JP4371169B2 - Electronic device and lighting control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation unit, an electronic device that illuminates the operation unit, and an illumination control method.

  Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, handy transceivers and personal digital assistants are excellent in that they can be used regardless of time and place, but on the other hand, they have small operation parts such as display panels and key switches. Operation may be hindered. Therefore, in consideration of the operation in the dark, there are many cases where the operation unit is provided with illumination means for lighting the light.

  FIG. 4 is an external view of a mobile phone showing an example thereof. The mobile phone 1 has a display unit 4 such as a liquid crystal, several key switches 5, a speaker (receiver) 6 and a microphone (transmitter) 7 on a front surface of a case 3 with an antenna 2 projecting upward. Originally laid out and configured. Here, the key switch 5 in the mobile phone 1 is generally an on-hook or off-hook key, number keys from 0 to 9, symbol keys such as an asterisk (*) or sharp (#), a power key, and other function keys. Yes, the key switch 5 is a generic term for these.

  In such a cellular phone 1, when making a call, the number key is pressed to display the other party's telephone number on the display unit 1, the line is formed by pressing the on-hook key, and then the speaker 6 and the microphone 7 are used to contact the other party. The procedure is to call, and when receiving a call, after pressing the on-hook key, the procedure is to call the other party using the speaker 6 and the microphone 7 in the same manner. By the way, when performing such a procedure in the dark, it is inevitable to press the key switch 5, so when one of the key switches 5 is pressed (and when a cover called a flap is opened depending on the type of mobile phone). ), The display unit 4 and the key switch 5 are illuminated for a certain time (ten seconds).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart thereof. The key event is an event that occurs when any one of the key switches 5 is pressed. Depending on the type of mobile phone, a cover open event called a flap may be included. When a key event occurs (S1), first, the lights of the display unit 4 and the key switch 5 are turned on (S2). Examples of the light include a liquid crystal backlight, an edge light of a transparent panel provided on the front surface of the display unit 4, and a light emitting panel provided under the key switch 5. The key event is an event for instructing lighting, and this event may be generated by a key operation other than the key operation.

  In the prior art, when the elapsed time from the lighting of the light exceeds a set time (generally 10 seconds or more) (S3), the light is turned off (S4). In other words, the display unit 4 and the key switch 5 are illuminated for a certain time (ten seconds) from the occurrence of a key event to ensure operability in the dark.

  However, in the above prior art, since the lighting time of the light is constant, for example, the lighting may be turned off during a time-consuming operation. There was a usability problem that the light had to be turned on again by pressing. Such a problem can be solved by lengthening the lighting time of the light (determination time in step S3 in FIG. 5). However, since an electronic device such as a mobile phone is operated by a battery, battery consumption is avoided. It is not the best solution from the point of view.

  An object of the present invention is to prevent the illumination from turning off during the operation.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation unit, a first illumination unit that illuminates the operation unit for a predetermined time when a predetermined instruction is generated by the operation unit, and a processing mode of the device is a normal processing mode. And determining means for determining whether the processing mode is a specific processing mode, and controlling the first illumination means to illuminate longer than the predetermined time when the determination means determines that the processing mode is a specific processing mode. And a control means.

  The invention according to claim 2 further comprises display means and second illumination means for illuminating the display means for a predetermined time in claim 1, wherein the control means is further specified by the determination means. When it is determined that the processing mode is set, the second illumination unit is controlled to illuminate longer than the predetermined time.

  The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that, in the above-mentioned claim 1 or 2, the specific processing mode is a mode in which an operation interval of the operation means tends to be longer than the normal processing mode. To do.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an illumination step for causing the illumination unit to illuminate the operation unit for a predetermined time when a predetermined instruction is generated by the operation unit, and whether the processing mode is a normal processing mode or a specific processing mode are determined. And a control step for controlling the illumination unit to illuminate longer than a predetermined time by the illumination step when it is determined in the determination step that the processing mode is a specific processing mode. It is characterized by.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the illumination from being turned off during the operation of the operation means.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a mobile phone as an example. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile phone. It should be noted that the external view of the mobile phone is the same as that referred to in the description of the prior art (FIG. 4). In FIG. 1, 10 is a mobile phone, 11 is an antenna (corresponding to reference numeral 2 in FIG. 4), 12 is a high frequency unit, 13 is a transmission / reception unit, 14 is a receiver (corresponding to reference numeral 6 in FIG. 4), and 15 is a transmitter. (Corresponding to reference numeral 7 in FIG. 4), 16 is a display section (corresponding to reference numeral 4 in FIG. 4), 17 is a light for display section (hereinafter referred to as display section light), 18 is an operation section (indicated by reference numeral 5 in FIG. 4). 19) is a light for the operation unit (hereinafter, operation unit light), 20 is a control unit, and 21 is a battery. The control unit 20 corresponds to the determination unit, the repetition unit, and the set time change unit described in the gist of the invention.

