Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
396205000 | With power supply detail | 12 |
20090034959 | FLASH-CONTROL CIRCUIT AND IMAGE CAPTURING MODULE USING THE SAME - A flash-control circuit is designed for providing a high current to a load. The flash-control circuit includes an operational amplifier, a MOSFET, and a discharge power source. The operational amplifier is for receiving a pulse signal and outputting a high level voltage when the pulse signal is high. The MOSFET acts as a switch for delivering a high current to the load. The discharge power source is for providing the high current. The electrical current flows through the load, the MOSFET, then to ground when the MOSFET is on. An image capturing module using the flash-control circuit is also provided. | 02-05-2009 |
20090092387 | Adaptive Current Limiting for Any Power Source with Output Equivalent Series Resistance - Adaptive current limiting for any power source to limit power drain of one load on the power source to maintain a minimum power source voltage for proper operation of other loads on the power source. For battery applications, such as for flash systems, the invention allows the maximum output current of a boost converter to be utilized without having to calculate the system equivalent series resistance first. The invention also adjusts the current load up or down during a high load event to compensate for changes in other loads. The changes in current load are made in increments, with a hysteresis region avoiding constant up and down incrementing. Various embodiments are disclosed. | 04-09-2009 |
20090279881 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING A CAMERA FLASH ON A MOBILE DEVICE - Various embodiments are described herein for a method and related apparatus for safely operating a camera flash on a mobile device powered by a battery module. Upon determination that the camera flash needs to be activated the method comprises measuring several battery parameters including the voltage and temperature of the battery module. An equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the battery module is determined based on the battery temperature. The maximum flash current is then determined based on the battery voltage, and ESR along with potential current loads that may occur during operation of the camera flash, and a minimum battery voltage for safe operation of the mobile device where the battery voltage has been adjusted if needed. The device is then configured to draw a current from the battery module that is not greater than the maximum flash current. | 11-12-2009 |
20100014848 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER MANAGEMENT IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device and method for power management in an electronic device is provided. In an embodiment, the electronic device includes the functionality of a personal digital assistant, wireless email paging and a camera with a flash that is operated via self-contained power supply in the form of a battery. The device also includes a supervisor circuit which causes the device to enter sleep mode, or disables the device, or certain features of the device, if the battery level falls below a certain threshold. A method in accordance with an embodiment performs, in response to a request to fire the flash, a pre-flash test which is selected so as to not trip the supervisor circuit. The battery level is examined before the pre-flash test and examined as a consequence of performing the pre-flash test, if a change in the battery level as so examined meets certain criterion, then the full flash is not permitted to proceed. If the battery level does not meet the criterion, the full flash is permitted to proceed. | 01-21-2010 |
20100284677 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAXIMIZING THE SUSTAINABLE FLASH OF A HANDHELD PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A method and apparatus for maintaining a maximum sustained flash current over the whole length of a flash using a programmable current drive in a handheld portable device powered by a battery. The method involves measuring the battery voltage before and after a flash is initiated and calculating the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the battery. The calculated ESR is then used to adjust the flash current. The process may be repeated to correct for errors in the flash current. | 11-11-2010 |
20110058801 | IMAGE PICKUP APPARATUS USING LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image pickup apparatus which is capable of reducing possibility of missing a good moment to take a photo and reducing electric power wasted for strobe shooting. The image pickup apparatus is capable of shooting using a strobe. A motion detector detects an amount of motion of an object of which an image is to be picked up. A camera controller sets a target charge voltage level of a main capacitor based on the detected amount of motion of the object. | 03-10-2011 |
20110129208 | CAMERA - A camera according to the present invention includes a camera body where an image pickup mechanism is mounted, and a strobe unit is provided in the camera body. A wiring board to which a lead wire to be electrically connected to the strobe unit is connected, and a capacitor connected to the wiring board to feed power to the strobe unit are incorporated in the camera body. The wiring board and the capacitor are provided in a vertically movable manner in the camera body, and a cantilever portion for biasing the wiring board and the capacitor downward, and a lower projection portion for receiving movement of the wiring board and the capacitor due to a biasing force of the cantilever portion are provided in the camera body. | 06-02-2011 |
20110217032 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWER MANAGEMENT IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device and method for power management in an electronic device is provided. In an embodiment, the electronic device includes the functionality of a personal digital assistant, wireless email paging and a camera with a flash that is operated via self-contained power supply in the form of a battery. The device also includes a supervisor circuit which causes the device to enter sleep mode, or disables the device or certain features of the device, if the battery level falls below a certain threshold. A method in accordance with an embodiment performs, in response to a request to fire the flash, a pre-flash test which is selected so as to not trip the supervisor circuit. The battery level is examined after the pre-flash test. If the battery level meets certain criteria, the full flash is permitted to proceed, else the full flash is not permitted to proceed. | 09-08-2011 |
20120213504 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIGHT EMITTING DIODE CONTROL - An apparatus has a light emitting diode module that has one or more light emitting diodes each with a light emitting circuitry. The apparatus further has a controller functionally connected with the one or more light emitting circuitries; a housing surrounding the controller and the one or more light emitting circuitries; and a pair of power supply connectors extending outside of the housing and functionally connected with the controller. The controller receives operating power from the pair of power supply connectors and uses the received operating power to control operation of the one or more light emitting circuitries. | 08-23-2012 |
396206000 | Having DC to DC converter | 3 |
20090129768 | CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR SELF-EXCITATION DC/DC CONVERTER, LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE USING SUCH CONTROL CIRCUIT, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A switching transistor is connected to the primary coil of a transformer. A first resistor is provided such that one end thereof is connected to the switching transistor, and the other end thereof is grounded. A first voltage comparator compares a first detection voltage with a first threshold voltage. A second voltage comparator compares a second detection voltage with a second threshold voltage. A switching control unit controls the ON/OFF state of the switching transistor according to the output signals of the first voltage comparator and the second voltage comparator. A first electrode pad through a fourth electrode pad are provided to the respective nodes of the switching transistor and the first resistor. | 05-21-2009 |
20120308218 | SWITCHING POWER CONVERTER CURRENT LIMIT REFERENCE CIRCUIT - A switching power converter current limit reference circuit generates an output-referred input current reference (or an input-referred output current reference) which takes into account a converter's input voltage, output voltage, and efficiency, thereby enabling implementation of a DC, or average, input current regulation scheme. A reference current (Iref) is provided which represents the desired average current limit. Circuitry multiplies Iref and the complement of the converter's duty cycle D ( | 12-06-2012 |
20130272688 | FLASH DRIVER TO LIMIT A LOAD CURRENT OF A FLASH AND METHOD TO LIMIT A LOAD CURRENT OF A FLASH DRIVER - A flash driver to limit a load current for a flash comprises a dc/dc converter (DCDC) having a first input (IN1) to receive an input voltage (Vin) and an output (OUT) to supply an output voltage (Vout). The dc/dc converter is designed to convert the input voltage (Vin) to the output voltage (Vout). Furthermore the flash driver has an adjustable current source (Iadj) connected between the output (OUT) and a load terminal (LT). A first control unit (CTRL | 10-17-2013 |