Method and device for setting or varying properties of elements on a visual display based on ambient light
A method and device for setting or varying properties of display elements on a visual display based on characteristics of ambient light. A light sensor is used to sense ambient light; a processor analyzes the ambient light data from the sensor to determine if there are variations in the characteristics of ambient light, and if so, sets or varies the values of the properties of display elements such as text size, image size, text colour and/or image colour. A driver applies the set or varied values of these properties to the display elements, and the visual display displays the display elements.
1 . A method for setting or varying at least one property of at least one display element on a visual display based on at least one characteristic of ambient light, the method comprising the steps of:
a. sensing at least one characteristic of ambient light; and
b. setting or varying at least one property of at least one display element (2) on the visual display based on the at least one characteristic of ambient light.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one characteristic of ambient light comprises intensity or spectral composition, or both.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one property of the at least one display element comprises size or colour or boldness, or any combination thereof.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the step of setting or varying comprises varying the size or colour or boldness, or any combination thereof, of the at least one display element in inverse proportion to a variation in an intensity of the ambient light.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the step of sensing comprises a spectrum analysis and the at least one colour is set or varied in proportion to a variation in the spectral composition of the ambient light.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one display element comprises text or colour, or both.
7 . A device for setting or varying at least one property of at least one display element on a visual display based on at least one characteristic of ambient light, comprising
at least one light sensor for sensing a characteristic of the ambient light,
at least one processor, for determining the at least one characteristic of ambient light and setting or varying the at least one property of the at least one display element based on the at least one characteristic of ambient light,
at least one driver for applying the at least one property to the at least one display element, and
at least one visual display for displaying the at least one display element.
8 . The device of claim 7 wherein the at least one characteristic of ambient light comprises intensity or spectral composition, or both.
9 . The device of claim 7 wherein the at least one property of the at least one display element comprises size or colour or boldness, or any combination thereof.
10 . The device of claim 9 wherein the processor sets or varies the size or colour or boldness, or any combination thereof, of the at least one display element in inverse proportion to a variation in an intensity of the ambient light.
11 . The device of claim 9 wherein the processor sets or varies the at least one colour in proportion to a variation in a spectral composition of the ambient light.
12 . The device of claim 7 wherein the at least one display element comprises text or colour, or both.
13 . The device of claim 8 wherein the light sensor comprises a photoresistor, photodiode or phototransistor.
14 . A computer program product for use with a computer, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium for setting or varying at least one property of at least one display element on a visual display based on at least one characteristic of ambient light, the computer program product having
a. computer readable program code means for determining the at least one characteristic of the ambient light from an output of a light sensor,
b. computer readable program code means for setting or varying the at least one property of the at least one display element based on the at least one characteristic of the ambient light, and
c. computer readable program code means for applying the at least one property to the at least one display element.
15 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the at least one characteristic of ambient light comprises intensity.
16 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the at least one characteristic of ambient light comprises spectral composition.
17 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the at least one property comprises size.
18 . The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the at least one property comprises colour.
19 . The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising computer readable program code means for varying the size in inverse proportion to a variation of the intensity of the ambient light.
20 . The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising computer readable program code means for varying the colour in proportion to a variation in the spectral composition of the ambient light.