Information processing apparatus

• US 6,597,339 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Kiyohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Application Number:
  US09/661,917
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 345/102, 345/87, 362/31, 349/61, 349/62, 349/68, 349/69, 349/70
• US Class Current: 345/102
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/062 Adjustment of illumination source parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/022 in absence of operation, e.g. no data being entered during a predetermined time
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

In an information processing apparatus, the power consumption can be reduced by controlling the luminance of a backlight, without degrading operability of the apparatus. In the information processing apparatus having an LCD with a backlight, a CPU alters the luminance of the backlight in accordance with a content of a process (application program) to be executed, or a display content of information on the LCD. Where it is not necessary that the display content on the LCD be presented to the user in such a way that the display content may easily and clearly viewed by the user, the luminance of the backlight is decreased to save power consumption.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display device for displaying information;

a backlight arrangement capable of providing various luminance levels of light to the display device;

discrimination means for discriminating a display content of information displayed on the display device;

screen control means for controlling a luminance of backlight provided to the display device in accordance with the display content discriminated by the discrimination means; and

transmission/reception means for transmitting/receiving an e-mail, wherein the screen control means decreases the luminance of the backlight where the discrimination means has determined that a screen image indicative of a state in which the e-mail is being transmitted is to be displayed on the display device.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein level of the decreased luminance is a minimum luminance level of pre-determined luminance levels for activating the backlight means.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screen control means restores the luminance of the backlight to the luminance level prior to the transmission of the e-mail, where the discrimination means has determined that a screen image after the transmission of the e-mail is to be displayed on the display device.

4. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display device for display information;

a backlight arrangement capable of providing various luminance levels of light to the display device;

discrimination means for discriminating a display content of information displayed on the display device;

screen control means for controlling a luminance of backlight provided to the display device in accordance with the display content discriminated by the discrimination means; and

transmission/reception means for transmitting/receiving an e-mail, wherein the screen control means alters the luminance of the backlight to a first luminance level where the discrimination means has determined that an input screen for inputting information relating to the e-mail is to be displayed on the display device, and the screen control means alters the luminance of the backlight to a second luminance level lower than the first luminance level where the discrimination means has determined that a screen for confirming information relating to the e-mail is to be displayed on the display device.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the screen control means alters the luminance of the backlight to a third luminance level lower than the second luminance level where the discrimination means has determined that a screen image indicative of a state in which the e-mail is being transmitted is to be displayed on the display device.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the screen control means alters the luminance of the backlight to the second luminance level where the discrimination means has determined that a screen image after the transmission of the e-mail is to be displayed on the display device.

7. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display device for displaying information;

a backlight arrangement capable of providing various luminance levels of light to the display device;

discrimination means for discriminating a display content of information displayed on the display device;

screen control means for controlling a luminance of backlight provided to the display device in accordance with the display content discriminated by the discrimination means; and

second determination means for determining whether a predetermined time period has passes since a latest operation of camera operation means, wherein

when the second determination means has determined that the predetermined time period has passed since the latest operation of the camera operation means, the screen control means decreases the luminance of the backlight.