Illuminating device for a portable radio apparatus

An illuminating device for a portable radio apparatus of the present invention is capable of selectively turning on or turning off illumination in accordance with the environment around the apparatus, particularly lightness. This, coupled with the fact that the illuminating device can suitably adjust even an illumination, saves power to a considerable degree. Moreover, when the illuminating device includes light sensing means, it causes control means to automatically turn on or turn off illumination and adjusts an illumination in accordance with lightness around the apparatus. Therefore, even when the user of the apparatus forgets to switch the ON/OFF state of illumination, power consumption of the apparatus can be reduced as far as possible.

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What is claimed is:

1. A device included in a portable radio apparatus for illuminating keys and a display to thereby enhance an easy operation of said keys and visibility of said display, saiddevice comprising:

illuminating means for illuminating the keys and the display;

switching means for selectively turning on or turning off said illuminating means;

adjusting means for adjusting an illumination of said illuminating means to a desired illumination;

inputting means for allowing a user of said portable radio apparatus to selectively input a turn-on or a turn-off of said illuminating means and the desired illumination; and

control means for feeding command signals to said switching means and said adjusting means in accordance with information input on said inputting means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing the information relating to the turn-on or the turn-off and the illumination input on said inputting means, wherein said control means writes the turn-on or the turn-offor a change of the illumination of said illuminating means in said memory as updating information.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said illuminating means comprises:

a display illuminating section for illuminating the display; and

a key illuminating section for illuminating the keys;

wherein said switching means and said adjusting means respectively perform the turn-on and the turn-off and an adjustment of the illumination with each of said display illuminating section and said key illuminating section.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said memory stores a correspondence between degrees of lightness around the portable radio apparatus and ON/OFF states and illuminations beforehand.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.

7. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.

9. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said memory stores a correspondence between degrees of lightness around the portable radio apparatus and ON/OFF states and illuminations beforehand.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.

12. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.

14. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said illuminating means comprises:

a display illuminating section for illuminating the display; and

a key illuminating section for illuminating the keys;

wherein said switching means and said adjusting means respectively perform the turn-on and the turn-off and an adjustment of the illumination with each of said display illuminating section and said key illuminating section.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said memory stores a correspondence between degrees of lightness around the portable radio apparatus and ON/OFF states and illuminations beforehand.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.

18. A device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

19. A device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.

20. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inputting means comprises a sensor responsive to light around the portable radio apparatus, and wherein said control means determines whether said illuminating means should be turned on or turnedoff and an illumination of said illuminating means in accordance with an output of said sensor.

21. A device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said memory stores beforehand ON/OFF states and illuminations each being assigned to a particular output of said sensor as parameters.