JP2008085760A - Mobile device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to realize appropriate lighting of a backlight when switching between applications without wasteful consumption of memory capacity or additional mounting work.
A main backlight, a main display for displaying an image by receiving light from the main backlight, a sub-display, and a function for controlling image display on the main display. An application execution unit 4 for executing a standby application 5c and a submenu application 5d having a function of controlling image display on the sub-display 11, and executing the standby application 5c from the execution state of the submenu application 5d. When switching to a state, the application execution unit 4 turns on the main backlight 10.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

 The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone provided with a plurality of displays.

  For example, a portable terminal such as a cellular phone includes a type that includes a plurality of displays and has a function of switching display contents of each display in accordance with a user's usage status (for example, see Patent Document 1 below).

  Hereinafter, a folder-type mobile phone will be specifically described as a mobile terminal including a plurality of displays as described above. In general, a folder-type mobile phone opens and closes a first casing provided with operation keys, a CPU, a battery, and the like, and a second casing provided with a large main display and a small sub display. The structure is freely connected. Hereinafter, the opening and closing of the first casing and the second casing is expressed as “folder opens and closes”.

The sub-display is installed on the outer surface side of the second housing so that the user can check from the outside when the folder is closed, and the main display is the user when the folder is opened. Is installed on the inner surface side of the second casing.
The main display is, for example, a normally black mode transflective liquid crystal display, and can recognize an image by light reflection as long as an image signal is supplied even when the backlight is turned off. The sub display is, for example, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display.

  An application that operates on a mobile phone having such a structure includes a main application that operates only on the main display (for example, a main menu application and a standby application) and a sub application that operates only on the sub display (such as a sub menu application). And is distinguished. When the folder is opened, image display on the main display is controlled by the main application (specifically, the CPU executing the main application program), and when the folder is closed, the sub application (specifically, the folder is closed). The image display on the sub display is controlled by the CPU executing the sub application program.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an application / display switching operation associated with opening / closing a folder. In the initial state, it is assumed that the folder is open and the main menu screen is displayed on the main display by display control by the main menu application.

  First, when the main menu application detects that a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has passed without any operation input using the operation keys (step S20), the main menu application terminates the display operation of the main menu screen, that is, its own application operation. Is finished (step S21). When the main menu application ends, a standby return event occurs, and the standby application is activated (step S22). The standby application displays a standby screen on the main display after activation (step S23). At this time, the standby application turns off the backlight of the main display for the purpose of suppressing power consumption. Here, the main menu application may turn off the backlight before processing the standby application. Although the backlight is turned off, the standby screen is visible to the user.

  When the stand-by application detects that the folder is closed (step S24), the sub-menu application is activated, while the display of the stand-by screen is terminated and the application operation is terminated (step S25). After starting, the submenu application displays a submenu screen on the subdisplay (step S26).

When the submenu application detects that the folder has been opened (step S27), the submenu application ends the submenu screen display and ends its own application operation (step S28). When the submenu application ends, the standby return event occurs again and the standby application is activated (step S29). The standby application displays a standby screen on the main display after activation (step S30). At this time, the standby application does not turn on the backlight of the main display (the standby screen is visible to the user).
International Publication No. 2003/077098 Pamphlet

  By the way, when switching from the closed folder state to the open folder state, that is, when switching from the submenu application to the standby application, the user normally opens the folder to use the main application that operates on the main display. If the backlight of the main display is turned off immediately after opening, the user feels uncomfortable or uncomfortable. On the other hand, when switching from the main menu application to the standby application, the operation key is not operated as described above, that is, when the user is not using the mobile phone. Even if the light is turned off, the user does not feel uncomfortable or uncomfortable, and the power consumption can be suppressed.

  In other words, when switching from another application to the standby application, the standby application can determine the distinction between the case where the backlight of the main display is turned on and off. However, as described above, when the submenu application is switched to the standby application, the backlight of the main display is not turned on.

  This is because the folder open / close status information is reported only to the active (active) application, so the submenu application recognizes the folder open status when switching from the folder closed status to the folder open status. This is because the standby application cannot recognize the open state of the folder and cannot determine whether the return is from the main menu application or the submenu application.

  As a solution to this problem, a method for implementing a function for distinguishing between when the backlight of the main display is turned on and when the backlight is turned off may be implemented in the standby application. However, even if such a function is implemented in the stand-by application, each time a switching source application is newly added, the main display backlight is turned on corresponding to the added application. It is necessary to implement an additional function to distinguish when turning off. Such additional mounting work requires enormous time and cost, and further, the memory capacity inside the terminal is wasted.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and realizes appropriate backlight lighting at the time of switching applications without wasteful consumption of memory capacity and additional mounting work as described above. With the goal.

