Title of Invention

APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING IMAGE ON AN ELECTRO LUMINESCENCE DISPLAY UNIT AND A METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

The present invention provides a method an apparatus and a handheld electronic device for displaying image on an electro luminescence display unit that substantially reduces the power consumption by modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image, if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 of 1970) & THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Se section 10, rule 13) "APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING IMAGE ON AN ELECTRO LUMINESCENCE DISPLAY UNIT AND A METHOD THEREOF" L G Electronics, Inc. of; 20, Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea 150-721 The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. -1- APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING IMAGE ON AN ELECTRO LUMINESCENCE DISPLAY UNIT AND A METHOD THEREOF FIELD OF THE INVENTION: The present invention relates to an apparatus for displaying image on an electro luminescence display unit. Particularly, the present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for displaying a standby screen of a mobile terminal. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: In general, mobile terminals use flat panel displays such as Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) devices, Field Emission Display (FED) devices, Plasma Display Panels (PDPs), Electro Luminescence (EL) display panels, and the like. Among the flat panel display devices, the EL display panel refers to a self light-emitting diode that includes a fluorescent substance emitting light in response to a recombination of electrons and holes (which are particles having a positive charge corresponding to the electrons). The EL display panels may be classified into an inorganic EL using an inorganic compound as the fluorescent material, and an organic EL (or Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) using an organic compound as the fluorescent material. Unlike other display devices, the EL display panel can be driven by use of low voltage of 10 V, and self-emit light by itself. Contrary to the LCD, the EL display panel does not require a backlight, which can thusly be fabricated to be thinner. In addition, the EL display panel has several advantages such as wide angular field, a fast response speed and the like as compared to the LCD device, which is accordingly expected to be used as a next generation display device. The organic EL diode is typically constituted with an electron-injection layer, an electron-transparent layer, a light emitting layer, a hole-transparent layer and a hole-injection layer, all of which are stacked between a cathode and an anode. Regarding the organic EL diode, -2- when applying a certain voltage between the anode and the cathode, an electron generated from the cathode is moved toward the light emitting layer via the electron-injection layer and the electron-transparent layer, and a hole generated from the anode is moved toward the light emitting layer via the hole-injection layer and the hole-transparent layer. Then, the light emitting layer emits light by virtue of the recombination of the electron and the hole which are respectively supplied from the electron-transparent layer and the hole-transparent layer. That is, the organic EL diode uses a phenomenon that the electron and the hole respectively injected from the cathode and the anode are combined within an organic compound so as to self-emit light. The mobile terminal which employs the organic EL as a display disadvantageously consumes a relatively higher power as compared to the mobile terminal employing a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD or a Super Twisted Nematic (STN) LCD. A displaying is achieved by the self light emission of the organic compound in the characteristic of the organic EL. Accordingly, the power consumption of the mobile terminal employing the organic EL can be increased when displaying bright colors and decreased as dark colors are displayed. Because the power consumption of the mobile terminal having the organic EL depends on the color displayed, there can be a problem that the power consumption is particularly increased when displaying a white tone color. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a method, an apparatus and a handheld electronic device for displaying image on an electro luminescence display unit that substantially obviate one or more problems to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. An object of the present invention is to provide a method an apparatus and a handheld electronic device for displaying image on an electro luminescence display unit that substantially reduces the power consumption by modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as -5- to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image, if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value. Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in description which refers to and an in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by following the teachings in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and described herein, a method for displaying a modified image on an Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU), said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring a color distribution of an original image being displayed on the ELDU; and (b) modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value; and (c) displaying the modified image on the ELDU. In an embodiment of the present invention, in step (b), the color distribution of the original image being displayed in an active mode or in a standby mode and preferably in the standby mode is modified. In another embodiment of the present invention the standby mode comprises (a) a mode when no key or button is inputted by a user and (b) a mode when no external event is generated. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, in step (b), the distribution of dark colors in the original image are increased by inverting at least one bright color of the original image and/or by lowering the gray scale of the original image. -4- In still another embodiment of the present invention, at least one bright color contained in at least one portion of the original image is inverted to obtain a first modified image, if the color distribution of bright colors in the original image is determined to be equal to or above a first predetermined value. In one more embodiment of the present invention, the gray scale of at least one portion of the original image is lowered to obtain a second modified image, if the color distribution of bright colors in the original image is determined to be less than the first predetermined value, but above a second predetermined value. In one another embodiment of the present invention, the distribution of dark colors in the original image is increased by: (a) inverting at least one bright color contained in at least one portion of the original image to obtain a first modified image if the color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be equal to or above a first predetermined value; and (b) lowering the gray scale of at least one portion of the first modified image to obtain a second modified image if the color distribution of bright colors in the first modified image is determined to be equal to or above a second predetermined value. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the first predetermined value is about 50%. In a further more embodiment of the present invention, the second predetermined value is value set by a user or a value set by the system. In another embodiment of the present invention, the difference between the original, the first and the second images are due to variation in the color distribution of the image and/or the gray scale of the image. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the original image on the ELDU is displayed when the standby mode ceases to exist. -5- In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for performing the method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, said apparatus comprising: an Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU) configured to display an image; and a control unit being in operational connection with the ELDU and comprising of: (a) a measuring module for measuring a color distribution of an original image being displayed on the ELDU; (b) a modifying module for modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value; and (c) a transmitting module for transmitting the modified image for display on the ELDU. In an embodiment of the present invention, the ELDU is an organic ELDU (OELDU). In another embodiment of the present invention, the Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU) and the control unit are operatively coupled to a memory, wherein the memory has stored thereupon the original image. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the said apparatus for displaying an image on an Electro Luminescence (EL) display unit is incorporated in an electronic device and preferably a handheld electronic device. In yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a handheld electronic device incorporating the apparatus for displaying an image on an electro luminescence display unit, comprising: a memory having stored thereupon an original image; an electro luminescence display unit (ELDU) cooperating with the memory and being configured to display the original image; at least one key for receiving an input from a user; a means for detecting an external event; and -6- a control unit cooperating with the memory, the ELDU, the key and the means for detecting an external event and being configured to: (a) measuring a color distribution of an original image being displayed on the ELDU; and (b) modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value; and (c) displaying the modified image on the ELDU. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a mobile terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an exemplary view of a menu screen which is displayed in an operation mode in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a standby screen in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Fig. 4 is an exemplary view illustrating a color inversion according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: Description will now be given in detail of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention to be explained relate to a mobile terminal having an organic EL. -7- Fig. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a mobile terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Fig. 1, a mobile terminal in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may comprise a memory 30 for storing a plurality of images to construct a screen, a display 20 for displaying an image stored in the memory 30 or an image provided from a terminal, and a controller 10 for measuring a color-distributed degree of the image displayed on the display 20, and inverting a certain color (e.g., a white color or a white tone color) of the image when the color distribution is greater than or equal to a particular rate (e.g., 50%). When the certain color is distributed by less than the particular rate (e.g., 50%), the controller 10 can bring down a grayscale of an image to a level set by a user or a system and display the image. Afterwards, when the standby mode of the terminal is released, the controller 10 restores the inverted color of the image back to the original one. Fig. 2 is an exemplary view of a menu screen which is displayed in an operation mode in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A menu screen illustrated in Fig. 2 is one of Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) of a mobile terminal, the GUI having been displayed with the lower grayscale. For the mobile terminal having the organic EL, under assumption that the power consumption of a white color is approximately 100%, the power consumption of the dark color such as a black color is approximately 0%. Accordingly, the mobile terminal having the organic EL may have an advantage of lower power consumption by constructing the GUI of the terminal by displaying more dark colors. The present invention can decrease the power consumption, as illustrated in Fig. 2, by displaying the GUI of the terminal by use of a lower grayscale. Especially, upon displaying the GUI (e.g., a standby screen, a menu screen, etc.) under an operation mode of the terminal, the controller 10 may lower the grayscale of the image down to a level set by a user or system and display it. Hereinafter, a method for displaying a standby screen in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention will now be explained in detail as follows. Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for displaying a standby screen in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 4 is an exemplary view illustrating a color inversion according to the present invention. Prior to the explanation for the embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that an image illustrated in Fig. 4 is provided from a service network or an outer equipment (e.g., a personal computer, etc.), and the image of Fig. 4 is currently being displayed on the display 20. First, the controller 10 monitors the terminal in an operation mode to check whether the terminal is converted into a standby mode (S10). Here, the terminal is converted into the standby mode when any key or button is not inputted by a user in a certain time, or an external even is not generated. When the terminal is converted into the standby mode, the controller 10 measures a distributed degree of a white tone color (e.g., a white color) contained in the image (S20 and S30). If the white tone color is distributed by a particular rate (e.g., 50%) or more according to the measurement, the controller 10, as illustrated in Fig. 4, inverts the color of the image (S40 and S50). If the white tone color is distributed by less than the particular rate (50%), the controller 10 may lower the grayscale of the image down to a level set by a user or system and display it (S60). Afterwards, the controller 10 restores the inverted color of the image when the standby mode of the terminal is released (S70). The present invention "the apparatus and method for displaying the standby screen of the mobile terminal" may not be limited to the embodiments aforementioned, but be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. -9- In accordance with the present invention, a mobile terminal may comprise a display unit for displaying an image and a controller cooperating with the display screen to perform: measuring a color distribution of the image when the mobile terminal enters a standby mode, and inverting a certain color of the image when the color distribution is greater than or equal to a certain rate. Here, the display unit can be an Electro Luminescence (EL) display panel and the certain rate is 50%. The controller can be configured to restore the inverted color of the image when the standby mode of the terminal is released. Furthermore, the controller can be configured to control a grayscale of the image by dropping the grayscale of the image if the color distribution is less