AUTOMATIC BRIGHTNESS CONTROL

• US 20110080422A1
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robishaw, David Timothy, Park, Austin, Lee, Kang
• Granted Patent: US 8,358,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/589
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

In an example embedment disclosed herein is an apparatus, comprising a battery, a display, and logic coupled to the battery and display. The logic is configured to determine an amount of remaining energy in the battery, and a current power consumption rate of the apparatus. The logic determines whether the amount of remaining energy is sufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption rate of the apparatus. The logic is configured to adjust the brightness of the display to enable the device to operate for the duration of the predetermined time period responsive to determining the amount of remaining energy in the battery is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a battery;

a display having a brightness at an original level;

logic coupled to the battery and the display;

wherein the logic is configured to determine an amount of remaining energy in the battery;

wherein the logic is configured to determine a current power consumption of the apparatus;

wherein the logic is configured to determine whether the amount of remaining energy is sufficient to operate the apparatus for a duration of a predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus; and

wherein the logic is configured to adjust the brightness of the display from the original level to a second level to enable the device to operate for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the amount of remaining energy in the battery and the current power consumption of the apparatus responsive to determining the amount of remaining energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display based on a controllable amount of power consumption which is the difference between the current power consumption and a rate of power consumption by uncontrollable factors.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to periodically recalculate the amount of remaining energy in the battery and current power consumption.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising a user interface;

wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the original level responsive to detecting activity on the user interface; and

wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the second level upon determining activity at the user interface has ceased.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the original level responsive to detecting another application executing;

and

wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the second level upon determining the another application has terminated.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising an interface enabling the apparatus to communicate with at least one external device;

wherein the logic further comprises logic for determining whether screen sharing is active with the at least one external device;

wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the original level responsive to determining screen sharing is active; and

wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the second level responsive to determining screen sharing is completed.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, further comprising a user interface;

wherein the logic is further configured to determine whether there is sufficient energy in the battery for a future scheduled event based on current consumption;

wherein the logic is further configured to output a message on the user interface responsive to determining that battery has insufficient energy for the future scheduled event; and

wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the screen brightness to the second level prior to the future scheduled event responsive to an input received on the user interface.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 7, wherein the logic further comprises a calendaring application;

and

wherein the logic obtains data for the future scheduled event from the calendaring application.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to adjust the brightness of the display to the original level responsive to determining the battery is charging.

10. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic further comprises logic to communicate with at least one other meeting participant for a scheduled meeting;

and

wherein the logic is further configured to send one of a group consisting of an email, a voice mail, a short message service message, and an instant message to the at least one other meeting participant responsive to determining the battery does not have sufficient energy to complete a scheduled meeting.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic further comprises logic to communicate with at least one other meeting participant for a scheduled meeting;

and

wherein the logic is further configured to reschedule the scheduled meeting responsive to determining the battery does not have sufficient energy to complete a scheduled meeting.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured to display a warning on the display responsive to determining that the remaining energy of the battery is insufficient for the duration of the predetermined time period after adjusting the display to the second level.

13. A method, comprising

determining an amount of remaining energy in a battery;

determining a current power consumption of an apparatus powered by the battery;

determining whether the amount of remaining energy is sufficient to operate the apparatus for a duration of a predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus; and

adjusting the brightness of the display from an original level to a second level that is lower than the original level to enable the device to operate for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the amount of remaining energy in the battery and the current power consumption of the apparatus responsive to determining the amount of remaining energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a new application been started;

adjusting the brightness of the display to the original level responsive to determining the new application has started;

determining that the new application has terminated; and

adjusting the brightness of the display to the second level responsive to determining the new application has terminated.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising disabling a transceiver responsive determining the amount of energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus.

16. The method of clam 13, further comprising disabling one of a group consisting of an email application and an instant manager application responsive determining the amount of energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus.

17. Logic encoded on at least one tangible medium and when executed operable to:

determine an amount of remaining energy in a battery;

determine a current power consumption rate of an apparatus powered by the battery;

determine whether the amount of remaining energy is sufficient to operate the apparatus for a remaining duration of a predetermined time period based on the current power consumption rate of the apparatus;

output data indicating that the amount of remaining energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the remaining duration of the predetermined time period based on the remaining energy in the battery and the current power consumption of the apparatus responsive to determining the amount of remaining energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus;

waiting for data to initiate a power save mode responsive to determining the amount of remaining energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus; and

adjusting the brightness of the display from an original level to a second level that is lower than the original level to enable the device to operate for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the amount of remaining energy in the battery and the current power consumption of the apparatus responsive to receiving the data to initiate a power save mode.

18. The logic of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable to determine the predetermined time period from a calendaring application.

19. The logic of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable to:

determine whether there is sufficient energy in the battery for a future scheduled event based on current consumption;

output data indicating that the battery has insufficient energy for the future scheduled event based on current consumption prior to the scheduled event; and

adjust the screen brightness to the second level prior to the future scheduled event responsive to receiving data to initiate a power save mode,

20. The logic of claim 17, further operable to extend a polling period for one of a group consisting of an email application and a calendaring application responsive determining the amount of energy is insufficient to operate the apparatus for the duration of the predetermined time period based on the current power consumption of the apparatus.