Liquid crystal display system with variable backlighting for data processing machine

• US 5,225,822 A
• Filed: 09/21/1992
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kawano, Isao, Shiraishi, Tomikatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Eddie P.
• Application Number:
  US07/947,987
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 340/716, 340/765, 340/767, 340/781, 340/784, 340/789, 340/793, 340/798, 340/709, 350/345, 359/48
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0606 Manual adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0633 by amplitude modulation of the brightness of the illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/30 using electroluminescent panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336

Abstract

A data processing device is provided with a liquid crystal display incorporating electroluminescent backlighting, in which the electroluminescent backlighting panel is provided with several degrees of luminosity. A selection circuit specifies the degree of luminosity to allow the electroluminescent backlighting panel to generate the selected luminosity level.

Claims

1. A data processing machine, comprising:

memory means for storing control instructions and data;

processing means for executing said control instructions and processing said data;

liquid crystal display means, operatively connected to said processing means, for displaying said data, said liquid crystal display means including a backlighting panel;

driving means for driving said backlighting panel at several levels of luminosity; and

selecting means, operatively connected to said driving means, for selecting a specific level of luminosity to cause said driving means to drive said backlighting panel at said specific level;

a data latch circuit which outputs a specific luminosity level code to said driving means;

said selecting means including luminosity modification means for modifying the specific level of luminosity in the data latch circuit, by displaying data processing conditions including a cursor and back lighting column information on the display; and

means responsive to the position of the cursor on the back lighting column and the operation of a set up key for modifying specific luminance level code in the data latch circuit.

2. The data processing machine defined in claim 1, wherein said several levels of luminosity comprise a plurality of discrete values stored as digital information.

3. The data processing machine defined in claim 2, wherein said several levels comprise at least two discrete values.

4. The data processing machine defined in claim 1, wherein said backlighting panel is an electroluminescent backlighting panel.

5. The data processing machine defined in claim 1, wherein said several levels comprise four levels.

6. The data processing machine defined in claim 1, wherein said selecting means comprises a keyboard.

7. The processing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said cursor is movable for accessing a luminosity changing mode.

8. The data processing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said set up key is operable after said cursor has been moved to a backlight column.