Reduced pre-flash for led flash based camera devices

An electronic device comprising:

• a flash configured to generate a shortened pre-flash, a standard pre-flash and a flash;
• and
• a processor, communicatively coupled to the flash, in response to receiving a picture request, configured to:
• receive a brightness value;
• determine a flash status based on a flash setting with the flash status being one of an off mode, on mode, and auto mode;
• in the event the flash status is in the auto mode, determine whether there is sufficient light to capture an image based at least in part on a comparison of the brightness value and a flash threshold;
• in the event the brightness value is not greater than the flash threshold and the flash status is in the auto mode, determine whether there is sufficient light to perform an auto-focus based at least in part on a comparison of the brightness value and an auto-focus threshold, and
• in the event the brightness value is greater than the auto-focus threshold, the processor is further configured to cause the flash to generate a shortened pre-flash having a predetermined duration and obtain only a white balance measurement and an auto-exposure measurement during the shortened pre-flash.

A processor implemented method for taking a picture using an electronic device, the method comprising:

• receiving a brightness value in response to receiving a picture request;
• determining a flash status for a flash based on a flash setting with the flash status being one of an off mode, on mode, and auto mode, wherein the flash is capable of generating a shortened pre-flash, a standard pre-flash and a flash;
• in the event the flash status is in the auto mode, determining whether there is sufficient light to capture an image based at least in part on a comparison of the brightness value and a flash threshold;
• and
• in the event the brightness value is not greater than the flash threshold and the flash status is in the auto mode, determining whether there is sufficient light to perform an auto-focus based at least in part on a comparison of the brightness value and an auto-focus threshold, and
• in the event the brightness value is greater than the auto-focus threshold, the processor is further configured to cause the flash to generate a shortened pre-flash having a predetermined duration and obtain only a white balance measurement and an auto-exposure measurement during the shortened pre-flash.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for configuring an electronic device to take a picture in response to receiving a picture request, the electronic device having a processor to execute instructions on the processor to:

• receiving a brightness value;
• determining a flash status for a flash based on a flash setting with the flash status being one of an off mode, on mode, and auto mode, wherein the flash is capable of generating a shortened pre-flash, a standard pre-flash and a flash;
• in the event the flash status is in the auto mode, determine whether there is sufficient light to capture an image based at least in part on a comparison of the brightness value and a flash threshold;
• in the event the brightness value is not greater than the flash threshold and the flash status is in the auto mode, determining whether there is sufficient light to perform an auto-focus based at least in part on a comparison of the brightness value and an auto-focus threshold, and in the event the brightness value is greater than the auto-focus threshold, the processor is further configured to cause the flash to generate a shortened pre-flash having a predetermined duration and obtain only a white balance measurement and an auto-exposure measurement during the shortened pre-flash.