Motion sensitive illumination system and method for a mobile computing device

• US 20060081771A1
• Filed: 10/18/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IXI Mobile (R&D) Ltd. (IXI Mobile, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IXI Mobile (R&D) Ltd. (IXI Mobile, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eliad Wardimon, Yavor
• Granted Patent: US 7,498,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/32 adapted for automatic variation of the measured or reference value regulation of light intensity G05D25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A motion sensitive illumination method for a mobile device is provided. The method comprises measuring a first motion attribute of the mobile device using a motion sensor to produce a first value; comparing the first value with a threshold value; and adjusting illumination intensity of an illuminating mechanism that illuminates a user interface component of the mobile device, when the first value is not approximately equal to a first threshold value.

Claims

1. A motion sensitive illumination method for a mobile device, the method comprising:

measuring a first motion attribute of the mobile device using a motion sensor to produce a first value;

comparing the first value with a threshold value; and

adjusting illumination intensity of an illuminating mechanism that illuminates a user interface component of the mobile device, when the first value is not approximately equal to a first threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises increasing the illumination intensity of the illuminating mechanism.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises decreasing the illumination intensity of the illuminating mechanism.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjusting occurs when the first value is greater than the threshold value.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the adjusting occurs when the first value is less than the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the illuminating mechanism is a backlight for lighting the user interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the illuminating mechanism is a light emitting diode (LED).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises one or more keys on a keypad of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display screen of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling a lock status of the mobile device based on the first value.

11. A motion sensitive illumination system for illuminating one or more user interface components of a mobile device, the illumination system comprising:

a motion sensor for measuring a first change in a motion attribute of the mobile device;

a first illumination mechanism for illuminating at least a first user interface component; and

a power management module for adjusting illumination intensity of the first illumination mechanism based on the first change in the motion attribute of the mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the power management module causes the illumination intensity of the first illumination mechanism to be increased, when the first change is greater than a first threshold.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the power management module causes the illumination intensity of the first illumination mechanism to be decreased, when the first change is less than a first threshold.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the motion attribute is associated with the mobile device'"'"'s positioning in a particular direction.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the motion attribute is associated with the mobile device'"'"'s speed.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the motion attribute is associated with the mobile device'"'"'s acceleration.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein a time delay is associated with adjusting illumination intensity of the first illumination mechanism.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the power management module comprises:

a power management chip in communication with a microcontroller for determining a degree with which the illumination intensity of the first illumination mechanism is adjusted.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the power management chip converts a first signal provided by the motion sensor to a second signal provided to the microcontroller, wherein the first signal represents a change in a motion attribute of the mobile device, and the second signal represents a value used by the microcontroller to adjust the intensity of the first illumination mechanism.

20. A method of configuring one or more lock states for at least one user interface of a mobile device, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one motion attribute of the mobile device; and

switching at least one user interface of the mobile device from a first lock state to a second lock state, when said at least one motion attribute reaches a first threshold value.