Dynamic brightness range for portable computer displays based on ambient conditions

• US 8,493,370 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gettemy, Shawn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US11/881,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 345/3.1, 345/472, 345/600, 345/667, 345/690, 345/77, 345102-104, 345204-214, 345581-594, 345/63, 345/474, 348/645, 348/553, 348/E9.051, 348/65, 348/45, 340/425.5, 340/693.5, 340/815.4, 381/86, 381/122, 381/361, 382/103, 382/104, 382/162, 235/454
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0456 with a reflective area and a transmissive area combined in one pixel, such as in transflectance pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• 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 3/22 using controlled light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336

Abstract

A portable computer system that comprises adjustable brightness settings and brightness control for providing improved user readability and prolonged life of the display screen is disclosed. The main processor can change the brightness range settings in response to a change in ambient light conditions. The user can also control the brightness of the display. The time required to implement a brightness change can be set to a value which can be configured by the user.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a display, said method comprising:

accessing ambient light information;

creating a brightness range based on the ambient light information;

determining a brightness value for an image setting based on the ambient light information and a user preference, the brightness value is within the brightness range;

dynamically adjusting the brightness range based on changed ambient light information;

adjusting the brightness value to maintain a relative brightness level within the changed brightness range when the brightness range is adjusted; and

adjusting the display to the brightness value.

2. The method of claim 1, the image setting comprising a brightness setting.

3. The method of claim 1, the user preference comprising a user-specified brightness setting.

4. The method of claim 3, the user-specified brightness setting comprising input using a slider.

5. The method of claim 4, the slider displayed on the display.

6. The method of claim 1, the determining comprising determining the brightness value from the brightness range based on the user preference.

7. The method of claim 1, the adjusting comprising adjusting the display over a period of time.

8. A system comprising a processor and a memory, the memory comprising instructions that when executed by the system implement a method of controlling a display, the method comprising:

accessing ambient light information;

creating a brightness range based on the ambient light information;

determining a brightness value for an image setting based on the ambient light information and a user preference, the brightness value is within the brightness range;

dynamically adjusting the brightness range based on changed ambient light information;

adjusting the brightness value to maintain a relative brightness level within the changed brightness range when the brightness range is adjusted; and

adjusting the display to the brightness value.

9. The system of claim 8, the image setting comprising a brightness setting.

10. The system of claim 8, the user preference comprising a user-specified brightness setting.

11. The system of claim 10, the user-specified brightness setting comprising input using a slider.

12. The system of claim 11, the slider displayed on the display.

13. The system of claim 8, the determining comprising determining the brightness value from the brightness range based on the user preference.

14. The system of claim 8, the adjusting comprising adjusting the display over a period of time.

15. A portable electronic device comprising:

a sensor to provide ambient light information;

a processor coupled with the sensor to;

create a brightness range based on the ambient light information and determine a brightness value for an image setting based on the ambient light information and a user preference, and

determine the brightness value from the brightness range

dynamically adjust the brightness range based on changed ambient light information, and

adjust the brightness value to maintain a relative brightness level within the changed brightness range when the brightness range is adjusted; and

a display controller to adjust a display of the portable electronic device to the brightness value.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, the image setting comprising a brightness setting.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 15, the user preference comprising a user-specified brightness setting.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, the user-specified brightness setting comprising input using a slider.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18, the slider displayed on the display.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein said the processor to determine the brightness value from the brightness range based on the user preference.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 15, the display controller to adjust the display over a period of time.