JP2000243074A - Electronic equipment having sleep timer function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily confirm the residual time of a sleep timer by counting and displaying a set sleep timer hour, and varying the brightness of a display in accordance with a count value of the timer hour. SOLUTION: A backlight is provided in a display section 3 consisting of a fluorescent display tube and a LCD, and in a dimmer control section 6, the brightness of a display of a backlight is switched by control of a microcomputer 1. The degree of brightness of a display can be controlled by plural steps and a residual time until turning off of a power source is displayed by utilizing a stepwise adjustment. While a sleep timer function is operated, as the brightness of a display of the display section 3 is gradually darkened as a time elapses, an approximate residual time of a timer 2 counting a sleep timer hour previously set can be recognized by recognizing the variation of brightness from a position from which display contents cannot be seen directly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an electronic device having a sleep timer function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some electronic devices such as audio system components have a function called a sleep timer. In this function, the user sets the time until the power is turned off, and the power is automatically turned off when a certain time has elapsed from the time when the execution of the sleep timer is set. Normally, the number of minutes to turn off the power is displayed on a display.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the conventional sleep timer. In FIG. 3, first, the sleep timer function is turned on in step S21, and the time until the power is turned off is set. In step S22, it is determined whether the time is up.

If the answer to S22 is NO, the process proceeds to S23 to continue counting by the timer, and then displays the remaining time on the display in S24, and then waits for a fixed time in S25.
Then, the process returns to S22.

If the answer to S22 is yes, the process proceeds to S26,
The power is turned off, and then the operation is terminated in S27.

In this way, for example, if the time until the power is turned off is set to 10 minutes, the remaining time is displayed on the display, for example, 9 minutes, 8 minutes,. . . Is displayed, and the power is turned off after 10 minutes.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, only the number of minutes remaining until the power is turned off is displayed by a number. For example, when an electronic device is placed in a bedroom or the like at a position slightly away from the bed. Is hard to see this display.

When the electronic device has a large number of functions and uses a fluorescent display tube or the like having a small number of items that can be displayed as a display, the display mode is switched in accordance with the operation of each function. ing. Therefore, if any other function is operated when the sleep timer function is turned on, the display on the display automatically switches to the display for the other function described above. Therefore, when it is desired to check the remaining time of the sleep timer, the display mode of the display must be manually switched to the display for the sleep timer function every time, which is inconvenient.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device having a sleep timer function that makes it easy to check the remaining time of the sleep timer.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above objects, an electronic device having a sleep timer function according to the present invention comprises:
Timer means for counting the set sleep timer time, display means, dimmer means for changing the brightness of the display means, and dimmer means for changing the brightness of the display means according to the count value of the timer means. Control means for performing the operation. This makes it easier to check the remaining time of the sleep timer.

In another aspect of the invention, in addition to the electronic device having the sleep timer function of the above-described invention, the control means includes a dimmer that changes the brightness of the display means stepwise according to the count value of the timer means. Controlling means. Thereby, it is possible to know stepwise how long the remaining time of the sleep timer is.

According to another aspect of the present invention, in addition to the electronic device having a sleep timer function of each of the above-described inventions, a recording medium reproducing unit is incorporated as an input source, and the control unit performs recording before the time-out of the count of the timer unit. When the reproduction of the medium reproduction unit is completed, the power of the electronic device is controlled to be turned off at the end of the reproduction. This can prevent the sleep timer from continuing in a silent state.

In another aspect of the invention, an external input source is connected in addition to the electronic device having a sleep timer function of each of the above-described inventions, and the control means controls the external input source before the time-out of the count of the timer means. When the power is turned off, the sleep timer is suspended according to the power-off information. This can prevent the sleep timer from continuing in a silent state.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic apparatus having a sleep timer function according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the electronic device is, for example, an audio device.

The audio device includes a microprocessor 1 for controlling the operation of the entire device, a timer 2 as a sleep timer, a display unit 3 including a fluorescent display tube and an LCD (liquid crystal display), a power supply unit 4, A key input unit 5 and a dimmer control unit 6 for adjusting the brightness of the display unit 3
And a tuner unit 7 including an AM / FM tuner,
The recording medium reproducing unit 8 includes a CD reproducing mechanism or an MD (mini-disc) reproducing mechanism, an input selector 9, an amplifier unit 10, and a speaker 11.

The microcomputer 1 includes a key input unit 5
The control is performed so that various functions are executed by the operation of a predetermined operation key. For example, the microcomputer 1 switches the input selector according to the operation of the above-mentioned predetermined operation key, and selects the tuner unit 7 or the recording medium reproducing unit 8 as an input source. The signal from the selected tuner unit 7 or recording medium reproducing unit 8 is transmitted to the amplifier unit 10
And is output to a speaker (not shown).

