Electronic device having a light emitting/detecting display screen

• US 20040245438A1
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoberock, Tim M., Payne, David M., Huffman, John W., Luque, Phillip R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,362,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/32 semiconductive, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00129 with a display device, e.g. CRT or LCD monitor with a television apparatus H04N1/00283; arrangements for control of display devices G09G
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

Exemplary methods, apparatuses, media, and arrangements enable the implementation of one or more features in electronic devices that have (e.g., display) screens that are capable of light emission and detection. These features include, for example, scanning, (simulated) touch-screen sensitivity, and ambient light determination and compensation. The display screens may be comprised of light emitting/detecting elements, such as diodes, that can emit light for visual display and can detect light for receiving light information data. In certain described implementations, a method for implementing a feature using a display screen with emitting/detecting elements includes the actions of: activating multiple elements of an array of elements to emit light; activating multiple elements of the array of elements to detect light; producing detected light data representing the light detected by the multiple elements that are activated to detect light; and processing the detected light data to implement the feature.

Claims

1. An electronic device that is capable of displaying information, the electronic device comprising:

a display screen that includes an array of elements, each element of the array of elements capable of emitting light and detecting light; and

electronically-executable instructions that are capable of causing the electronic device to activate a first plurality of elements of the array of elements to emit light and a second plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light in order to implement a feature for the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises:

one or more memories, the one or more memories storing the electronically-executable instructions.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein each element of the array of elements is capable of operating as a light emitting/detecting element;

and

wherein the electronically-executable instructions are further capable of causing the electronic device (i) to operate a first light emitting/detecting element and a second light emitting/detecting element as a light emitting/detecting element pair and (ii) to activate the light emitting/detecting element pair such that the first light emitting/detecting element emits while the second light emitting/detecting element detects.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the array of elements comprises an array of diodes.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a particular element of the array of elements is part of the first plurality of elements at one moment and is part of the second plurality of elements at another moment.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the feature implemented by the electronic device is selected from the group comprising:

scanning via the array of elements, touch-sensitivity via the array of elements, and ambient light determination and compensation via the array of elements.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronically-executable instructions are further capable of causing the electronic device to receive data representative of light detected by the second plurality of elements of the array of elements, to process the data, and to perform an action responsive to the data.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronically-executable instructions are further capable of causing the electronic device to receive data representative of light detected by at least a portion of the second plurality of elements of the array of elements, to process the data, and to perform an action responsive to the data, the action selected from the group comprising:

organize the data into a scanned image;

accept user input based on the data; and

adjust a light amount output by at least a portion of the first plurality of elements of the array of elements.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronically-executable instructions are further capable of causing the electronic device to activate a third plurality of elements of the array of elements to emit light and a fourth plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light in order to implement the feature for the electronic device.

10. A method for implementing a feature using a display screen with light emitting/detecting elements, the method comprising actions of:

activating a first plurality of elements of an array of elements to emit light;

activating a second plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light;

producing detected light data representing the light detected by the second plurality of elements; and

processing the detected light data to implement the feature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one element of the array of elements is activated to emit light as part of the first plurality of elements at a first moment and is activated to detect light as part of the second plurality of elements at a second moment.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the actions of:

activating the second plurality of elements of the array of elements to emit light;

activating the first plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light; and

producing additional detected light data representing the light detected by the first plurality of elements;

wherein the action of processing comprises processing the detected light data and the additional detected light data to implement a scanning feature.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the actions of:

activating a third plurality of elements of the array of elements to emit light;

activating a fourth plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light; and

producing additional detected light data representing the light detected by the fourth plurality of elements;

wherein the action of processing comprises processing the detected light data and the additional detected light data to implement the feature.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein (i) the first plurality of elements and the second plurality of elements are inactive during the actions of activating a third plurality of elements and activating a fourth plurality of elements and (ii) the third plurality of elements and the fourth plurality of elements are inactive during the actions of activating a first plurality of elements and activating a second plurality of elements.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the action of:

continuing to activate additional pluralities of elements of the array of elements to emit light and to detect light in order to implement a configuration set selected from the group comprising;

an every-other-element-pair configuration set, an every-third-element-pair configuration set, an every-other-element-pair on every-other-row configuration set, an every-other-element-pair on every-other-row and on every-other-column configuration set, and an every-fourth-element-pair configuration set.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the action of processing further comprises:

combining the detected light data and the additional detected light data to create at least part of a scanned image.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising the actions of:

activating a third plurality of elements of the array of elements to emit light; and

activating a fourth plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light and to produce additional detected light data;

