JP4538874B2 - Flat panel display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flat panel display device having a function of automatically adjusting the brightness of a display screen according to ambient brightness.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal display devices have attracted attention as display devices that replace CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes).
In general, a liquid crystal display device does not self-emit, unlike a CRT, and therefore has a configuration in which a backlight is emitted on the back surface of a liquid crystal panel.
Such a backlight type liquid crystal display device is preferable because the user can easily see the display screen by appropriately changing the luminance according to the ambient brightness.
Therefore, conventionally, there has been proposed a liquid crystal display device in which a sensor for detecting ambient brightness is arranged in the vicinity of the display screen, and the luminance of the backlight is changed according to the brightness detected by the sensor. Yes.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional liquid crystal display device having the brightness adjustment function, the brightness of the backlight is uniformly controlled according to the ambient brightness detected by the sensor. There has been a problem that it is impossible to adjust the brightness accordingly.
In other words, whether the screen that is actually visually recognized is bright or dark differs depending on the user. In addition, it varies depending on the angle and visual acuity at which the user actually looks at the screen, or the glasses used.
Therefore, when the backlight brightness is adjusted uniformly on the device side, it is difficult to make a satisfactory adjustment for all actual users.
[0004]
The above-described problems occur not only in the backlight type liquid crystal display device but also in other flat panel display devices having an automatic brightness adjustment function according to ambient brightness.
[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flat panel display device capable of automatically adjusting the brightness reflecting the user's preference and the actual situation of use.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a display screen capable of adjusting brightness, a sensor provided in the vicinity of the display screen for detecting ambient brightness, and a minimum brightness corresponding to the first ambient brightness. Initial setting information that preliminarily stores initial setting information that defines a value and a maximum luminance value corresponding to the second ambient brightness, and the brightness of the display screen is set by a user 's operation and the brightness is adjusted A setting means for setting a value of a brightness adjustment flag indicating that the brightness has been made, and determining whether the brightness adjustment has been performed by a user operation according to the value of the brightness adjustment flag set by the setting means, when the manual adjustment mode for adjusting the luminance characteristics of the display screen is selected by the operation of the user, when the brightness is set by said setting means, according to the ambient brightness of the sensor Based on the output value, the minimum luminance value and the maximum luminance value stored in the initial setting unit, and the first luminance value and the second luminance value set by the setting unit, the minimum luminance value is calculated from the minimum luminance value. A characteristic that increases linearly from the minimum luminance value to the first luminance value set by the setting means up to the first luminance value set by the setting means from the first luminance value to the second luminance value. Up to the luminance value of the first luminance value linearly increases from the first luminance value to the second luminance value, and from the second luminance value to the maximum luminance value from the second luminance value. The luminance characteristic setting means for setting the luminance characteristic of the display screen so as to each have a characteristic that increases linearly up to the maximum luminance value, and as a result of the determination by the luminance characteristic setting means, the luminance adjustment is performed by the user's operation. If it is determined that Automatically adjusts the luminance of the display screen based on the luminance characteristic set by the luminance characteristic setting means and the detection signal from the sensor, and determines that the luminance is not adjusted by a user operation. In the case where it is done, it has a brightness adjusting means for automatically adjusting the brightness of the display screen based on the minimum brightness value and the maximum brightness value stored in the initial setting means and the detection signal from the sensor. It is characterized by.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of a flat panel display device according to the present invention will be described below.
1A and 1B are diagrams showing a configuration of a peripheral portion of a display screen in the flat panel display device of the present embodiment. FIG. 1A is an overall front view and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged front view.
The flat panel display device according to the present embodiment is configured as a backlight type liquid crystal display device, and includes a transmissive liquid crystal panel constituting a display screen, and a backlight disposed on the back of the transmissive liquid crystal panel. The display screen brightness is adjusted by adjusting the brightness of the backlight.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 1 (A), this display device is configured by providing a display screen 20 on a flat plate portion 10 having a flat plate shape. 1B includes a light receiving unit 30A of the sensor 30, a luminance adjustment on / off button 40, and a luminance increase / decrease button 50 (increase button 50A and decrease button 50B).
The sensor 30 detects the brightness around the display screen 20, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of light received by the light receiving unit 30A.
[0011]
The brightness adjustment on / off button 40 is a switch for shifting the display device to a manual adjustment mode when the user wants to manually adjust the brightness of the backlight. Switch to adjustment mode. Further, by turning off the button 40, the manually adjusted brightness setting is confirmed and the manual adjustment mode is canceled.
The brightness increase / decrease button 50 is a switch for manually adjusting the brightness of the display screen 20 in the state of shifting to the manual adjustment mode. By operating the increase button 50A, the brightness of the display screen 20 increases and decreases. By operating the button 50B, the brightness of the display screen 20 decreases.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control circuit in the display device of the present embodiment.
In FIG. 2, the sensor 30, the brightness adjustment on / off button 40, and the brightness increase / decrease button 50 are the same as those shown in FIG.
