JPH0926837A - Illumination control system and information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the workable time of a portable information processor that is driven by a battery in particular by reducing the power that is used for illumination of a display device even while the information processor is operating. SOLUTION: An input detection means 12 detects the presence or absence of the input supplied from a keyboard 10 and a mouse 11, and an input interval decision means 13 compares the time intervals set previously with each other. When the input lasts, the power supplied to a back light 15 is gradually reduced in a power drop mode 14b. Thus the brightness of the light 15 is reduced in such a degree where a user is not conscious of it. When no input is supplied during a set time interval, the light 15 is turned off in a lights-out mode 14c. When the input is started again, the power is supplied to the light 15 in an initial lighting mode 14a. Thus the light 15 is turned on in the initial luminance, and the mode 14a is switched again to the mode 14b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technique for reducing power consumption related to display in an information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A lighting control method for reducing power consumption in a conventional information processing apparatus will be described below.

As a first conventional example, JP-A-3-27420
Publication No. In this conventional example, the backlight of the liquid crystal display device is turned off when there is no key input for a certain period of time, and when the key input is restarted, the backlight is turned on to eliminate the power consumption of the backlight when not in use. A technique for extending the battery life when the battery is driven is disclosed.

As a second conventional example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-13179.
Publication No. In this conventional example, there is disclosed a technique of suppressing power consumption by turning off the backlight when the content displayed on the liquid crystal display device is not changed for a predetermined time.

As a third conventional example, JP-A-5-22478
No. 7 can be cited. This conventional example discloses a technique of improving the efficiency of power consumption control by changing the timing of turning off and turning on the backlight according to the variation of the usage status of the information processing device user.

As a fourth conventional example, JP-A-7-14043
No. 8 publication. This conventional example discloses a technique of turning off the backlight when the video signal is at the black level for a certain period of time.

[0007]

However, the conventional illumination control method in the information processing apparatus is such that there is no key input or the display screen is not changed, that is, the use of the information processing apparatus is temporarily suspended. In addition, the illumination such as the backlight is turned off, and there is a problem that the power consumption is not reduced due to the illumination during use.

The present invention solves such a problem by reducing power consumption related to lighting even when using an information processing device such as key input, and particularly when using a battery as a power source. It is intended to provide an information processing device having a long available time.

[0009]

A first illumination control system of the present invention comprises a display device, illumination means for illuminating the display device, and illumination power supply means for supplying power to the illumination means.
An input detecting means for detecting an input from a keyboard or a mouse in an information processing device, an input interval determining means for detecting a time interval of the input and comparing it with a preset time interval, and an input interval determining means for detecting the input time interval. In the information processing apparatus including a lighting power control unit that controls the power of the lighting power supply unit by a signal, when the time interval of the input is shorter than a set time interval, the lighting power supply unit changes the lighting unit to the lighting unit. The supplied electric power is gradually reduced between the initial set electric power and the minimum set electric power, and when the time interval of the input is longer than the set time interval, the lighting means is turned off, and when the input is restarted. Is to restore the power supplied from the lighting power supply means to the lighting means to the initial setting power.

A second illumination control system of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first illumination control system of the present invention, a user can change the set value of the set time interval.

A third illumination control system of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first or second illumination control system of the present invention, a user can change the set value of the minimum set power.

A fourth illumination control method of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first to third illumination control methods of the present invention, the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

A first information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises at least an information processing means, a display device, a lighting means for illuminating the display device, an input means such as a keyboard or a mouse, and a built-in battery as a power source. In the information processing device provided, the illumination means is controlled by the first to third illumination control methods of the present invention.

A second information processing apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first information processing apparatus of the present invention, the display device is a liquid crystal display device.

[0015]

When the information processing apparatus is turned on and started to be used, electric power is supplied to the illuminating means so as to illuminate the display device with the initially set brightness.

After that, when there is a key input or a mouse input within a certain time interval, that is, when the operation is continued toward the information processing apparatus, the power supplied to the illumination means is gradually reduced. , Reduce the brightness of the lighting. The brightness of the illumination is gradually reduced so that the user does not recognize the change in the brightness.

Further, when there is no key input or mouse input within the time interval for determining that there is no input for a while, that is, when the operation is interrupted, the illumination is turned off.

When the input is resumed again, the display device is illuminated with the initially set luminance, and subsequently, the presence or absence of the input is detected and the illumination is reduced, turned off, and turned on in the same manner as described above.

