US-12627874-B2 - Electronic devices and corresponding methods for transferring electronic communications operations between wireless communication subsystems for dark shot noise reduction

US12627874B2US 12627874 B2US12627874 B2US 12627874B2US-12627874-B2

Abstract

A method in an electronic device manages thermal energy events affecting the performance of an image capture device. The method includes detecting an elevated thermal energy event at the image capture device, determining if a second wireless communication subsystem is situated farther from the image capture device than a first wireless communication subsystem, and checking if the second wireless communication subsystem is inactive and has a lower temperature than the first wireless communication subsystem. If these conditions are met, the method transfers electronic communication operations from the first wireless communication subsystem to the second wireless communication subsystem. Additionally, the method can perform thermal mitigation operations as well.

Inventors

Daniel C Chisu

Assignees

MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240510

Claims (20)

1 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising: detecting, by one or more processors of an electronic device, an elevated thermal energy event occurring at an image capture device that compromises performance of image capture operations by the image capture device; determining, by the one or more processors, whether a second wireless communication subsystem is: situated farther from the image capture device than a first wireless communication subsystem; is in an inactive state when the elevated thermal energy event occurring at the image capture device is detected; and has a lower temperature than the first wireless communication subsystem; and transferring, by the one or more processors in response to the detecting, electronic communication operations being performed by a first wireless communication subsystem situated closer to the image capture device to cause the second wireless communication subsystem situated farther from the image capture device to perform the electronic communication operations when the second wireless communication subsystem has the lower temperature than the first wireless communication subsystem; and disabling, by the one or more processors, all electronic communication operations of all wireless communication subsystems of the electronic device when the second wireless communication subsystem has a higher temperature than the first wireless communication subsystem.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting, by the one or more processors from the image capture device, the image capture device boosting an ISO setting while performing the image capture operations.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises detecting, by the one or more processors from a temperature sensor proximately located to the image capture device, that a temperature of the image capture device exceeds a predefined threshold.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: determining, by the one or more processors from the temperature sensor, whether the temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem falls below the predefined threshold after the transferring; and where the temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem fails to fall below the predefined threshold after the transferring, disabling, by the one or more processors, the electronic communication operations while the image capture device is performing the image capture operations.
5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising: determining, by the one or more processors from the temperature sensor, whether the temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem falls below the predefined threshold after the transferring; and where the temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem fails to fall below the predefined threshold after the transferring, disabling, by the one or more processors, all electronic communication operations of all wireless communication subsystems of the electronic device while the image capture device is performing the image capture operations.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining, by the one or more processors from a temperature sensor proximately located with the first wireless communication subsystem, whether a temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem exceeds a predefined threshold; wherein the transferring occurs only when the temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem exceeds the predefined threshold.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: measuring, by the one or more processors from the first wireless communication subsystem, a signal quality of the electronic communication operations prior to the transferring; wherein the transferring occurs only when another signal quality of the electronic communication operations when performed by the second wireless communication subsystem is within a predefined range of the signal quality.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising, when the another signal quality of the electronic communication operations when performed by the second wireless communication subsystem is outside the predefined range of the signal quality, reducing, by the one or more processors, a temperature of the first wireless communication subsystem by reducing operational capabilities of the first wireless communication subsystem.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising again transferring, by the one or more processors in response to cessation of performance of the image capture operations, the electronic communication operations being performed by the second wireless communication subsystem back to cause the first wireless communication subsystem to perform the electronic communication operations.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elevated thermal energy event occurring at the image capture device causes dark shot noise in images captured by the image capture device.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first wireless communication subsystem and the second wireless communication subsystem are both millimeter-wave (mmWave) wireless communication subsystems and the electronic communication operations comprise mmWave radio frequency electronic communications.
12 . An electronic device, comprising: at least one image capture device; a first wireless communication subsystem and at least a second wireless communication subsystem, wherein the first wireless communication subsystem is situated closer to the at least one image capture device than the second wireless communication subsystem; and one or more processors operable with the at least one image capture device, the first wireless communication subsystem and the second wireless communication subsystem; wherein when the one or more processors detect a temperature of the at least one image capture device exceeding a predefined threshold by detecting the at least one image capture device boosting gain while performing image capture operations, the one or more processors transfer at least some electronic communication operations of the electronic device being performed by the first wireless communication subsystem to the second wireless communication subsystem.
13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the first wireless communication subsystem and the second wireless communication subsystem are both millimeter-wave (mmWave) wireless communication subsystems.
14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , further comprising a device housing, wherein the image capture device and first wireless communication subsystem are situated at an end of the device housing and the second wireless communication subsystem is centrally located within the device housing.
15 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to detect the temperature of the at least one image capture device exceeding the predefined threshold by detecting the image capture device boosting ISO while performing the image capture operations.
16 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the temperature of the at least one image capture device exceeding the predefined threshold causes dark shot noise to appear in one or more images captured by the at least one image capture device.
17 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one image capture device and the first wireless communication subsystem are proximately located within the electronic device.
18 . A method in an electronic device, the method comprising reducing, by one or more processors, an operating temperature of a first wireless communication subsystem situated closer to an image capture device by transferring at least some electronic communication operations to a second wireless communication subsystem situated farther from the image capture device to improve dark noise performance of the image capture device while the image capture device is capturing one or more images.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising ceasing, by the one or more processors, electronic communication operations after the transferring to further improve the dark noise performance of the image capture device while the image capture device is capturing the one or more images.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein: the at least some electronic communication operations comprise millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication operations; and electronic communications other than the mmWave communication operations performed by other wireless communication subsystems continue while the image capture device is capturing the one or more images.

Description

BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to wireless communication systems, particularly the thermal management of camera modules in devices with millimeter-wave (mm Wave) technology. Background Art Contemporary portable communication devices incorporate a variety of sophisticated components that enable a multitude of functionalities. One challenge that arises from the integration of these components is the management of thermal energy within the device. Excessive thermal energy can affect the performance of certain components. As devices become more compact, the proximity of heat-generating components to these heat-sensitive components becomes a concern. It would be advantageous to have an improved electronic device and corresponding methods that mitigates the thermal effects on these components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 1 illustrates on explanatory electronic device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates one explanatory method in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates another explanatory method in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 4 illustrates still another explanatory method in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 5 illustrates various embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 6 illustrates a prior art method. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present disclosure, it should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to detecting, by one or more processors of an electronic device an elevated thermal energy event occurring at an image capture device that compromises performance of image capture operations of the image capture device and transferring electronic communications operations being performed by a first wireless communication subsystem to a second wireless communication subsystem having a lower temperature to mitigate dark shot noise in an image capture device. Any process descriptions or blocks in flow charts should be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. Alternate implementations are included, and it will be clear that functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Embodiments of the disclosure do not recite the implementation of any commonplace business method aimed at processing business information, nor do they apply a known business process to the particular technological environment of the Internet. Moreover, embodiments of the disclosure do not create or alter contractual relations using generic computer functions and conventional network operations. Quite to the contrary, embodiments of the disclosure employ methods that, when applied to electronic device and/or user interface technology, improve the functioning of the electronic device itself by and improving the overall user experience to overcome problems specifically arising in the realm of the technology associated with image capture operations. It will be appreciated that embodiments of the disclosure described herein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of detecting a temperature of at least one image capture device exceeding a predefined threshold and transferring at least some electronic communication operations of the electronic device being