Patent ID: 8731391

Claim:
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.