wherein the action of processing comprises processing the detected light data and the additional detected light data to implement a touch-sensitive feature for the display screen.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of elements and the second plurality of elements together comprise at least part of a first actuator, and the third plurality of elements and the fourth plurality of elements together comprise at least part of a second actuator.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first plurality of elements and the second plurality of elements together comprise at least part of an actuator, and the fourth plurality of elements comprises at least part of an ambient light detection mechanism.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising the actions of:

activating a third plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light; and

producing additional detected light data representing the light detected by the third plurality of elements;

wherein the action of processing comprises;

detecting a change in the detected light data;

determining whether a change in the additional detected light data has occurred;

if no change in the additional detected light data is determined, then accepting the change in the detected light data as a user input by actuating an actuator that is associated with the first plurality of elements and the second plurality of elements.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the action of:

if a change in the additional detected light data is determined, then rejecting the change in the detected light data as a user input by not actuating the actuator that is associated with the first plurality of elements and the second plurality of elements.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the action of activating a first plurality of elements comprises the action of communicating information visually via the emitted light;

the action of activating a second plurality of elements comprises the action of determining an ambient light level via the detected light; and

the action of processing comprises processing the detected light data to implement an ambient light determination and compensation feature.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein the action of processing comprises:

comparing the detected light data to at least one predetermined threshold; and

adjusting a luminance value of the emitted light from the first plurality of elements responsive to the action of comparing.

24. An electronic device that is capable of displaying information, the electronic device comprising:

a display screen that includes an array of elements, each element of the array of elements capable of emitting light and detecting light;

one or more processors; and

one or more memories that store electronically-executable instructions;

wherein the one or more processors are capable of executing the stored electronically-executable instructions to thereby cause the electronic device to systematically activate at least a portion of the elements of the array of elements into at least one element state configuration in order to implement at least one feature selected from the group comprising scanning, touch-screen sensitivity, and ambient light determination and compensation.

25. An arrangement for utilizing a display screen that is capable of emitting and detecting light, the arrangement comprising:

display means for displaying information visually, the display means including a plurality of light manipulating means for emitting and detecting light; and

implementing means for implementing at least one feature selected from the group comprising scanning, touch-sensitivity, and ambient light compensation using at least a portion of the plurality of light manipulating means to detect light.

26. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the implementing means comprises scanning means for producing a scanned image;

the scanning means comprising means for accepting detected light data from the at least a portion of the plurality of light manipulating means and means for processing the detected light data into a scanned image.

27. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the implementing means comprises touch sensing means for sensing user input;

the touch sensing means comprising means for monitoring detected light data that is received from the at least a portion of the plurality of light manipulating means, means for detecting a change in the detected light data, and means for accepting user input responsive to the detected change in the detected light data.

28. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the implementing means comprises ambient-light-compensating means for compensating for different levels of ambient light;

the ambient-light-compensating means comprising means for determining a current ambient light level using detected light data that is received from the at least a portion of the plurality of light manipulating means and means for adjusting an amount of light emitted from at least a portion of the plurality of light manipulating means.

29. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the arrangement comprises an electronic device.

30. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the arrangement comprises part of an electronic device.

31. A computer that is capable of implementing a scanning feature, the computer comprising:

a display screen that includes an array of elements, each element of the array of elements capable of emitting light and detecting light;

wherein the computer is adapted to use the elements of the array of elements to emit light onto a scanning target and to detect light reflected from the scanning target in order to produce a scanned image of the scanning target.

32. The computer of claim 31, wherein the computer is further adapted to produce the scanned image using a plurality of element state configurations for the array of elements.

33. The computer of claim 31, wherein the computer is further adapted to display graphical images on the display screen.

34. An electronic device that is capable of implementing an ambient light compensation feature, the electronic device comprising:

a display screen that is capable of light emission and light detection;

wherein the electronic device is configured to perform actions comprising;

determine a light level using the light detection capability of the display screen; and

adjust a light amount that is output by the light emission capability of the display screen responsive to the determined light level.

35. The electronic device of claim 34, wherein the display screen comprises a plurality of light emitting/detecting elements.

36. A method for implementing an ambient light compensation feature, the method comprising actions of:

activating a plurality of elements to emit an amount of light and to detect light, the plurality of elements comprising light emitting/detecting elements;

determining a light level from the detected light; and

adjusting the amount of light emitted responsive to the determined light level.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the action of activating comprises:

activating a first plurality of elements to emit the amount of light; and

activating a second plurality of elements to detect the light.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the action of activating comprises:

activating at least a portion of the plurality of elements to emit the amount of light at one moment; and

activating the at least a portion of the plurality of elements to detect the light at another moment.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the action of determining comprises:

determining an ambient light level from the detected light.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the action of adjusting comprises:

raising the amount of light emitted if the determined light level is greater than a predetermined threshold.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein the action of adjusting comprises:

lowering the amount of light emitted if the determined light level is less than a predetermined threshold.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein the action of adjusting comprises:

mapping the determined light level to one of a plurality of predetermined thresholds; and

adjusting the amount of light emitted according to the mapping.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the actions of determining and adjusting are performed individually for a plurality of sections of the plurality of elements.

