Bezel illumination for digital devices

• US 8,823,541 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2009
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hardacker, Robert, Friedlander, Steven, Calderon, Rafael, Richman, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/582,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20100289666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45, 340/565, 340/691.1, 340/691.6, 340/693.5, 345/204, 345/104, 345/2.1, 345/901
• US Class Current: 340/815.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0232 Special driving of display border areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/16 Digital picture frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4318 by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/58 in dependence upon ambient light

Abstract

First, a user may select an illumination color for a bezel framing a display of an electronics device. Second, the illumination of a digital picture frame may be established based on sensed motion nearby and/or ambient light. Third, the color of a user interface presented on a display can be established to match the color of the room in which the display is disposed, as indicated by colorimetry from a camera.

Claims

1. Digital photo frame assembly comprising:

frame;

display bordered by the frame;

at least one light source positioned to internally illuminate the frame;

computer readable storage medium bearing digital still images; and

processor causing at least one image from the medium to be presented on the display, the processor establishing an illumination of the frame based at least in part on;

colorimetry information from a camera on the assembly positioned to image a space in front of the display to establish the illumination; and

/or

signals from the camera to establish the illumination.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame is established by a bezel.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the light source includes plural light emitting diodes (LED) juxtaposed with the bezel.

4. The assembly of claim 1, comprising a motion sensor communicating with the processor and sending a motion signal to the processor in response to motion of an object relative to the assembly, the processor further establishing the illumination of the frame in response to the motion signal.

5. The assembly of claim 1, comprising a light sensor communicating with the processor and sending an ambient light signal to the processor representative of a level of ambient light external to the assembly, the processor further establishing the illumination of the frame in response to the ambient light signal.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the processor establishes at least three different illuminations of the frame in response to, respectively, three different signals received from the camera.

7. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a video display;

a camera positioned to image a space in front of the display; and

a processor receiving signals from the camera and responsive thereto establishing a color of a user interface presented on the display, and/or a color of a bezel framing the display;

wherein the processor uses colorimetry information from the camera to establish the color of the user interface and/or bezel.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus includes a TV tuner.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the camera is mounted on a housing of the apparatus.

10. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a video display;

a camera positioned to image a space in front of the display; and

a processor receiving signals from the camera and responsive thereto establishing a color of a user interface presented on the display;

wherein the processor establishes the color of the user interface in response to the signals from the camera.

11. An electronic apparatus, comprising;

a video display;

a camera positioned to image a space in front of the display; and

a processor receiving signals from the camera and responsive thereto establishing a color of a bezel framing the display;

wherein the processor establishes the color of the bezel framing the display in response to the signals from the camera.

12. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a video display;

a bezel framing the display;

plural light sources positioned to internally illuminate the bezel, at least a first light source being characterized by a first color and a second light source being characterized by a second color; and

a processor communicating with the light sources, the processor energizing the first light source but not the second light source in response to a first user-input bezel color selection signal representing the first color, the processor energizing the second light source but not the first light source in response to a second user-input bezel color selection signal representing the second color.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a TV tuner communicating with the processor.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is embodied in a video camera.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is embodied in a camcorder.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is embodied in a telephone.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is embodied in a personal digital assistant (PDA).

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the light sources are light emitting diodes (LED) positioned inside the bezel.