JP2001094653A - Mobile phone terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the operability with excellent user-friendliness by which an operator requires n conscious entry preparation by preventing wrong operations such that the operator enters a wrong key because the operator cannot recognize a key entry section due to a turned-out backlight in the case of entering keys for a mobile phone terminal at a dark place. SOLUTION: A key contact detection means 1 to detect contact of a human body is attached to a surface of a key of a key entry section 4. Thus, when a finger of the operator touches a key for key depression, a control section 7 lights the backlight 6 by a key contact detection signal T1 so as to light up the key entry section 4 or a liquid crystal display section 5 thereby preventing a wrong operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a portable terminal device having a backlight.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a portable terminal device generally has a backlight for illuminating a liquid crystal display portion and a key input portion so as to be usable even in a dark place such as a portable telephone. . In order to reduce power consumption, it is common to turn on the backlight at the same time that a key is input, and to automatically turn off the backlight after a lapse of a certain time after the key input. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-2378 discloses such a portable terminal device with a backlight.
No. 10 "Backlight automatic lighting and extinguishing device"
and so on.

However, when the backlight is turned off and the surroundings are dark, that is, when the liquid crystal display screen or the key operation surface cannot be seen, the backlight does not turn on unless any key input is performed, and the first input is erroneous operation. Likely to be
If an operation such as re-input or correction is required, the operator feels very troublesome. In order to solve this problem, in the "portable terminal device with backlight" described in JP-A-9-134243, when the surroundings are dark and the backlight is turned off, the first input is an operation of turning on the backlight. By enabling the original operation from the next input, the actual input can be performed after the backlight is turned on.

[0004] Even in this case, it is necessary for the operator to perform an operation for turning on the backlight every time, and the increase in the number of operations results in an annoying feeling.
The backlight-equipped mobile terminal device has a function of measuring illuminance, and when the surroundings are bright and lighting of the backlight is not necessary, the first input may not be limited to the backlight lighting operation. It is necessary to determine whether the first input is for turning on the backlight or for the original input operation, and there is a problem that it is difficult to use if the user is not conscious of it.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and it is possible to perform an original input operation without causing an operator to perform a conscious backlight lighting operation. Provide an easy-to-use portable terminal device that can turn on the backlight at the stage of key contact before pressing the key when performing key input and prevent erroneous operation even when the surroundings are dark and the display is not visible Is what you do.

Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to turn on the backlight without touching the keys by actually touching the keys when the surroundings are dark and the display cannot be seen when the backlight is turned off. For example, in a mobile phone, when the backlight is turned off, the backlight is turned on to confirm a display screen during a call in the dark, or when a call is ended in the dark, a call end key is input when the backlight is turned off. An object of the present invention is to improve the operability of the portable terminal device, such as to facilitate the operation.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal device comprising: a liquid crystal display unit; a key input unit comprising a plurality of key groups for inputting by pressing; In a portable terminal device provided with a backlight for illuminating an input unit, a key contact detection unit for detecting contact with a human body is added to at least a part of the surface of the key input unit, so that a key can be input before the key is pressed. Is detected, and an input preparation operation can be performed in advance.

[0008] The portable terminal device according to the second aspect is the first aspect.
The portable terminal device according to (1), further comprising: a backlight lighting control unit that lights the backlight based on a key contact detection signal of the key contact detection unit, so that the backlight is turned on when a key is touched before key input. ,
It is possible to prevent erroneous operation.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable terminal device.
The portable terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising: a main body contact detection unit that detects a contact of a human body on a back surface or a side surface of the portable terminal device, wherein the backlight lighting control unit outputs the main body contact detection signal. By not turning on the backlight when not in operation, the backlight is prevented from being turned on by an operator touching the key carelessly, and the backlight is turned on only when the portable terminal device is intentionally operated while being held. It is possible to make.

[0010] The portable terminal device according to the fourth aspect is the second aspect.
Alternatively, in the portable terminal device according to claim 3, illuminance detection means for detecting illuminance around the portable terminal device and outputting an illuminance level signal is provided, and the backlight lighting control means includes:
By not turning on the backlight when the output value of the illuminance detection means is equal to or more than a predetermined value, it is possible to reduce the power consumption without turning on the backlight when the surroundings are bright and the lighting of the backlight is unnecessary. .

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view (a) and a rear view (b) showing the appearance of the mobile phone of this embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes key contact detecting means for detecting contact of a human body on the surface of a key, reference numeral 2 denotes a body contact detecting means for detecting contact of a human body with a mobile phone main body, reference numeral 3 denotes illuminance detecting means for detecting illuminance, and reference numeral 4 denotes a key. , A key input unit for inputting numbers, characters, and the like by pressing, a liquid crystal display unit 5 for displaying by liquid crystal, a backlight 6 for illuminating the key input unit 4 and the liquid crystal display unit 5 from the rear, and a control unit 7 for these. A display unit that outputs information to the liquid crystal display unit 5 based on input information from the key input unit 4 and turns on the backlight 6 based on output signals from the key contact detection unit 1, the main body contact detection unit 2, and the illuminance detection unit 3. Processing is performed. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes an antenna, reference numeral 12 denotes a speaker, reference numeral 13 denotes a microphone, reference numeral 14 denotes a battery such as a lithium ion battery, reference numeral 15 denotes a battery fastener for fixing the battery 14 to the main body of the mobile phone.
Is attached to the surface of all keys of the key input unit 4, and the main body contact detection means 2 is attached to the surface of the battery fastener 15.
It is assumed that the illuminance detecting means 3 is arranged at the upper front of the mobile phone, and the backlight 6 is arranged inside the rear surface of the key input unit 4 and the liquid crystal display unit 5. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a lighting control procedure of the backlight 6 in the control unit 7.

