DEVICE WITH IMPROVED DISPLAY ILLUMINATION AND METHOD THEREFORE

• US 20080309251A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lindroos, Sanna, Heikkila, Paivi, Huotari, Vesa, Koskinen, Sanna, Matero, Juha Petri
• Application Number:
  US11/761,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309251A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A device having a display, an illuminator configured to illuminate the display and a multi-way input key configured to control the illuminator upon activation. The illuminator also has a power output, the output level being arranged to be regulated upon activation of the multi-way input key proportional to a physical movement activating the multi-way input key.

Claims

1. Device comprising display means, illuminating means arranged to illuminate said display means and multi-way input means arranged to upon activation control said illuminating means and said illuminating means further having a power output and said output level is arranged to be regulated upon activation of said multi-way input means proportionately to a physical movement activating said multi-way input means.

2. Device according to claim 1 further comprising a control unit having two states, one active and one idle and wherein said control unit is adapted to execute user selected functions stored in a memory upon user selection and activation whereby the control unit assumes said active state and wherein said multi-way input means are arranged to control said illuminating means only when said control unit is in said idle state.

3. Device according to claim 1 wherein said output level can be regulated both up and down.

4. Device according to claim 1 arranged to receive user inputs and further having a locked state wherein user inputs other than the multi-way input means are ignored.

5. Device according to claim 1 wherein said multi-way input means is a scroller, rotator, slider or a joystick.

6. Device according to claim 1 wherein said multi-way input means are virtual and said display means is a touch screen.

7. Device according to claim 1 wherein said display means comprises at least one LED and illuminating means is same said at least one LED.

8. Device according to claim 1 wherein said display means comprises a backlight and wherein said illuminating means are said display means'"'"' backlight.

9. Device according to claim 1 wherein said device is portable

10. Device according to claim 1 wherein said device is battery powered

11. Device according to claim 1 wherein said device is a mobile communication device.

12. Device comprising a display, illuminator arranged to illuminate said display and multi-way input key arranged to control said illuminator upon activation and said illuminator further having a power output and said output level is arranged to be regulated upon activation of said multi-way input key proportionate to a physical movement activating said multi-way input key.

13. Device according to claim 12 further comprising a control unit having two states, one active and one idle and wherein said control unit is adapted to execute user selected functions stored in a memory upon user selection and activation whereby the control unit assumes said active state and wherein said multi-way input key is arranged to control said illuminator only when said control unit is in said idle state.

14. Device according to claim 12 wherein said output level can be regulated both up and down.

15. Device according to claim 12 arranged to receive user inputs and further having a locked state wherein user inputs other than the scroll input key are ignored.

16. Device according to claim 12 wherein said multi-way input key is a scroller, rotator, slider or a joystick.

17. Device according to claim 12 wherein said multi-way input key is virtual and said display is a touch screen.

18. Device according to claim 12 wherein said display comprises at least one LED and said illuminator is same said at least one LED.

19. Device according to claim 12 wherein said display comprises a backlight and wherein said illuminator is said display'"'"'s backlight.

20. Device according to claim 12 wherein said device is portable

21. Device according to claim 12 wherein said device is battery powered

22. Device according to claim 12 wherein said device is a mobile communication apparatus.

23. Method for controlling an illumination of a display on a device comprising an illuminator arranged to illuminate said display and a multi-way input key wherein

user input is received through said multi-way input key and

an output level of said illuminator is regulated accordingly.

24. Method according to claim 23 wherein said user input is dependent on a physical movement activating said multi-way input key and said illuminator is regulated proportionately to this movement.

25. Method according to claim 23 wherein said illuminator is regulated by regulating an output level of said illuminator.

26. Method according to claim 23 wherein said regulation is only performed if said device is in an idle state.

27. Method according to claim 23 wherein said regulation is only performed if said device is in a key locked state.

28. Component for implementing a method as in claim 23.

29. Software arranged to implement a method as in claim 23 when executed through a control unit.