Display as Front-Facing Light Source for Video Chat Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing devices lack a front-facing light source, leading to inadequate illumination during video chats, especially in low-light environments, and existing solutions require separate light-producing devices which can be inconvenient and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A computing device uses its display as a light source, dynamically adjusting intensity and color based on environmental conditions and image brightness to provide adequate illumination, allowing the light source to be moved and resized as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a separate light-producing device is added to provide front-facing illumination, then illumination intensity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display device is made to serve dual functions: displaying visual content and providing illumination for the camera. By controlling specific regions of the display to emit light, the same component performs both information presentation and lighting, eliminating the need for a separate light source.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting function is merged with the display function. Instead of having separate light-producing components, the patent combines the illumination capability directly within the display structure, using the display's light-emitting properties to serve both purposes simultaneously.
2Illumination intensity
If the entire display is used as a light source, then illumination coverage is improved, but display area for content is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making the entire display emit light uniformly, the patent applies local quality by enabling only specific regions or portions of the display to function as light sources. This allows selective illumination of certain areas while preserving other regions for normal content display, optimizing both lighting coverage and display real estate.
3Illumination intensity
If display brightness is increased to provide illumination, then light output is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display emits light locally rather than across the entire surface, which reduces the total power required to achieve sufficient illumination. By activating only the necessary portions of the display for lighting purposes, the system maintains effective light output while minimizing energy consumption compared to full-screen brightness activation.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, the subject matter can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for using a display of a computing device as a light source. The computing device receives a first image that was captured by a camera of the computing device, determines a brightness of at least part of the first image, selects an intensity of a light source that is to be presented by the display of the computing device, the intensity of the light source being selected based on the determined brightness of the at least part of the image, presents the light source by the display of the computing device, the presented light source having the selected intensity, and receives a second image that is captured by the camera of the computing device while the computing device is presenting the light source on the display using the selected intensity.