IP Library Granted Patent US 8,284,177
Granted Patent B2
US 8,284,177 · App. 12/726,291 · Granted Oct 9, 2012

Display device and electronic apparatus with photo-sensor sampled signals average

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,284,177
App. No.
12/726,291
Granted
Oct 9, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device and an electronic apparatus comprising the same are disclosed. The display apparatus includes a photo-sensor for detecting ambient light and outputting a photocurrent according to the intensity of the ambient light, wherein the display apparatus comprises a current sampling unit and a light detection control unit. The current sampling unit is configured to sample the photocurrent outputted from the photo-sensor and to output a plurality of sampling signals to indicate the magnitude of the photocurrent. The light detection control unit is configured to determine an average of the sampling signals outputted from the current sampling unit. The current sampling unit starts a next sampling period corresponding to the end of one of the sampling signals.

Claims (54)

1. A display device including a photo-sensor for detecting ambient light and outputting a photocurrent according to the intensity of the ambient light, wherein the display device comprises:

a current sampling unit configured to sample the photocurrent outputted from the photo-sensor and to output a plurality of sampling signals to indicate a magnitude of the photocurrent; and

a light detection control unit configured to evaluate an average of the sampling signals outputted from the current sampling unit in a predetermined period;

wherein the current sampling unit starts a next sampling period corresponding to an end of one of the sampling signals, and

wherein the light detection control unit comprises:

an edge detection unit configured to detect an edge of the sampling signals;

a reset signal generating unit configured to generate a reset signal when the edge detection unit detects the end of one of the sampling signal, thereby allowing the current sampling unit to start the next sampling period;

a counter configured to count the number of starts or ends of the sampling signals detected by the edge detection unit;

a differential circuit configured to determine time differentials representing pulse widths between the starts and the ends of the sampling signals detected by the edge detection unit;

a memory unit configured to store the time differentials determined by the differential circuit;

a timing unit configured to determine a time of the predetermined period when the current sampling unit starts to sample the photocurrent; and

an averaging unit configured to determine a sum of the time differentials stored by the memory unit in the predetermined period when passing the predetermined period, and to divide the sum into the number counted by the counter, thereby determining the average of the sampling signals.

2. The display device of claim 1 , wherein a duration of the sampling signals outputted by the current sampling unit is positively proportional to the magnitude of the photocurrent.

3. The display device of claim 1 , wherein a duration of the sampling signals outputted by the current sampling unit is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the photocurrent.

4. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a brightness control unit configured to regulate a display brightness according to the average of the sampling signals determined by the light detection control unit.

5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the display device is a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD), a transflective LCD or an organic light emission diode (OLED) display device.

6. An electrical apparatus comprising the display device of claim 1 .

7. A display device including a photo-sensor for detecting ambient light and outputting a photocurrent according to the intensity of the ambient light, wherein the display device comprises:

a current sampling unit configured to sample the photocurrent outputted from the photo-sensor and to output a plurality of sampling signals to indicate a magnitude of the photocurrent; and

a light detection control unit configured to evaluate an average of the sampling signals outputted from the current sampling unit in a predetermined period;

wherein the current sampling unit starts a next sampling period corresponding to an end of one of the sampling signals,

wherein the current sampling unit detects ends of the sampling signals and comprises a reset signal generating unit configured to generate a reset signal corresponding to the end of one of the sampling signals, thereby allowing the current sampling unit to start the next sampling period, and

wherein the light detection control unit comprises:

an edge detection unit configured to detect an edge of the sampling signals;

a counter configured to count the number of starts or ends of the sampling signals detected by the edge detection unit;

a differential circuit configured to determine time differentials representing pulse widths between the starts and the ends of the sampling signals detected by the edge detection unit;

a memory unit configured to store the time differentials determined by the differential circuit;

a timing unit configured to determine a time of the predetermined period when the current sampling unit starts to sample the photocurrent; and

an averaging unit configured to determine a sum of the time differentials stored by the memory unit in the predetermined period when passing the predetermined period, and to divide the sum into the number counted by the counter, thereby determining the average of the sampling signals.

8. The display device of claim 7 , wherein a duration of the sampling signals outputted by the current sampling unit is positively proportional to the magnitude of the photocurrent.

9. The display device of claim 7 , wherein a duration of the sampling signals outputted by the current sampling unit is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the photocurrent.

10. The display device of claim 7 , further comprising:

a brightness control unit configured to regulate a display brightness according to the average of the sampling signals determined by the light detection control unit.

11. The display device of claim 7 , wherein the display device is a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD), a transflective LCD or an organic light emission diode (OLED) display device.

12. An electrical apparatus comprising the display device of claim 7 .

13. A display device including a photo-sensor for detecting ambient light and outputting a photocurrent according to the intensity of the ambient light, wherein the display device comprises:

a current sampling unit configured to sample the photocurrent outputted from the photo-sensor and to output a plurality of sampling signals to indicate a magnitude of the photocurrent; and

a light detection control unit configured to evaluate an average of the sampling signals outputted from the current sampling unit in a predetermined period;

wherein the current sampling unit starts a next sampling period corresponding to an end of one of the sampling signals, and

wherein the light detection control unit comprises:

an edge detection unit configured to detect an edge of the sampling signals;

a counter configured to count the number of starts or ends of the sampling signals detected by the edge detection unit;

a differential circuit configured to determine time differentials representing pulse widths between the starts and the ends of the sampling signals detected by the edge detection unit;

a memory unit configured to store the time differentials determined by the differential circuit;

a timing unit configured to determine a time of the predetermined period when the current sampling unit starts to sample the photocurrent;

a reset signal generating unit configured to generate a reset signal at a start of each sampling period determined by the timing unit, thereby allowing the current sampling unit to start the next sampling period; and

an averaging unit configured to determine a sum of the time differentials stored by the memory unit in the predetermined period when passing the predetermined period, and to divide the sum into the number counted by the counter, thereby determining the average of the sampling signals.

14. The display device of claim 13 , wherein a duration of the sampling signals outputted by the current sampling unit is positively proportional to the magnitude of the photocurrent.

15. The display device of claim 13 , wherein a duration of the sampling signals outputted by the current sampling unit is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the photocurrent.

16. The display device of claim 13 , further comprising:

a brightness control unit configured to regulate a display brightness according to the average of the sampling signals determined by the light detection control unit.

17. The display device of claim 13 , wherein the display device is a transmissive liquid crystal display (LCD), a transflective LCD or an organic light emission diode (OLED) display device.

18. An electrical apparatus comprising the display device of claim 13 .

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 7, 2014
From: CHIMEI INNOLUX CORPORATION
To: INNOLUX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 032621/0718 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 23, 2011
From: TPO DISPLAYS CORP.
To: CHIMEI INNOLUX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025681/0319 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2010
From: MATSUKI, FUMIROU
To: TPO DISPLAYS CORP.
Reel/Frame 024297/0304 →