Abstract:
According to some embodiments, an apparatus, a system and a method are provided to reduce a backlit area of a display screen and resize an image to fit in the backlit area.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The number of mobile devices such as laptops, personal data assistants (“PDAs”), and cell phones continue to increase as society becomes more dependent on the use of mobile devices and the batteries that power these devices. There is a need to power these mobile devices for longer periods of time such that data may not get lost for a lack of power. Since battery power is the most common form of power used by mobile devices, during periods of critical use a possibility exists that the battery may run out of power. 
         [0002]    A large portion of power consumption for a mobile device may be due to a display system. In some cases, a device may dim a display to reduce the power required to run the device. Note that even a dimmed display may consume up to one-fifth of the device&#39;s power. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an system according to some embodiments. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an apparatus according to some embodiments. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a method according to some embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0007]    The several embodiments described herein are solely for the purpose of illustration. Embodiments may include any currently or hereafter-known versions of the elements described herein. Therefore, persons in the art will recognize from this description that other embodiments may be practiced with various modifications and alterations. 
         [0008]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of an apparatus  100  is shown. The apparatus may contain a display device  103 , a processor  101 , a bus  105 , and a medium  102 . The processor  101  may execute instructions stored in the medium  102 . The display  103  may contain a plurality of backlight lamps  104 - 1  to  104 - n.  Each backlight lamp may provide the backlighting required for the display device  103 . In some embodiments, the display  103  may be a liquid crystal diode (“LCD”) display, but the display  103  may be any display that utilizes backlight lamps or an equivalent thereof. In one example, the plurality of backlight lamps  104 - 1  to  104 - n  may run vertically along the display  103 . However, the backlight lamps might also run, but are not limited to, a horizontal orientation, a diagonal orientation, and combinations thereof. 
         [0009]    When the processor  101  determines that a predetermined amount (e.g. a predetermined percentage) of power remains, one or more backlight lamps  104 - 1  to  104 - n  may be turned off to conserve power while the remaining backlight lamps  104 - 1  to  104 - n  may remain lit. In response to the one or more backlight lamps  104 - 1  to  104 - n  being turned off, a desktop screen  106  may be compressed to fit in a backlit area of the display. The desktop screen  106  may be any graphical user interface display or non-graphical display. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , an example is shown where backlight lamps  104 - 1 , and  104 - 2  have been turned off leaving the remaining backlight lamps to provide a backlit area and the desktop screen  106  has been compressed to fit in the backlit area. The power source may be any available power source such as, but not limited to, a battery. Reducing the area of a backlit screen may sustain power levels for a greater period of time than conventional methods. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, A user may determine a percentage of power remaining that will trigger a reduction of the backlit area. When a trigger level is reached, a user may be prompted to accept the new resized screen or the user may decline to resize the screen. In some embodiments, a user may set multiple predetermined levels thus defining multiple predefined trigger levels. The user may also determine the percentage of backlight lamps turned off when a trigger level is reached. 
         [0011]    For example, a user may determine that a backlit area may be reduced by 10% of its full size when a first predetermined trigger level of 65% remaining power is reached. The user may also determine that a backlit area may be reduced by 20% of its full size when a second predetermined trigger level of 30% remaining power is reached. The user may also determine that a backlit area may be reduced by 50% when a third predetermined trigger level of 10% remaining power is reached. At each of these remaining power levels, the user may decide to accept or reject the reduction of backlight area. 
         [0012]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a system  200  is shown. The system may contain a display device  203 , a processor  201 , a bus  205 , a battery  208 , a lamp controller  207 , and a medium  202 . The processor  201  may execute instructions stored in the medium  202 . The display  203  may contain a plurality of backlight lamps  204 - 1  to  204 - n.  Each backlight lamp may provide the light required for the display device  203 . In some embodiments, the display  203  may be a LCD display. The lamp controller  207  may be, for example, implemented in hardware, software, or firmware. 
