IP Library Granted Patent US 11,327,704
Granted Patent B2
US 11,327,704 · App. 14/290,361 · Granted May 10, 2022

Method and system for monitor brightness control using an ambient light sensor on a mobile device

Inventors: Claude Lano Cox (Austin, TX); Liam B. Quinn (Austin, TX); Mark W. Welker (Austin, TX); Rocco Ancona (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F3/14G09G2320/0626G09G2360/144
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,327,704
App. No.
14/290,361
Granted
May 10, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for monitor brightness control are disclosed. The method includes connecting with a device via a dock, the device including a sensor configured to detect a lighting condition of an environment surrounding the device. The method further includes linking the dock with a monitor. The method further includes detecting the lighting condition. Additionally, in response to a change in the lighting condition, the method includes matching the lighting condition with a monitor brightness setting in a plurality of brightness look-up-tables and adjusting a brightness level of the monitor based on the monitor brightness setting.

Claims (47)

1. A method for monitor brightness control comprising:

connecting with a mobile communication device via a dock, the mobile communication device including a display, a processor, a memory, and a sensor configured to detect a lighting condition of an environment surrounding the mobile communication device;

linking the dock with a monitor, the monitor being separate from the mobile communication device;

detecting, based on light information received from the sensor of the mobile communication device, that the lighting condition has changed compared to a previously detected lighting condition;

in response to the change in the lighting condition, matching the lighting condition with a monitor brightness setting in a brightness look-up-table DR the brightness look-up-table including:

a plurality of lighting conditions each matched to a corresponding one of a plurality of monitor brightness settings, the plurality of lighting conditions and values of the corresponding monitor brightness settings with which they are matched being based at least on brightness settings of the display of the mobile communication device under the same or similar lighting conditions; and

adjusting a brightness level of the monitor based on the monitor brightness setting matched to the lighting condition.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

matching the plurality of monitor brightness settings to the plurality of lighting conditions based on a plurality of field data, the field data including a plurality of monitor brightness settings utilized by users for a plurality of actual lighting conditions; and

generating the brightness look-up-table based on the plurality of field data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the brightness look-up-table from a plurality of brightness look-up-tables based on a type of the monitor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitor brightness settings in the brightness look-up-table are updated based on a manual change in the brightness level of the monitor made by a user of the monitor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the brightness level of the monitor requires a user to be logged into an information handling system communicatively coupled to the monitor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lighting condition is detected by a single sensor.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the monitor brightness setting based on a mobile communication device brightness setting of the mobile communication device such that the brightness of the monitor is similar to the brightness of the display of the mobile communication device under similar lighting conditions.

8. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor;

a docking station communicatively coupled to the processor and memory; and

a brightness module including instructions in the memory, the instructions executable by the processor, the instructions, when executed, configure the brightness module to:

connect with a mobile communication device via the docking station, the mobile communication device including a display, a second processor, a second memory, and a sensor configured to detect a lighting condition of an environment surrounding the mobile communication device;

detect, based on light information received from the sensor of the mobile communication device, that the lighting condition has changed compared to a previously detected lighting condition;

in response to the change in the lighting condition, match the lighting condition with a monitor brightness setting in a brightness look-up-table, the brightness look-up-table including:

a plurality of lighting conditions each matched to a corresponding one of a plurality of monitor brightness settings, the plurality of lighting conditions and values of the corresponding monitor brightness settings with which they are matched being based at least on brightness settings of the display of the mobile communication device under the same or similar lighting conditions; and

adjust a brightness level of a monitor linked to the docking station based on the monitor brightness setting matched to the lighting condition, the monitor being separate from the mobile communication device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further configure the brightness module to:

match the plurality of monitor brightness settings to the plurality of lighting conditions based on a plurality of field data, the field data including a plurality of monitor brightness settings utilized by users for a plurality of actual lighting conditions; and

generate brightness look-up-table based on the plurality of field data.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further configure the brightness module to select the brightness look-up-table from a plurality of brightness look-up-tables based on a type of the monitor.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the monitor brightness settings in the brightness look-up-table are updated based on a manual change in the brightness level of the monitor made by a user of the monitor.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein adjusting the brightness level of the monitor requires a user to be logged into the information handling system.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the lighting condition is detected by a single sensor.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further configure the brightness module to select the monitor brightness setting based on a mobile communication device brightness setting of the mobile communication device such that the brightness of the monitor is similar to the brightness of the display of the mobile communication device under similar lighting conditions.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, the instructions executable by one or more processors, the instructions, when read and executed for causing the processor to:

connect with a mobile communication device via a dock, the mobile communication device including a display, a second processor, a memory, and a sensor configured to detect a lighting condition of an environment surrounding the mobile communication device;

link the dock with a monitor, the monitor being separate from the mobile communication device;

detect, based on light information received from the sensor of the mobile communication device, that the lighting condition has changed compared to a previously detected lighting condition;

in response to the change in the lighting condition, match the lighting condition with a monitor brightness setting in a brightness look-up-table, the brightness look-up-table including:

a plurality of lighting conditions each matched to a corresponding one of a plurality of monitor brightness settings, the plurality of lighting conditions and values of the corresponding monitor brightness settings with which they are matched being based at least on brightness settings of the display of the mobile communication device under the same or similar lighting conditions; and

adjust a brightness level of the monitor based on the monitor brightness setting matched to the lighting condition.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further causing the processor to:

match the plurality of monitor brightness settings to the plurality of lighting conditions based on a plurality of field data, the field data including a plurality of monitor brightness settings utilized by users for a plurality of actual lighting conditions; and

generate brightness look-up-table based on the plurality of field data.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the processor to select the brightness look-up-table from a plurality of brightness look-up-tables based on a type of the monitor.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein adjusting the brightness level of the monitor requires a user to be logged into an information handling system communicatively coupled to the monitor.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the lighting condition is detected by a single sensor.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further causing the processor to select the monitor brightness setting based on a mobile communication device brightness setting of the mobile communication device such that the brightness of the monitor is similar to the brightness of the display of the mobile communication device under similar lighting conditions.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL USA L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
RELEASE OF REEL 033625 FRAME 0748 (NOTE) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040027/0050 →
RELEASE OF REEL 033625 FRAME 0688 (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040027/0757 →
RELEASE OF REEL 033625 FRAME 0711 (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040016/0903 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033625/0688 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033625/0748 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 033625/0711 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2014
From: COX, CLAUDE LANO; QUINN, LIAM B.; WELKER, MARK W.; ANCONA, ROCCO
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 032989/0780 →