Portable terminal

• US 6,959,208 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hayasaka, Katsunori, Tanaka, Eiichi, Watanabe, Yoshikazu, Kawahigashi, Yutaka, Fujii, Yoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gantt, Alan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/062,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 379/368, 455/567, 455/127.6, 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 345/170, 345/168
• US Class Current: 455/567
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In response to key operation, a portable terminal lights up an LCD unit, and also lights up keys only when it is dark around the portable phone by measuring external brightness.

Claims

1. A portable terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying a screen;

an operation member for being operated by a user;

a first light for lighting up the display unit;

a second light for lighting up the operation member;

a light sensor for detecting brightness of light external to the portable terminal;

a light control unit for turning on the first light, as well as turning on the second light according to the brightness of the external light detected by the light sensor, in response to occurrence of a predetermined first event;

a light emitter for generating a light indicating occurrence of a predetermined second event;

wherein the light sensor and the light emitter are arranged in proximity to each other; and

a window having a light transmitting member which covers both the light sensor and the light emitter, allows the external light to pass from the external of the portable terminal to the light sensor, and allows light generated by the light emitter to pass from the light emitter to the external of the portable terminal.

2. The portable terminal according to claim 1 wherein the light control unit turns on the first light according to brightness of the external light detected by the light sensor turning and turns on the second light according to brightness of the external light detected by the light sensor in response to occurrence of a predetermined first event.

3. The portable terminal according to claim 2 wherein the light control unit accepts operation of the operation member as the first event.

4. The portable terminal according to claim 2 wherein the light emitter accepts an arrival of a call as the second event.

5. The portable terminal according to claim 1 wherein the light control unit accepts operation of the operation member as the first event.

6. The portable terminal according to claim 1 wherein the light emitter accepts an arrival of a call as the second event.

7. A portable terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying a screen;

an operation member for being operated by a user;

a first light for lighting up the display unit;

a second light for lighting up the operation member;

a light sensor for detecting brightness of light external to the portable terminal;

a light control unit for turning on the first light, as well as turning on the second light according to the brightness of the external light detected by the light sensor, in response to occurrence of a predetermined first event; and

a light emitter, separate from the first and second lights, for generating a light indicating occurrence of a predetermined second event;

wherein the light sensor and the light emitter are arranged in proximity to each other; and

a window having a light transmitting member which covers both the light sensor and the light emitter, allows the external light to pass from the external of the portable terminal to the light sensor, and allows light generated by the light emitter to pass from the light emitter to the external of the portable terminal.

8. A portable terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying a screen;

an operation member for being operated by a user;

a first light for lighting up the display unit;

a second light for lighting up the operation member;

a light sensor for detecting brightness of light external to the portable terminal;

a light control unit for turning on the first light, as well as turning on the second light according to the brightness of the external light detected by the light sensor, in response to occurrence of a predetermined first event;

a light emitter for generating a light indicating occurrence of a predetermined second event;

wherein the light sensor and the light emitter are arranged in proximity to each other;

a window having a light transmitting member which covers both the light sensor and the light emitter, allows the external light to pass from the external of the portable terminal to the light sensor, and allows light generated by the light emitter to pass from the light emitter to the external of the portable terminal; and

the window being separate from the display unit.