the flash unit is on, the flash unit emits light based on the power supplied by the energy storage circuit; when the circuit containing the flash unit is off, the flash unit is turned off. The flash frequency represents the number of times the flash unit can flash per unit time; therefore, the flash control signal can actually control the flash frequency of the flash unit. The higher the flash frequency of the flash unit, the more flashes per unit time, and therefore the higher the flash power. Thus, the flash frequency and flash power are matched.

[0060] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the flash control signal is a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal with a specified duty cycle. The duty cycle refers to the ratio of the high-level time to the total time of one pulse cycle. Generally, when the PWM signal is high, the flash circuit is on, and the flash illuminates; when the PWM signal is low, the flash circuit is off, and the flash is extinguished. In this embodiment, the required flash frequency can be determined based on the flash power level corresponding to the flash power setting, and then the PWM signal can be generated based on the flash frequency.

[0061] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the starting discharge voltage of the energy storage circuit remains consistent when different current paths are selected as the target current path. That is, the starting discharge voltage of the energy storage circuit remains consistent when discharging through different current paths. For example, regardless of whether it is a high flash power (low inductance discharge path) or a low flash power (high inductance discharge path), the circuit returns to its maximum voltage after the flash ends.

[0062] It should be noted that although the steps of the method in this disclosure are described in a specific order in the accompanying drawings, this does not require or imply that the steps must be performed in that specific order, or that all the steps shown must be performed to achieve the desired result. Additional or alternative steps may be omitted, multiple steps may be combined into one step, and / or a step may be broken down into multiple steps.

[0063] Figure 2 schematically shows a circuit block diagram of a flash control circuit provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] As shown in Figure 2, the LD2 flash control circuit provided in this embodiment includes an energy storage circuit 210 and a current path selection circuit 220. The energy storage circuit 210 is connected to both the power supply U and the current path selection circuit 220, which is connected to the LD2 flash. The current path selection circuit 220 acts as a bridge between the energy storage circuit 210 and the LD2 flash. The current path selection circuit 220 includes multiple current paths L1 to Ln, where Li represents the i-th current path. These current paths are connected in parallel, and each current path has a different inductance. When the LD2 flash is operating, at least one target current path in the current path selection circuit 220 is connected, thus connecting the energy storage circuit 210 to the LD2 flash. The energy stored in the energy storage circuit 210 then reaches the LD2 flash based on the connected target current path, providing sufficient energy for the LD2 flash to emit light. At least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths 221 based on the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit. The discharge path information of the energy storage circuit 210 is determined according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command.

[0065] As shown in Figure 2, each current path is connected to the energy storage circuit 210 through a corresponding switch Si. After determining at least one target current path, a switch control signal is generated for each target current path to close the corresponding switch, thus enabling the target current path to conduct. Optionally, the switch Si for current path Li can also be located at the end where current path Li is connected to the flash lamp LD2.

[0066] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a circuit diagram of a flash control circuit provided in one embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, the flash control circuit provided in this embodiment includes an energy storage circuit and a current path selection circuit 120, wherein the energy storage circuit is a capacitor C1. The capacitor C1 is connected to both the power supply U and the current path selection circuit 120, and the current path selection circuit 120 is connected to the flash lamp LD1. The current path selection circuit 220 includes multiple current paths L1 to Ln, which are connected in parallel, and each current path has a different inductance. The current path L1 is connected to the capacitor C1 through a corresponding switch Si.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in FIG3, the flash control circuit provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure further includes a flash control circuit 230, which is connected to the flash LD1 and is used to control the conduction and disconnection of the circuit in which the flash LD1 is located according to the flash power of the flash LD1.

[0068] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the flash control circuit 230 includes a switching transistor T1, a second capacitor C2, and a third resistor R1. The first terminal of the switching transistor T1 is connected to the flash lamp LD1, the second terminal of the switching transistor T1 is grounded, and the third terminal of the switching transistor T1 is used to receive the flash control signal generated according to the flash power level of the flash lamp LD1. One end of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the third terminal of the switching transistor T1, and the other end is grounded. One end of the third resistor R1 is connected to the third terminal of the switching transistor T1, and the other end is grounded.