 In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, as a first solution means for a portable terminal, a first light emitting means and a first light receiving a light from the first light emitting means for displaying an image are displayed. Display means, second display means, a first application having a function of controlling image display on the first display means, and a second function of controlling image display on the second display means. Application execution means for executing each of the applications, and when the application execution means switches from the execution state of the second application to the execution state of the first application, the application execution means turns on the first light emitting means. It is characterized by performing.

In the present invention, as the second solving means relating to the portable terminal, in the first solving means, the first light emitting means, the first display means, and the second display means are provided. A housing,
A first housing that is openably and closably connected to the first housing, wherein the first display means faces each other when the first and second housings are closed. The second display means is disposed on a surface other than the surfaces facing each other in the closed state of the first and second housings, and the first housing and the second housing When the casing of the second application changes from the closed state to the open state, the execution state of the second application is switched to the execution state of the first application.

 Further, in the present invention, as a third solving means relating to the mobile terminal, in the second solving means, provided with a detecting means for detecting an open / closed state of the first casing and the second casing, The application execution means turns on the first light emitting means when receiving a signal indicating that the first casing and the second casing have changed from the closed state to the open state from the detecting means. It is characterized by that.

 In the present invention, as a fourth solving means relating to the portable terminal, in any one of the first to third solving means, the application executing means executes the image display on the first display means. And a third application that is switched from the first application when the operation instruction signal is not input for a predetermined time, and when switching from the third application to the first application, the application execution means includes: The first light emitting means is turned off.

  According to the present invention, since the application execution means turns on the first light emitting means, it is not necessary to implement a function for turning on the first light emitting means in the first application that is the switching destination. The time and cost required for the work can be deleted, the wasteful consumption of the memory capacity can be suppressed, and the appropriate lighting of the first light emitting means can be realized at the time of application switching.

 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a folder type mobile phone will be described as an example of the mobile terminal. FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram of the mobile terminal T in the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal T includes a communication unit 1, an operation unit 2, a communication control unit 3, an application execution unit 4, a storage unit 5, a folder open / close detection unit (detection means) 6, and a display control unit 7. , A backlight control unit 8, a main display (first display means) 9, a main backlight (first light emitting means) 10, and a sub-display (second display means) 11.

  FIG. 2 is an external view of the mobile terminal T. As shown in FIG. 2, in the mobile terminal T, a first housing 20 and a second housing 30 are connected to each other by a hinge part 40 so as to be freely opened and closed. Among the components shown in FIG. 1, the main display 9, the main backlight 10, and the sub display 11 are provided in the first housing 20, and the communication unit 1, the operation unit 2, the communication control unit 3, The application execution unit 4, the storage unit 5, the folder open / close detection unit 6, the display control unit 7, and the backlight control unit 8 are provided in the second housing 30. In the following, the opening and closing of the first casing 20 and the second casing 30 is expressed as “folder opens and closes”.

  The sub-display 11 is installed on the back side of the first housing 20 so that the user can confirm from the outside when the folder is closed, and the main display 9 is in a state where the folder is opened. It is installed on the surface side of the first housing 20 so that the user can confirm at the time. The operation unit 2 is arranged on the front side of the second housing 30 so that the user can operate when the folder is opened. The main backlight 10 is housed in the first housing 20, and includes a communication unit 1, a communication control unit 3, an application execution unit 4, a storage unit 5, a folder open / close detection unit 6, a display control unit 7, and a backlight. The light control unit 8 is housed in the second housing 30.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the communication unit 1 performs error correction encoding, modulation, and frequency conversion to an RF frequency band of a transmission baseband signal input from the communication control unit 3 under the control of the communication control unit 3. Is transmitted to a base station (not shown) as a transmission signal. In addition, the communication unit 1 frequency-converts the signal received from the base station to the IF frequency band, and then performs demodulation and error correction decoding, and outputs the received baseband signal to the communication control unit 3. The operation unit 2 includes operation keys such as a power key, various function keys, and a numeric keypad. The operation unit 2 outputs an operation signal based on an operation input by these operation keys to the communication control unit 3.

  The communication control unit 3 is input from the communication control program 5 a stored in the storage unit 5, the received baseband signal input from the communication unit 1, the operation signal input from the operation unit 2, and the application execution unit 4. Based on the control signal and the data signal, functions related to communication of the mobile terminal T are comprehensively controlled. Specifically, the communication control unit 3 transmits a data signal input from the application execution unit 4 to the base station via the communication unit 1 based on a control signal input from the application execution unit 4. The signal received from the base station (reception baseband signal) is subjected to predetermined signal processing and output to the application execution unit 4. The communication control unit 3 outputs an operation signal input from the operation unit 2 and other control signals to the application execution unit 4.