A backlight (not shown) is provided in the display unit 3 including a fluorescent display tube and an LCD, and the dimmer control unit 6 switches the brightness of the display of the backlight under the control of the microcomputer 1. In addition, the degree of lightness and darkness of the display can usually be adjusted in a plurality of steps. This stepwise adjustment is used to indicate the remaining time until the power is turned off.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that, for example, three-step light / dark adjustment is possible, and a case is considered where the sleep timer is set to 30 minutes. The three light and dark stages are defined as a first stage (lightest), a second stage (medium brightness) and a third stage (darkest), and the timer counts down to 30-0. According to the count value, the dimmer control unit 6 performs steps 1 to 30 from
The dimmer setting of the backlight of the display unit 3 is set so that 0 to 11 are stage 2 and counts 10 to 1 are stage 3.

In this way, during operation of the sleep timer function, the light gradually becomes darker from light to dark every 10 minutes, and the power is turned off after 30 minutes.

Next, based on the flowchart of FIG.
The sleep timer function described above will be described. First, in step S1, a predetermined operation key of the key input unit 5 is used.
The sleep timer function is turned on, and the time until the power is turned off is set to, for example, 30 minutes.
At 2, the microcomputer 1 determines whether the timer 2 has timed out.

If the answer to step S2 is no, the process proceeds to step S3, where the count of the timer 2 is continued.
Then, the microcomputer 1 causes the display unit 3 to display the remaining time, and then waits for a predetermined time in step S5.
Next, in step S6, the microcomputer 1 determines whether the remaining time is in a first predetermined range, for example, 30 minutes to 21 minutes.

If the answer to step S6 is yes, the process proceeds to step S7, in which the microcomputer 1 controls the dimmer controller 6 to switch the dimmer stage to the first stage (the brightest), and then returns to step S2. Therefore, during the remaining time of 30 minutes to 21 minutes, the brightness of the display on the display unit 3 is the brightest.

Next, if the answer to step S6 is NO, the process proceeds to step S8, and the microcomputer 1 determines whether the remaining time is in a second predetermined range, for example, 20 minutes to 11 minutes. If the answer to step S8 is yes, the process proceeds to step S9, and the microcomputer 1 controls the dimmer control unit 6 to switch the dimmer stage to the second stage (intermediate brightness), and then returns to step S2. Therefore, during the remaining time of 20 minutes to 11 minutes, the brightness of the display on the display unit 3 is intermediate.

Next, if the answer to step S8 is NO, the process proceeds to step S10, where the microcomputer 1 controls the dimmer controller 6 to switch the dimmer stage to the third stage (darkest), and then returns to step S2. . Therefore, during the remaining time of 10 minutes to 0 minutes, the brightness of the display on the display unit 3 is the darkest.

On the other hand, if the answer to step S2 is YES, the process proceeds to step S11, where the microcomputer 1 controls the power supply unit 4 to be turned off, and then proceeds to step S12.
Then, the work is completed.

As described above, while the sleep timer function is being activated, the brightness of the display on the display unit 3 gradually decreases as time passes. Therefore, even from a position where the display content of the display unit 3 cannot be directly viewed, it is possible to know the approximate remaining time of the sleep timer by recognizing the change in brightness. In particular, there is no need to perform an operation when the display mode needs to be switched to check the remaining time as in the related art.

[0027]

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and applications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the dimmer stage is switched to three stages, but may be switched to two stages. For example, control may be performed so that the dimmer is darkened only for a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) immediately before the power is turned off.

When the reproduction section 8 has finished playing all the songs on a CD or MD during the operation of the sleep timer, the microcomputer 1 controls the power supply section 4 based on the information indicating the end even before the time-out of the sleep timer. It may be controlled to turn off.

In addition, an independent input source device is connected in place of the tuner unit and the reproduction unit, and when the power of the currently playing device (CD, MD, etc.) is turned off, the microcomputer 1 In response to the power-off information, the sleep timer may be interrupted and the power supply unit 4 may be controlled to be turned off.

[0030]

According to the present invention, the dimmer stage of the display unit is changed according to the remaining time while the sleep timer is running.
It becomes easier to check the remaining time of the sleep timer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an electronic device having a sleep timer function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a sleep timer function in the block diagram of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a conventional sleep timer function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microcomputer (control means) 2 Timer (timer means) 3 Display part (display means) 4 Power supply part 5 Key input part 6 Dimmer control part (dimmer means) 7 Tuner part 8 Recording medium reproducing part 9 Input selector 10 Amplifier part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A timer means for counting a set sleep timer time, a display means, a dimmer means for changing brightness of the display means, and a brightness of the display means according to a count value of the timer means. And control means for controlling the dimmer means so as to change the electronic device. 2. The sleep mode according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls said dimmer means so that the brightness of said display means changes stepwise according to the count value of said timer means. An electronic device having a timer function. 3. A recording medium reproducing unit is incorporated as an input source, and the control unit, when the reproduction of the recording medium reproducing unit is completed before the count-up of the timer unit ends, at the time of the termination, the electronic device. The electronic device having a sleep timer function according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronic device is controlled to turn off a power supply of the electronic device. 4. An external input source is connected, and said control means, before a time-out of a count of said timer means,
When the power of the external input source is turned off, the sleep timer is interrupted in accordance with the power-off information.