Patent Application
20070222778
This disclosure is generally directed to electronic devices and more specifically to an apparatus and method for adjusting a display using an integrated ambient light sensor.
Many electronic devices today include one or multiple integrated displays. For example, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, portable computers, and other devices often include one or more thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal displays or other types of displays. These displays can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as presenting text or graphical information to users.
Often times, these electronic devices operate using battery power. It is typically desirable to reduce the power consumption of the devices, thereby allowing the devices to operate longer using battery power. Also, these electronic devices can often be used in many different environments. Because of this, the devices are typically subjected to different illumination levels. It may be difficult for users to easily view the displays of the electronic devices under some of the illumination levels. As a particular example, users might be able to easily view the displays when in indoor areas, but the users may have difficulty viewing the displays after moving into outdoor areas or other brightly lit areas.
This disclosure provides an apparatus and method for adjusting a display using an integrated ambient light sensor.
In a first embodiment, an apparatus includes a display panel capable of displaying content. The apparatus also includes a light sensor having an integrated circuit and a photo-sensitive device. The photo-sensitive device is capable of measuring an amount of ambient light. The integrated circuit is capable of performing one or more functions associated with the display of the content on the display panel. The apparatus further includes a controller capable of adjusting one or more characteristics of the display panel based on the amount of ambient light measured by the light sensor.
In particular embodiments, the integrated circuit and the photo-sensitive device are formed on one side of a semiconductor wafer, and the photo-sensitive device is exposed to the ambient light through an opening in an opposing side of the semiconductor wafer.
In a second embodiment, an integrated light sensor includes a photo-sensitive device capable of measuring an amount of ambient light. The integrated light sensor also includes an integrated circuit capable of performing one or more functions associated with displaying content on a display panel. The photo-sensitive device and the integrated circuit are formed on a single semiconductor substrate.
In a third embodiment, a method includes displaying content on a display panel using an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit is capable of performing one or more functions associated with the displaying of the content. The method also includes measuring an amount of ambient light using a photo-sensitive device integrated with the integrated circuit. In addition, the method includes adjusting one or more characteristics of the display panel based on the amount of ambient light measured by the photo-sensitive device.
Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its features, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
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The display 102 is coupled to a decoder 104. The decoder 104 is capable of receiving data defining the content to be displayed on the display panel 102 and causing the display panel 102 to display that content. For example, the data may identify the text, graphics, or other information to be displayed on the display panel 102. The decoder 104 may use this data to, for example, drive particular transistors in the display panel 102 into the appropriate states so that the display panel 102 presents the desired content. The decoder 104 includes any suitable structure for controlling the content presented on the display panel 102, such as a decoder chip.
A controller 106 is coupled to the decoder 104 and to a memory 108. The controller 106 controls the overall operation of the device 100. For example, in the embodiment where the device 100 represents a mobile telephone, the controller 106 could be responsible for establishing voice or data connections with a wireless network. As a particular example, the controller 106 could be responsible for generating the required messages to establish an outgoing or incoming telephone call. The controller 106 may also control the operation of the display panel 102. As an example, the controller 106 could provide data defining the content to be displayed on the display panel 102 to the decoder 104. The controller 106 includes any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for controlling one or more operational aspects of the device 100.
The memory 108 is capable of storing information for use by the controller 106. For example, the memory 108 could store instructions to be executed by the controller 106 and data used by the controller 106 during execution of the instructions. The memory 108 may include any suitable volatile and/or non-volatile storage and retrieval device or devices.
To support the use of the device 100 in different environments and to help reduce power consumption in the device 100, the device 100 in this example embodiment further includes an ambient light sensor 110. The ambient light sensor 110 is capable of measuring the amount of ambient light, or the light around the device 100. Measurements based on the amount of ambient light are provided to the controller 106, which may use the measurements to control the operation of the display panel 102. For example, the controller 106 could adjust the intensity, hue, or contrast of the display panel 102 based on the measurements from the ambient light sensor 110. The ambient light sensor 110 includes any suitable structure for measuring ambient light around the device 100. The ambient light sensor 110 may, for example, be integrated into other components of the device 100, such as the decoder 104.
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In this example, a flex interconnect 202 couples the display panel 102 and the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. Similarly, the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200 is coupled to another component (such as the controller 106) using a flex interconnect 204. The flex interconnects 202-204 represent flexible electrical connections between components. The flex interconnects 202-204 may be useful, for example, when different components are coupled together across a pivot point in the device 100. As a particular example, as shown in
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The protection pane 208 represents a portion of the cover 206 that is used to protect the display panel 102. For example, the protection pane 208 may prevent external objects from contacting and scratching or otherwise damaging the display panel 102. The protection pane 208 may be formed from any suitable material or materials, such as one or more transparent materials.
As shown in this example, the device 100 also includes a lens 210. The lens 210 is used to focus light onto the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. This may allow, for example, the ambient light sensor 110 in the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200 to take more accurate measurements of the ambient light. This may also allow a smaller ambient light sensor 110 to be used in the device 100. The lens 210 includes any suitable structure or structures for focusing light onto a light sensor. The lens 210 could, for example, represent a single lens or a collection of lenses (such as microlenses). While shown as including the lens 210 in
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The integrated circuit logic 302 is formed on a substrate 304. The substrate 304 represents any suitable semiconductor substrate. The substrate 304 could, for example, represent a silicon substrate.
The integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200 further includes a photo-sensitive device 306. The photo-sensitive device 306 is capable of detecting light and generating a signal based on the detected light. For example, the photo-sensitive device 306 could generate a current that is proportional to the amount of light striking the photo-sensitive device 306. The photo-sensitive device 306 includes any suitable structure for measuring an amount of light.
A protective layer 308 is disposed over the substrate 304 and the photo-sensitive device 306. The protective layer 308 may provide one or multiple forms of protection in the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. For example, the protective layer 308 could provide mechanical protection, such as by protecting the underlying components from physical damage due to things like contact with external components. The protective layer 308 could also provide infrared protection, such as by protecting the photo-sensitive device 306 from exposure to excessive infrared radiation. The protective layer 308 could provide any other or additional form(s) of protection in the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. While shown as a single layer in
Any one or a combination of a wide variety of photo-sensitive devices 306 may be used in the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200.
The p−/n+ junction 402 is coupled to contacts 404. The contacts 404 provide the current generated by the p−/n+ junction 402 to another component in the device 100. For example, the contacts 404 could provide the generated current to the controller 106 for use in adjusting the operation of the display panel 102.
An etch stop 406 may be provided in the photo-sensitive device 306 to protect the p−/n+ junction 402. For example, the etch stop 406 may help to prevent an etch of the substrate 302 from entering into the regions forming the p−/n+ junction 402. In this way, the etch stop 406 may help to prevent damage or destruction of the p−/n+ junction 402 during fabrication, or the etch stop 406 may allow for sufficient substrate 304 to remain after an etch so that the p−/n+ junction 402 can be fabricated. The etch stop 406 includes any suitable material or materials in one or more layers, such as a boron etch stop layer.
The following represents two example methods for fabricating the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. Other mechanisms could be used to produce the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. Also, in the following description, the p−/n+ junction 402 is said to reside on the “front side” of a silicon wafer, and the p−/n+ junction 402 is said to be exposed through the “back side” of the silicon wafer. This is for ease of illustration and explanation only and is not meant to imply any specific limitation to the fabrication of the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200.
In one fabrication technique, a back side film deposition can be performed to deposit a hard mask on the back side of a silicon wafer. The hard mask could be formed from an oxide, silicon nitride, or other suitable material(s). The hard mask may be used later during a silicon wet etch step to expose the photo-sensitive device 306. A 1e19/cm3 boron etch stop layer 406 is formed with an energy and dose appropriate to provide an etch stop at the desired depth. The p−/n+ junction 402 is formed on the front side of the silicon wafer. The back side of the wafer is then patterned, the hard mask is patterned and etched, and the back side of the wafer is etched to expose the p−/n+ junction 402. The back side of the wafer may be etched using any suitable technique, such as a wet chemistry technique using tetramethyl ammonia hydroxide (TMAH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH). One or more protective layers 308, such as a mechanical protective layer and an infrared protective layer, are deposited on the back side of the wafer.
In another fabrication technique, the hard mask, the boron etch stop layer 406, and the p−/n+ junction 402 are formed. The back side of the wafer is then patterned, the hard mask is patterned and etched, and the back side of the wafer is plasma etched (with or without wet chemistry). The one or more protective layers 308 are then formed on the back side of the wafer.
These represent two example fabrication techniques for forming the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. Any other suitable technique could be used to fabricate the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200. For example, laser ablation could be used on the back side of the wafer to expose the p−/n+ junction 402. As another example, the p−/n+ junction 402 could be formed on the back side of the wafer, with appropriate electrical connections to the desired component.
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The device 100 focuses ambient light onto an integrated ambient light sensor at step 502. This may include, for example, one or more lenses 210 focusing the ambient light onto the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200.
The device 100 measures ambient light using the integrated ambient light sensor at step 504. This may include, for example, the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200 generating a current that is proportional to the amount of light striking the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200.
The device 100 determines how to adjust a display based on the measurements at step 506. This may include, for example, the controller 106 receiving the currents generated by the integrated decoder/ambient light sensor 200, where the currents represent the measured ambient light. This may also include the controller 106 determining how to adjust the intensity, hue, or contrast of the display panel 102 using the ambient light measurements.
The device 100 adjusts operation of the display at step 508. This may include, for example, the controller 106 adjusting the intensity, hue, or contrast of the display panel 102. By adjusting the operation of the display panel 102, the device 100 may use less power over time, which may help to lengthen the amount of time that the device 100 may operate using battery power. Also, this may allow the device 100 to adjust the operation of the display panel 102 in different illumination conditions, thereby increasing the viewability of the display panel 102 in these different illumination conditions.
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It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, meaning and/or. The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. The term “controller” means any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation. A controller may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely.
While this disclosure has described certain embodiments and generally associated methods, alterations and permutations of these embodiments and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the above description of example embodiments does not define or constrain this disclosure. Other changes, substitutions, and alterations are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, as defined by the following claims.