[0069] The flash control signal received at the third terminal of switching transistor T1 is also called a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal. The PWM signal controls the on-time and off-time of switching transistor T1 within one cycle, which is equivalent to controlling the emission frequency of the flash lamp LD1. Therefore, the PWM signal is generated based on the flash power level. Generally, switching transistor T1 being on corresponds to a high-level PWM signal, and switching transistor T1 being off corresponds to a low-level PWM signal. The proportion of the high-level signal within one cycle is called the duty cycle of the PWM signal. When the flash power is low, the PWM signal duty cycle is low; when the flash power is high, the PWM signal duty cycle is high.

[0070] For example, Figure 4 schematically illustrates a schematic diagram of a PWM signal provided in an embodiment of this disclosure, wherein PWM1 corresponds to a low duty cycle PWM signal and PWM2 corresponds to a high duty cycle PWM signal. For example, when the flash power level is 1 / 1, it is a high-power flash, and the discharge path information of capacitor C1 is a low-inductance discharge path. Assuming that the current path L1 to L4 is selected as the target current path at this time, the switches S1 to S4 corresponding to the current path L1 to L4 receive the switch control signal, the two switches are closed, capacitor C1 discharges through the current path L1 to L4, and at the same time, the third terminal of the switch transistor T1 receives the PWM2 signal, and the flash lamp LD1 emits light at high power. The color temperature curve is shown in Figure 5A.

[0071] When the flash power level is 1 / 8, it is a low-power flash. The discharge path information of capacitor C1 is a high-inductance discharge path. Assuming that the current path L1 is selected as the target current path, the switch S1 corresponding to the current path L1 receives the switch control signal, the switch S1 closes, the capacitor C1 discharges through the current path L1, and the third terminal of the switch T1 receives the PWM1 signal. The flash lamp LD1 emits light at low power. The color temperature curve is shown in Figure 5B.

[0072] As can be seen from Figures 5A and 5B, the color temperature curve has a high peak value but a steep change when using high-power flash, while the color temperature curve has a low peak value but a gentle change when using low-power flash. The median color temperature of both types remains in a relatively central position, thereby reducing the color temperature difference of the LD1 flash unit under different flash powers.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the flash control circuit provided in this embodiment also includes a flash trigger circuit 240. This flash trigger circuit 240 is connected to both the flash lamp LD1 and the power supply U, and is used to boost the voltage provided by the power supply U to the trigger voltage of the flash lamp LD1. The trigger voltage is used to ionize the medium inside the flash lamp LD1. In this embodiment, the voltage provided by the power supply U is 320V. After the boost effect of the flash trigger circuit 240, the voltage received by the trigger terminal of the flash lamp LD1 can reach thousands of volts. This high voltage electrically shocks the medium inside the flash lamp LD1, causing it to ionize, and then it can emit light after being powered on.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the flash trigger circuit 240 includes a fourth resistor R50, a third capacitor C28, and a transformer TB1. The fourth resistor R50 is connected to the power supply U and the third capacitor C28 respectively. The third capacitor C28 is connected to the second terminal 2 of the primary winding of the transformer TB1. The second terminal 3 of the secondary winding of the transformer TB1 is connected to the flash lamp LD1. The first terminal 1 of the primary winding and the first terminal 4 of the secondary winding of the transformer TB1 are grounded.

[0075] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the flash control circuit provided in this embodiment also includes a reverse protection diode D8. The positive terminal of the reverse protection diode D8 is connected to the flash lamp LD1, and the negative terminal of the reverse protection diode D8 is connected to the flash control circuit 230, specifically to the first terminal of the switching transistor T1 in the flash control circuit 230. The negative terminal of the reverse protection diode D8 is also connected to the common connection terminal of the fourth resistor R50 and the third capacitor C28. The reverse protection diode D8 is used to prevent circuit failures caused by reverse voltage in the circuit containing the flash lamp LD1.

[0076] The flash control circuit provided in this embodiment controls the flash to emit light according to different flash power levels, so that the inductance value in the discharge path of the energy storage circuit is different. Different inductances can cause different rates of current change, thereby adapting the rate of current change to the flash power and keeping the color temperature at different power levels relatively stable. This reduces the color temperature difference of the flash at different flash power levels, and thus keeps the light color in a relatively stable state when the flash is flashing at different power levels.