44. An electronic device that is capable of implementing a touch-sensitive feature, the electronic device comprising:

a display screen that is capable of light emission and light detection;

wherein the electronic device is configured to perform actions comprising;

establish a plurality of actuators on the display screen using the light detection and the light emission capabilities of the display screen; and

actuate at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators responsive to a reduction in light that is detected at the at least one actuator using the light detection capability of the display screen.

45. The electronic device of claim 44, wherein the display screen comprises a plurality of light emitting/detecting elements.

46. The electronic device of claim 44, wherein the touch-sensitive feature comprises a simulated touch-sensitive functionality.

47. A method for implementing a touch-sensitive feature, the method comprising actions of:

activating a plurality of elements to emit light and to detect light, the plurality of elements comprising light emitting/detecting elements;

monitoring the detected light;

determining whether a level of the detected light has decreased; and

if so, accepting user input responsive to a location at which the level of the detected light is determined to have decreased.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the action of determining comprises:

determining that the level of the detected light has decreased at a location corresponding to predetermined elements of the plurality of elements; and

determining that the level of the detected light has not decreased at other locations corresponding to different elements of the plurality of elements.

49. A method for implementing a touch-sensitive feature, the method comprising actions of:

activating a first plurality of elements of a display screen to emit light;

activating a second plurality of elements of the display screen to detect light;

monitoring the light detected by the second plurality of elements;

determining that the light detected by the second plurality of elements has changed over a portion of the display screen; and

accepting user input responsive to the portion of the display screen in which the light detected by the second plurality of elements is determined to have changed.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the portion of the display screen corresponds to an actuator and the action of activating a first plurality of elements comprises providing a visual indication of the actuator on the display screen.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the portion of the display screen corresponds to an actuator and the action of accepting user input comprises actuating the actuator.

52. An electronic device that is capable of implementing a scanning feature, the electronic device comprising:

a display screen that is capable of light emission and light detection;

wherein the electronic device is configured to perform actions comprising;

illuminate a scanning target using the light emission capability of the display screen;

collect light detection data representative of at least part of the scanning target using the light detection capability of the display screen; and

process the light detection data to produce an image of at least a portion of the scanning target.

53. The electronic device of claim 52, wherein the display screen comprises a plurality of light emitting/detecting elements.

54. A method for implementing a scanning feature, the method comprising actions of:

activating a display screen in a first emission/detection element state configuration to produce detected light data;

activating the display screen in a second emission/detection element state configuration to produce additional detected light data; and

combining the detected light data and the additional detected light data to produce at least part of a scanned image.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising the actions of:

recording the detected light data; and

recording the additional detected light data.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the actions of activating comprise the action of logically organizing a plurality of light emitting/detecting elements into a plurality of light emitting/detecting element pairs that are activated systematically to emit and to detect light together.

57. The method of claim 54, wherein the action of combining comprises at least one action selected from the group comprising:

amalgamating the detected light data and/or the additional detected light data, averaging the detected light data and/or the additional detected light data, and interpolating the detected light data and/or the additional detected light data.

58. One or more electronically-accessible media comprising electronically-executable instructions that, when executed, direct an electronic device to execute operations comprising:

activate a first plurality of elements of an array of elements of a screen to emit light;

activate a second plurality of elements of the array of elements to detect light;

produce detected light data representing the light detected by the second plurality of elements; and

process the detected light data to implement at least one feature.

59. An electronic device that is capable of implementing simulated touch-sensitive functionality, the electronic device comprising:

a screen that is capable of light detection;

wherein the electronic device is configured to perform actions comprising;

determine a light level using the light detection capability of the screen; and

interpret a change to the light level on the screen as user input.

60. A scanner comprising:

an array of elements, each element of the array of elements capable of emitting light and detecting light; and

at least one processor configured to execute instructions for;

activating elements in the array of elements to emit light onto a scanning target; and

activating elements in the array of elements to detect light reflected from the scanning target in order to produce a scanned image of the scanning target.

61. The scanner of claim 60, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute instructions for producing the scanned image using a plurality of element state configurations for the array of elements.