Systems and methods for enhanced performance of camera devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11962880-B2
Application number	US-202117515141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2021
Priority date	Oct 29, 2021
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A camera device's exposure to sunlight may be monitored. The sun exposure may be used to predict a solar event associated with the camera device, such as a critical temperature, a brightness level, or an angle of sunlight. Prior to occurrence of the solar event, one or more functions of the camera device may be enabled or disabled. For example, a cooling function of the camera device may be enabled or a characteristic of video streamed by the camera device may be modified. The function may be re-enabled or re-disabled after the solar event.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method comprising:
monitoring exposure to sunlight associated with a camera device;
predicting, based on the monitoring the exposure to sunlight, a solar event associated the camera device;
causing, prior to occurrence of the solar event, a resolution associated with image data captured by the camera device to be reduced;
determining that the solar event has ended; and
causing, based on the determining that the solar event has ended, the resolution associated with the image data captured by the camera device to be increased.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solar event comprises at least one of a critical camera device temperature, sun brightness, or angle of sunlight.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solar event is predicted to cause damage to at least one of hardware of the camera device, imagery generated by the camera device, or video generated by the camera device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining a direction of sunlight relative to a location of the camera device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining the direction of the sunlight relative to the location of the camera device comprises using at least one of a magnetometer, a gyroscope, a global positioning system (GPS), a user account, or artificial intelligence.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predicting the solar event comprises determining a time of day that the solar event will occur.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining current weather.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises detecting one or more objects that provide shade to the camera device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining an orientation of the camera device.

10. A method comprising:
monitoring exposure to sunlight associated with a camera device;
predicting, based on the monitoring the exposure to sunlight, a solar event associated the camera device;
causing, prior to occurrence of the solar event, enablement of a fan of the camera device;
determining that the solar event has ended; and
causing, based on the determining that the solar event has ended, disablement of the fan of the camera device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solar event comprises at least one of a critical camera device temperature, sun brightness, or angle of sunlight.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solar event is predicted to cause damage to at least one of hardware of the camera device, imagery generated by the camera device, or video generated by the camera device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining a direction of sunlight relative to a location of the camera device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the determining the direction of the sunlight relative to the location of the camera device comprises using at least one of a magnetometer, a gyroscope, a global positioning system (GPS), a user account, or artificial intelligence.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the predicting the solar event comprises determining a time of day that the solar event will occur.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining current weather.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises detecting one or more objects that provide shade to the camera device.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining an orientation of the camera device.

19. A method comprising:
monitoring exposure to sunlight associated with a camera device;
predicting, based on the monitoring the exposure to sunlight, a solar event associated the camera device;
causing, prior to occurrence of the solar event, a frame rate associated with image data captured by the camera device to be reduced;
determining that the solar event has ended; and
causing, based on the determining that the solar event has ended, the frame rate associated with the image data captured by the camera device to be increased.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the solar event comprises at least one of a critical camera device temperature, sun brightness, or angle of sunlight.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the solar event is predicted to cause damage to at least one of hardware of the camera device, imagery generated by the camera device, or video generated by the camera device.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining a direction of sunlight relative to a location of the camera device.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the determining the direction of the sunlight relative to the location of the camera device comprises using at least one of a magnetometer, a gyroscope, a global positioning system (GPS), a user account, or artificial intelligence.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the predicting the solar event comprises determining a time of day that the solar event will occur.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining current weather.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises detecting one or more objects that provide shade to the camera device.

27. The method of claim 19 , wherein the monitoring the exposure to sunlight associated with the camera device comprises determining an orientation of the camera device.

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Stone Christopher

Classifications

• H04N23/52 Primary

  Elements optimising image sensor operation, e.g. for electromagnetic interference [EMI] protection or temperature control by heat transfer or cooling elements · CPC title

• H04N7/188

  Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position (signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253) · CPC title

• H04N17/002

  for television cameras · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/60 Primary

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title