[0077] Figure 6 schematically illustrates a flash control system provided in one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 6, the flash control system includes: an energy storage circuit 210, a controller 250, and a current path selection circuit 220. The controller 250 is connected to the current path selection circuit 220. The connection relationship and function of the energy storage circuit 210 and the current path selection circuit 220 are described in the foregoing flash control circuit embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the flash control system also includes a flash control circuit 230. The specific structure of the flash control circuit 230 can be referred to the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 3, and will not be repeated here. The controller 250 is connected to the switches Si corresponding to each current path Li in the current path selection circuit 220, and to the third terminal of the switching transistor T1 in the flash control circuit 230. The controller 250 determines the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit 210 according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command. Based on the discharge path information, it selects at least one target current path from multiple current paths and generates a control signal for at least one target current path. This control signal is a switch control signal corresponding to the target current path, used to control the switch to close, thus enabling the target current path to conduct. At the same time, the controller 250 generates a flash control signal according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command, and inputs the flash control signal to the third terminal of the switch T1, so that the switch T1 is turned on and off based on the flash control signal, which controls the on and off of the circuit where the flash lamp LD1 is located, so that the flash lamp LD1 flashes according to the flash power level indicated by the flash power level.

[0079] This disclosure also provides a flash control device for executing the flash control method in the above embodiments of this disclosure. As shown in FIG7, the flash control device provided by this disclosure includes:

[0080] Information determiner 710 is used to determine the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command; wherein, the energy storage circuit is used to store the energy required for the flash to emit light; the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit;

[0081] Selector 720 is configured to select at least one target current path from multiple current paths based on the discharge path information, wherein the current paths are connected in parallel and have different inductance values, and the combined inductance value of the at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information.

[0082] The controller 730 is used to control the conduction of the at least one target current path so that the energy storage circuit discharges based on the at least one target current path and causes the flash lamp to flash based on the flash power level.

[0083] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the information determiner 710 is specifically used for:

[0084] If the flash power level indicated by the flash control command is greater than the preset power threshold, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit will be determined as a low-inductance discharge path.

[0085] If the flash power level indicated by the flash control command is less than the preset power threshold, the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit will be determined as a high-inductance discharge path.

[0086] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the selector 720 is specifically used for:

[0087] If the discharge path information indicates a low inductance current path, then at least one current path with a combined inductance value lower than a preset inductance threshold is selected as at least one target current path.

[0088] If the discharge path information indicates a high inductance current path, then at least one current path with a combined inductance value higher than a preset inductance threshold is selected as at least one target current path.

[0089] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the apparatus further includes:

[0090] A flash control circuit is used to generate a flash control signal according to the flash power level, the flash control signal being used to control the flash frequency of the flash lamp, the flash frequency being matched with the flash power level.

[0091] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the flash control signal is a pulse width modulation signal with a specified duty cycle.

[0092] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the starting discharge voltage of the energy storage circuit remains consistent when different current paths are selected as the target current path.

[0093] The specific details of the flash control device provided in the various embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail in the corresponding method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0094] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0095] It should be noted that although several modules or units for the device used to perform actions have been mentioned in the detailed description above, this division is not mandatory. In fact, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the features and functions of two or more modules or units described above can be embodied in one module or unit. Conversely, the features and functions of one module or unit described above can be further divided and embodied by multiple modules or units.

[0096] From the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the exemplary embodiments described herein can be implemented by software or by combining software with necessary hardware. Therefore, the technical solutions according to the embodiments of this disclosure can be embodied in the form of a software product, which can be stored in a non-volatile storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, external hard drive, etc.) or on a network, including several instructions to cause a computing device (such as a personal computer, server, touch terminal, or network device, etc.) to execute the method according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0097] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein.

[0098] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A flash control method, characterized in that, include: The discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined according to the flash power level indicated by the flash control command; wherein, the energy storage circuit is used to store the energy required for the flash to emit light; the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit; Based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, wherein each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value, and the combined inductance value of the at least one target current path matches the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information. Control the conduction of at least one target current path to enable the energy storage circuit to discharge based on the at least one target current path and enable the flash lamp to flash based on the flash power level.

