METHODS AND SYSTEMS INVOLVING DIURNAL COMPUTING

• US 20090201243A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haustein, Nils, Klein, Craig A., Winarski, Daniel J., Bates, Allen K.
• Application Number:
  US12/027,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20090201243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• 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

Abstract

A method for controlling a computer system comprising, determining an ambient light level, starting a lighting device operative to illuminate an input device responsive to determining that the ambient light level is below a threshold value, and stopping the lighting device responsive to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold value.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a computer system comprising:

determining an ambient light level;

starting a lighting device operative to illuminate an input device responsive to determining that the ambient light level is below a threshold value; and

stopping the lighting device responsive to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises setting a display device to a low ambient light setting in further response to determining that the ambient light level is below the threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises setting a display device to a high ambient light setting in further response to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises starting a low ambient light routine in further response to determining that the ambient light level is below the threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises starting a high ambient light routine in further response to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ambient light level is determined from a signal from an ambient light sensor operative to sense an ambient light level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ambient light level is determined from a system time of the computer system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ambient light level is determined by determining a local time defined by a location of the computer system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining an ambient light level responsive to starting the computer system.

10. A computer system comprising:

a lighting device operative to illuminate an input device; and

a processor determine an ambient light level, wherein the processor is further operative to start the lighting device responsive to determining that the ambient light level is below a threshold level, and stop the lighting device responsive to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold level.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises a display device, and wherein the processor is further operative to set the display device to a low ambient light setting in further response to determining that the ambient light level is below the threshold value.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the system further comprises a display device, and wherein the processor is further operative to set the display device to a high ambient light setting in further response to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold value.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to start a low ambient light routine in further response to determining that the ambient light level is below the threshold value.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to start a high ambient light routine in further response to determining that the ambient light level is above the threshold value.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein, the system further comprises an ambient light sensor operative to sense an ambient light level and output the ambient light level signal to the processor, wherein the processor is further operative to determine the ambient light level from the signal.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the ambient light level is determined from a system time of the computer system.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the ambient light level is determined by determining a local time defined by a location of the computer system.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to determine the ambient light level responsive to starting computer system.