JPH11275202A - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent illumination from being turned off in the midst of operation and further to avoid the wastful consumption of a battery by repeating illuminating processing for set time when the execution of a specified processing mode in the tendency of prolonging the operating interval of a key switch is discriminated. SOLUTION: When the execution of a specified processing mode in the which tendends to prolong the operating interval of the key switch is discriminated, the illuminating processing for a set time is repeated. Concerning such electronic equipment, a control part 20 performs centralized control for the operation of a telephone set and executes a prescribed light turning-on program and a battery 21 supplies power to the respective parts of the telephone set. Then, concerning this electronic equipment, by turning the set processing of the abbreviated number or register name of a party into the specified processing mode, for example, as long as such a processing is executed, light turning-off is prevented even after the lapse of set time. Therefore, a display part 16 or operation part 18 is illuminated without interval during the execution of the specified processing mode.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to electronic equipment,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a technique for improving an electronic device that illuminates an operation unit such as a display panel and a key switch so that the electronic device can be used even in darkness.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Portable electronic devices such as portable telephones, handy transceivers, and personal digital assistants are excellent in that they can be used at any time and place, but on the other hand, operation units such as a display panel and key switches are required. It is small and may hinder operation especially in darkness. Therefore, in many cases, the operation unit is provided with lighting means for lighting a light in consideration of operation in darkness.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a portable telephone showing an example of the above. The mobile phone 1 includes a display unit 4 such as a liquid crystal display, several key switches 5, a speaker (receiver) 6 and a microphone (transmitter) 7 on a front surface of a case 3 having an antenna 2 projecting upward. It is laid out and configured. Here, the key switch 5 in the mobile phone 1
Generally means on-hook and off-hook keys, number keys from 0 to 9, asterisk (*) and sharp (#)
And the like, a power key and other function keys, and the key switch 5 is a general term for these.

In such a mobile phone 1, when making a call, the telephone number of the other party is displayed on the display unit 1 by pressing a number key, and a line is formed by pressing an on-hook key. When receiving a call, the on-hook key is pressed, and then the procedure for talking with the other party using the speaker 6 and the microphone 7 is similarly performed. By the way, when such a procedure is performed in the dark, it is unavoidable to press the key switch 5 erroneously. Therefore, when any 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 (several ten seconds).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operation. 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). The light is, for example, a liquid crystal backlight, an edge light of a transparent panel provided on the front surface of the display unit 4, a light emitting panel provided below the key switch 5, and the like. It should be noted that the key event is an event for instructing to turn on the illumination, and this event may be generated other than by a key operation.

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

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned 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 is a usability problem that the light must be turned on again by pressing an appropriate key switch each time. Although such a problem can be solved by making the lighting time of the light longer (the determination time in step S3 in FIG. 5), since the electronic device such as the mobile phone operates on the battery, the consumption of the battery is avoided. Not the best solution from a point of view.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the light from being turned off during the operation. Furthermore, in addition to this purpose, it is another object of the present invention to avoid consumption of a battery of an electronic device driven by a battery, such as a portable terminal.

[0009]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A determination unit configured to determine execution of a specific processing mode in which an operation interval of a key switch tends to be long in an electronic device that controls to turn on a light until a set time elapses from a time when a predetermined instruction is issued; A repetition means for repeating the elapse determination of the set time when the execution of the specific processing mode is judged by the judgment means. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a specific processing mode in which an operation interval of a key switch tends to be long in an electronic device that controls to turn on a light from a time when a predetermined instruction is issued until a set time elapses. And a set time changing means for increasing the set time when the execution of the specific processing mode is judged by the judgment means.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, taking a mobile phone as an example. FIG.
1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile phone. The external view of the mobile phone is that referred to in the description of the prior art (FIG. 4).
Shall be diverted. 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 transmitting / receiving unit, and 14 is a receiver (reference numeral 6 in FIG. 4).
, 15 is a transmitter (corresponding to reference numeral 7 in FIG. 4), 16
Is a display unit (corresponding to reference numeral 4 in FIG. 4), 17 is a light for the display unit (hereinafter, display light), 18 is an operation unit (corresponding to reference numeral 5 in FIG. 4), and 19 is a light for the operation unit ( Hereinafter, an operation unit light), 20 is a control unit, and 21 is a battery. The control unit 20 corresponds to the determining unit, the repeating unit, and the set time changing unit described in the gist of the invention.

