JP4325895B2 - Mobile phone - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a display unit illumination control technique for a mobile phone, a so-called backlight control technique.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, liquid crystal backlight devices are well known. The cellular phone is provided with a liquid crystal display unit equipped with a backlight device for displaying a telephone number input by a key operation unit, a calling number at the time of incoming call, and the like.
[0003]
In order to save power, the mobile phone cannot always turn on the backlight. When a key operation is input or an incoming call is received, the mobile phone is turned on for a certain period of time.
[0004]
In addition, since mobile phones that have advanced one step turn on the backlight only when used in a dark place, a light receiving window is provided in the vicinity of the display unit and a light receiving sensor is provided inside to control the lighting of the backlight according to the amount of light received. . In other words, a reference voltage value equal to the sensor output corresponding to the predetermined light intensity is stored in the memory in advance, and when there is a key operation input or an incoming call, the reference voltage value is compared with the sensor output, and the backlight is constant when the surroundings are dark Control to turn on for hours. A mobile phone that has advanced one step further stores a plurality of reference voltage values and adjusts the brightness of the backlight in a plurality of stages according to the ambient brightness.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the prior art, the brightness of the surroundings where the backlight should be turned on is set in advance by the manufacturer, but it is not always easy to see in actual use. For example, there is a problem of compatibility between the light receiving sensor and the light source, and the amount of light received can be accurately detected for natural light, but when used under a street light at night, In some cases, the light receiving sensor cannot detect light or it is difficult to detect light. Also, even when used under natural light, the backlight lighting control is not always properly performed in situations where the mobile phone is spotted with light or the shadow is spotted. .
[0006]
In order to solve the above-described prior art, the present invention provides a mobile phone in which a user himself can easily and surely operate lighting / non-lighting of a backlight according to a use situation.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a sensor capable of detecting contact or proximity of an object, such as a touch sensor, on the surface of the casing of the mobile phone or in the vicinity of the surface. By touching or attaching the finger to the sensor in the vicinity, and further releasing the finger from the sensor, the backlight can be turned on and off instantaneously.
[0008]
For this purpose, the mobile phone according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with a display unit, illumination means for the display unit, a radio unit, a surface of the housing or in the vicinity of the surface of the housing, and a sensing function for contact with an object. A touch sensor, a control unit, and a key operation unit, wherein the control unit detects a call signal from a reception signal of the wireless unit and / or detects a key input operation by the key operation unit. When the operation input is detected, the touch sensor is driven, and during the detection time, the lighting means is controlled to be turned on / off based on the presence or absence of the detection output of the touch sensor.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 which is a front view of a mobile phone, FIG. 2 which is a block diagram thereof, and FIG. 3 which is a backlight control flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention. In each figure, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0011]
1 is a telephone housing, 2 is a sensor used as a backlight ON / OFF switch provided on the side of the housing 1, and 3 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) having a backlight device. ) 4 is a key operation unit, 5 is a reception unit, 6 is a transmission unit, and 7 is an antenna. When the user touches the sensor 2 while receiving a call or operating a key, the backlight of the LCD 3 is turned on, and when the finger is released, the backlight is turned off. As the sensor 2, a touch sensor that detects a current value based on a change in electrical resistance value due to sweat or temperature change, or a distance from an object or an approach of an object is detected by output of infrared rays or ultrasonic waves and reflection thereof. Various types of sensors such as distance sensors and proximity sensors can be used, but it is assumed that the backlight will be turned on regardless of the user's intention, so the type of light receiving sensor that detects the amount of ambient light Cannot be used.
[0012]
In FIG. 2, which is a block diagram of a mobile phone, 3A is an LCD driver, 3B is a backlight using a light emitting diode (LED), and 3C is an LED driver that drives an LED of the backlight. Reference numeral 8 denotes a wireless unit, 9 denotes a control unit, 10 denotes an audio signal processing unit, 11 denotes a storage unit, and 12 denotes a ringer.
[0013]
When the control unit 9 detects a call signal from the reception signal of the wireless unit 8 or detects a key input operation by the key operation unit 4, the control unit 9 drives the sensor 2. During this time, if there is a detection output from the sensor 2 due to finger contact (or proximity), a drive command control signal is output to the LED driver 3C to turn on the backlight 3B. Therefore, the backlight 3B is turned on when the user touches (or approaches) the sensor 2 during an incoming call in which the ringer 12 is ringing or an operation in which a key input operation is performed by dialing operation or the like.
[0014]
Further, in order to prevent the backlight from being turned on / off excessively depending on the presence / absence of a key operation or the contact state of a finger, about t1 seconds (for example, about 10 seconds) after neither an incoming call signal nor a key operation can be detected. Control is also performed so that the backlight 3B continues to be lit for about t2 seconds (for example, 1 second) after the detection output of ## EQU1 ## These control operations are shown as steps 101 to 110 in the flowchart of FIG.
[0015]
As described above, since it is only necessary to bring a finger into contact or proximity using a dedicated sensor, it is possible to easily and quickly control the lighting of the backlight based on the user's intention. The push button type or slide type switch may cause an erroneous operation, but in the present invention, there is no fear of an erroneous operation, and it is possible to respond to the movement of the user's finger with a good response.
[0016]
【The invention's effect】
The present invention described in claim 1 includes a display unit, illumination means for the display unit, a radio unit, a touch sensor provided on the surface of the housing or in the vicinity of the housing surface and having a sensing function for contact with an object, A control unit, and a key operation unit, wherein the control unit detects a call signal from a reception signal of the radio unit and / or detects an operation input to detect a key input operation by the key operation unit, Since it is a mobile phone that drives the touch sensor and controls lighting / extinguishing of the illumination means based on the presence or absence of the detection output of the touch sensor during the detection, it is turned on when a finger is erroneously touched during standby This can be prevented and is highly effective in achieving power saving.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a mobile phone showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a mobile phone showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a backlight control flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Telephone housing 2: Sensor 3: Liquid crystal display (LCD)
3A: LCD driver 3B: Backlight 3C using a light emitting diode (LED): LED driver for driving the LED of the backlight 4: Key operation unit 5: Reception unit 6: Transmission unit 7: Antenna 8: Radio unit 9: Control unit 10: Audio signal processing unit 11: Storage unit 12: Ringer

Claims (1)

A display unit, a lighting unit of the display unit, a wireless unit, a touch sensor provided on or near the housing surface and having a sensing function for contact with an object, a control unit, and a key operation unit, Prepared,
The control unit drives the touch sensor at the time of incoming call detection for detecting a call signal from a reception signal of the radio unit and / or operation input detection for detecting a key input operation by the key operation unit, and during the detection, A cellular phone characterized in that on / off control of the illumination means is performed based on presence or absence of detection output of a touch sensor .

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