Digital camera capable of brightness and contrast control

• US 20050219394A1
• Filed: 04/06/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: O2 Micro International Limited (O2 Micro Incorporated)
• Inventors: Du, Sterling, Popescu-Stanesti, Vlad Mihail
• Application Number:
  US10/819,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20050219394A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.120
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/36 using liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment may include generating a signal indicative of ambient light in the vicinity of an LCD panel comprised in a digital camera. The method may also include controlling at least one of a brightness and contrast of the LCD panel based at least in part on the signal indicative of ambient light in the vicinity of an LCD panel. Of course; many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.

Claims

1. A brightness/contrast control system for an LCD panel display comprised in a digital camera, comprising:

an LCD panel;

an optical sensor generating a signal indicative of ambient light in the vicinity of said LCD panel; and

a controller capable of generating at least one of a power and contrast control signal to control at least one of the brightness and contrast of said LCD panel based at least in part on said signal indicative of ambient light in the vicinity of said LCD panel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said controller further capable of receiving a preset value signal indicative of at least one of a preset brightness and preset contrast of said LCD panel.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said controller capable of controlling at least one of said brightness and said contrast based on a linear relationship between said ambient light and at least one of said LCD panel brightness and said LCD panel contrast.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said digital camera is selected from a digital still camera and a digital video camera.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an image sensor capable of sensing the light characteristics of an image, said image sensor further capable of generating a signal indicative of the light characteristics of the sensed image, said controller further capable controlling at least one of the brightness and contrast of said LCD panel based at least in part on said signal indicative of the light characteristics of the sensed image.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said controller is further capable of generating at least one of a power and contrast control signal to power off said LCD panel if said light in the vicinity of said LCD panel equals or exceeds at least one of a maximum viewable brightness and contrast level.

7. An apparatus, comprising,

a controller capable of controlling at least one of brightness and contrast of an LCD panel display comprised in a digital camera based at least in part on ambient light conditions in the vicinity of said LCD panel.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said controller further capable of receiving a preset value signal indicative of at least one of a preset brightness and preset contrast of said LCD panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said controller capable of controlling at least one of said brightness and said contrast based on a linear relationship between said ambient light and at least one of said LCD panel brightness and said LCD panel contrast.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said digital camera is selected from a digital still camera and a digital video camera.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

said controller further capable controlling at least one of the brightness and contrast of said LCD panel based at least in part on light characteristics of an image sensed by said digital camera.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said controller is further capable of controlling said LCD panel to power off said LCD panel if said light in the vicinity of said LCD panel equals or exceeds at least one of a maximum viewable brightness and contrast level.

13. A method, comprising:

generating a signal indicative of ambient light in the vicinity of an LCD panel comprised in a digital camera; and

controlling at least one of a brightness and contrast of said LCD panel based at least in part on said signal indicative of ambient light in the vicinity of an LCD panel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

said controller further capable of controlling at least one of a brightness and contrast of said LCD panel based at least in part on a preset value signal indicative of at least one of a preset brightness and preset contrast of said LCD panel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

said controller further capable of controlling at least one of a brightness and contrast of said LCD panel based at least in part on a on light characteristics of an image sensed by said digital camera.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

controlling said LCD panel to power off said LCD panel if said light in the vicinity of said LCD panel equals or exceeds at least one of a maximum viewable brightness and contrast level.