Imaging system
In one example, a method includes turning off one or more infrared light emitters of a device, illuminating a scene with a light source of the device other than the one or more infrared light emitters, the light source simultaneously emitting light in both visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and acquiring, with an infrared image sensor of the device, an image of the scene in response to detection, by the infrared image sensor, of light from the light source reflected by an object in the scene.
1 . A method comprising:
turning off one or more infrared light emitters of a device;
illuminating a scene with a light source of the device without any of the one or more infrared light emitters, the light source simultaneously emitting light in both visible and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum; and
acquiring an image of the scene in response to detection, by an infrared image sensor of the device, of light from the light source reflected by an object in the scene.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the light source emits in a near infrared portion of the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
activating the light source and/or the image sensor in response to detecting motion in the scene.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
detecting the motion with a passive infrared sensor.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to turning off the one or more infrared emitters, acquiring with the infrared image sensor one or more images of the scene in response to detection, by the infrared image sensor, of infrared emissions from the one or more infrared emitters reflected by the object in the scene.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a trigger to change an imaging mode of the device;
wherein turning off the one or more infrared emitters and illuminating the scene with the light source are performed in response to detecting the trigger.
7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
transmitting the image from the device to a remote device;
wherein detecting the trigger comprises receiving an instruction from the remote device to activate the light source.
8 . A method comprising:
turning off one or more infrared light emitters of a device;
illuminating a scene with a light source of the device without any of the one or more infrared emitters, the light source emitting light having a range of wavelengths that extends over the visible spectrum into a region of the infrared spectrum adjacent to the visible spectrum; and
acquiring an image of the scene in response to detection, by an infrared image sensor of the device, of light from the light source reflected by an object in the scene.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the light source emits in a near infrared portion of the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
activating the light source and/or the image sensor in response to detecting motion in the scene.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting the motion with a passive infrared sensor.
12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
prior to turning off the one or more infrared emitters, acquiring with the infrared image sensor one or more images of the scene in response to detection, by the infrared image sensor, of infrared emissions from the one or more infrared emitters reflected by the object in the scene.
13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting a trigger to change an imaging mode of the device;
wherein turning off the one or more infrared emitters and illuminating the scene with the light source are performed in response to detecting the trigger.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting the image from the device to a remote device;
wherein detecting the trigger comprises receiving an instruction from the remote device to activate the light source.
15 . A method comprising:
turning off one or more infrared light emitters of a device;
illuminating a scene with a light source of the device, not including any of the one or more infrared light emitters, the light source emitting light over a range of wavelengths that includes at least a portion of the visible spectrum and at least a portion of a transition band between the visible spectrum and the infrared spectrum; and
acquiring, with an infrared image sensor of the device, an image of the scene in response to detection of light in the transition band emitted by the light source and reflected by an object in the scene.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the light source emits in a near infrared portion of the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
activating the light source and/or the image sensor in response to detecting, with a passive infrared sensor, motion in the scene.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
prior to turning off the one or more infrared emitters, acquiring with the infrared image sensor one or more images of the scene in response to detection, by the infrared image sensor, of infrared emissions from the one or more infrared emitters reflected by the object in the scene.
19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
detecting a trigger to change an imaging mode of the device;
wherein turning off the one or more infrared emitters and illuminating the scene with the light source are performed in response to detecting the trigger.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
transmitting the image from the device to a remote device;
wherein detecting the trigger comprises receiving an instruction from the remote device to activate the light source.