Here, the antenna 11 receives a radio wave from the nearest base station or emits a radio wave to the base station, and the high frequency section 12 converts the high frequency radio wave into a low frequency reception signal. The transmission / reception unit 13 encodes a transmission signal or decodes a reception signal in accordance with a predetermined telephone protocol, and the receiver 14 receives a reception signal. Audible sound, the transmitter 15 converts voice into a transmission signal, and the display unit 16 displays various information (telephone number, abbreviated number, registered name of the destination, system setting) required for telephone operation. 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, the control unit. 20 As well as centralized controlling telephone operation, particularly those 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.
Is a so-called event-activated program that is executed in response to a depression event of a key switch (see reference numeral 5 in FIG. 4) included in the 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) of determining whether or not the mode is the “specific processing mode” is inserted after determining the elapse of the set time from the lighting of the light (S3). Even if the set time has elapsed, as long as the “specific processing mode” is executed (YE in S10)
S determination) lies in returning to the state before the determination of the elapse of the set time.

Here, the specific processing mode is a processing involving a time-consuming operation, and is a processing operation in which the interval of pressing the key switch tends to be long. For example, when setting the abbreviated number or registered name of the other party, unless you are a very familiar person, you will perform key operations in the May rain type while looking for a key switch and looking at a notebook or 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, the light remains off until the next key switch is pressed, so that the next key switch cannot be found in the dark, which leads to an erroneous operation. I will. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, for example, by setting the setting process of the abbreviated number and the registered name of the other party to the above-described “specific processing mode”, Even if the set time elapses, a YES determination is made in step S10, and the process returns to before the determination of the elapse of the set time, so that the light does not go off (S4). Therefore, during execution of the specific processing mode, the display unit 16 and the operation unit 18 can be illuminated without interruption, and a special effect of improving usability and avoiding erroneous operation can be obtained.

[0015] It is an object of the present invention, as described above, to prevent the illumination from being turned off during the operation while avoiding the consumption of the battery. In the above embodiment, since the light can be kept on during the execution of the specific processing mode, there is no doubt that the problem can be solved, but it cannot be denied that it is insufficient. That is, in step S10, Y
If the ES determination is made, the measurement of the set time (several ten seconds) starts again. Therefore, for example, even if the “specific processing mode” ends immediately after the YES determination in step S10, the set time (several ten seconds) elapses after that. Otherwise, the light cannot be turned off, and the battery is consumed by the extra light lighting.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in which this point is improved. In this flow, the steps common to those in the conventional example (FIG. 5) are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the present embodiment, first, after the light is turned on (S2), it is determined whether or not the “specific processing mode” is set (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 or not it is the "set time A" (S21), and if it is the specific processing mode, it is determined whether it is the "set time B" (S22).
Here, the set time A corresponds to the “set time” (see step S3 of FIG. 2 or FIG. 5) in the conventional example and the above-described embodiment, and the set time B corresponds to the start of the “specific processing mode”. It is a typical (or average) time required from to the 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 the processing mode is not a specific processing mode, that is, in a normal processing mode such as making or receiving a telephone call, a set time A is applied. Since the time is appropriate for the mode without any excess or shortage, no extra light lighting occurs. On the other hand, when the processing mode is a specific processing mode, that is, when a key switch operation with a long interval is performed, a set time B is applied, and the set time B is a representative (or average) suitable for the specific processing mode. In this case, no extra light is turned on. 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, it is possible to prevent the illumination from being turned off during the operation while avoiding the consumption of the battery, so that the object of the present invention can be achieved without any problem. It is preferred.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a portable telephone is shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a telephone, a handy transceiver, or a personal digital assistant connected to a cable equipped with a key event type or cover open event type lighting means (not limited to a program, may be hard logic) in consideration of use in the dark. And other communication devices, or PDA (Personal Digital Assistan)
t), of course, it can be applied to all portable electronic devices such as electronic organizers, watches, cameras and the like.

[0020]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that a specific processing mode in which the key switch operation interval tends to be long is executed, illumination control for a set time is repeated. It is possible to avoid turning off the light during the execution of the mode, thereby improving the usability and avoiding an erroneous operation. According to the second aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that the specific processing mode in which the key switch operation interval tends to be long is executed, the setting time of the lighting control is lengthened. By adjusting the time required for the processing mode, extra lighting can be avoided and battery consumption can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a mobile phone.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

5 key switch 16 display unit 18 operation unit 20 control unit (judgment means, repetition means, set time change means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device that controls lighting so as to turn on a light from when a predetermined instruction is issued until a set time elapses, executes a specific processing mode in which an operation interval of a key switch tends to be long. An electronic apparatus, comprising: a determination unit; and a repetition unit that repeats the determination of the elapse of the set time when the determination unit determines execution of a specific processing mode. 2. An electronic device which controls to turn on a light until a set time elapses from when a predetermined instruction is issued, executes a specific processing mode in which a key switch operation interval tends to be long. An electronic device, comprising: a determination unit that determines; and a set time changing unit that increases the set time when the execution of a specific processing mode is determined by the determination unit.