Portable terminal device with power saving backlight control

• US 6,725,064 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2000
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Wakamatsu, Kiichirou, Suzuki, Tadao
• Primary Examiner(s): APPIAH, CHARLES NANA
• Application Number:
  US09/615,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550, 455/575, 455/226.4, 455/90, 455/343, 455/414.1, 345/102, 345/168, 345/169, 345/170, 379/368, 379/433, 434/307.A, 434/359, 434/318, 846/10, 846/09
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• 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 cellular phone has back light illumination for its display unit and a key unit, and is capable of receiving internet information, receiving karaoke songs, or receiving and sending electronic mails. In the case that the cellular phone is used for electronic mailing, it is checked whether the cellular phone is operated in a character/number input mode. If it is not in the input mode, only the display unit and a function key part of the key unit are illuminated. A ten key part of the key unit is illuminated only when it is to be manipulated to change display on the display unit. In the case of executing the internet function or the karaoke function, the illumination control for the display unit and the key unit is controlled in the similar manner.

Claims

1. A portable terminal device having music producing function, comprising:

a key unit having a plurality of keys thereon;

a display unit for displaying information in response to manipulation of the key unit;

an illumination unit including lighting means for illuminating the key unit and the display unit, the lighting means being separate from the display unit;

a battery for supplying the lighting means of the illumination unit with electric power;

display control means for controlling the display unit to display words of music as the information in response to output of the music during an execution of the music producing function;

end detection means for detecting an end of the music; and

light control means for controlling the lighting means of the illumination unit in a predetermined mode, so that the lighting means of the illumination unit illuminates an entire area of the display unit, continuously during a period in which the music is produced and stops illuminating the display unit by the illuminating means when the end detection means detects the end of the music.

2. A portable terminal device as in claim 1, further comprising:

check means for checking whether the key unit and the display unit are continuously illuminated by the illumination unit for a predetermined time;

the light control means controlling the illumination unit in another predetermined mode thereby to stop illuminating the key unit in response to a positive check result of the check means;

music check means for checking whether the music is stopped after the second predetermined mode of the illumination unit; and

the light control means controlling the illumination unit to stop illuminating the display unit in response to a positive check result of the music check means.

3. A portable terminal device as in claim 2, further comprising:

a touch sensor;

manipulation check means for checking whether the touch sensor is manipulated during a negative check result of the music check means,

wherein the light control means further controls the illumination unit in response to a positive check result of the manipulation check means thereby to illuminate the display unit and key unit.

4. A portable terminal device as in claim 1, wherein:

the music producing function is a karaoke function which produces both music and words of a song.

5. A portable terminal device as in claims 1, wherein the light control means limits illuminating the key unit to a predetermined time irrespective of the execution of the music producing function.

6. A portable terminal device as in claim 1, wherein the end detection means detects the end of the music based on the words of music.

7. A portable terminal device having music producing function, comprising:

a key unit having a plurality of keys thereon;

a display unit for displaying information in response to manipulation of the key unit;

an illumination unit for illuminating the key unit and the display unit;

a battery for supplying the illumination unit with electric power;

display control means for controlling the display unit to display words of music as the information in response to output of the music during an execution of the music producing function; and

light control means for controlling the illumination unit in a predetermined mode, so that the illumination unit illuminates the display unit during a period in which the music is produced and stops illuminating the display unit when the music stops.