Segmented LED Flash Control for Moving Subjects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Digital cameras struggle to achieve appropriate light distribution during movie shooting, as existing LED-based flash systems emit a uniform amount of light, making it difficult to adapt to the position and distance of a moving subject, leading to inadequate exposure and light distribution.
Innovation Solution
An image-taking apparatus with a lighting section that independently controls light emission for multiple areas of a field, using LEDs and an autoexposure section to adjust light levels based on subject brightness and distance information, ensuring correct exposure and suitable light distribution for movie shooting while reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If a uniform amount of light is emitted to the entire field using LED-based flash systems, then power consumption is reduced compared to xenon tubes, but it becomes difficult to perform light distribution suitable for movie shooting with moving subjects
Solution Approach 1:
The flash lighting section is divided into multiple independent light-emitting regions corresponding to different areas of the field. Each region can emit light independently with controllable intensity, allowing the system to illuminate only the necessary areas rather than the entire field uniformly. This segmentation enables adaptive light distribution for moving subjects while maintaining LED power efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of light emission by adjusting the intensity and activation state of each light-emitting region based on real-time detection of subject position and distance. The microprocessor continuously modifies lighting parameters during movie shooting to track moving subjects, making the light distribution adaptive rather than static.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If LED-based flash systems are used instead of xenon tubes, then power consumption is reduced, but the ability to emit appropriate amounts of flash according to the position of moving subjects is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a distance measuring section and microprocessor that continuously monitor subject position and provide feedback to the flash control system. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts the light emission intensity and distribution of each LED region to maintain correct exposure for moving subjects, ensuring reliability comparable to xenon systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The distance measuring section预先 (in advance) determines subject distance and position before exposure. The microprocessor uses this preliminary information to pre-calculate and set the appropriate light emission intensity for each flash region, ensuring correct exposure is achieved from the start of each shot rather than requiring post-exposure adjustment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the field is divided into multiple areas with independent light control, then light distribution suitable for movie shooting is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the imaging device's imaging section serve dual functions: it both captures images and acts as a light-receiving element for measuring subject brightness in each area. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated light-receiving elements, reducing overall device complexity despite the segmented lighting control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the distance measuring function and flash control function into an integrated system managed by a single microprocessor. The microprocessor coordinates both the distance measurement data and the flash emission control, merging multiple functions into a unified control architecture that reduces complexity compared to having separate independent control systems.
4Measurement precision
If dedicated light-receiving elements are used for measuring subject brightness in each divided area, then accurate autoexposure is achieved, but circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device's imaging section is utilized as a multi-functional component that performs both image capture and subject brightness measurement. By making the imaging section serve as the light-receiving element for autoexposure measurement, the patent eliminates the need for separate dedicated light-receiving elements, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy while significantly reducing circuit complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device serves itself by using its own imaging section for dual purposes: capturing the image and simultaneously measuring subject brightness for exposure control. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional dedicated measurement components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining accurate brightness measurement 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
The apparatus achieves correct exposure and suitable light distribution for moving subjects by adjusting light levels according to field conditions, enhancing image quality during movie shooting while minimizing power usage.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting section that emits light to a field by independently controlling an amount of light for each of a plurality of areas into which the field is divided
Data Source
AI summary
An image-taking apparatus includes a lighting section having LEDs that individually correspond to areas, into which a field is divided, and that each emit light to the corresponding one of the areas. The apparatus also includes a CCD and an AF section. The lighting section is configured to emit light to the field after an amount of emitted light for each of the divided areas is adjusted based on subject brightness information from the CCD and subject distance information from the AF section according to field conditions.