Display mode control method for an electronic device

• US 7,385,881 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modena Navigation LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: MiTAC International Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Huang, Yu-Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen; Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US11/376,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 368/82, 368/239, 368/223
• US Class Current: 368/82
• 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 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 display mode control method includes the steps of: enabling an electronic device to determine the time of day; and enabling the electronic device to operate a display panel thereof in a first display mode when the time of day corresponds to nighttime, and in a second display mode when otherwise. The display panel shows information in a light shade against a dark background when operated in the nighttime display mode, and in a dark shade against a light background when operated in the daytime display mode.

Claims

1. A display mode control method to be implemented in an electronic device having a display panel for showing navigational map information, comprising the steps of:

a) enabling the electronic device to determine the time of day; and

b) enabling the electronic device to operate the display panel in a nighttime display mode when the time of day corresponds to nighttime, and in a daytime display mode when the time of day is otherwise;

wherein the navigational map information is shown on the display panel in a light shade against a dark background when the display panel is operated in the nighttime display mode, and in a dark shade against a light background when the display panel is operated in the daytime display mode.

2. The display mode control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step b), the electronic device enables operation of the display panel in the nighttime display mode when the time of day is within a predetermined time period corresponding to nighttime, and in the daytime display mode when the time of day is otherwise.

3. The display mode control method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined time period is defined by start and end times.

4. The display mode control method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the start and end times are user configurable.