Devices having automatically adjustable polarizers and related operating methods
View Patent ↗Devices having adjustable polarizers and related operating methods are provided. An exemplary electronic device includes one or more sensing arrangements, a polarization arrangement including a polarizer, and a control module coupled to the one or more sensing arrangements and the polarization arrangement. The control module determines an angle for the polarizer based at least in part on output from the one or more sensing arrangements and operates the polarization arrangement to achieve the angle. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the angle corresponds to an orientation of the polarizer in a plane substantially orthogonal to a line-of-sight that is configured to result in the polarizer absorbing incident light rays emanating from the sun that are aligned with the line-of-sight.
1. An electronic device comprising:
an acceleration sensing arrangement;
a polarization arrangement including a polarizer; and
a control module coupled to the acceleration sensing arrangement and the polarization arrangement to:
determine a tilt of a line-of-sight aligned with the polarizer based on a measured acceleration output from the acceleration sensing arrangement;
determine an angle for the polarizer based at least in part on the tilt; and
operate the polarization arrangement to achieve the angle.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the angle of the polarizer corresponds to an orientation of the polarizer configured to absorb directly incident light rays from the sun.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising an image capturing device, wherein:
the polarizer is aligned in a line-of-sight with the image capturing device; and
the angle of the polarizer corresponds to an orientation of the polarizer in a plane substantially orthogonal to the line-of-sight.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a positioning system providing a geographic location of the electronic device, wherein the control module is coupled to the positioning system to:
determine a solar position relative to the line-of-sight based on the geographic location and the tilt; and
determine the angle for the polarizer based on the solar position.
5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the polarization arrangement includes a motor coupled to the polarizer;
the motor is configured to rotate the polarizer; and
the control module operates the motor to achieve the angle.
6. An electronic device comprising:
a magnetic sensing arrangement;
a polarization arrangement including a polarizer; and
a control module coupled to the magnetic sensing arrangement and the polarization arrangement to:
determine a heading of a line-of-sight aligned with the polarizer based on a measured magnetic field output from the magnetic sensing arrangement;
determine an angle for the polarizer based at least in part on the heading; and
operate the polarization arrangement to achieve the angle.
7. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising a positioning system providing a geographic location of the electronic device, wherein the control module is coupled to the positioning system to:
determine a solar position relative to the line-of-sight based on the geographic location and the heading; and
determine the angle for the polarizer based on the solar position.
8. The electronic device of claim 6 , further comprising an acceleration sensing arrangement, wherein the control module is coupled to the acceleration sensing arrangement to:
determine a tilt of the line-of-sight based on a measured acceleration output from the acceleration sensing arrangement; and
determine the angle for the polarizer based at least in part on the heading and the tilt.
9. The electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising an image capturing device, wherein:
the line-of-sight is aligned with the image capturing device; and
the angle of the polarizer corresponds to an orientation of the polarizer in a plane substantially orthogonal to the line-of-sight.
10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the angle for the polarizer is configured to absorb polarized light rays from the sun.
11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a positioning system providing a geographic location of the electronic device, wherein the control module is coupled to the positioning system to:
determine a solar position relative to the line-of-sight based on the geographic location, the heading, and the tilt;
determine a polarization angle for the polarized light rays from the sun based on the solar position relative to the line-of-sight; and
determine the angle for the polarizer that absorbs the polarization angle.
12. An electronic device comprising:
an image capturing device having a line-of-sight;
a polarization arrangement including a polarizer aligned in the line-of-sight;
a magnetic sensing arrangement; and
a control module coupled to the magnetic sensing arrangement and the polarization arrangement to:
determine a heading of the line-of-sight with respect to Earth based on a measured magnetic field output from the magnetic sensing arrangement;
determine an angular position for the polarizer in a plane orthogonal to the line-of-sight based at least in part on the heading; and
operate the polarization arrangement to achieve the angular position.
13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein:
the polarization arrangement includes a motor coupled to the polarizer; and
the motor is configured to rotate the polarizer in the plane orthogonal to the line-of-sight, the control module operating the motor to achieve the angular position.
14. The electronic device of claim 12 , further comprising an acceleration sensing arrangement coupled to the control module, the control module determining a tilt of the line-of-sight with respect to the earth based on a measured acceleration output from the acceleration sensing arrangement and determining the angular position based at least in part on the tilt and the heading.
15. The electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising a positioning system providing a geographic location of the electronic device, wherein:
the control module is coupled to the positioning system to:
determine a solar position relative to the line-of-sight based on the geographic location, the heading, and the tilt; and
determine the angular position for the polarizer based on the solar position; and
the angular position corresponds to an orientation of the polarizer in the plane that is configured to absorb polarized light rays emanating from the solar position.
16. A method of operating a polarizer associated with an electronic device including an acceleration sensing arrangement and a magnetic sensing arrangement, the polarizer being aligned with a line-of-sight, the method comprising:
obtaining a measured acceleration from the acceleration sensing arrangement;
determining a tilt of the line-of-sight based on the measured acceleration;
obtaining a measured magnetic field from the magnetic sensing arrangement;
determining a heading of the line-of-sight based on the measured magnetic field; and
adjusting an orientation of the polarizer in a plane orthogonal to the line-of-sight based at least in part on the tilt and the heading of the line-of-sight.
17. A method of operating a polarizer associated with an electronic device, the polarizer being aligned with a line-of-sight, the method comprising:
determining a first orientation of the line-of-sight based at least in part on output from one or more sensing arrangements;
obtaining a geographic location of the electronic device;
determining a solar position relative to the electronic device based at least in part on the geographic location;
determining an angle between the solar position and the first orientation;
determining a polarization angle for light rays emanating from the solar position based on the angle; and
rotating the polarizer in a plane orthogonal to the line-of-sight to absorb the polarization angle.