AUTOMATIC COLOR DISPLAY CONVERSION

• US 20080291213A1
• Filed: 05/22/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: PETERSON, ROBERT ROSS, BHOGAL, KULVIR SINGH
• Granted Patent: US 8,169,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/028 Circuits for converting colour display signals into monochrome display signals

Abstract

A color computer output is dynamically converted into a monochrome computer output based on a stored profile. The stored profile may be for a piece of hardware (e.g., a monochrome printer), or a user (e.g., a color-blind user).

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method comprising:

detecting a computer output from a computer, wherein the computer output includes multi-colored graphics;

retrieving a profile that describes whether the computer output needs to be in a monochrome format; and

in response to the profile indicating a need for the computer output to be monochrome, converting the computer output to the monochrome format.

2. The computer-implementable method of claim 1, wherein the profile is based on a monochrome output device receiving the computer output.

3. The computer-implementable method of claim 2, wherein the monochrome output device is a monochrome printer.

4. The computer-implementable method of claim 2, wherein the monochrome output device is a monochrome monitor.

5. The computer-implementable method of claim 1, wherein the profile is a user profile for a color-blind user.

6. The computer-implementable method of claim 1, wherein the profile is an end-recipient profile, wherein the end-recipient requires the computer output to be monochrome in order to be in compliance with a governmental regulation.

7. The computer-implementable method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the computer to a projector, wherein the projector comprises a light sensor that measures ambient light; and

in response to the light sensor detecting a light level that exceeds a pre-determined level, converting the computer output to the monochrome output.

8. The computer-implementable method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the computer to a projector, wherein the projector comprises a distance sensor that measures a distance from the projector to a projection screen; and

in response to the distance sensor detecting that a distance from the projector to the projection screen exceeds a predetermined distance, converting the computer output to the monochrome output.

9. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

detecting a computer output from a computer, wherein the computer output includes multi-colored graphics;

retrieving a profile that describes whether the computer output needs to be in a monochrome format; and

in response to the profile indicating a need for the computer output to be monochrome, converting the computer output to the monochrome format.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a monochrome printer output device, wherein the profile is based on the monochrome output device receiving the computer output.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the monochrome output device is a monochrome printer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the monochrome output device is a monochrome monitor.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a projector that is coupled to the computer; and

a light sensor coupled to the projector, wherein the light sensor measures ambient light, and wherein, in response to the light sensor detecting a light level that exceeds a pre-determined level, the computer implements software for converting the computer output to the monochrome output.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a projector that is coupled to the computer; and

a distance sensor that is coupled to the projector, wherein the distance sensor measures a distance from the projector to a projection screen, and wherein, in response to the distance sensor detecting that a distance from the projector to the projection screen exceeds a predetermined distance, the computer implements software for converting the computer output to the monochrome output.

15. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

detecting a computer output from a computer, wherein the computer output includes multi-colored graphics;

retrieving a profile that describes whether the computer output needs to be in a monochrome format; and

in response to the profile indicating a need for the computer output to be monochrome, converting the computer output to the monochrome format.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 15, wherein the profile is based on a monochrome output device receiving the computer output.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 15, wherein the profile is a user profile for a color-blind user.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 15, wherein the profile is an end-recipient profile, wherein the end-recipient requires the computer output to be monochrome in order to be in compliance with a governmental regulation.

19. The computer-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

20. The computer-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.