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Brightness control platform infrastructure

This section summarizes the platform requirements for supporting brightness control functionality on a Windows PC.

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Topic Description

WDDM driver DDI brightness control interface

Windows interfaces with the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) graphics driver to determine the presence of an integrated display. If an integrated display is detected, Windows will query the WDDM driver for the DXGK_BRIGHTNESS_INTERFACE_2 interface. This interface is mandatory for all WDDM 1.2 drivers. The presence of this interface indicates that the driver supports brightness control of the integrated display.

Smooth transitions

Windows 8 is designed to provide a fast and fluid user experience.

Scenario-based backlight power optimization

All portable Windows 8 devices are expected to deliver extended battery life. This is particularly true for thin and lightweight touch-based tablet devices. The display backlight is one of the greatest consumers of power in these devices. The amount of power consumed by the display is often directly proportional to the brightness level produced by the backlight.

Integration with hardware buttons (hot keys)

Windows supports two main mechanisms for changing brightness through keyboard shortcuts (hot keys): Human Interface Device (HID), and Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) notifications.

Integration with ambient light sensor devices

Windows 8 provides native support for Ambient Light Sensors (ALS). If a platform includes ALS hardware, we recommend that system manufacturers use the guidelines provided in Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification to fully integrate the ALS hardware with Windows.

 

 

 

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