         [0013]    When the processor  201  determines that a predetermined percentage of the battery  208  remains, one or more backlight lamps  204 - 1  to  204 - n  may be turned off by the lamp controller  207  to conserve power. In response to the one or more backlight lamps  204 - 1  to  204 - n  being turned off, a desktop screen  206  may be compressed to fit in a backlit area of the display. The desktop screen  206  may be any graphical user interface display or non-graphical display. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , an example is shown where backlight lamps  204 - 1 ,  204 - 2 , and  204 - 3  have been turned off leaving the remaining backlight lamps to provide a backlit area and the desktop screen  206  may be compressed to fit in the backlit area. In some cases, the remaining (lit) lamps may be dimmed to save additional power. In some cases, the desktop screen  206  may not be resized or only one axis of the desktop screen  206  may be resized. Reducing the area of a backlit screen may sustain the battery power level for a greater period of time than conventional methods. 
         [0014]    A user may determine the percentage of power remaining to trigger a reduction of the backlit area. When a trigger level is reached, a user may be prompted to accept the new resized screen or the user may decline to resize the screen. In some embodiments, a user may set multiple predetermined levels thus defining multiple predefined trigger levels. The user may also determine the percentage of backlight lamps turned off when a trigger level is reached. 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an embodiment of an apparatus  300  is shown. The apparatus may contain a display device  303 , a processor  301 , a bus  305 , and a medium  302 . The processor  301  may execute instructions stored in the medium  302 . The display  303  may contain a plurality of backlight lamps  304  in a grid-like pattern. The grid-like pattern may have horizontal rows  304 H- 1  to  304 H-n and vertical rows  304 V- 1  to  304 V-n. Each backlight lamp  304  may provide the light required for the display device  303 . In some embodiments, the display  303  may be a LCD display, however, the display  303  may be any display that utilizes backlight lamps or the equivalent thereof. 
         [0016]    When the processor  301  determines that a predetermined percentage of power remains, one or more backlight lamps  304  having both a horizontal and a vertical component may be turned off to conserve power. In response to the one or more backlight lamps  304  being turned off, a desktop screen  306  may be compressed to fit in a backlit area of the display. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , an example is shown where backlight lamps in rows  304 H- 1  and  304 H- 2  and backlight lamps in columns  304 V- 1  and  304 V- 2  have been turned off leaving the remaining backlight lamps to provide a backlit area and the desktop screen  306  has been compressed to fit in the backlit area. Note that the number of horizontal lamps turned off might not equal the number of vertical lamps turned off. The power source may be any available power source such as, but not limited to, a battery. 
         [0017]    A user may determine the percentage of power remaining to trigger a reduction of the backlit area. When a trigger level is reached, a user may be prompted to accept the new resized screen or the user may decline to resize the screen. In some embodiments, a user may set multiple predetermined levels thus defining multiple predefined trigger levels. The user may also determine the percentage of backlight lamps turned off when a trigger level is reached. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an embodiment of a method  400  is shown. The method may be performed by, but is not limited to, a processor or a lamp controller. At  401 , a determination is made that a lower power state may be entered thus a predetermined power level has reached a trigger level. A user may determine the percentage of power remaining to trigger a reduction of the backlit area. When a trigger level is reached, a user may be prompted to accept the new resized screen or the user may decline to resize the screen. In some embodiments, a user may set multiple predetermined levels thus defining multiple predefined trigger levels. The user may also determine a number or percentage of backlight lamps that will be turned off when a trigger level is reached. In some embodiments, the method  400  may be an automatic process and not user defined. 
         [0019]    At  402 , a backlit area of a display screen is reduced by a predetermined amount. When a processor determines that a predetermined percentage of power remains, one or more backlight lamps may be turned off to conserve power. In response to the one or more backlight lamps being turned off, a desktop screen may be compressed to fit in a backlit area of the display. The power source may be any available power source such as, but not limited to, a battery. 
         [0020]    The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope set forth in the appended claims. For example, although a computer monitor is illustrated other display devices might be associated with any of the embodiments described herein (e.g. a wireless telephone, a PDA, a laptop computer). Also for example, the display itself may perform the aforementioned method based on a signal from a processor (e.g. lower power state or amount of power remaining).