LIGHT SENSITIVE DISPLAY WITH SWITCHABLE DETECTION MODES
A display device including a surface for viewing an image comprising a stack of layers configured to display the image. A processor is configured to include switchable detection modes. Each mode is preconfigured to detect an object on or near the surface based on a given sensitivity to light, and has a different sensitivity than other of the modes.
1 . A display device including a surface for viewing an image comprising a stack of layers configured to display the image wherein a processor is configured to include switchable detection modes, each mode preconfigured to detect an object on or near the surface based on a given sensitivity to light, wherein the each mode has a different sensitivity than other of the modes.
2 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a plurality of light sensitive elements included in the stack configured to detect the object on or near the viewing surface responsive to both an absence of light and an addition of light at the location of the object on or near the surface.
3 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a first set of light sensitive elements configured to detect the object on or near the viewing surface in response to an inhibition of light at the location of the object on or near the surface and a second set of light sensitive elements configured to detect the object on or near the viewing surface in response to an addition of light at the location of the object on or near the surface.
4 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein the each mode has an associated set of the light sensitive elements configured for a particular lighting condition.
5 . The display device as recited in claim 1 comprising a first set of light sensitive elements included in the stack and configured to detect the object in a first lighting condition and a second set of light sensitive elements included in the stack and configured to detect the object in a second lighting condition different than the first lighting condition.
6 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein the each mode is selected based on a current lighting condition.
7 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein the each mode is selected automatically.
8 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein a switch on the display device is configured to select the each mode.
9 . The display device as recited in claim 1 wherein an optical pointing device is configured to communicate with the display device to automatically select the each mode.
10 . The display device as recited in claim 2 wherein the each mode is selected based on a current lighting condition sensed by light sensors distinct from the plurality of light sensitive elements.
11 . The display device as recited in claim 3 wherein the each mode is selected based on a current lighting condition sensed by light sensitive elements distinct from the first and the second sets of light sensitive elements.
12 . The display device as recited in claim 5 wherein the each mode is selected based on a current lighting condition sensed by light sensitive elements distinct from the first and the second sets of light sensitive elements.
13 . The display device as recited in claim 3 further comprising a color filter layer in the stack of layers between the surface and at least a portion of the first and the second sets of light sensitive elements.
14 . The display device as recited in claim 5 further comprising a color filter layer in the stack of layers between the surface and at least a portion of the first and the second sets of light sensitive elements.
15 . A computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed, cause a display device with a viewing surface and a stack of layers configured to display an image to:
switch between detection modes, each mode preconfigured to detect an object on or near the surface based on a given sensitivity to light, wherein the each mode has a different sensitivity than other of the modes; and
detect the location of the object on or near the surface based on the given sensitivity of the preconfigured mode.
16 . The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15 wherein the instructions cause the display device to switch between the detection modes automatically.
17 . The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15 wherein the instructions cause the display device to switch between the detection modes in response to a state of a switch on the display device.
18 . The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15 wherein the instructions cause the display device to automatically switch between the detection modes in response to an optical pointing device communicating with the display device.
19 . The computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 15 wherein the instructions cause the display device to switch between the detection modes based on a current lighting condition sensed by light sensitive elements.