Auto font magnification mechanism
View Patent ↗According to one embodiment, a handheld device is disclosed. The handheld device includes a housing, a display mounted within the housing, and a font magnification mechanism. The font magnification mechanism automatically magnifies a font being displayed on the display to a larger font whenever the handheld device is operating in dim lighting conditions.
1. A handheld device comprising:
a housing;
a display mounted within the housing; and
a font magnification mechanism to automatically magnify a font being displayed on the display to a larger font whenever the handheld device is operating in dim lighting conditions, the font magnification mechanism including a backlight detection unit, to detect when a backlight for the display is illuminated.
2. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the font magnification mechanism comprises a magnification unit that magnifies the font in response to receiving an input indicating dim lighting conditions.
3. The handheld device of claim 2 wherein the magnification unit magnifies the font upon receiving a signal from the backlight detection unit indicating that the backlight has been illuminated.
4. The handheld device of claim 1 further comprising a light sensor, coupled to the display, to detect light beams from outside the display traveling into the display.
5. The handheld device of claim 1 further comprising:
a keyboard mounted within the housing;
a thumbwheel mounted on the housing;
a first button mounted on the housing next to the left side of the thumbwheel; and
a second button mounted on the housing next to the right side of the thumbwheel.
6. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the handheld device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).
7. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the handheld device is a two-way pager.
8. The handheld device of claim 1 wherein the handheld device is a wireless electronic mail (e-mail), calendar and contact list device.
9. A handheld device comprising:
a housing;
a display mounted within the housing;
a light sensor coupled to the display; and
a font magnification mechanism to automatically magnify a font being displayed on the display to a larger font whenever the handheld device is operating in dim lighting conditions, the font magnification mechanism including a magnification unit to magnify the font upon receiving a signal from the light sensor indicating that light conditions are below a predetermined threshold.
10. A handheld device comprising:
a housing;
a display mounted within the housing; and
a font magnification mechanism to automatically magnify a font being displayed on the display to a larger font whenever the handheld device is operating in dim lighting conditions, the font magnification mechanism including a magnification unit to magnify the font based upon a time range indicated by a system clock.
11. A method comprising:
detecting at a handheld device that dim lighting conditions exist;
receiving a signal at a magnification unit within the handheld device indicating the dim lighting conditions;
the magnification unit magnifying a font being displayed on the display to a larger font in response to receiving the signal; and
transmitting the signal from a backlight detection unit to the magnification unit whenever a backlight for the display is illuminated.
12. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting the signal from a light sensor to the magnification unit whenever the sensor detects that light conditions are below a predetermined threshold.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting the signal from a system clock to the magnification unit during a time range indicated by the system clock.