IP Library Granted Patent US 12,444,073
Granted Patent B2
US 12,444,073 · App. 18/104,010 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Information handling system peripheral camera with magnetic coupling and integrated colorimeter

Inventors: Jace W. Files (Round Rock, TX); John Trevor Morrison (Round Rock, TX); Andrew T. Sultenfuss (Leander, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06T7/70G01J3/46G06F1/1686G06T7/90H04N23/51H04N23/54G06T2207/10024G06T2207/30244
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,444,073
App. No.
18/104,010
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system having a display magnetically couples a peripheral camera to the display with a magnet included in the camera housing. A colorimeter located proximate the magnet detects colors presented at the display at a position where the peripheral camera couples to the display. Iteratively comparing colors presented at the display with colors detected by the colorimeter determines a position of the peripheral camera. The algorithm has a more rapid response by predicting the camera position, such as near a videoconference window. Incremental changes to colors presented at the display so that the presented colors do not match colors of content of an end user yet are indistinguishable to the human eye aid in providing a definitive peripheral camera location.

Claims (50)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed in the housing portion and operable to execute instructions to process information;

a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the memory storing the information and instructions;

a storage device interfaced with the processor and having non-transient memory;

a display interfaced with the processor, the display operable to present the information as visual images;

a peripheral camera separate from the housing and having a cylindrical housing, an image sensor at a first end of the cylindrical housing, a magnet at a second end of the cylindrical housing that magnetically couples the cylindrical housing to the display, a colorimeter at the second end of the cylindrical housing, a processing resource and a non-transient memory; and

instructions stored in the storage device non-transient memory that when executed on the processor cause a comparison of colors detected by the colorimeter and colors of the visual images to determine a location of the peripheral camera on the display;

wherein the color detected by the colorimeter is selected to presentation in the visual image based on the color not present in content presented at the display.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the instructions further:

compare the colors detected by colorimeter and colors presented by the display to identify areas of the display where the peripheral camera could be located; and

command a change of the colors presented by the identified areas to detect the peripheral camera position when the color change is detected by the colorimeter.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 further comprising:

an accelerometer in the camera; and

wherein the instructions initiate finding the peripheral camera position when the accelerometer detects an acceleration.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the instructions further prioritize a comparison of the colors based upon a predicted position of the camera on the display.

5. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the predicted position of the camera on display is based at least in part on a position of a video conference window presented on the display.

6. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the predicted position of the camera on the display is based at least in part on a historical position of the camera on the display.

7. The information handling system of claim 4 wherein the predicted position of the camera on the display is in an upper right half when viewing the display.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the instructions further:

command a static visual image presentation on the display when determining the camera position; and

compare colors of the static visual image and colors detected by the colorimeter to determine the peripheral camera position.

9. A method for determining a position of a peripheral camera magnetically coupled to a display, the method comprising:

coupling the peripheral camera to the display with a magnet at one end of the peripheral camera;

capturing colors presented at the display with a colorimeter proximate the magnet;

comparing the colors captured by the colorimeter and the colors presented as visual images at the display to locate the peripheral camera;

presenting content on the display having a static portion and a changing portion; and

comparing the colors captured to determine whether the peripheral camera is positioned in the static portion or the changing portion.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

presenting a static visual image at the display; and

comparing the colors captured against the colors of the static visual image.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

presenting content at the display;

changing the content by predetermined color increment at a first area of the display;

comparing colors detected by the colorimeter against the color increment to determine whether the peripheral camera is at the first area; and

when the peripheral camera is not at the first area, iterating to change the content by the predetermined color increment at a second area.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

predicting the peripheral camera position; and

in response to the predicting, selecting the first area based upon the predicted peripheral camera position.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the predicting further comprising predicting the camera position based upon a presentation position of a videoconference content at the display.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the predicting further comprises initially assuming an upper right hand position of the peripheral camera on the display.

15. A system for determining a position of a peripheral camera at a display, the system comprising:

a peripheral camera having an image sensor, a colorimeter and a magnet configured to magnetically couple the peripheral camera to a display;

a processing resource operable manage visual images presented at the display; and

a non-transient memory storing instructions that when executed on the processing resource causes:

a comparison of colors detected by the colorimeter and colors of the visual images to determine a location of the peripheral camera on the display;

compare the colors detected by colorimeter and colors presented by the display to identify areas of the display where the peripheral camera could be located; and

command a change of the colors presented by the identified areas to detect the peripheral camera position when the color change is detected by the colorimeter.

16. The peripheral camera of claim 15 wherein the instructions further prioritize a comparison of the colors based upon a predicted position of the camera on the display.

17. The peripheral camera of claim 16 wherein the instructions predict the position of the peripheral camera based upon a position of a videoconference presented at the display.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: MORRISON, JOHN TREVOR; FILES, JACE W.; SULTENFUSS, ANDREW T.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 062552/0788 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240257381A1 · Aug 1, 2024
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