In addition, the backlight 100 is provided on the back surface of the liquid crystal panel constituting the display screen 20 as described above, and the luminance of the display screen 20 is changed by adjusting the luminance of the backlight 100.
[0013]
The user setting unit 60 stores the set luminance value and the detection value of the sensor 30 at the time of setting when the user sets the luminance by manual adjustment.
When manually adjusting the brightness, the user turns on the brightness adjustment on / off button 40 described above to shift the display device to the manual adjustment mode. In this state, the brightness increase / decrease button 50 (increase button 50A). And the decrease button 50B) are operated to adjust the display screen 20 to a desired luminance. Then, by turning off the brightness adjustment on / off button 40, the adjusted brightness value of the backlight 100 is determined, and the manual adjustment is completed.
At this time, the luminance value of the backlight 100 when the luminance adjustment on / off button 40 is turned off is stored in a predetermined area of the user setting unit 60, and at the same time, the ambient brightness at that time, that is, the sensor 30 is stored. The detected value is stored in a predetermined area of the user setting unit 60.
[0014]
The initial setting unit 70 stores initial characteristic information for automatic brightness adjustment as shown in FIG. 3, and sends the initial characteristic information to the luminance characteristic setting unit 80 as necessary.
The luminance characteristic setting unit 80 sets luminance characteristics as shown in FIG. 4 based on information stored in the user setting unit 60 and the initial setting unit 70.
The luminance adjusting unit 90 controls the luminance of the backlight 100 based on the luminance characteristic set by the luminance characteristic setting unit 80 and the detection signal from the sensor 30.
[0015]
Hereinafter, the luminance characteristic setting operation in this example will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
The luminance characteristic in this example represents the backlight luminance to be set with respect to the ambient brightness detected by the sensor 30.
The initial characteristic information stored in the initial setting unit 70 preliminarily defines a minimum luminance value corresponding to the first ambient brightness and a maximum luminance value corresponding to the second ambient brightness. As shown in FIG. 3, a minimum luminance value b0 is defined for the first ambient brightness a0, and a maximum luminance value b2 is defined for the second ambient brightness a2.
[0016]
In the initial state, the minimum luminance value b0 for the first ambient brightness a0 (point p0 in FIG. 3) and the maximum luminance value b2 for the second ambient brightness a2 (point p2 in FIG. 3). ) Is set as an initial characteristic.
Therefore, in this initial state, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, when the detection value of the sensor 30 is a1, the luminance value b1 of the point p1 on the straight line α0 corresponding to this a1 is used as the backlight luminance.
[0017]
Next, when the user adjusts the luminance by manual adjustment, the luminance characteristic setting unit 80 performs the luminance characteristic setting operation, and the luminance characteristic is changed as shown in FIG.
That is, in the luminance characteristic setting unit 80 of this example, first, the luminance value b3 by manual setting stored in the user setting unit 60 by manual operation and the detection value a3 of the sensor 30 at the time of manual setting are shown in FIG. Find the point p3.
Next, a point p0 corresponding to the minimum luminance value b0 stored in the initial setting unit 70 and a point p2 corresponding to the maximum luminance value b2 are obtained. First, between the minimum luminance value b0 and the luminance value b3 by manual setting, , A straight line α1 connecting the points p0 to p3 is set as the luminance characteristic. Therefore, the luminance during this period increases linearly along the straight line α <b> 1 according to the detection value of the sensor 30.
In addition, a straight line α2 connecting the point p3 to the point p2 is set as a luminance characteristic between the manually set luminance value b3 and the maximum luminance value b2. Therefore, the luminance during this period increases linearly along the straight line α <b> 2 according to the detection value of the sensor 30.
[0018]
That is, in a simple manner, the luminance characteristic setting unit 80 corrects the intermediate value between the minimum luminance value and the maximum luminance value with the manually set value by the user while keeping the minimum luminance value and the maximum luminance value of the initial characteristic as they are, and sets the minimum The brightness between the brightness value and the manually set value is changed linearly, and the brightness between the manually set value and the maximum brightness value is changed linearly.
As a result, the minimum luminance value and the maximum luminance value remain the initial characteristics, and the luminance in the vicinity set by the user becomes a characteristic close to the set luminance, so that a luminance characteristic suitable for the user's preference can be obtained. It becomes possible.
[0019]
The user setting unit 60 stores the initial characteristic value as an initial value, so that when the user does not perform manual setting, the initial setting of the initial setting unit 70 remains in the luminance characteristic setting unit 90 as it is. To be output.
Alternatively, the user setting unit 60 is provided with a flag indicating that it has been adjusted by the user, and the luminance characteristic setting unit 80 determines whether or not the luminance has been adjusted by this flag. If the initial setting of the setting unit 70 is output as it is and has been adjusted, the characteristic setting process described above may be performed based on the setting information from the user setting unit 60.
[0020]
Further, the information from the initial setting unit 70 may be only the information of the sensor detection values and the backlight luminance values at the points p0 and p2 shown in FIG.