  The application execution unit 4 reads various application programs stored in the storage unit 5 based on operation signals, control signals, data signals, and the like input from the communication control unit 3, and applications defined by these application programs Execute. As the above applications, a main application (such as the main menu application 5b and the standby application 5c) that operates only on the main display 9 and a sub application (such as the submenu application 5d) that operates only on the sub display 11 are storage units. 5 is stored.

  The main menu application 5b generates a main menu screen for the main display 9, or executes the contents of the instruction input from the user received on the main menu screen. When there is no instruction input from the user for a predetermined time (when there is no operation signal from the operation unit 2), it has a function of switching to the standby application 5c. As a function of the main menu application 5b, there is a function of turning off the main backlight 10 via the backlight control unit 8 when there is no instruction input from the user for a predetermined time and the standby application 5c is switched.

  The standby application 5c generates a standby screen for the main display 9 and executes the contents of instruction input from the user received on the standby screen, and has other characteristic functions. When the detection signal indicating the closed state of the folder is input from the folder open / close detection unit 6 to the application execution unit 4, the sub menu application 5d is switched to. Although not the operation of this embodiment, the standby application 5c has a function of turning off the main backlight 10 via the backlight control unit 8 when there is no instruction input from the user for a predetermined time. It is also good.

  Further, the submenu application 5d generates a submenu screen for the sub display 11 or executes the contents of the instruction input from the user received on the submenu screen, and has other characteristic functions. When the detection signal indicating the open state of the folder is input from the folder open / close detection unit 6 to the application execution unit 4, the standby application 5 c is switched. Further, as a function of the sub menu application 5d, there is a function of outputting an instruction to the application execution unit 4 and turning on the main backlight 10 via the backlight control unit 8 when switching to the standby application 5c.

  As described above, the standby application 5c is a switching destination application for the main menu application 5b and the submenu application 5d.

  The application execution unit 4 executes various processes according to the instructions of each application described above, outputs image data and display control signals associated with the execution to the display control unit 7, and transmits a backlight control signal to the backlight control unit 8. Output to.

  The storage unit 5 includes a communication control program 5a used by the communication control unit 3 described above, various applications such as a main menu application 5b, a standby application 5c, a submenu application 5d executed by the application execution unit 4, and other Stores various data. The folder open / close detection unit 6 detects the open / close state of the folder, that is, the open / close state of the first housing 20 and the second housing 30 shown in FIG. 2, and sends a detection signal indicating the open / close state to the application execution unit 4. Output to.

  The display control unit 7 performs predetermined image processing on the image data based on the display control signal and the image data input from the application execution unit 4, and then displays the image data after the image processing on the main display 9 or the sub-display. Output to the display 11. The backlight control unit 8 controls the supply of drive current to the main backlight 10 based on the backlight control signal input from the application execution unit 4 to turn on or turn off the main backlight 10.

  The main display 9 and the sub display 11 display a predetermined image based on the image data input from the display control unit 7. The main display 9 is, for example, a normally black mode transflective liquid crystal display, and is configured so that an image can be recognized by light reflection as long as image data is supplied even if the corresponding backlight is turned off. Has been. The main backlight 10 emits light by receiving a drive current from the backlight control unit 8 and supplies light to the main display 9. The sub-display 11 is configured by an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display.

  Next, the operation of the mobile terminal T configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the initial state, the folder is in an opened state, and the application execution unit 4 executes the main menu application 5b, and the main menu screen is displayed on the main display 9.

  First, the application execution unit 4 executing the main menu application 5b passes a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) without an operation input by the operation key, that is, an operation signal is not input through the communication control unit 3. When it is detected (step S1), the backlight control unit 8 is controlled to turn off the main backlight 10 (step S2). Then, the application execution unit 4 controls the display control unit 7 to end the display operation of the main menu screen, that is, ends the operation of the main menu application 5b (step S3). When the main menu application 5b ends, the application execution unit 4 reads the standby application 5c from the storage unit 5 and activates the standby application 5c (step S4).

  After the standby application 5c is activated, the application execution unit 4 executes the standby application 5c and controls the display control unit 7 to display a standby screen on the main display 9 (step S5). At this time, the main backlight 10 is turned off, but the standby screen is visible to the user. As described above, instead of step S2, the standby application 5c may add processing for turning off the main backlight 10.

