BACKLIGHT AND AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR SYSTEM

• US 20120001960A1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael F. Culbert, Roberto G. Yepez, Scott Forstall, Scott M. Herz
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Culbert, Roberto G. Yepez, Scott Forstall, Scott M. Herz
• Inventors: Herz, Scott M., Yepez, Roberto G., Culbert, Michael F., Forstall, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,955,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/690
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3607 for displaying colours or for displaying grey scales with a specific pixel layout, e.g. using sub-pixels display of colours in flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; grey scales specific for television H04N3/127
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods to operate a display device of an electronic device. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a user setting of a display control parameter, and altering, based on the user setting, an effect of an ambient light sensor value (ALS) on control of the display control parameter. Also, according to embodiments of the inventions, a method of operating a display of an electronic device includes receiving a change to one of a display brightness output level and an ambient light sensor output level, and altering, according to the change, a display contrast output level. In some embodiments, a method of operating a proximity sensor of an electronic device includes receiving a light sensor output, and altering, according to the output, an on/off setting of a proximity sensor. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Claims

1. A method of operating a display device of an electronic device, the method comprising:

altering a brightness level of a display device in response to an output from an ambient light sensor (ALS), the amount of the altering being determined by a weight that is applied to the ALS output;

varying the weight in response to a change of a user selected brightness level, wherein the weight is varied according to a relationship between the weight and the user selected brightness level.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises receiving the change of the user selected brightness level through a user interface setting and wherein the varying of the weight causes a change in the ALS output to have a greater change in the brightness level in one range of the user selected brightness level than in another range of the user selected brightness level.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

controlling a backlight of the display device to change the brightness level.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the brightness level is determined by the weight, the output from the ALS, and the user selected brightness level.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the brightness level is proportional to the output from the ALS.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the relationship has a bell curve shape.

7. A method of operating a display device of an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a user setting of a display control parameter;

altering, based on the user setting, an effect of an ambient light sensor value (ALS) on control of the display control parameter wherein the altering of the effect is specified by a relationship between the effect and the user setting of the display control parameter.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the altering of the effect causes a change in the ALS output to have a greater change in a brightness level of the display device in one range of a user selected brightness level than in another range of the user selected brightness level.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the display control parameter is the physical brightness level of a backlight of a display of a portable device.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the display control parameter is proportional to the user setting and the ALS value.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the user setting changes the display control parameter and the altering is automatically caused by the change in the display control parameter.

12. A machine readable tangible medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system to perform a method of operating a display device of an electronic device, the method comprising:

altering a brightness level of a display device in response to an output from an ambient light sensor (ALS), the amount of the altering being determined by a weight that is applied to the ALS output;

varying the weight in response to a change of a user selected brightness level, wherein the weight is varied according to a relationship between the weight and the user selected brightness level.

13. The medium as in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises receiving the change of the user selected brightness level through a user interface setting and wherein the varying of the weight causes a change in the ALS output to have a greater change in the brightness level in one range of the user selected brightness level than in another range of the user selected brightness level.

14. The medium of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises:

controlling a backlight of the display device to change the brightness level.

15. The medium of claim 13 wherein brightness level is determined by the weight, the output from the ALS, and the user selected brightness level.

16. The medium of claim 12 wherein the brightness level is proportional to the output from the ALS.

17. The medium of claim 12 wherein the relationship has a bell curve shape.

18. A machine readable tangible medium storing executable program instructions which when executed cause a data processing system to perform a method of operating a display device of an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving a user setting of a display control parameter;

altering, based on the user setting, an effect of an ambient light sensor value (ALS) on control of the display control parameter wherein the altering of the effect is specified by a relationship between the effect and the user setting of the display control parameter.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein the altering of the effect causes a change in the ALS output to have a greater change in a brightness level of the display device in one range of a user selected brightness level than in another range of the user selected brightness level.

20. The medium of claim 18 wherein the display control parameter is the physical brightness level of a backlight of a display of a portable device.

21. The medium of claim 18 wherein the display control parameter is proportional to the user setting and the ALS value.

22. The medium of claim 18 wherein the user setting changes the display control parameter and the altering is automatically caused by the change in the display control parameter.

23. A data processing system comprising:

means for altering a brightness level of a display device in response to an output from an ambient light sensor (ALS), the amount of the altering being determined by a weight that is applied to the ALS output;

varying the weight in response to a change of a user selected brightness level, wherein the weight is varied according to a relationship between the weight and the user selected brightness level.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the change of the user selected brightness level is received through a user interface setting and wherein the varying of the weight causes a change in the ALS output to have a greater change in the brightness level in one range of the user selected brightness level than in another range of the user selected brightness level.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the brightness level is determined by the weight, the output from the ALS, and the user selected brightness level.