Adjusting backlight intensity based on a progress of a task

• US 8,493,316 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shabel, Jeffrey D., Riddle, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMEIDA, CORY A
• Application Number:
  US12/765,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20110260958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 349 61- 70, 362/561
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of a method of adjusting an intensity of a backlight of a display is disclosed. The method includes dimming a backlight that illuminates a display of an electronic device in response to a task initiated by a user. The method also includes, prior to the task completing, automatically adjusting an intensity of the backlight based on a progress of the task.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

automatically dimming a backlight that illuminates a display of an electronic device in response to a data transfer task initiated by a user for transfer of data for presentation by the display; and

prior to the data transfer task completing, automatically adjusting an intensity of the backlight based on a progress of the data transfer task.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer task includes downloading a webpage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer task includes downloading a document.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer task includes accessing electronic mail.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising alerting a user upon detecting that the data transfer task is complete.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user is alerted by an audible signal.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the user is alerted by a tactile signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight comprises adjusting the intensity of the backlight multiple times prior to detecting completion of the data transfer task.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight comprises determining when the progress of the data transfer task satisfies a first threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a first amount upon detecting that the progress of the data transfer task satisfies the first threshold and determining when the progress of the data transfer task satisfies a second threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a second amount upon detecting that the progress of the data transfer task satisfies the second threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the progress of the data transfer task is estimated at least partially based on an estimated amount of time remaining to complete the data transfer task.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning the backlight to an original intensity upon detecting that the data transfer task is complete.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight comprises increasing the intensity of the backlight.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight comprises decreasing the intensity of the backlight.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer task is completed when the transfer of data for presentation by the display is complete.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a display interface coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a display system including a display and a backlight that illuminates the display,

wherein the processor is configured to control the display interface to dim the backlight that illuminates the display in response to a user-initiated data transfer task for transfer of data for presentation by the display and prior to the user-initiated data transfer task completing, automatically adjust an intensity of the backlight based on a progress of the user-initiated data transfer task.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising the display system coupled to the display interface within an electronic device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a wireless communication device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight comprises adjusting the intensity of the backlight multiple times prior to detecting completion of the user-initiated data transfer task.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight comprises determining when the progress of the user-initiated data transfer task satisfies a first threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a first amount upon detecting that the progress of the user-initiated data transfer task satisfies the first threshold and determining when the progress of the user-initiated data transfer task satisfies a second threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a second amount upon detecting that the progress of the user-initiated data transfer task satisfies the second threshold.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the progress of the user-initiated data transfer task is estimated at least partially based on an estimated amount of time remaining to complete the user-initiated data transfer task.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to return the backlight to an original intensity upon detecting that the user-initiated data transfer task is complete.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the data transfer task is completed when the transfer of data for presentation by the display is complete.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code comprising:

code for dimming a backlight that illuminates a display screen of an

electronic device in response to a data transfer task initiated by a user for transfer of data for presentation by the display; and

code for automatically adjusting an intensity of the backlight, prior to the

data transfer task completing, based on a progress of the data transfer task.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising code for automatically adjusting the intensity of the backlight by adjusting the intensity of the backlight multiple times prior to detecting completion of the data transfer task.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising code for determining when the progress of the data transfer task satisfies a first threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a first amount upon detecting that the progress of the data transfer task satisfies the first threshold and determining when the progress of the data transfer task satisfies a second threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a second amount upon detecting that the progress of the data transfer task satisfies the second threshold.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising code for returning the backlight to an original intensity upon detecting that the task is data transfer complete.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the data transfer task is completed when the transfer of data for presentation by the display is complete.

28. An apparatus comprising:

means for dimming a backlight that illuminates a display screen of an electronic device in response to a data transfer task initiated by a user for transfer of data for presentation by the display; and

means for automatically adjusting an intensity of the backlight prior to the data transfer task completing based on a progress of the data transfer task.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for automatically adjusting further comprises means for adjusting the intensity of the backlight multiple times prior to detecting completion of the data transfer task.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means for determining when the progress of the data transfer task satisfies a first threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a first amount upon detecting that the progress of the data transfer task satisfies the first threshold and for determining when the progress of the data transfer task satisfies a second threshold and adjusting the backlight intensity a second amount upon detecting that the progress of the data transfer task satisfies the second threshold.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for returning the backlight to an original intensity upon detecting that the data transfer task is complete.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the data transfer task is completed when the transfer of data for presentation by display is complete.