  Next, when the application execution unit 4 executing the standby application 5c receives a detection signal indicating the closed state of the folder from the folder open / close detection unit 6 (step S6), the application execution unit 4 ends the display of the standby screen and waits. The operation of the receiving application 5c is terminated (step 7). Then, the application execution unit 4 reads the submenu application 5d from the storage unit 5 and activates the submenu application 5d (step S8). After starting the submenu application 5d, the application execution unit 4 executes the submenu application 5d and controls the display control unit 7 to display a submenu screen on the sub display 11 (step S9).

  Subsequently, when the application execution unit 4 executing the submenu application 5d receives a detection signal indicating the open state of the folder from the folder open / close detection unit 6 (step S10), the application execution unit 4 controls the backlight control unit 8 to control the main menu application 5d. The backlight 10 is turned on (step S11). And the application execution part 4 complete | finishes operation | movement of the submenu application 5d (step S12).

  Then, when the submenu application 5d ends, the application execution unit 4 reads the standby application 5c from the storage unit 5 and activates the standby application 5c (step S13). After the standby application 5c is activated, the application execution unit 4 executes the standby application 5c and controls the display control unit 7 to display a standby screen on the main display 9 (step S14). At this time, the main backlight 10 is turned on.

  As described above, in the mobile terminal T according to the present embodiment, when the main backlight 10 needs to be turned off as in the case of switching from the main menu application 5b to the standby application 5c, the main menu that is the switching source application. It is necessary to turn off the main backlight 10 by the application 5b and turn on the main backlight 10 as in the case of switching from the folder closed state to the folder open state, that is, switching from the submenu application 5d to the standby application 5c. In this case, the main backlight 10 is turned on by the submenu application 5d which is a switching source application. The main backlight 10 may be turned off by the standby application 5c.

  That is, according to the mobile terminal T in the present embodiment, the switching source application has a function of turning on or off the main backlight 10 based on whether or not light supply to the main display 9 is necessary. It is not necessary to implement a function for distinguishing between turning on and off the main backlight 10 in the standby application 5c, which eliminates the time and cost required for additional mounting work and wastes memory capacity. In addition, it is possible to appropriately turn on or off the main backlight 10 when switching applications.

  In the above embodiment, the standby application 5c is illustrated as the switching destination application, and the main menu application 5b and the submenu application 5d are illustrated as the switching source application. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the switching source application When switching to a switching destination application, the present invention can be applied if an application that needs to distinguish between when the main backlight 10 of the main display 9 is turned on and when it is turned off is used. For example, the submenu application 5d may be the switching source application and the main menu application 5b may be the switching destination application.

  In the above embodiment, a folder type mobile phone has been described as an example of the mobile terminal. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to other mobile terminals.

It is a block diagram of the mobile terminal T according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an external view of the portable terminal T in one Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the portable terminal T in one Embodiment of this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the conventional portable terminal.

Explanation of symbols

  T ... portable terminal, 1 ... communication unit, 2 ... operation unit, 3 ... communication control unit, 4 ... application execution unit (application execution means), 5 ... storage unit, 5a ... communication control program, 5b ... main menu application (first) 3), 5c ... standby application (first application), 5d ... submenu application (second application), 6 ... folder open / close detection unit (detection means), 7 ... display control unit, 8 ... backlight. Control unit, 9 ... main display (first display means), 10 ... main backlight (first light emitting means), 11 ... sub-display (second display means), 20 ... first housing, 30 ... 2nd housing | casing, 40 ... Hinge part

Claims (4)

First light emitting means;
First display means for displaying an image upon receipt of light from the first light emitting means;
A second display means;
Application execution means for executing a first application having a function of controlling image display in the first display means and a second application having a function of controlling image display in the second display means;
With
When the execution state of the second application is switched to the execution state of the first application, the application execution unit turns on the first light emitting unit;
A portable terminal characterized by that. A first housing provided with the first light emitting means, the first display means and the second display means;
A second housing that is openably and closably connected to the first housing;
With
The first display means is disposed on the surface of the first casing facing each other in the closed state of the first and second casings, and the second display means is the first and second displays. Arranged on surfaces other than the surfaces facing each other in the closed state of the housing,
When the first housing and the second housing are changed from the closed state to the open state, the execution state of the second application is switched to the execution state of the first application.
The mobile terminal according to claim 1. Detecting means for detecting an open / closed state of the first casing and the second casing;
The application execution means turns on the first light emitting means when receiving a signal indicating that the first casing and the second casing have changed from the closed state to the open state from the detecting means. Do,
The mobile terminal according to claim 2. A third application that is executed by the application execution unit, controls image display on the first display unit, and is switched from the first application when an operation instruction signal is not input for a predetermined time;
When switching from the third application to the first application,
The application executing means turns off the first light emitting means;
The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile terminal.

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