Dual Camera Eyewear Thermal Management via Duty Cycle Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Continuous capture video devices in eyewear often overheat due to prolonged camera usage, leading to thermal management issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an algorithm that alternates the on and off times of paired cameras using a camera control chart, with at least one camera always on and both cameras occasionally on simultaneously, to distribute heat and prevent overheating, while also considering the proximity of cameras to eyewear electronics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If continuous capture video devices in eyewear are used, then video capture capability is improved, but heat generation increases causing overheating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo capture capabilityVSAvoidheat generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic switching between multiple cameras, where each camera operates intermittently rather than continuously. The camera controller alternates activation between first and second cameras based on temperature thresholds, allowing captured images to be stored temporarily and displayed later, thus reducing continuous heat generation while maintaining video capture functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The video capture system is divided into multiple independent camera modules (first camera and second camera). Each camera can be independently controlled and switched based on thermal conditions, allowing the system to segment the continuous capture workload across multiple components to prevent any single camera from overheating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If multiple cameras are used in eyewear, then video capture reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevideo capture reliabilityVSAvoidcamera system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple camera modules are merged into a single integrated system with unified control. The camera controller manages both cameras through a single control architecture, and the processor coordinates image capture and switching decisions, reducing the overall system complexity despite having multiple camera components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera system is designed with multi-functionality where the same camera hardware can serve different purposes: capturing images for immediate display, capturing images for later playback, or remaining inactive to conserve power and reduce heat. The display device also serves dual purposes by showing both real-time and previously captured content

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11575877B2Utilizing dual cameras for continuous camera capture

Publication Date: 2023.02.07 SNAP INC

AI summary

An eyewear device that adjusts an on time and an off time of a pair of cameras to control heat of the cameras and of the eyewear device. Each of the pair of cameras has a duty cycle determining when the respective camera is on and off. A camera control chart contains the duty cycles. The eyewear may have a temperature sensor such that the on and off times of the cameras are a function of the temperature sensor.