Patent attributes
A method for controlling a lighting source in a capsule camera improves image quality by avoiding over-exposure or under-exposure in all regions of an image, while concurrently reducing significantly power dissipation in the capsule camera. A capsule camera using the method includes: (1) one or more sensor arrays each having one or more pixels in one or more designated regions in the field of view of the capsule camera; (2) lighting elements each providing illumination to one or more of the designated regions; and (3) a control unit that (a) extracts a parameter value from the pixels of each region; (b) evaluates the parameter value at each region; and (c) adjusts the lighting elements providing illumination to each region according to the evaluation. The parameter value may be an average value of the pixels. The purpose of the adjustment is to bring the parameter value for the region to within a predetermined range. In one embodiment, the control unit adjusts an amount of light provided by each lighting element, which may be given by integrating a light intensity of the lighting element over time. In one implementation, the light intensity in each lighting element is substantially constant and the control unit adjusts an exposure time for each lighting element. The lighting element may be, for example, a light emitting diode.