than the certain rate. Also, the controller is configured to lower a grayscale of the image when the terminal is in an operation mode. According to the present invention, a method for displaying an image on a mobile terminal, the method may comprise monitoring a state of the terminal; measuring a color-distributed level of an image displayed on a display unit when the terminal enters a standby mode; inverting a certain color of the image when the color-distributed level is greater than or equal to a certain rate; and restoring the inverted color of the image when the standby mode of the terminal is ended. In accordance with the present invention, a mobile communication terminal can comprise a display device for displaying an image; and a processor cooperating with the display device to perform: monitoring a luminance efficiency of the display device; measuring a color distribution level of an image displayed on a display device when the terminal enters a standby mode; and controlling the display device with a control signal to reduce a power usage based on the measured color distribution level and the luminance efficiency, the controlling the display device can further comprise inverting a certain color of the image when the color distribution level is greater than or equal to a certain rate and lowering a grayscale of the image if the color distribution level is less than the certain rate. As described above, in "the apparatus and method for displaying the standby screen of the mobile terminal" according to the present invention, power consumption of displaying can -10- _effectively be reduced by dropping an grayscale of an image or inverting the color of the image. Because many different embodiments can be made within the scope of the present invention and numerous modifications can be made in the embodiments, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as merely illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention described herein may be comprises of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of displaying image on an electro luminescence display unit described herein. As such these functions may be interpreted as steps of a method of displaying image on the electro luminescence display unit. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, method and means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation. -11- WE CLAIM: 1. A method for displaying a modified image on an Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU), said method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring a color distribution of an original image being displayed on the ELDU; and (b) modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value; and (c) displaying the modified image on the ELDU. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in step (b), the color distribution of the original image being displayed in an active mode or in a standby mode and preferably in the standby mode is modified. 3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the standby mode comprises (a) a mode when no key or button is inputted by a user and (b) a mode when no external event is generated. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein in step (b), the distribution of dark colors in the original image are increased by inverting at least one bright color of the original image and/or by lowering the gray scale of the original image. 5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one bright color contained in at least one portion of the original image is inverted to obtain a first modified image, if the color distribution of bright colors in the original image is determined to be equal to or above a first predetermined value. 6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the gray scale of at least one portion of the original image is lowered to obtain a second modified image, if the color distribution of bright colors in the original image is determined to be less than the first predetermined value, but above a second predetermined value. 12- The method as claimed in claim 4, comprising: (a) inverting at least one bright color contained in at least one portion of the original image to obtain a first modified image if the color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be equal to or above a first predetermined value; and (b) lowering the gray scale of at least one portion of the first modified image to obtain a second modified image if the color distribution of bright colors in the first modified image is determined to be equal to or above a second predetermined value. The method as claimed in any of claims 5 and 7, wherein the first predetermined value is about 50%. The method as claimed in any of claims 6 and 7, wherein the second predetermined value is value set by a user or a value set by the system. The method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the difference between the original, the first and the second images are due to variation in the color distribution of the image and/or the gray scale of the image. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the original image on the ELDU is displayed when the standby mode ceases to exist. An apparatus for performing the method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, said apparatus comprising: an Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU) configured to display an image; and a control unit being in operational connection with the ELDU and comprising of: (a) a measuring module for measuring a color distribution of an original image being displayed on the ELDU; (b) a modifying module for modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified -13- so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value; and (c) a transmitting module for transmitting the modified image for display on the ELDU. 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the ELDU is an organic ELDU (OELDU). 14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU) and the control unit are operatively coupled to a memory, wherein the memory has stored thereupon the original image. 15. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the said apparatus for displaying an image on an Electro Luminescence (EL) display unit is incorporated in an electronic device and preferably a handheld electronic device. 16. A handheld electronic device incorporating the apparatus for displaying an image on an Electro Luminescence (EL) display unit as claimed in claim 12, comprising: a memory having stored thereupon an original image; an Electro Luminescence Display Unit (ELDU) cooperating with the memory and being configured to display the original image; at least one key for receiving an input from a user; a means for detecting an external event; and a control unit cooperating with the memory, the ELDU, the key and the means for detecting an external event and being configured to: (a) measuring a color distribution of an original image being displayed on the ELDU; and (b) modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value; and -14- c) displaying the modified image on the ELDU. Dated this 18m day of August, 2006 -/5- G. Deepak Sriniwas Of K&S Partners Attorney for the Applicants. ABSTRACT -16- The present invention provides a method an apparatus and a handheld electronic device for displaying image on an electro luminescence display unit that substantially reduces the power consumption by modifying the color distribution of the original image to generate a modified image, wherein the original image is modified so as to increase color distribution of dark colors in the image, if color distribution of bright colors in the image is determined to be above a predetermined value.