2. The flash control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined based on the flash power level indicated by the flash control command, including: If the flash power level indicated by the flash control command is greater than the preset power threshold, then the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined to be a low-inductance discharge path. If the flash power level indicated by the flash control command is less than the preset power threshold, then the discharge path information of the energy storage circuit is determined to be a high-inductance discharge path.

3. The flash control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, including: If the discharge path information indicates a low inductance current path, then at least one current path with a combined inductance value lower than a preset inductance threshold is selected as at least one target current path. If the discharge path information indicates a high inductance current path, then at least one current path with a combined inductance value higher than a preset inductance threshold is selected as at least one target current path.

4. The flash control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: A flash control signal is generated based on the flash power level. The flash control signal is used to control the flash frequency of the flash unit, and the flash frequency is matched with the flash power level.

5. The flash control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The flash control signal is a pulse width modulation signal with a specified duty cycle.

6. The flash control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When different current paths are selected as the target current path, the starting discharge voltage of the energy storage circuit remains consistent.

7. A flash control circuit, characterized in that, include: An energy storage circuit, connected to a power supply, is used to store the energy required for the flash lamp to emit light through the power supply. A current path selection circuit is connected to both the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp. The current path selection circuit includes multiple current paths, each connected in parallel with a different inductance value. The current path selection circuit is used to select at least one target current path from the multiple current paths to conduct according to the flash power level of the flash lamp, so as to connect the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp.

8. The flash control circuit according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A control signal filtering circuit, connected to the current path selection circuit, is used to filter the control signal, which is used to control the conduction of the target current path.

9. The flash control circuit according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control signal filtering circuit includes a first resistor, a second resistor, and a first capacitor. One end of the first resistor is used to receive the control signal, and the other end is connected to the current path selection circuit. One end of the first capacitor is connected to the current path selection circuit, and the other end is grounded. One end of the second resistor is connected to the gate of the thyristor switch, and the other end is grounded.

10. The flash control circuit according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: A flash control circuit, connected to the flash unit, is used to control the on / off state of the circuit containing the flash unit according to the flash power of the flash unit.

11. The flash control circuit according to claim 10, characterized in that, The flash control circuit includes a switching transistor, a second capacitor, and a third resistor. The first terminal of the switching transistor is connected to the flash lamp, the second terminal of the switching transistor is grounded, and the third terminal of the switching transistor is used to receive a flash control signal generated according to the flash power of the flash lamp. One end of the second capacitor is connected to the third terminal of the switching transistor, and the other end is grounded. One end of the third resistor is connected to the third terminal of the switching transistor, and the other end is grounded.

12. The flash control circuit according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: A flash trigger circuit is connected to both the flash lamp and the power supply, and is used to boost the voltage provided by the power supply to the trigger voltage of the flash lamp, wherein the trigger voltage is used to ionize the medium inside the flash lamp.

13. The flash control circuit according to claim 12, characterized in that, The flash trigger circuit includes a fourth resistor, a third capacitor, and a transformer. The fourth resistor is connected to the power supply and the third capacitor, respectively. The third capacitor is connected to the primary winding of the transformer, and the secondary winding of the transformer is connected to the flash lamp.

14. The flash control circuit according to claim 13, characterized in that, Also includes: An anti-reverse diode is provided, with its positive terminal connected to the flash lamp and its negative terminal connected to the flash control circuit. The negative terminal of the anti-reverse diode is also connected to the common connection terminal of the fourth resistor and the third capacitor.

15. A flash control system, characterized in that, include: An energy storage circuit, connected to a power supply, is used to store the energy required for the flash lamp to emit light through the power supply. A controller is configured to determine the discharge path information of an energy storage circuit based on the flash power level indicated by a flash control command; wherein the discharge path information indicates the inductance information of the discharge path of the energy storage circuit; based on the discharge path information, at least one target current path is selected from multiple current paths, and a control signal for the at least one target current path is generated; the combined inductance value of the at least one target current path is matched with the inductance information indicated by the discharge path information. A current path selection circuit is connected to the controller, the energy storage circuit, and the flash lamp respectively; the current path selection circuit includes multiple current paths, each current path is connected in parallel and has a different inductance value; the current path selection circuit is used to conduct at least one target current path according to the control signal of at least one target current path, so as to connect the energy storage circuit and the flash lamp.

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