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Mobile Phone Patent Abstract
A mobile phone with a display is disclosed, which automatically
compensates for situations in which poor lighting conditions are
likely, by producing a much larger, bolder font than normal. For
example, the larger, bolder font is displayed when external power
is applied to the mobile phone, or when the mobile phone is being
operated in the hands-free mode.
Mobile Phone Patent Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for improving readability of a mobile phone display,
the method comprising the steps of:
determining whether a mobile phone associated with said mobile
phone display is connected to an external power supply;
determining whether the mobile phone associated with the mobile
phone display is connected to at least one of an external speaker
or an external microphone; and
switching said mobile phone display from a first display mode to
a second display mode in response to a determination that said mobile
phone is either connected to the external power supply or connected
to at least one of an external speaker or an external microphone,
said second display mode displaying characters having a larger,
bolder font than characters in said first display mode.
2. A display for a mobile phone, comprising:
a sensor for detecting whether said mobile phone is connected to
one of either an external power supply or at least one of an external
speaker or an external microphone;
a display device configured to switch from a first display mode
to a second display mode in response to said sensor detecting that
said mobile phone is connected to one of either an external power
supply or to at least one of an external speaker or an external
microphone, said second display mode displaying characters having
a larger, bolder font than characters in said first display mode.
3. A display for a mobile phone, comprising:
a sensor for detecting whether said mobile phone is connected to
one of either an external power supply and an external speaker;
a display device configured to switch from a first display mode
to a second display mode in response to said sensor detecting that
said mobile phone is connected to one of either an external power
supply and an external speaker, said second display mode displaying
characters having a larger, bolder font than characters in said
first display mode.
Mobile Phone Patent Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the mobile communications
field and, in particular, to an improved display for a mobile phone.
2. Description of Related Art
When conventional mobile phones are used in dimly-lit environments
(e.g., inside motor vehicles, etc.), poor lighting, glare and reflections
typically make the phones' displays difficult to read. This readability
problem is exacerbated if the phone is being operated in a hands-free
mode. For example, in an automobile, a mobile phone's display is
more difficult for a driver to read due to the relatively long distance
between the vehicle-mounted hands-free adaptor and the driver's
eyes.
A conventional solution to this readability problem for mobile
phone displays is to activate backlighting to illuminate the display
when the phone is externally powered. As such, the backlit illumination
highlights the displayed text and serves to make it more readable.
However, a problem that still occurs with conventional mobile phone
displays (even with backlit illumination) is that the text used
on the conventional displays is too small to be clearly discernible
unless the display is very close to the user. Nevertheless, as described
below, the present invention successfully resolves this readability
problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide
a mobile phone display that is clearly readable in a poorly-lit
environment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mobile
phone display that a driver of a motor vehicle can easily see when
the phone is being operated in a hands-free mode.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a
mobile phone display that automatically adjusts to compensate for
a poorly-lit or hands-free environment.
The foregoing and other objects are achieved by a mobile phone
with a display that automatically uses a much larger, bolder font
than normal, whenever, for example, external power is applied or
the mobile phone is operated in a hands-free mode.
An important technical advantage of the present invention is that
the mobile phone display with larger, bolder font is clearly discernible
in poorly-lit environments.
Another important technical advantage of the present invention
is that the mobile phone display is easy to see and read when the
phone is operated in a hands-free mode.
Still another important technical advantage of the present invention
is that the mobile phone display is readable in those situations
where poor lighting, glare or reflections exist.
Yet another important technical advantage of the present invention
is that the readability of the mobile phone display is automatically
adjusted to compensate for situations in which poor lighting conditions
are likely to exist.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the method and apparatus of the
present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a mobile phone with a display that automatically
adjusts to compensate for situations in which poor lighting conditions
may exist, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates a method that can be
used to improve the readability of a mobile phone display, in accordance
with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3A is an example of a conventional, normal font mobile phone
display; and
FIG. 3B is an example of the larger, bolder font that can be displayed
by a mobile phone, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages
are best understood by referring to FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings, like
numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various
drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a mobile phone 10 with a display that can
automatically compensate for situations in which poor lighting conditions
are likely, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. As such, mobile phone 10 can be any type of communications
terminal used in a mobile environment, such as, for example, a cellular
phone used in a motor vehicle (auto, truck, etc.). The exemplary
mobile phone 10 includes a display 12 for displaying alphanumeric
text (and optionally, battery and signal strength indicators), a
keypad 14 for inputting alphanumerics, an internal microphone (not
explicitly shown), and a speaker 15. Mobile phone 10 also includes
an external power and microphone/speaker connector 16. For this
embodiment, the external connector 16 includes a first pair of input
pin connections 16a and 16b for applying external power, and a second
pair of pin connections 16c and 16d used as input/output connections
for an external microphone/speaker set (not shown). Preferably,
for this embodiment, a sensor (not explicitly shown) can determine
if an appropriate supply voltage has been applied to the external
power input pin connections 16a and 16b, or that a microphone/speaker
connection has been made to the external microphone/speaker input/output
pin connections 16c and 16d. Alternatively, the sensor can determine
if the external connector 16 (and thus the mobile phone) has been
connected, for example, to a vehicle-mounted hands-free adaptor
unit. The exemplary sensor is preferably coupled to an internal
processor (not shown) in mobile phone 10 that controls the functionality
of the phone.
Although connector 16 is shown in FIG. 1 as a four-pin configuration,
this structure is for illustrative purposes only. Essentially, the
mobile phone's internal processor can determine if external power
has been applied to the mobile phone 10, or if the mobile phone
is being operated in a hands-free mode (e.g., connected to a vehicle-mounted
hands-free adaptor unit). In any event, the particular connection
arrangement, type of connector used, or means for sensing external
power or hands-free operation should not be considered as a limitation
on the scope of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates a method 100 that can
be used for improving the readability of a mobile phone display,
in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
For illustrative purposes, the method 100 is described herein with
respect to the exemplary mobile phone 10 shown in FIG. 1. However,
the invention is not intended to be limited only to the mobile phone
shown in FIG. 1. Essentially, the method 100 can be used to improve
the readability of any type of mobile phone that is used in a poorly-lit
or hands-free environment.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, at step 104 of the method, the mobile
phone 10 is turned on (e.g., power is applied). At step 106, the
internal processor (not shown) in the mobile phone 10 determines
(e.g., via a sensor) whether external power has been applied to
the connector 16 at pins 16a and 16b, or an external microphone/speaker
has been connected to pins 16c and 16d (e.g., for hands-free operation).
If neither of these conditions is present, then at step 108, the
internal processor provides instructions for the display circuitry
(12) to generate and display text with a conventional font size
and style (normal size and regular font style or unbolded). An example
of such a normal font being displayed on mobile phone 10 is shown
in display 12a in FIG. 3A.
On the other hand, at step 106, if at least one of these conditions
is present (e.g., external power has been applied, or the mobile
phone is otherwise connected for hands-free operation), then at
step 112, the mobile phone's internal processor provides instructions
for the display circuitry (12) to display text with a much larger
font size and bolder font style than normal. In accordance with
the present invention, an example of the larger, bolder font being
displayed on mobile phone 10 is shown in display 12b in FIG. 3B.
Preferably, the size and boldness of the font shown in FIG. 3B should
make the text clearly readable at about three-to-four feet away.
As such, the present invention automatically adjusts to improve
the readability of the mobile phone's display in order to compensate
for situations in which poor lighting conditions are likely.
Although a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of
the present invention has been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings
and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be
understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed,
but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions
without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth
and defined by the following claims. |