Further, the luminance setting information by the user is not limited to one (point p3 in FIG. 4). For example, when it is desired to set two points according to the ambient brightness, the second set value from the minimum brightness value of the initial characteristic to the first set value, from the first set value to the second set value, To the maximum luminance value of the initial characteristic may be connected by a straight line.
The backlight automatic brightness adjustment function as described above does not need to be operated at all times. For example, whether or not to operate the backlight brightness may be selected by selecting a mode by a menu operation such as a menu button (not shown). .
[0021]
In the above example, the luminance characteristic is changed while the minimum luminance value and the maximum luminance value by the initial setting are left as they are. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other methods are used. It is also possible to set the luminance characteristic.
For example, as a simpler method, when the brightness value by manual setting is higher than the ambient brightness detected by the sensor with respect to the initial characteristics as shown in FIG. On the contrary, if the brightness value by manual setting is lower than the ambient brightness detected by the sensor, lower brightness characteristics as a whole may be set.
In the above example, the brightness of the display screen is set manually. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the brightness of the display screen can be set by an arbitrary method.
For example, the brightness of the display screen may be set by remote operation via a network.
Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described backlight type liquid crystal display device, but can be similarly applied to other flat panel display devices having an automatic brightness adjustment function according to the surrounding brightness. .
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the flat panel display device of the present invention, when the brightness of the display screen is set by the user, it is based on the detected value of ambient brightness by the sensor and the brightness value set by the user. The brightness characteristic setting means for setting the brightness characteristic of the display screen is provided, and after adjustment, the brightness of the display screen is automatically adjusted based on the brightness characteristic set by the brightness characteristic setting means and the detection signal from the sensor. I tried to do it.
Therefore, according to the present invention, the luminance characteristic suitable for the user can be estimated based on the user's setting operation, and the luminance can be automatically adjusted based on the luminance characteristic. It is possible to automatically adjust the brightness reflecting the actual situation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
1A and 1B are diagrams showing a configuration of a peripheral portion of a display screen of a flat panel display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 1A is an overall front view and FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged front view.
2 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of the flat panel display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of luminance characteristics in the initial state of the flat panel display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
4 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of luminance characteristics after setting of the flat panel display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Flat panel part, 20 ... Display screen, 30 ... Sensor, 30A ... Light-receiving part, 40 ... Brightness adjustment ON / OFF button, 50 ... Brightness increase / decrease button, 50A ... Increase button, 50B ... ... Decrease button, 60 ... User setting section, 70 ... Initial setting section, 80 ... Luminance characteristic setting section, 90 ... Luminance adjustment section, 100 ... Backlight.

Claims (6)

A brightness-adjustable display screen, a sensor provided in the vicinity of the display screen for detecting ambient brightness,
Initial setting means preliminarily storing initial setting information for defining a minimum luminance value corresponding to the first ambient brightness and a maximum luminance value corresponding to the second ambient brightness;
Setting means for setting the brightness of the display screen by a user operation and setting a value of a brightness adjustment flag indicating that the brightness has been adjusted ;
A manual adjustment mode for adjusting the luminance characteristics of the display screen is determined according to the value of the luminance adjustment flag set by the setting means, and whether or not the luminance adjustment has been performed by the user's operation. And when the brightness is set by the setting means, the ambient brightness detection value by the sensor, the minimum and maximum brightness values stored in the initial setting means, and the setting Based on the first luminance value and the second luminance value set by the means, from the minimum luminance value to the first luminance value set by the setting means, from the minimum luminance value to the first luminance value set by the setting means. The linearly increasing characteristic from the first luminance value to the second luminance value is linearly increased from the first luminance value to the second luminance value. The characteristics of pressure, said second luminance value to the maximum brightness value, so each having a linearly increasing characteristic from said second luminance value to the maximum luminance value, the luminance characteristics of the display screen Brightness characteristic setting means to set;
As a result of the determination by the luminance characteristic setting means, when it is determined that the luminance adjustment has been made by the user's operation, based on the luminance characteristic set by the luminance characteristic setting means and the detection signal from the sensor. If the brightness of the display screen is automatically adjusted and it is determined that the brightness is not adjusted by a user operation, the minimum brightness value and the maximum brightness value stored in the initial setting means, A flat panel display device having brightness adjusting means for automatically adjusting the brightness of the display screen based on a detection signal from a sensor .   The flat panel display device according to claim 1, wherein the luminance characteristic setting unit sets the luminance characteristic using luminance values obtained by a plurality of settings.   The flat panel display device according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit includes an on / off button for instructing start and completion of setting, and an adjustment button for increasing / decreasing brightness.   2. The flat panel display device according to claim 1, further comprising means for selecting a mode for performing an automatic brightness adjustment operation on the display screen.   The liquid crystal display device includes a transmissive liquid crystal panel constituting the display screen and a backlight disposed on a back surface of the transmissive liquid crystal panel, and brightness adjustment of the display screen is performed by brightness adjustment of the backlight. The flat panel display device according to claim 1.   The flat panel display device according to claim 1, wherein the setting of the brightness of the display screen with respect to the setting unit is manually performed by a user.

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