System and method for coordinating image capture in a camera hidden behind a display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9570019-B2
Application number	US-201414220789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2014
Priority date	Mar 20, 2014
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

An information handling system includes a thin panel display device with a camera oriented behind an outer liquid crystal (LCD) layer of the thin panel display device. The outer LCD layer of the thin panel display device having a camera zone through which the aperture of the camera receives light and a processor or set of processors determines camera usage a software application operating on the information handling system and coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer LCD layer in accordance with the camera usage by modifying a display refresh rate at the outer LCD layer camera zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information handling system comprising:
a thin panel display device;
a camera oriented behind an outer display field layer of the thin panel display device having a camera zone, wherein the aperture of the camera receives light passing through the outer display field layer camera zone;
a processor detecting a software application operating on the information handling system wherein the software application has specific anticipated utilization of the camera and a camera driver to capture images;
the processor determining a camera usage parameter specific to the anticipated utilization of the camera during ongoing operation of the software application for contextual refresh rate control; and
the processor coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer in accordance with at least one camera usage parameter specific to the anticipated utilization of the camera during ongoing operation of the software application wherein the processor modifies a display refresh rate at the outer display field layer camera zone.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera usage parameter includes an indication of still image capture or video capture may be utilized by the software application via the camera.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein coordinating camera operation and the thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer includes reducing the display refresh rate at the camera zone in accordance with image taking via the camera.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the outer display field layer of the thin panel display device is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer includes reducing brightness at the camera zone of the thin panel display device in accordance with image taking via the camera.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer includes displaying a camera zone indicator image on the thin panel display device at the camera zone in accordance with image taking via the camera.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
the camera located at an edge of the thin panel display device having a minimum bezel; and
the camera angled such that the camera aperture is directed toward a center location in front of the thin panel display device.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the outer display field layer of the thin panel display device is a liquid crystal display (LCD) layer, further comprising:
the processor controlling voltage to the camera zone of the thin panel display device such that a light angle through the liquid crystal of the outer display field layer is approximately aligned with the angle of the camera aperture.

9. A computer-implemented method of coordinating operations of a thin panel display device having a camera comprising:
detecting a software application operating on the information handling system has specific anticipated utilization of the camera and a camera driver to capture images;
determining, via a processor executing instructions, a camera usage parameter for the specific anticipated utilization of the camera and a camera driver to capture images by the software application and including contextual refresh rate control tailored to the software application specific anticipated camera utilization;
controlling, via the processor, light passing through an outer display field layer of the thin panel display device to the camera oriented behind the outer display field layer;
coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer in accordance with at least one camera usage parameter for the specific anticipated utilization of the camera by the software application wherein the processor modifies a display refresh rate at the outer display field layer.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer includes reducing the display refresh rate of the thin panel display device in accordance with image taking via the camera.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
modifying the display refresh rate at a camera zone of the outer display field layer in accordance with image taking via the camera.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
reducing the display refresh rate at the camera zone of the outer display field layer to zero and maintaining transparency of the camera zone.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the outer display field layer of the thin panel display device is a liquid crystal display (LCD) layer, further comprising:
controlling light passing through an outer display field layer of the thin panel display device at the camera zone such that a light angle through the outer display field layer is approximately aligned with the angle of an aperture for the camera.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer includes displaying a camera zone indicator image on the thin panel display device at the camera zone in accordance with image taking via the camera.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein displaying a camera zone indicator image on the thin panel display device at the camera zone in accordance with image taking via the camera includes a drop-down menu providing access to camera setting adjustments responsive to input at the camera zone indicator image.

16. An information handling system comprising:
a thin panel display device;
a camera oriented behind an outer display field layer of the thin panel display device having a camera zone, wherein the aperture of the camera receives light passing through the outer display field layer camera zone;
a processor detecting a software application operating on the information handling system and determining a camera usage parameter for a specific anticipated utilization of the camera and a camera driver to capture images by the software application and including contextual refresh rate control tailored to the software application specific anticipated camera utilization; and
the processor coordinating camera operation and thin panel display device operation through the outer display field layer in accordance with at least one camera usage parameter for the specific anticipated utilization of the camera and the camera driver to capture images wherein the processor asynchronously reduces a display refresh rate at the camera zone in accordance with image taking via the camera at the camera zone.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the outer display field layer is a liquid crystal display (LCD) layer, further comprising:
the processor reducing display backlighting at the camera zone of the thin panel display device in accordance with image taking via the camera.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
the thin film display device displaying a camera zone indicator image on the thin panel display device at the camera zone in accordance with image taking via the camera.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the outer display field layer of the camera zone further comprises a thinner semi-transparent zone along an outer edge of the thin film display device.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:
the camera angl

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Musgrave Kenneth C
• Sultenfuss Andrew T
• Aurongzeb Deeder M

Classifications

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• G09G3/3208 Primary

  organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• H04N5/2351

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G09G2320/0626

  for control of overall brightness · CPC title