Documents:

1313-MUM-2006-ABSTRACT(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-abstract(granted)-(9-2-2010).pdf

1313-mum-2006-abstract-1.jpg

1313-mum-2006-abstract.doc

1313-mum-2006-abstract.pdf

1313-MUM-2006-ANNEXURE TO FORM 3(17-12-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-cancelled pages(17-12-2009).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-CANCELLED PAGES(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-CLAIMS(AMENDED)-(17-12-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-claims(granted)-(9-2-2010).pdf

1313-mum-2006-claims.doc

1313-mum-2006-claims.pdf

1313-mum-2006-correspondence received.pdf

1313-mum-2006-correspondence(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-correspondence(ipo)-(10-2-2010).pdf

1313-mum-2006-description (complete).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-DESCRIPTION(COMPLETE)-(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-description(granted)-(9-2-2010).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-DRAWING(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-drawing(granted)-(9-2-2010).pdf

1313-mum-2006-drawings.pdf

1313-mum-2006-form 1(11-9-2006).pdf

1313-mum-2006-form 18(13-3-2007).pdf

1313-mum-2006-form 2(granted)-(9-2-2010).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-FORM 2(TITLE PAGE)-(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-form 2(title page)-(granted)-(9-2-2010).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-FORM 26(17-12-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-form 3(19-2-2007).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-FORM 3(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-mum-2006-form-1.pdf

1313-mum-2006-form-2.doc

1313-mum-2006-form-2.pdf

1313-mum-2006-form-3.pdf

1313-mum-2006-form-5.pdf

1313-mum-2006-general power of attorney(12-3-2007).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-PETITION UNDER RULE 137(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-PRIORITY DOUMENT(23-7-2009).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT(17-12-2009).pdf

1313-MUM-2006-U.S.PATENT DOCUMENT(17-12-2009).pdf