Patent ID: 7949249

Claim:
A method of synchronizing a camera equipped portable media device (CEPMD) having a camera shutter trigger, and an external lighting apparatus (ELA), the method comprising the steps of: 1) providing hardware and software comprising; a. the CEPMD having the camera shutter trigger; b. the ELA having one or more trigger signals for triggering a photoflash; c. a means for connecting the CEPMD and the ELA; d. a communication protocol between the CEPMD and the ELA; and e. a synchronization software for controlling the camera shutter trigger and the one or more trigger signals; and 2) calculating simultaneously by use of the synchronization software: i. a first time delay from sending a trigger signal of the one or more trigger signals to producing the photoflash on the ELA; and ii. a second time delay to setup the CEPMD for a photo capture; 3) calculating max errors to verify that the photoflash occurs within a duration between a PFlash_start_earliest time and a PFlash_start_latest time; 4) triggering at a pre-determined time the ELA and the synchronization software during the a T-exposure time to create the photoflash between the PFlash_start_earliest and the PFlash_start_latest time; and 5) capturing the photoflash having a duration of a PFlash_start to a PFlash_end time by enlarging the T-exposure time to a point that the max errors is not greater than the T-exposure time.