# US 10,269,327 B2 · Display control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,269,327 B2 - Document ID: US10269327B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/239,893 - Filed: 2016-08-18 - Published: 2017-07-06 - Granted: 2019-04-23 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-18 - Assignees: Zero360, Inc. - Applicants: Zero360, Inc. - Inventors: Peter Karsten - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10269327B2 ## CPC - G09G 5/10: Intensity circuits - G06F 1/3218: of display devices - G06F 1/3265: {Power saving in display device} - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus - G09G 5/003: {Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto (specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092)} - G06F 2203/04803: Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas - G09G 2320/0626: for control of overall brightness - G09G 2320/0686: with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours - G09G 2320/08: Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal - G09G 2330/021: Power management, e.g. power saving - G09G 2330/023: using energy recovery or conservation - G09G 2354/00: Aspects of interface with display user - G09G 2360/144: the light being ambient light - Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract A method for controlling a display includes segmenting the display; assigning an importance level to at least one of the segments; and selectively setting the luminance of said segment in dependence on its importance level. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling a display, the method comprising: segmenting the display into two or more simultaneously visible segments; assigning an importance level to individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments; and selectively setting a luminance of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments in dependence on the assigned importance level as well as predicted future battery usage. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the setting of the luminance of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments comprises supplying power to the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments, a level of the power delivered to the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments being determined by the importance level assigned to the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2 wherein the level of power supplied to the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments determines the luminance of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 further comprising determining the available battery charge required to power said display and the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4 comprising setting the luminance of one of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments in dependence on the available battery charge, a relative luminance of individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments in dependence on their relative assigned importance levels and the available battery charge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) A method according to claim 4, further comprising predicting future battery usage and setting the luminance of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments in dependence on the predicted future battery usage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6 wherein predicting the future battery usage comprises predicting anticipated user behaviour based on previous usage data of one or more users or one or more indirect triggers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments is defined by software, and wherein one or more of a position and geometry of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments varies in dependence on an operation of an underlying software application. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments is defined by a particular physical area of the display, and wherein a geometry of the particular physical area is configurable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein the assigning of an importance level to a segment of individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments is based on one or more user inputs; wherein the display is a touchscreen of a device and the one or more user inputs comprises at least one of: a pinch action on said display; finger proximity to the device; and movement of the device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1 wherein importance levels are assigned without any direct user interaction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 wherein importance levels are one or more of determined or assigned based on at least one or more of the following: environmental conditions in which the display is located; a detected location of the display; a detected motion of the display; a user operating mode; and one or more of a nature or type of graphical interface elements being displayed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 wherein importance levels are one or more of determined or assigned based on an ambient light level. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 wherein an importance level is assigned based on a calendar event; wherein a calendar application is assigned an importance level in dependence on the calendar event. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 wherein importance levels are one or more of determined or assigned based on received biometric data; wherein the biometric data comprises heart rate data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A method according to claim 12 wherein an importance level is determined based on the information being displayed on a segment of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments. ### Claim 17 A device having a display, the device comprising: means for segmenting the display into two or more simultaneously visible segments; means for assigning an importance level to individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments; and means for selectively setting a luminance of a segment of the individual ones of the two or more simultaneously visible segments in dependence on the assigned importance level and a predicted future battery usage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A device according to claim 17, the device being portable; and comprising a smartphone or a wearable device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A device according to claim 17 further comprising a user interface for segmenting the display into the two or more simultaneously visible segments. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A device according to claim 17 further comprising a user interface for assigning one or more importance levels to the two or more simultaneously visible segments.