Camera with automatic fluorescent lighting mode
View Patent ↗A novel method and apparatus for controlling operation of a photosensor array in a portable electronic device to reduce flicker resulting from fluorescent light having a periodic intensity. The method comprises selecting a time zone in which the device is to be operated, correlating the time zone with a corresponding frequency of the fluorescent light, and signaling the photosensor array to operate in accordance with a mode optimized to reduce flicker based on the selected time zone.
1. A method comprising:
determining a time zone in which a portable electronic device is to be operated;
using the determined time zone to select a corresponding fluorescent light frequency; and
causing a photosensor array at the portable electronic device to operate in accordance with a mode for reducing flicker based on the corresponding fluorescent light frequency.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the corresponding fluorescent light frequency comprises one of either 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining a time zone comprises receiving data indicative of a selection of the time zone.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode comprises one of either a 50 Hz fluorescent operating mode or a 60 Hz fluorescent operating mode.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode comprises filtering out beats associated with a 100 Hz intensity resulting from capturing an image illuminated with 50 Hz fluorescent light at a frame rate of 30 Hz.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode comprises synchronizing a frame capture rate of the photosensor array to 100 Hz beats resulting from capturing an image illuminated with 50 Hz fluorescent light.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode comprises setting an integration time for each pixel of the photosensor array to an integral multiple of the given fluorescent light frequency.
8. A portable electronic device comprising:
a photosensor array enabled to operate in a plurality of modes;
a memory comprising data indicative of time zones and corresponding fluorescent light frequencies; and
a processor enabled to:
determine a time zone in which the portable electronic device is to be operated;
use the determined time zone to select a corresponding fluorescent light frequency; and
cause the photosensor array to operate in accordance with a mode for reducing flicker based on the corresponding fluorescent light frequency.
9. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the corresponding fluorescent light frequency comprises one of either 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
10. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , further comprising at least one input device for receiving data indicative of a selection of the time zone.
11. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the mode comprises one of either a 50 Hz fluorescent operating mode or a 60 Hz fluorescent operating mode.
12. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the mode comprises filtering out beats associated with a 100 Hz intensity resulting from capturing an image illuminated with 50 Hz fluorescent light at a photosensor array frame rate of 30 Hz.
13. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the mode comprises synchronizing a frame capture rate of the photosensor array to 100 Hz beats resulting from capturing an image illuminated with 50 Hz fluorescent light.
14. The portable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the mode comprises setting an integration time for each pixel of the photosensor array to an integral multiple of the given fluorescent light frequency.
15. A persistent storage device having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
determining a time zone in which a portable electronic device is to be operated;
using the determined time zone to select a corresponding fluorescent light frequency; and
causing a photosensor array at the portable electronic device to operate in accordance with a mode for reducing flicker based on the corresponding fluorescent light frequency.
16. The persistent storage device of claim 15 , wherein the corresponding fluorescent light frequency comprises one of either 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
17. The persistent storage device of claim 15 , further comprising receiving data indicative of a selection of the time zone.
18. The persistent storage device of claim 15 , wherein the mode comprises one of either a 50 Hz fluorescent operating mode or a 60 Hz fluorescent operating mode.
19. The persistent storage device of claim 15 , wherein the mode comprises filtering out beats associated with a 100 Hz intensity resulting from capturing an image illuminated with 50 Hz fluorescent light at a frame rate of 30 Hz.
20. The persistent storage device of claim 15 , wherein the mode comprises synchronizing a frame capture rate of the photosensor array to 100 Hz beats resulting from capturing an image illuminated with 50 Hz fluorescent light.
21. The persistent storage device of claim 15 , wherein the mode comprises setting an integration time for each pixel of the photosensor array to an integral multiple of the given fluorescent light frequency.