Camera Multiplexing for Low-Power Sensing and Imaging Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic devices with integrated low-power sensing sensors face high hardware costs, aesthetic impact, and design challenges due to the addition of these sensors, which affect the screen-to-body ratio.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing an existing camera in the electronic device to multiplex its functions with a low-power sensing sensor, switching between low and high power consumption modes based on service requirements to reduce the need for additional hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a first low-power sensing sensor is added to the electronic device to enable low-power sensing services, then sensing capability is improved, but hardware cost increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is made to serve dual purposes: traditional photography functions and low-power sensing services. By reusing the existing camera hardware for both imaging and sensing tasks, the patent eliminates the need for a separate dedicated sensing sensor, thereby reducing hardware costs while maintaining sensing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the sensing function with the camera module by integrating the sensing processor with the camera's image signal processor (ISP). This merging allows the camera system to handle both high-power imaging tasks and low-power sensing tasks through a unified hardware architecture, reducing overall device complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a first low-power sensing sensor is added to the electronic device, then sensing function is enhanced, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to impact on screen-to-body ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The existing camera module is utilized for both photography and sensing functions, eliminating the need for additional dedicated sensing sensors that would occupy extra space on the device front. This approach preserves the screen-to-body ratio and maintains aesthetic appearance while still providing enhanced sensing capabilities.
3Measurement precision
If camera captures images with high image output specification, then image quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between different operational modes of the camera based on task requirements. For low-power sensing services, the camera operates in a low-power mode with reduced image output specifications. For photography tasks, it switches to high-performance mode with full image quality. This dynamic adaptation optimizes power consumption while maintaining image quality when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the camera (such as resolution, frame rate, and processing intensity) depending on the specific task. During sensing operations, parameters are reduced to minimize power consumption. During photography operations, parameters are set to maximum to ensure high image quality. This parameter adjustment strategy resolves the contradiction between power consumption and image quality.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a service processing method and a device, and relate to the field of artificial intelligence (AI) intelligent perception, so that an existing camera can be multiplexed to implement a function of a first low-power sensing sensor (for example, a function of sensing a gesture, a face, or a posture of a user through an image or a radar signal, or sensing a current environment of an electronic device through an image), and no additional hardware of the first low-power sensing sensor is required, thereby reducing costs and design and manufacturing difficulties of the electronic device. The method includes: After a target camera is enabled, an electronic device captures an image based on a first image output specification by using the target camera, where the image captured based on the first image output specification is used to process a first service. After a second service starts, the electronic device captures an image based on a second image output specification by using the target camera, where the second image output specification is higher than the first image output specification, and the image captured based on the second image output specification is used to process the second service. The second service includes photographing, video recording, or video calling, and the first service is different from the second service.