Systems and methods for automated brightness control in response to two user inputs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10296046-B2
Application number	US-201715678881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2017
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

An electronic reading device includes an adjustable RGBW front light and an ambient light sensor. Additionally, the electronic reading device includes circuitry configured to receive a low ambient light preferred brightness level, receive a high ambient light preferred brightness level, and set a rate at which a brightness level transitions between the low ambient light preferred brightness level and the high ambient light preferred brightness level as the ambient light changes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
an ambient light sensor; and
circuitry configured to
receive a low ambient light preferred brightness level for a display screen;
receive a high ambient light preferred brightness level for the display screen;
set a transition rate at which a brightness level of the display screen transitions between the low ambient light preferred brightness level and the high ambient light preferred brightness level as the ambient light changes;
store a start time and an end time corresponding to a transition period;
control the brightness level of the display screen to be at a first default brightness level at the start time;
control, between the start time and the end time, the brightness level of the display screen to transition from the first default brightness level to a second default brightness level corresponding to the end time;
receive a user input modifying the brightness level of the display screen during the transition between the first default brightness level at the start time and the second default brightness level at the end time;
modify the end time based on the received user input; and
control the brightness level of the display screen to transition from the modified brightness level to the second default brightness level at the modified end time.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the low ambient light level corresponds to less than 50% of available ambient level.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the high ambient light level corresponds to greater than or equal to 50% of available ambient light.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transition rate corresponds to a calculation of the rate at which the brightness level changes between the low ambient light preferred brightness level to the high ambient light preferred brightness level.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the brightness level of the display screen is adjusted proportionally relative to the ambient light as the ambient light level changes when the brightness level of the display screen is lower than the low ambient light preferred brightness level.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the brightness level of the display screen is adjusted proportionally relative to the ambient light as the ambient light level changes when the brightness level of the display screen is higher than the high ambient light preferred brightness level.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the brightness level adjustments occurring below the low ambient light preferred brightness level remain above 5% of a total brightness level of the display screen.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the brightness level adjustments occurring above the high ambient light preferred brightness level are capped at 100% of a total brightness level of the display screen.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
update the set transition rate in response to receiving an updated low ambient light preferred brightness level when the brightness level is between the low ambient light preferred brightness level and the high ambient light preferred brightness level.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
update the set transition rate in response to receiving an updated high ambient light preferred brightness level when the brightness level is between the low ambient light preferred brightness level and the high ambient light preferred brightness level.

11. A method for electronic reading device automated brightness control, comprising:
receiving, via processing circuitry, a low ambient light preferred brightness level for a display screen;
receiving, via the processing circuitry, a high ambient light preferred brightness level for the display screen; and
setting, via the processing circuitry, a transition rate at which a brightness level of the display screen transitions between the low ambient light preferred brightness level and the high ambient light preferred brightness level as the ambient light changes;
storing a start time and an end time corresponding to a transition period;
controlling the brightness level of the display screen to be at a first default brightness level at the start time;
controlling, between the start time and the end time, the brightness level of the display screen to transition from the first default brightness level to a second default brightness level corresponding to the end time;
receiving a user input modifying the brightness level of the display screen during the transition between the first default brightness level at the start time and the second default brightness level at the end time;
modifying the end time based on the received user input; and
controlling the brightness level of the display screen to transition from the modified brightness level to the second default brightness level at the modified end time.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the low ambient light level corresponds to less than 50% of available ambient level.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the high ambient light level corresponds to greater than or equal to 50% of available ambient light.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the transition rate corresponds to a calculation of the rate at which the brightness level changes between the low ambient light preferred brightness level to the high ambient light preferred brightness level.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the brightness level of the display screen is adjusted proportionally relative to the ambient light as the ambient light level changes when the brightness level of the display screen is lower than the low ambient light preferred brightness level.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the brightness level of the display screen is adjusted proportionally relative to the ambient light as the ambient light level changes when the brightness level of the display screen is higher than the high ambient light preferred brightness level.

17. A device comprising:
a display screen; and
circuitry configured to
store a first start time and a first end time corresponding to a first transition period;
control a brightness of the display screen to be at a first brightness level at the first start time;
control, between the first start time and the first end time, the brightness of the display screen to transition from the first brightness level to a second brightness level corresponding to the first end time;
receive a user input modifying the brightness level of the display screen during the transition between the first brightness level and the second brightness level;
modify the first end time based on the received user input; and
control transition of the brightness level of the display screen to transition from the modified brightness level to the second brightness level at the modified first end time.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein
the first brightness level is lower than the second brightness level,
the user input modifies the brightness level to be reduced, and
the circuitry is configured to extend the first end time based on the user input modifying the brightness level to be reduced.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein
the first brightness higher than the second brightness level,
the user input modifies the brightness level to be increased, and
the circuitry is configured to extend the first end time based on the user input modifying the brightness level to be increased.

20. The electronic device of claim 17 ,

Assignees

• Rakuten Kobo Inc

Inventors

• Hunter Trevor
• Clements Matt
• Talusan George
• Mcdougall Paul
• Chaban William
• Xu Zheng
• Li Steve
• Ng Thow Hing Jeffrey

Classifications

• H05B47/11

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title

• H05B47/16

  by timing means · CPC title

• H05B45/24

  using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules · CPC title

• H05B45/20

  Controlling the colour of the light · CPC title

• H04M1/0279

  Improving the user comfort or ergonomics · CPC title