Patent ID: 7701434

Claim:
A method for automatically adjusting screen and keypad brightness on a mobile electronic device having a light sensor, display screen and keypad, comprising: obtaining light level samples from said light sensor; and independently adjusting backlight intensity of said display screen and keypad responsive to said light level samples, wherein adjusting the backlight intensity of said display screen further includes comparing a median value of said samples to respective threshold values corresponding to a DIM mode, wherein said backlight intensity is dimmed for low lighting environment, an OFFICE mode, wherein said backlight intensity is set to a brightness that is higher than in said DIM mode and a BRIGHT mode of backlight intensity, wherein said backlight intensity is set at full brightness, and wherein said backlight intensity is adjusted from DIM mode to OFFICE mode in the event said median value of said samples is greater than a first threshold, wherein said backlight intensity is adjusted from DIM mode to BRIGHT mode in the event said median value of said samples is greater than a second threshold, wherein said second threshold is greater than said first threshold, wherein said backlight intensity is adjusted from OFFICE mode to DIM mode in the event said median value of said samples is less than a third threshold, wherein said third threshold is less than said first threshold, wherein said backlight intensity is adjusted from OFFICE mode to BRIGHT mode in the event said median value of said samples is greater than said second threshold, wherein said backlight intensity is adjusted from BRIGHT mode to DIM mode in the event said median value of said samples is less than said third threshold, and wherein said backlight intensity is adjusted from BRIGHT mode to OFFICE mode in the event said median value of said samples is less than a fourth threshold, wherein said fourth threshold is intermediate said first threshold and said second threshold, wherein the backlight intensity of said keypad is adjusted from an OFF mode to an ON mode in the event a current light level sample is less than a fifth threshold value, wherein said fifth threshold value is intermediate said first threshold and said third threshold and from an ON mode to an OFF mode in the event said current light level sample is greater than a sixth threshold value for a predetermined time period, wherein said sixth threshold value is intermediate said first threshold value and said fourth threshold value.