Patent Publication Number: US-2013250033-A1

Title: Interphone, interphone system and method for adjusting brightness of display panel of interphone

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure generally relates to a communication device, especially an interphone, an interphone system and a method for adjusting a brightness of a display panel of the interphone. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Nowadays, interphones are widely used in a plurality of applications such as public security, transportation and industry manage. An interphone generally includes a display panel and a camera. The camera is used to capture video information of a user. The video information is transmitted to another interphone and displayed in the display panels of the another interphone. However, in a dark environment, the video information obtained by the camera is unclear, therefore affecting a quality of communication between the two interphones. 
     What is needed, therefore, is an interphone, an interphone system and a method for adjusting a brightness of a display panel of the interphone which can overcome the described limitations. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an interphone system in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of an interphone in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an LED light source in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart of controlling a brightness of a display panel of the interphone in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an interphone system  100  in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure is shown. The interphone system  100  includes a control center  110  and a plurality of interphones  120  communicating with the control center  110 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , each interphone  120  includes a processor  121 , and a microphone  122 , a camera  123 , a wireless communicating module  124 , a speaker  125 , a display panel  126  and a brightness detecting device  127  electrically connected with the processor  121 . 
     The microphone  122  is configured to receive audio information of a user and transmit the audio information to the processor  121 . 
     The camera  123  is configured to receive video information of the user, such as the face or the dress of the user, and transmit the video information to the processor  121 . 
     The processor  121  receives the audio information from the microphone  122  and the video information from the camera  123 , and transmits the audio information and the video information to the control center  110  and/or other interphones  120  by the wireless communicating module  124 . At the same time, the wireless communicating module  124  can also receive the audio information and the video information of the control center  110  and/or other interphones  120 , and transmits them to the processor  121 . 
     The speaker  125  receives the audio information of the control center  110  and/or the other interphone  120 . The speaker  125  broadcasts the audio information of the control center  110  and/or other interphones  120  to the user. 
     The display panel  126  receives the video information from the control center  110  and/or other interphone  120 . The display panel  126  displays the video information of the control center  110  and/or other interphones  120  to the user. 
     The brightness detecting device  127  is configured to detect a brightness of outer environment. When the interphone  120  is communicated with the other interphones  120 , the processor  121  adjusts the brightness of the display panel  126  according to the brightness of outer environment. That is, in a dark environment, the processor  121  will increase the brightness of the display panel  126  to illuminate the user, thereby obtaining clear video information from the camera  123 . When the outer environment has enough brightness to illuminate the user, the processor  121  will maintain the brightness of the display panel  126  just to make ensure the user can see a content of the display panel  126  clearly. Preferably, when the communication between the two interphones  120  is ended or the interphone  120  does not work for a period of time, the processor  121  can decrease the brightness of the display panel  126  to save the energy. 
     Preferably, the interphone  120  can further include a GPS (Global Position System) device  128  electrically connected with the processor  121 . The GPS device  128  is configured to detect a position of the interphone  120  and transmits the position to the control center  110  and/or other interphone  120  by the wireless communicating module  124 . Therefore, in the control center  110  or any one of the interphones  120 , user can look over the position of any other interphones  120 . 
     Preferably, the interphone  120  can further include an alarming button  129 . The user presses down the alarm button  129  to generate an alarm signal. The alarm signal is then transmitted to the control center  110  and/or other interphones  120  by the wireless communicating module  124 . After receiving the alarm signal, the control center  110  and/or the display panel  126  of other interphones  120  will show the position of the interphone  120  which generate the alarm signal. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the interphone  120  can further includes an LED light source  1261  arranged on the display panel  126 . The LED light source  1261  generally includes several LED units. Preferably, the number of the LED units is in a range from 3 to 6. When the interphone  120  is in a dark environment, the LED light source  1261  is turned on to illuminate the user. In addition, the processor  121  can adjust a brightness of the LED light source  1261  according to the brightness of outer environment. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the interphone system  100  can only include interphones  120  to achieve the communication between the interphones  120  without the control center  110 . 
     In the interphone system  100  described above, the brightness of outer environment is detected by the brightness detecting device  127 . When in a dark environment, the processor  121  can increase the brightness of the display panel  126  to illuminate the user of the interphone  120 , therefore the camera  123  can capture a clear image information. When the communication between the interphones  120  is ended or the interphone  120  does not work for a period of time, the processor  121  can decrease the brightness of the display panel  126  to save the energy. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a method for adjusting a brightness of a display panel of an interphone is also provided. The method includes following steps. 
     An interphone  120  is provided. The interphone  120  includes a processor  121  and a microphone  122 , a camera  123 , a wireless communicating module  124 , a speaker  125  and a display panel  126  communicating with the processor  121 . The microphone  122  is configured to receive audio information of the user. The camera  123  is configured to receive video information of the user. The processor  121  transmits the audio information and the video information to other interphones  120  by the wireless communicating module  124 . At the same time, the wireless communicating module  124  receives the audio information and the video information from other interphones  120 . The speaker  125  is configured to broadcast the audio information of other interphones  120  to the user. The display panel  126  is configured to display the video information of other interphones  120  to the user. 
     A brightness detecting device  127  is provided. The brightness detecting device  127  is electrically connected with the processor  121 . The brightness detecting device  127  is configured to detect a brightness of outer environment. When the interphone  120  is communicated with other interphones  120 , the processor  121  adjusts the brightness of the display panel  126  according to the brightness of outer environment detected by the brightness detecting device  127 . 
     Preferably, a GPS device  128  can further be provided. The GPS device  128  detects a position of the interphone  120  and transmits the position to the other interphones  120  by the wireless communicating module  124 . 
     Preferably, an alarm button  129  is further provided. The user presses down the alarm button  129  to generate an alarm signal. The alarm signal is then transmitted to the control center  110  or other interphones  120  by the wireless communicating module  124 . After receiving the alarm signal, the display panel  126  of other interphones  120  will show the position of the interphone  120  which generate the alarm signal for people going to the position to rescue. 
     The interphone system  100  or the interphone  120  can be applied to the housing for a better management. In an alternative embodiment, the interphone system  100  or the interphone  120  can also be applied to the hospital to provide a better service to the patients. In addition, the interphone system  100  or the interphone  120  can also be used in a plurality of application such as the industry, the prison, the school and the elevator. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.