  Here, the antenna 11 receives a reception radio wave from the nearest base station or emits a transmission radio wave to the base station, and the high frequency unit 12 converts the high frequency reception radio wave into a low frequency received signal or transmits it. A device that converts a speech signal into a high-frequency transmission radio wave, a transmitter / receiver 13 that encodes a speech signal or decodes a received signal in accordance with a predetermined telephone protocol, and a receiver 14 that receives the received signal as an audible sound. The transmitter 15 converts voice into a transmission signal, and the display unit 16 has various information necessary for telephone operation (telephone number, abbreviated number, registered name of destination, system setting display, etc.) The display unit light 17 illuminates the display unit 16, the operation unit 18 includes the key switch 5 of FIG. 4, the operation unit light 19 illuminates the operation unit 18, and the control unit 20 is a telephone. Movement With centralized control, particularly for performing the "light lighting programs" described below, the battery 21 supplies a power to the phone units. The display unit light 17 and the operation unit light 19 may be shared.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of a light lighting program, and this program is a so-called event activation type executed in response to a pressing event of a key switch (see reference numeral 5 in FIG. 4) included in the operation unit 18. It is a program. In FIG. 2, steps common to the conventional example (FIG. 5) are denoted by the same reference numerals. That is, the difference from the conventional example is that a step (S10) for determining whether or not the “specific processing mode” is entered after determining the elapse of the set time from the lighting of the light (S3). Even when the set time has elapsed, as long as the “specific processing mode” is being executed (YES determination in S10), the process returns to the determination before the set time has elapsed.

  Here, the specific process mode is a process involving a time-consuming operation, and is a process operation that tends to increase the key switch depression interval. For example, when setting the destination's abbreviated number or registered name, unless you are a very familiar person, you will be searching for key switches, and while looking at your notebook and memo, In some cases, the time set in step S3 (ten seconds) is often exceeded before the next key switch is pressed.

  In such a case, in the conventional example, since the light remains off until the next key switch is pressed, the next key switch cannot be found naturally in the dark, resulting in an erroneous operation. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, for example, as long as the set process of the other party's abbreviated number or registered name is set to the above-mentioned “specific process mode”, the set process is executed. Even if the set time elapses, a YES determination is made in step S10, and the process returns to the determination before the set time elapses again, so that the light is not turned off (S4). Therefore, during the execution of a specific processing mode, the display unit 16 and the operation unit 18 can be illuminated without interruption, and a special effect is obtained that the usability can be improved and an erroneous operation can be avoided.

  Note that, as described above, the problem of the present invention is (1) avoiding battery consumption and (2) preventing illumination from being turned off during operation. In the above embodiment, since the light can be kept on during execution of the specific processing mode, there is no doubt that (2) can be solved, but the point (1) cannot be denied. That is, when the determination in step S10 is YES, measurement of the set time (ten seconds) starts again. For example, even if the “specific processing mode” ends immediately after the YES determination in step S10, the set time This is because the light cannot be turned off until (ten seconds), and the battery is consumed for the extra light.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart in which this point is improved. In this flow as well, steps common to the conventional example (FIG. 5) are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, first, it is determined whether or not the “specific processing mode” is set after the light is turned on (S2) (S20). The definition of the specific processing mode is the same as in the above embodiment. If it is not the specific processing mode, it is determined whether it is “set time A” (S21), and if it is the specific processing mode, it is determined whether it is “set time B” (S22). Here, the set time A corresponds to the “set time” in the conventional example or the above embodiment (see step S3 in FIG. 2 or FIG. 5), and the set time B is the start of the “specific processing mode”. Typical (or average) time required from end to end. According to the definition of the specific processing mode, the set time B should obviously be longer than the set time A.

  In the above embodiment, when it is not a specific processing mode, that is, in a normal processing mode such as making or receiving a call, the set time A is applied, and this set time A is suitable for the normal processing mode. In addition, since there is no excess or deficiency, no extra lighting will occur. On the other hand, in the case of a specific processing mode, that is, when a key switch operation with a long interval is performed, the set time B is applied, and this set time B is representative (or average) suitable for the specific processing mode. In this case, too, no extra light lighting occurs. In the above embodiment, two processing modes (specific processing mode and normal processing mode) are used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the lighting time is set for each of the processing modes in two or more processing modes. It may be.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, (1) while avoiding battery consumption, (2) it is possible to prevent the illumination from turning off in the middle of the operation, so the object of the present invention can be achieved without any problems. It is preferable in that it can be performed.

  In the above embodiment, the application example to the mobile phone is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in consideration of use in the dark, telephones, handy transceivers, and portable information terminals that are connected to a wire, equipped with key event type or cover open event type lighting means (not limited to programs, but may be hard logic) Of course, the present invention can be applied to communication devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), electronic notebooks, watches, cameras, and other portable electronic devices.

It is a block diagram of an embodiment. It is a flowchart of a 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart of a 2nd embodiment. It is an external view of a mobile phone. It is a flowchart of a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

5 Key switch 16 Display unit 18 Operation unit 19 Operation unit light 20 Control unit

Claims (4)

Operation means;
A first illumination means for illuminating the operation means for a predetermined time when a predetermined instruction is generated by the operation means;
Determination means for determining whether the processing mode of the device is a normal processing mode or a specific processing mode;
Control means for controlling the first illumination means to illuminate longer than the predetermined time when the determination means determines that the processing mode is a specific processing mode;
An electronic device characterized by comprising: Display means;
Second illumination means for illuminating the display means for a predetermined time;
Further comprising
The control unit further controls the second illumination unit to illuminate longer than the predetermined time when the determination unit determines that the specific processing mode is set. 1. The electronic device according to 1.   The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the specific processing mode is a mode in which an operation interval of the operation unit tends to be longer than the normal processing mode. An illumination step for causing the illumination unit to illuminate the operation unit for a predetermined time when a predetermined instruction is generated by the operation unit;
A determination step for determining whether the processing mode is a normal processing mode or a specific processing mode;
A control step for controlling the illumination unit to illuminate longer than a predetermined time in the illumination step when it is determined in the determination step that the specific processing mode is set;
The lighting control method characterized by including.

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