Portable navigation device

Abstract

A navigation device is configured to allocate display setting such as color schemes and screen contents to at least one ambient lighting condition, monitors and evaluates a signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions and determines whether display settings for the current ambient lighting conditions are already in use and to change display settings so that they suit current ambient lighting conditions if needed.

1 . A portable navigation device comprising:
 a processor and memory arranged to allocate and store different display settings for at least two ambient lighting conditions,   an ambient light sensor arranged to provide a signal indicative of a current ambient lighting condition which said processor can evaluate,   means for displaying and setting said different display settings,   
       Wherein said processor
 determines if a current display setting is appropriate for the evaluated ambient lighting condition, 
 determines whether an option enabling automatic changing of the current display setting depending on the evaluated ambient lighting condition is set, 
 
       and if such determinations are positive, 
       automatically changes the current display setting to an alternate display setting. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said display settings for said at least one ambient lighting conditions comprise at least one of an appropriate view, a backlight level, and a color scheme. 
     
     
         4 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings is a day view. 
     
     
         5 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings is a night view. 
     
     
         6 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings comprises: a three dimensional view of a map; and schematic representation of the sky at daytime. 
     
     
         7 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings comprises: a three dimensional view of a map; and a schematic representation of the sky at nighttime. 
     
     
         8 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a high backlight level and a color scheme using brighter colors. 
     
     
         9 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a low backlight level and a color scheme using darker colors. 
     
     
         10 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a color scheme using inverted colors. 
     
     
         11 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 3 , wherein said color scheme is stored as a plugin. 
     
     
         12 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , further configured to change said current display setting to said selected display setting through gradually changing backlight levels from a current backlight level to a level allocated to said selected display setting. 
     
     
         13 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 12 , wherein the gradually changing backlight levels comprise a predefined number of incremental jumps ranging from the backlight level for current display setting to the backlight level for said selected display setting. 
     
     
         14 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 13 , wherein said gradually changing backlight levels comprise five incremental jumps. 
     
     
         15 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions comprises a signal from a light sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 15 , further configured to buffer said signal from a light sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 16 , wherein said light sensor is located on a printed circuit board of said navigation unit. 
     
     
         18 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said signal indicative of ambient lighting conditions comprises a signal from a headlight sensor. 
     
     
         19 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 18 , wherein said headlight sensor is wired to said navigation device directly or through its docking unit. 
     
     
         20 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 19 , further configured to ask confirmation from the user when docking/undocking said navigation device. 
     
     
         21 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 18 , wherein said headlight sensor is wirelessly connected to said navigation device. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , comprising a touch screen display with a light emitting diode backlight. 
     
     
         26 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , further configured to display a confirmation dialog to the user after changing said current display setting to said selected display setting. 
     
     
         27 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , further configured to display a confirmation dialog to the user before changing said current display setting to said selected display setting. 
     
     
         28 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , further configured to change said current display setting to a display setting manually selected by the user of said navigation device. 
     
     
         29 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 1 , further configured to enable or disable at least one function of said navigation device when changing display setting. 
     
     
         30 . The portable navigation device according to  claim 29 , wherein said at least one function comprises one of a star map, points of interests, information relating to map items or a planned route, warning about speed limits, warning about driving breaks, displaying traffic information, displaying weather information, menu items, and menu color schemes. 
     
     
         31 . A method for automatically adjusting visibility of a portable navigation device display, the method comprising the steps of:
 allocating and storing different display settings for at least two ambient lighting conditions,   evaluating a signal indicative of a current ambient lighting condition,   determining if a current display setting is appropriate for the evaluated ambient lighting condition,   determining whether an option enabling automatic changing of the current display setting depending on the evaluated ambient lighting condition is set,   
       and if such determinations are positive,
 automatically changing the current display setting to an alternate display setting. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said step of allocating display view settings comprises selecting at least one of an appropriate view, a backlight level, and a color scheme. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display settings is a day view. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display settings is a night view. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a three dimensional view of a map; and schematic representation of the sky at daytime. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a three dimensional view of a map; and a schematic representation of the sky at nighttime. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a high backlight level and a color scheme using brighter colors. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display settings comprises a low backlight level and a color scheme using darker colors. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein one of said display, settings comprises a color scheme using inverted colors. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein said color scheme is stored as a plugin. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the step of changing further comprises gradually changing backlight levels from a current backlight level to a level allocated to said selected display setting. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the step of gradually changing backlight level comprises a predefined number of incremental jumps ranging from a backlight level for current display mode to another backlight level for said selected display mode. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein said gradually changing backlight level comprises five incremental jumps. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said step of monitoring further comprises receiving a signal from a light sensor. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44 , wherein said step of monitoring further comprises buffering said signal to filter temporary changes in ambient lighting conditions. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 45 , wherein said light sensor is located on a printed circuit board of said portable navigation device. 
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said step of monitoring further comprises receiving a signal from a headlight sensor. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein said headlight sensor is wired to said portable navigation device directly or through its docking unit. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 48 , further comprising the step of confirming connection of said portable navigation device to said signal. 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 48 , wherein said headlight sensor is wirelessly connected to said navigation device. 
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said display is a touch screen display with light emitting diode backlight. 
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said step of changing further comprises presenting a confirmation dialog to the user of said portable navigation device. 
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein said step of changing is delayed until a confirmation is given by the user of said navigation device. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said step of selecting a display setting is performed manually by the user of said navigation device. 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein said step of changing comprises the step of enabling or disabling at least one function of said navigation device. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 55 , wherein said at least one function comprises one of a star map, points of interests, information relating to map items or a planned route, warning about speed limits, warning about driving breaks, displaying traffic information, displaying weather information, menu items, and menu color schemes.