Backlight device and a backlighting element

• US 6,583,579 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsumura, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/849,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 315/169.3, 315/169.1, 315/169.2, 345/102
• US Class Current: 315/169.3
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0237 Switching ON and OFF the backlight within one frame
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/06 Handling electromagnetic interferences [EMI], covering emitted as well as received electromagnetic radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336

Abstract

A backlighting element 13 includes an EL panel for illuminating the back of a display unit 11, to thereby provide a good viewing. A control unit 16 sends an instruction to a backlight driver 14, and intermittently drives the backlighting element 13 at appropriate timings, or temporarily stops the driving of the backlighting element 13 in synchronism with operation timings of a radio processing unit 17. The radio processing unit is adversely affected by noise generated when the backlighting element is operated. A light storage member is provided on the backlighting element 13 or in its vicinity. With provision of the light storage member, the lighting time of the backlighting element is reduced. When the backlighting element is lit off, the user is not put to inconvenience.

Claims

1. A backlight device comprising:

a backlighting element for illuminating the back of visually presenting means of a device; and

drive control means for intermittently driving said backlighting element at an appropriate frequency for illuminating said visually presenting means, wherein said frequency is chosen low enough or a period of said frequency is short enough such that some visible flickering of said illumination is permitted for reducing power consumption.

2. The backlight device of claim 1 further comprising a light storage member for storing light energy from one or more of light emitted from said backlighting element and natural light;

said light storage member also for spontaneously emitting light.

3. A backlight device comprising:

a backlighting element for illuminating the back of visually presenting means of a device;

drive control means for intermittently driving said backlighting element at appropriate times for illuminating said visually presenting means; and

a light storage member including a metallic compound containing a rare-earth metal, said light storage member for storing light energy from one or more of light emitted from said backlighting element and natural light;

said light storage member also for spontaneously emitting light.

4. The backlight device of claim 3, wherein said drive control means drives said backlighting element such that said visually presenting means is primarily illuminated by said backlighting element for some time periods and further wherein said visually presenting means is primarily illuminated by said light storage member for some other time periods.

5. The backlight device of claim 4, wherein said some other time periods are interspersed among said some time periods, such that a user perceives a nearly continuous illumination of said visually presenting means.

6. The backlight device of claim 3, wherein said light storage member at least partially illuminates said visually presenting means.

7. A radio communication device comprising:

a radio processing unit;

a control unit; and

a backlight device including;

a backlighting element for illuminating the back of visually presenting means of a device;

drive control means for intermittently driving said backlighting element at appropriate times for illuminating said visually presenting means; and

a light storage member including a metallic compound containing a rare-earth metal, said light storage member for storing backlight from one or more of said light emitting means of said backlighting element and natural light;

said light storage member also for spontaneously emitting light.

8. The radio communication device of claim 7, wherein said control unit stops the drive control means from driving said backlighting element when said radio processing unit is processing a radio communication.

9. The radio communication device of claim 7, wherein said drive control means drives said backlighting element such that said visually presenting means is primarily illuminated by said backlighting element for some time periods and further wherein said visually presenting means is primarily illuminated by said light storage member for some other time periods.

10. The radio communication device of claim 9, wherein said some other time periods are interspersed among said some time periods, such that a user perceives a nearly continuous illumination of said visually presenting means.

11. The radio communication device of claim 7, wherein said light storage member at least partially illuminates said visually presenting means.

12. A radio communication device comprising:

a radio processing unit;

a control unit; and

a backlight device including;

a backlighting element for illuminating the back of visually presenting means of a device; and

drive control means for intermittently driving said backlighting element at appropriate times for illuminating said visually presenting means;

wherein said control unit stops said drive control means from driving said backlighting element when said radio processing unit is processing a radio communication.

13. The radio communication device of claim 12, wherein said backlight device further includes a light storage member for storing backlight from one or more of said light emitting means of said backlighting element and natural light;

said light storage member also for spontaneously emitting light.

14. The radio communication device of claim 13, wherein said drive control means drives said backlighting element such that said visually presenting means is primarily illuminated by said backlighting element for some time periods and further wherein said visually presenting means is primarily illuminated by said light storage member for some other time periods.

15. The radio communication device of claim 14, wherein said some other time periods are interspersed among said some time periods, such that a user perceives a nearly continuous illumination of said visually presenting means.

16. A backlight device comprising:

a backlighting element for illuminating the back of visually presenting means of a device;

drive control means for intermittently driving said backlighting element at appropriate times for illuminating said visually presenting means; and

a light storage member including a film containing a light-storage material incorporated therein, said light storage member for storing light energy from one or more of light emitted from said backlighting element and natural light;

said light storage member also for spontaneously emitting light.

17. A backlight device comprising:

a backlighting element for illuminating the back of visually presenting means of a device;

drive control means for intermittently driving said backlighting element at appropriate times for illuminating said visually presenting means; and

a light storage member including a light-storage material incorporated in a sealing resin, said light storage member for storing light energy from one or more of light emitted from said backlighting element and natural light;

said light storage member also for spontaneously emitting.