Under-Display Ambient Light Sensing for Full-Screen Phones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ambient light sensors installed on mobile device screens require a specific field of view, limiting the display area and affecting user experience, and the placement of optical proximity sensors and front-facing cameras reduces the screen-to-body ratio.
Innovation Solution
Implementing ambient light detection methods that utilize a first ambient light sensor located under the display screen, allowing the entire screen to be used for display by controlling specific areas to display black pictures intermittently for light detection and adjusting luminance based on sensor readings, while optionally disabling or adjusting detection frequency based on application type or movement speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the ambient light sensor is installed on the display screen to detect ambient light, then the ambient light detection function is improved, but the usable display area is reduced and the screen-to-body ratio is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The display screen is divided into a first area and a second area. The first area is used for ambient light detection by the sensor, while the second area maintains full display functionality. This segmentation allows the sensor to be effectively utilized without permanently reducing the display area, as the first area can display content during intervals when detection is not occurring.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit controls the first area to display a black picture periodically for multiple times, then displays an image frame picture in between. This periodic action allows the ambient light sensor to detect ambient light intensity during the black picture display intervals while maintaining display functionality during other intervals, thus resolving the contradiction between detection capability and display area utilization.
2Measurement precision
If the ambient light sensor requires a specific field of view for detection, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the screen-to-body ratio is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the time dimension by implementing periodic display of black pictures and image frames. This temporal dimension allows the sensor to have its required field of view during specific time intervals without permanently occupying display space, effectively increasing the screen-to-body ratio while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Ease of operation
If the entire display screen is used to display user interface, then the user experience is improved, but the ambient light detection capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system periodically displays black pictures in the first area to enable ambient light detection, then switches to displaying image frame pictures to provide full display functionality. This periodic alternation ensures that both ambient light detection capability and user experience are maintained, as the detection intervals are brief and the display functionality is restored subsequently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables full-screen display without affecting display quality, improves user experience by maintaining consistent luminance and reducing sensor interference, and enhances detection accuracy through multiple sensor placements.
Implementation Method 1
a first ambient light sensor located under the display screen... obtaining an intensity of ambient light detected by the first ambient light sensor
Data Source
AI summary
This application relates to the field of communications technologies, and provides ambient light and optical proximity detection methods, a photographing method, and a terminal, so that an entire display screen of the terminal is used to display a user interface, and this improves user experience. The method specifically includes: controlling, by a terminal, some areas of a display screen to display a black picture for a plurality of times; and when the areas display the black picture, obtaining approaching data of the external object detected by an optical proximity sensor to control turning on or off of the display screen.