# US 11,451,716 B2 · Illumination control for imaging systems with multiple image sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,451,716 B2 - Document ID: US11451716B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/157,979 - Filed: 2021-01-25 - Published: 2022-07-28 - Granted: 2022-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-25 - Assignees: Hand Held Products, Inc. - Applicants: Hand Held Products, Inc. - Inventors: Gennady Germaine; Paul Poloniewicz; Michael Miraglia; Benjamin Hejl; Gregory Rueblinger; Erik Van Horn; Tao Xian; David Wilz, Sr.; Chen Feng; Shankar Ban - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11451716B2 ## CPC - G06K 7/10732: {Light sources} - H04N 23/74: by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means - G06K 7/10722: {Photodetector array or CCD scanning} - G06K 7/10752: {Exposure time control} - G06K 7/10801: {Multidistance reading} - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to illumination synchronization in a multi-imager environment. Embodiments include systems, methods, computer program products, and apparatuses configured for operating a near-field illumination source associated with a near-field image sensor, based on a first illumination pulse train. An exposure period of a far-field image sensor is determined and one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train are modified to accommodate the exposure period of the far-field image sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An imaging system, comprising: a first illumination source associated with a first image sensor, wherein the first illumination source is configured to operate based on a first illumination pulse train; a second image sensor; and a controller comprising processing circuitry, the controller communicatively coupled to the first illumination source, the first image sensor and the second image sensor, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a first exposure period of the second image sensor; and modify one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train to accommodate the first exposure period of the second image sensor, wherein the one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train comprises a pulse frequency of the first illumination pulse train. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The imaging system of claim 1, wherein to modify the one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train, the controller is further configured to insert at least one additional illumination pulse in the first illumination pulse train such that one of a start time period or an end time period of an illumination period of the at least one additional illumination pulse is aligned with a respective one of a start time period or an end time period of the first exposure period of the second image sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The imaging system of claim 1, wherein to modify the one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train, the controller is further configured to insert at least one additional illumination pulse in the first illumination pulse train such that illumination of the first image sensor corresponding to the at least one additional illumination pulse temporally overlaps an autofocus period of the second image sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The imaging system of claim 1, wherein to modify the one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train, the controller is further configured to increase a timing delay between a pair of temporally subsequent illumination pulses of the first illumination pulse train such that one of a start time period or an end time period of the first exposure period is aligned with a respective one of a start time period or an end time period of the increased timing delay. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first image sensor is exposed during at least a second exposure period, wherein the exposure of the first image sensor during the second exposure period begins simultaneously with a start time period of a first illumination pulse of the first illumination pulse train, and wherein an end time period of the second exposure period extends beyond an end time period of the first illumination pulse of the first illumination pulse train. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: obtain an image frame captured by exposure of the second image sensor during the first exposure period; determine a brightness of the image frame; and activate a second illumination source associated with the second image sensor, based on the determined brightness of the image frame, wherein the second illumination source is configured to operate based on a second illumination pulse train. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The imaging system of claim 1, wherein exposure of the first image sensor begins simultaneously with activation of the first illumination source. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the second image sensor remains deactivated during a first illumination period of a first illumination pulse of the first illumination pulse train. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the second image sensor is exposed during a part of a second illumination period of a second illumination pulse of the first illumination pulse train. ### Claim 10 An imaging method, comprising: operating a first illumination source associated with a first image sensor, based on a first illumination pulse train; determining a first exposure period of a second image sensor; and modifying one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train to accommodate the first exposure period of the second image sensor, wherein modifying the one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train comprises inserting at least one additional illumination pulse in the first illumination pulse train such that one of a start time period or an end time period of an illumination period of the at least one additional illumination pulse is aligned with a respective one of a start time period or an end time period of the first exposure period of the second image sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The imaging method of claim 10, further comprising: causing exposure of the first image sensor during at least a second exposure period, wherein the exposure of the first image sensor during the second exposure period begins simultaneously with a start time period of a first illumination pulse of the first illumination pulse train, and wherein an end time period of the second exposure period extends beyond an end time period of the first illumination pulse of the first illumination pulse train. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The imaging method of claim 10, further comprising: obtaining an image frame captured by exposure of the second image sensor during the first exposure period; determining a brightness of the image frame; and activating a second illumination source associated with the second image sensor, based on the determined brightness of the image frame, wherein the second illumination source is configured to operate based on a second illumination pulse train. ### Claim 13 An apparatus, comprising: a memory configured to store executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the executable instructions to: control operation of a first illumination source associated with a first image sensor, based on a first illumination pulse train; determine a first exposure period of a second image sensor; and modify one or more characteristics of the first illumination pulse train to accommodate the first exposure period of the second image sensor by inserting at least one additional illumination pulse in the first illumination pulse train such that illumination of the first image sensor corresponding to the at least one additional illumination pulse temporally overlaps an autofocus period of the second image sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: obtain an image frame captured by exposure of the second image sensor during the first exposure period; determine a brightness of the image frame; and activate a second illumination source associated with the second image sensor, based on the determined brightness of the image frame, wherein the second illumination source is configured to operate based on a second illumination pulse train.