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on embodiments.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an illumination control system in the case of illuminating a display device (not shown) by a backlight which is an illumination means.

When the information processing device is activated, the backlight control means 14 including the illumination power supply means for supplying power to the backlight and the illumination power control means for controlling the power of the illumination power supply means is in the initial lighting mode 14a, The backlight 15 is supplied with electric power so as to have a predetermined brightness.
Lights up.

Immediately thereafter, the backlight control means 14 enters the power reduction mode 14b, gradually starts to decrease the power supplied to the backlight 15, and gradually decreases the brightness of the backlight 15. An inverter circuit is used to control the power supplied to the backlight 15. The brightness of the backlight is gradually reduced to the extent that the user does not recognize the change in brightness. For that purpose, it is desirable to control the brightness not to be decreased at regular intervals but to be decreased continuously with the passage of time.

If the brightness of the backlight is lowered to make it difficult to see characters and the like, it causes fatigue. Therefore, the minimum brightness is set, and the brightness should not be lower than that. It is desirable for the user to be able to change this minimum brightness setting value.

The input detection means 12 detects a key input on the keyboard 10 or a click on the mouse 11.

When the input is detected, the input interval determining means 1
The time interval from the previous input is calculated by 3, and it is determined whether the input interval is shorter or longer than the preset time interval to determine whether or not to continue the reduction in the brightness of the backlight.

If the input interval is shorter than the set time interval, the backlight control means 14 continues the power reduction mode for gradually reducing the brightness of the backlight 15.

When the input interval becomes longer than the set time interval, that is, when the set time has elapsed from the last input, the backlight control means 14 enters the extinguishing mode 14c to turn off the backlight 15.

When the key input or the mouse input is made again after the backlight is turned off, the backlight control means 14 becomes the initial lighting mode 14a and the backlight 15 is lit at the initially set brightness, and then the power reduction mode 14 is again set.
The process moves to b and the above control is repeated.

It is desirable that the user can change the set value of the set time interval.

The change in the brightness of the backlight according to the above illumination control method is shown in FIG.

(Embodiment 2) This embodiment is a portable information processing apparatus equipped with a liquid crystal display device using a backlight controlled by the illumination control system described in Embodiment 1 as an illumination light source, and a built-in battery. is there.

Since the power consumed by the backlight can be suppressed, the time during which the device can be used can be lengthened by charging the built-in battery once.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the illumination control system of the present invention can be applied not only to liquid crystal display devices but also to power consumption reduction of light emitting displays such as CRTs and plasma displays.

[0034]

The illumination control system of the present invention has an effect that the power consumption related to the illumination can be suppressed not only when the operation of the information processing apparatus is interrupted but also during the operation.

Further, in the information processing apparatus for controlling the lighting by the lighting control system of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the power consumption to be low and to prolong the usable time when the built-in battery is used. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an illumination control system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a change in luminance according to the illumination control system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 keyboard 11 mouse 12 input detection means 13 input interval determination means 14 backlight control means 14a initial lighting mode 14b power reduction mode 14c extinguishing mode 15 backlight

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A display device, lighting means for illuminating the display device, lighting power supply means for supplying power to the lighting means, and input detection means for detecting an input from a keyboard or a mouse in the information processing device. An input interval determination means for detecting the time interval of the input and comparing it with a preset time interval; and a lighting power control means for controlling the power of the lighting power supply means by a signal from the input interval determination means. In the information processing apparatus including, when the time interval of the input is shorter than a set time interval, the power supplied from the lighting power supply means to the lighting means is gradually increased from an initial setting power to a minimum setting power. Decrease,
When the time interval of the input is longer than the set time interval, the lighting means is turned off, and when the input is restarted, the power supplied from the lighting power supply means to the lighting means is set to the initial setting power. Lighting control method characterized by returning to. 2. The illumination control system according to claim 1, wherein a user can change a set value of the set time interval. 3. The illumination control system according to claim 1, wherein a user can change the set value of the minimum set power. 4. The illumination control system according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device. 5. An information processing apparatus comprising at least information processing means, a display device, lighting means for illuminating the display device, input means such as a keyboard or a mouse, and a built-in battery as a power source. An information processing apparatus, wherein the means is controlled by the illumination control system according to claim 1. 6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display device is a liquid crystal display device.