Camera Sensor Ambient Light Sensing for Display Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern electronic devices face challenges in accurately adjusting brightness and color profiles of their displays based on ambient light conditions, as conventional ambient light sensors consume power and generate thermal energy, and may not effectively measure chromaticity or user presence.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a camera sensor with a pixel array and photoreceptor to measure ambient light intensity and spectrum, allowing for the derivation of lux and chromaticity values without capturing images, which are then used to adjust display settings, including brightness and color profiles, while also detecting user presence and location for adaptive display adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ambient light sensors are used to adjust display brightness and color profiles, then display settings can be adjusted based on ambient light conditions, but power consumption increases and thermal energy is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The camera sensor is designed to perform multiple functions: capturing images/videos and sensing ambient light conditions. By integrating the ambient light sensing capability into the existing camera sensor, the system eliminates the need for separate dedicated ambient light sensors, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining measurement precision for display adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the ambient light sensing function with the camera sensor by integrating a photoreceptor that measures lux values into the camera module. This merging of functions allows the system to use a single sensor component for both imaging and ambient light measurement, reducing the number of active components and associated power consumption
2Measurement precision
If conventional ambient light sensors are used to adjust display settings, then brightness and color profiles can be adjusted, but thermal energy is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The camera sensor performs dual functions of image capture and ambient light sensing, reducing the need for additional dedicated sensors that would generate extra heat. The shared sensor architecture lowers overall thermal output while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the ambient light sensing function into the camera sensor, the system reduces the total number of active sensing components, thereby reducing cumulative thermal energy generation while preserving the ability to accurately measure ambient light for display adjustment
3Use of energy by moving object
If a camera sensor is used for discrete light sensing without image capture, then power consumption is reduced, but the system must effectively process light data without full image processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary ambient light data (lux values and chromaticity information) from the camera sensor output without performing full image processing. By extracting only the relevant photometric data and discarding the rest, the system significantly reduces power consumption while avoiding the complexity of complete image processing pipelines
Solution Approach 2:
The camera sensor processing is segmented into separate functional paths: one for full image capture and another for ambient light sensing. The ambient light path processes only the necessary photometric data independently, allowing the system to reduce power consumption by activating only the light sensing path when display adjustment is needed, without requiring full image processing capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces power consumption and thermal energy by leveraging the camera sensor's firmware for discrete light sensing, enabling accurate display adjustments based on ambient conditions and user presence, enhancing user experience with efficient and transparent operation.
Implementation Method 1
receiving ambient light from a surrounding environment of the electronic device with a camera sensor
Implementation Method 2
The photoreceptor is configured to measure lux value on a broad spectrum, wherein the broad spectrum includes the at least two color channels
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing environmental information to an electronic device includes, at the electronic device, receiving ambient light from a surrounding environment of the electronic device with one or more camera sensors in data communication with a processor and capturing a raw pattern with the camera sensor, wherein the raw pattern includes light intensity information and light spectrum information. The method further includes deriving at least one ambient light value from the light intensity information and light spectrum information and providing the ambient light value to the processor of the electronic device.