# US 10,771,717 B2 · Use of IR pre-flash for RGB camera's automatic algorithms > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,717 B2 - Document ID: US10771717B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/258,087 - Filed: 2019-01-25 - Published: 2020-01-30 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-07-30 - Assignees: Lumileds LLC - Applicants: Lumileds LLC - Inventors: Arjen Van Der Sijde; Nicola Pfeffer; Charles Schrama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771717B2 ## CPC - H04N 13/271: wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - G06T 7/521: from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light - H04N 9/3182: {Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut (white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607)} - H04N 23/11: for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths - H04N 23/67: Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals - H04N 23/673: {based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method} - H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time - H04N 23/74: by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means - H04N 23/88: for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control - G01B 11/24: for measuring contours or curvatures - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract The image capture system of the present disclosure comprises an illuminator comprising at least one infrared light LED or laser and one visible light LED, an image sensor that is sensitive to infrared light and visible light, a memory configured to store instructions, and a processor configured to execute instructions to cause the image capture system to emit infrared light, receive image data comprising at least one infrared image, and determine depth maps, visible focus settings, or infrared exposure settings based on the infrared image data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capture system, comprising: an illuminator configured to emit infrared light having at least one infrared wavelength and emit visible light having at least one visible wavelength; at least one image sensor having a sensitivity to an infrared range of wavelengths that includes the at least one infrared wavelength and a visible range of wavelengths that includes the at least one visible wavelength; at least one processor coupled to the illuminator and the at least one image sensor; and a memory configured to store instructions, that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the image capture system to perform operations, the operations comprising: emitting infrared light from the illuminator; while the infrared light is being emitted, capturing at least one infrared image with the at least one image sensor; determining a depth map based on the at least one infrared image; determining an infrared exposure setting based on the depth map; scaling the infrared exposure setting to determine a visible exposure setting; determining an infrared focus setting based on the depth map; scaling the infrared focus setting to determine a visible focus setting; emitting visible light from the illuminator; and while the visible light is being emitted, capturing a visible image with the at least one image sensor using the visible exposure setting and the visible focus setting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capture system of claim 1, wherein the illuminator further comprises individually addressable segments each of which is configured to emit the infrared light. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image capture system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a stereo vision system, a structured lighting system, or an infrared time-of flight sensor to determine the depth map. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image capture system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise: adjusting white balance settings to pre-defined white balance settings. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image capture system of claim 1, wherein the visible exposure setting differs from the infrared exposure setting and the visible focus setting differs from the infrared focus setting. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image capture system of claim 5, wherein: the visible exposure setting includes a visible shutter speed; and the infrared exposure setting includes an infrared shutter speed different from the visible shutter speed. ### Claim 7 An image capture system, comprising: an illuminator configured to emit infrared light having at least one infrared wavelength and emit visible light having at least one visible wavelength; at least one image sensor having a sensitivity to an infrared range of wavelengths that includes the at least one infrared wavelength and a visible range of wavelengths that includes the at least one visible wavelength; at least one processor coupled to the illuminator and the at least one image sensor; and a memory configured to store instructions, that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the image capture system to perform operations, the operations comprising: emitting infrared light from the illuminator; while the infrared light is being emitted, capturing at least one infrared image with the at least one image sensor; determining a depth map based on the at least one infrared image; determining an infrared exposure setting based on the depth map; scaling the infrared exposure setting to determine a visible exposure setting; determining a visible focus setting based on the depth map; emitting visible light from the illuminator; and while the visible light is being emitted, capturing a visible image with the at least one image sensor using the visible exposure setting and the visible focus setting. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image capture system of claim 7, wherein the illuminator further comprises individually addressable segments each of which is configured to emit the infrared light. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The image capture system of claim 7, further comprising at least one of a stereo vision system, a structured lighting system, or an infrared time-of flight sensor to determine the depth map. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The image capture system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise: adjusting white balance settings to pre-defined white balance settings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The image capture system of claim 7, wherein the visible exposure setting differs from the infrared exposure setting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image capture system of claim 11, wherein: the visible exposure setting includes a visible shutter speed; and the infrared exposure setting includes an infrared shutter speed different from the visible shutter speed. ### Claim 13 A method for capturing an image, the method comprising: emitting infrared light from an illuminator; while the infrared light is being emitted, capturing at least one infrared image with at least one image sensor; determining a depth map based on the at least one infrared image; determining an infrared exposure setting based on the depth map; scaling the infrared exposure setting to determine a visible exposure setting; determining an infrared focus setting based on the depth map; scaling the infrared focus setting to determine a visible focus setting; emitting visible light from the illuminator; and while the visible light is being emitted, capturing a visible image with the at least one image sensor using the visible exposure setting and the visible focus setting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the illuminator further comprises individually addressable segments each of which is configured to emit the infrared light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein determining the depth map comprises using at least one of a stereo vision system, a structured lighting system, or an infrared time-of flight sensor to determine the depth map. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the visible exposure setting differs from the infrared exposure setting and the visible focus setting differs from the infrared focus setting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein: the visible exposure setting includes a visible shutter speed; and the infrared exposure setting includes an infrared shutter speed different from the visible shutter speed.