Patent · US Expired

Automatic luminance and contrast adjustment as functions of ambient/surround luminance for display device

US6529212B2 · kind B2 · utility

112Cited by
31References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 28, 2001
Grant dateMar 4, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 28, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG09G2360/145
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for dynamically modifying both the luminance and contrast of an image as it is displayed on a display unit in response to changing lighting conditions. Sensors are utilized to continually measure the luminance of the light illuminating the display unit and the display surround luminance. Measurement signals generated by the light sensors are processed to provide display luminance and contrast adjustment control signals that gradually cause the adjustment of the display unit's luminance and contrast in response thereto. Continual adjustment of the luminance and contrast of a display unit according to changing lighting conditions such that the brightness and contrast perception of the displayed image remains constant under the varying conditions. As a result, a number of advantages our obtained including: the brightness and contrast perception of images displayed on a display unit remains constant as the display device illumination changes; the brightness and contrast perception of images displayed on a display unit remains constant as the display unit surround luminance changes; and power consumption is decreased in dim environments.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.