Hereinafter, the backlight lighting operation of the portable telephone according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

When the operator grips and holds the mobile phone main body in order to use the mobile phone in a situation where the surroundings are dark, the main body contact detection signal T2 is generated because the palm contacts the main body contact detection means 2 on the back of the mobile phone main body. The illuminance level signal P output from the illuminance detection means 3 has an illuminance value L (L <K) lower than a preset threshold K because the surroundings are dark. Here, when the operator touches the key input unit 4 in order to perform a key input, the key contact detection means 1 on the key surface detects contact with a human body, and a key contact detection signal T1 is sent to the control unit 7, and 3
The control process is started according to the backlight lighting control procedure described above. In step S1, the illuminance level signal P (=
L) is true because P <K, and in the next step S2, the presence or absence of the main body contact detection signal T2 is checked. Since T2 is output by the main body contact detection means 2, step S
2 is true, the backlight 6 is turned on in step S3, and the control process is terminated.

If the surroundings are sufficiently bright when the operator touches the key, the illuminance level signal P of the illuminance detecting means 4 becomes an illuminance value H (H> K), and the step S1 becomes false, so that the backlight is not turned on. To end.

If the operator does not intend to perform key input,
For example, in the case where the portable telephone is carried around with the front face of the palm facing the palm, the key contact detection unit 1 outputs the key contact detection signal T1 when the palm contacts the key input unit 4 and starts processing. However, if the finger is not in contact with the main body contact detection means 2 on the back of the mobile phone, the main body contact detection signal T2 is not output, so that step S2 is false, and the process ends without turning on the backlight.

As described above, the operator merely performs a normal input operation, and the backlight is turned on before the input as necessary, so that operability with low possibility of erroneous operation and high usability can be obtained.

The order of steps S1 and S2 may be interchanged. In order to realize low cost, the processing of the main body contact detecting means 2 and step S2 or the processing of the illuminance detecting means 3 and step S1 may be omitted as necessary.

In this embodiment, the main body contact detecting means 2 is arranged on the surface of the battery fastener 15 on the back of the mobile phone so as not to impair the appearance of the mobile phone. If it is a position where the human body comes into contact when the mobile phone is gripped by the user, it may be arranged at any position on the back and side surfaces.

Although the present embodiment has been described with respect to a portable telephone, the present invention is not limited to a portable telephone, but is applicable to various portable information terminals such as PDAs and remote controllers such as televisions and air conditioners. Is also good.

[0020]

As described above, according to the portable terminal device of the first aspect of the present invention, at the time of key input, the operator notifies the portable terminal device of the start notification of the input preparation operation before the actual input is performed. This operation can be performed without the operator's consciousness. By providing the auxiliary information before the input and executing the input preparation process, the input is facilitated and the erroneous operation can be prevented.

Further, according to the portable terminal device of the present invention, the operator can confirm the display by touching the key even if the surroundings are dark and the display cannot be seen because the backlight is turned on before inputting. Erroneous input can be avoided without requiring a conscious input preparation operation.

According to the portable terminal device of the third aspect, the backlight is turned on only when the operator touches a key while holding the portable terminal device. When touching a key, for example, when dust on a key operation surface of a portable terminal device placed on a desk is wiped with a palm, the backlight is not turned on, thereby reducing wasteful power consumption. Becomes possible.

According to the portable terminal device of the fourth aspect, the backlight is not automatically turned on when the surroundings are bright and the backlight does not need to be turned on, so that unnecessary power consumption can be reduced. Becomes

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a front view illustrating the appearance of the mobile phone according to the embodiment; FIG. 2B is a rear view illustrating the appearance of the mobile phone according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a backlight lighting control procedure of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Key contact detection means (key surface) 2 Main body contact detection means (back of main body) 3 Illuminance detection means 4 Key input section 5 Liquid crystal display section 6 Backlight 7 Control section 11 Antenna 12 Speaker 13 Microphone 14 Battery 15 Battery fastener T1 key Contact detection signal T2 Body contact detection signal P Illuminance level signal

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A portable terminal device comprising: a liquid crystal display section; a key input section including a plurality of key groups for performing input by pressing; and a backlight for illuminating the liquid crystal display section or the key input section. A portable terminal device, wherein a key contact detection unit for detecting contact with a human body is added to at least a part of the surface of the input unit. 2. The portable terminal device according to claim 1, further comprising a backlight lighting control unit that lights the backlight based on a detection signal from the key contact detection unit. 3. A main body contact detecting means for detecting a contact of a human body is provided on the back or side of the portable terminal device, and the backlight lighting control means is configured to output the detection signal when the main body contact detecting means does not output a detection signal. 3. The portable terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the backlight is not turned on. 4. An illuminance detection means for detecting illuminance around the portable terminal device and outputting an illuminance level signal, wherein the backlight lighting control means is adapted to output the illuminance when the output value of the illuminance detection means is equal to or more than a predetermined value. The portable terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the backlight is not turned on.