AMBIENT LIGHT DEPENDENT THEMES

• US 20090128530A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: EK, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,350,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/207
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A portable electronic device may include a display for displaying an image having different color or grey scale fields. Neighboring fields in the image may have different luminance. The portable electronic device may also include an ambient light detecting unit and a control unit. The control unit receives a luminance value corresponding to detected ambient light from the ambient light detecting unit, compares the luminance value with an ambient light level threshold and increases the difference in luminance between neighboring fields of an image being displayed by the display when the luminance exceeds the ambient light level threshold.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display configured to display an image through providing different color or grey scale fields, where neighboring fields have different luminance;

an ambient light detecting unit; and

a control unit configured to

receive a luminance value corresponding to detected ambient light from the ambient light detecting unit,

compare the luminance value with a first ambient light level threshold, and

increase the difference in luminance between neighboring fields of an image displayed by the display, if the luminance value exceeds the first ambient light level threshold.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when increasing the difference in luminance, is configured to change from color or grey scale to black and white.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to compare a luminance value with a second ambient light level threshold and to decrease the difference in luminance for neighboring fields for a previously increased difference in luminance, if the luminance value is below the second ambient light level threshold.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to change the image being displayed by the display if the first ambient light level threshold is exceeded.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, further comprising at least one circumstance data provision unit, wherein the control unit when changing the image being displayed is configured to receive circumstance data from the circumstance data provision unit and change the image based on the received circumstance data.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein a first circumstance data provision unit comprises a clock and the circumstance data associated with the first circumstance data provision unit is time data.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein a first circumstance data provision unit comprises a temperature detecting unit and the circumstance data associated with the first circumstance provision unit is temperature data.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein a first circumstance data provision unit comprises a positioning unit and the circumstance data associated with the first circumstance provision unit is position data.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a portable communication device.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the portable communication device comprises a cellular phone.

12. A method for adjusting a display displaying an image through providing different color or grey scale fields, where neighboring fields have different luminance, comprising:

receiving a luminance value corresponding to detected ambient light;

comparing the luminance value with a first ambient light level threshold; and

increasing the difference in luminance between neighboring fields of an image displayed by the display, if the luminance value exceeds the first ambient light level threshold.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the increasing the difference in luminance comprises changing from color or grey scale to black and white.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising comparing a luminance value with a second ambient light level threshold and decreasing the difference in luminance for neighboring fields for a previously increased difference in luminance, if the luminance value is below the second ambient light level threshold.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising changing the image being displayed by the display if the first ambient light level threshold is exceeded.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising receiving circumstance data, and performing the changing the image being displayed based on the received circumstance data.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the circumstance data includes time data.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the circumstance data includes temperature data.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the circumstance data includes position data.

20. A computer program product for adjusting a display in a portable electronic device, which display is displaying an image through providing different color or grey scale fields, where neighboring fields have different luminance, comprising:

computer program code provided on a computer-readable medium, configured to make the portable electronic device execute, when said program code is loaded in the portable electronic device, a method comprising;

receiving a luminance value corresponding to detected ambient light;

comparing the luminance value with a first ambient light level threshold; and

increasing the difference in luminance between neighboring fields of an image displayed by the display, if the luminance value exceeds the first ambient light level threshold.