PORTABLE NAVIGATION DEVICE

• US 20090192704A1
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Geelen, Pieter
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/102 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

A navigation device is configured to allocate display setting such as color schemes and screen contents to at least one ambient lighting condition, monitors and evaluates a signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions and determines whether display settings for the current ambient lighting conditions are already in use and to change display settings so that they suit current ambient lighting conditions if needed.

Claims

1. A portable navigation device comprising:

a processor and memory arranged to allocate and store at least a brightness setting and a display setting for relatively light and dark ambient lighting conditions,

an ambient light sensor arranged to provide a signal indicative of a current ambient lighting condition which said processor can evaluate,

means for setting said brightness and changing said display settings, Wherein said processor

evaluates the ambient lighting condition as being either light or dark and determines;

(a) whether a first option enabling automatic changing of the current display setting is set

(b) whether a second option enabling automatic changing of the brightness setting is set

(c) whether the current display setting and/or the current brightness setting of the device are at odds with those which have been allocated and stored for the evaluated current ambient lighting condition,

and if determination (c) and at least one of determination (a) and (b) are positive, said processor automatically changes at least one of the current brightness setting and the current display setting to the appropriate allocated and stored setting.

2. The portable navigation device of claim 1 wherein the brightness setting is achieved by a backlight illuminated to a settable desired level.

3. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said display settings for said at least one ambient lighting conditions comprise at least one of an appropriate view, and a color scheme.

4. The portable navigation device according to claim 3, wherein the color scheme includes a schematic representation of the sky during daytime or nighttime depending on whether the current ambient lighting condition is light or dark.

5. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said display setting comprises a color scheme using brighter colors and the brightness level is relatively high when the current ambient lighting condition is light.

6. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, said display setting comprises a color scheme using darker colors and the brightness level is relatively low when the current ambient lighting condition is dark.

7. The portable navigation device according to claim 3, wherein said color scheme is stored as a plugin.

8. The portable navigation device according to claim 2, further configured to change said current brightness setting by gradually changing backlight levels from a current backlight level to an allocated and stored backlight level.

9. The portable navigation device according to claim 8, wherein the gradual change of backlight levels comprises a predefined number of incremental jumps ranging from the current backlight level the stored backlight level.

10. The portable navigation device according to claim 9, wherein the predefined number is five.

11. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions comprises a signal from a light sensor.

12. The portable navigation device according to claim 11, further configured to buffer said signal from a light sensor.

13. The portable navigation device according to claim 12, wherein said light sensor is located on a printed circuit board of said navigation unit.

14. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, wherein said signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions comprises a signal from a headlight sensor.

15. The portable navigation device according to claim 14, wherein said headlight sensor is wired to said navigation device directly or through its docking unit.

16. The portable navigation device according to claim 15, further configured to ask confirmation from the user when docking/undocking said navigation device.

17. The portable navigation device according to claim 14, wherein said headlight sensor is wirelessly connected to said navigation device.

18. The portable navigation device according to claim 2, comprising a touch screen display with a light emitting diode backlight.

19. The portable navigation device according to claim 1, further configured to enable or disable at least one function of said navigation device when changing display setting.

20. The portable navigation device according to claim 19, wherein said at least one function comprises one of a star map, points of interests, information relating to map items or a planned route, warning about speed limits, warning about driving breaks, displaying traffic information, displaying weather information, menu items, and menu color schemes.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein said display setting comprises a color scheme using brighter colors and the brightness level is relatively high when the current ambient lighting condition is light.

21. A method for automatically adjusting visibility of a portable navigation device display, the method comprising the steps of:

allocating and storing at least a brightness setting and a display setting for relatively light and dark ambient lighting conditions,

evaluating a signal representative of a current ambient lighting condition, such being relatively light or dark,

determining;

(a) whether a first option enabling automatic changing of the current display setting is set

(b) whether a second option enabling automatic changing of the brightness setting is set

(c) whether the current display setting and/or the current brightness setting of the device are at odds with those which have been allocated and stored for the evaluated current ambient lighting condition,

and if determination (c) and at least one of determination (a) and (b) are positive,

automatically changing at least one of the current brightness setting and the current display setting to the appropriate allocated and stored setting.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the brightness setting is achieved by a backlight illuminated to a settable desired level.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein said display settings for said at least one ambient lighting conditions comprise at least one of an appropriate view, and a color scheme.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the color scheme includes a schematic representation of the sky during daytime or nighttime depending on whether the current ambient lighting condition is light or dark.

26. The method according to claim 21, said display setting comprises a color scheme using darker colors and the brightness level is relatively low when the current ambient lighting condition is dark.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein said color scheme is stored as a plugin.

28. The method according to claim 22, further configured to change said current brightness setting by gradually changing backlight levels from a current backlight level to an allocated and stored backlight level.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the gradual change of backlight levels comprises a predefined number of incremental jumps ranging from the current backlight level the stored backlight level.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the predefined number is five.

31. The method according to claim 21, wherein said signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions comprises a signal from a light sensor.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein said signal from said light sensor is buffered.

33. The portable navigation device according to claim 21, wherein at least one function of said navigation device is enabled or disabled when changing display setting.

34. The portable navigation device according to claim 33, wherein said at least one function comprises one of a star map, points of interests, information relating to map items or a planned route, warning about speed limits, warning about driving breaks, displaying traffic information, displaying weather information, menu items, and menu color schemes.