Display device modulation system

• US 8,411,098 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2007
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Harris, Franklin W., Chambers, Howell J. Jr., Ninan, Joseph C., North, James A., Vanderkin, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caschera, Antonio A
• Application Number:
  US11/865,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20090085922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,011 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• 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 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits

Abstract

Arrangements and methods are provided that modulate various display device outputs in response to detected changes in environmental conditions affecting a display screen. The arrangement responds to changing environments to maximize the quality of the display. A sensor that is responsive to the changing environment, such as changes in ambient light, is provided to modulate the display accordingly. The arrangement contains logic for utilizing the sensing input and user preferences to provide the best display under the prevailing conditions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display device, wherein the display device comprises;

an arrangement adapted to ascertain at least one environmental condition, the at least one environmental condition comprising ambient light; and

an arrangement adapted to modulate at least one display setting of the display device based on the at least one environmental condition;

wherein the at least one display setting comprises an operating system setting selected from a group consisting of a resolution setting, an inverse font setting, an inverse display setting, an enlarged text setting, and a display zoom setting; and

wherein the at least one environmental condition further comprises a geographic location based on detection of at least one network.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the display device is a monitor arrangement of a computer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection of at least one network comprises ascertaining a service set identifier (SSID) associated with a wireless network.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one display setting further comprises at least one application setting.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one application setting comprises at least one element of essential information;

wherein modulating at least one display setting of the display device based on the at least one environmental condition comprises maximizing the at least one element of essential information and minimizing one or more elements of non-essential information.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein to modulate the display zoom setting comprises zooming in on and magnifying a particular area of interest within the display device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the particular area of interest within the display device comprises an actively utilized area of the display device.

8. A system comprising:

a computer having a processor and a memory;

a display device operatively connected to the computer;

an arrangement adapted to ascertain at least one environmental condition, the at least one environmental condition comprising ambient light; and

an arrangement adapted to modulate at least one display setting of the display device based on the at least one environmental condition;

wherein the at least one display setting comprises at least one of;

an operating system setting and an application setting;

wherein the at least one operating system display setting is selected from a group consisting of a resolution setting, an inverse font setting, an inverse display setting, an enlarged text setting, and a display zoom setting; and

wherein the at least one environmental condition further comprises a geographic location based on detection of at least one network.

9. The system according to claim 8 further comprising a memory adapted to store at least one user display setting preference, wherein the at least one display setting is modulated to conform to the at least one user display setting preference.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the at least one user display setting preference is adapted to compensate for a bright light environment.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one user display setting preference comprises a mobile setting, an indoor setting, and an outdoor setting.

12. The system according to claim 8 wherein the display device is a monitor arrangement of a computer.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one environmental condition further comprises a geographic location.

14. A method comprising:

providing a display device having a sensor;

ascertaining at least one environmental condition utilizing the sensor;

configuring an arrangement to modulate at least one display setting of the display device based upon the at least one ascertained environmental condition;

wherein the at least one display setting to be modulated comprises at least one operating system setting selected from the group consisting of a resolution setting, an inverse font setting, an inverse display setting, an enlarged text setting, and a display zoom setting; and

wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises a geographic location based on detection of at least one network.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the at least one ascertained environmental condition is ambient light.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one ascertained environmental condition further comprises a geographic location.

17. The method according to claim 14 wherein the at least one operating system setting is modulated base upon a stored user display setting preference.

18. A computer readable medium readable by a computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform modulating at least one operating system setting of a display device, said method comprising:

ascertaining at least one environmental condition;

modulating at least one display setting of a display device based upon the at least one ascertained environmental condition;

wherein the at least one display setting to be modulated comprises at least one operating system setting selected from the group consisting of a resolution setting, an inverse font setting, an inverse display setting, an enlarged text setting, and a display zoom setting; and

wherein the at least one environmental condition comprises a geographic location based on detection of at least one network.