Portable terminal capable of controlling backlight and method for controlling backlight thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for controlling a backlight of a portable terminal, which includes from a memory previously stored backlight brightness values that correspond to a backlight steps, retrieving a stored brightness value corresponding to one of a plurality of brightness steps selected by a user, regulating the brightness of the portable terminal according to the retrieved brightness value, and displaying the currently selected brightness step on the display unit, wherein the brightness steps correspond to incremental levels of brightness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable terminal comprising:
 a display; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a first user input for selecting a first brightness step on a brightness step selection interface displayed on the display, the brightness step selection interface being for selecting one of a plurality of brightness steps including the first brightness step, a second brightness step, and a plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps, wherein the first, second, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps respectively correspond to a first brightness value, a second brightness value, and a plurality of intermediate brightness values between the first and second brightness values, and wherein the plurality of brightness steps are an entirety of brightness steps supported by the portable terminal; 
 in direct response to receiving the first user input for selecting the first brightness step and prior to receiving another user input, control the display to display a selector at a position corresponding to the first brightness step and adjust an intensity of illumination output by the display according to the first brightness value while displaying the selector at the position corresponding to the first brightness step; 
 receive a second user input for selecting the second brightness step on the brightness step selection interface displayed on the display, while the selector is displayed at the position corresponding to the first brightness step and the intensity of illumination output by the display is regulated according to the first brightness value; and 
 in direct response to receiving the second user input and prior to receiving another user input, control the display to display the selector at a position corresponding to the second brightness step without displaying the selector at any position corresponding to the plurality of intermediate brightness steps and adjust the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the second brightness value without adjusting the intensity of illumination output by the display according to any value of the plurality of intermediate brightness values, 
   wherein a shape and a size of the selector displayed at the position corresponding to the first brightness step are identical with a shape and a size of the selector displayed at the position corresponding to the second brightness step.   
     
     
         2 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a touch screen,   wherein the touch screen comprises the display, and   wherein the first user input for selecting the first brightness step and the second user input for selecting the second brightness step are received via the touch screen.   
     
     
         3 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first user input for selecting the first brightness step and the second user input for selecting the second brightness step are each a single selection user input. 
     
     
         4 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein, when the selector is displayed at the position corresponding to the first brightness step, the selector is displayed at the position corresponding to the first brightness step without displaying the selector at any position corresponding to the second brightness step and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps, and   wherein, when the selector is displayed at the position corresponding to the second brightness step, the selector is displayed at the position corresponding to the second brightness step without displaying the selector at any position corresponding to the first brightness step and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps.   
     
     
         5 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the brightness step selection interface includes a plurality of positions respectively corresponding to the first brightness step, second brightness step, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps. 
     
     
         6 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of positions respectively corresponding to the first brightness step, second brightness step, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps remains the same regardless of the selected brightness step. 
     
     
         7 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the selector is displayed at only one position among the plurality of positions respectively corresponding to the first brightness step, second brightness step, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps. 
     
     
         8 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein only one brightness step in the brightness step selection interface is selected at any time. 
     
     
         9 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the display to:
 display the brightness step selection interface;   continue to display the brightness step selection interface when receiving the first user input for selecting the first brightness step; and   continue to display the brightness step selection interface when receiving the second user input for selecting the second brightness step.   
     
     
         10 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to, in response to receiving the second user input for selecting the second brightness step in a state where the intensity of illumination output by the display is adjusted according to the first brightness value, control the display to move the displayed selector from the position corresponding to the first brightness step to the position corresponding to the second brightness step without displaying the selector at any position corresponding to the plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps. 
     
     
         11 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control of the display to display the selector at the position corresponding to the first brightness step and the adjustment of the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the first brightness value at least partly occur at a same time, occur adjacent in time, or occur offset in time, and   wherein the control of the display to display the selector at the position corresponding to the second brightness step and the adjustment of the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the second brightness value at least partly occur at a same time, occur adjacent in time, or occur offset in time.   
     
     
         12 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to, in response to receiving a user input for converting an operation mode of the portable terminal to a brightness selection mode, convert an operation mode of the portable terminal to the brightness selection mode and control the display to display the brightness step selection interface. 
     
     
         13 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control of the display to display the selector at the position corresponding to the first brightness step and the adjustment of the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the first brightness value occurs in direct response to receiving the first user input for selecting the first brightness step, and   wherein the control of the display to display the selector at the position corresponding to the second brightness step and adjustment of the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the second brightness value occurs in direct response to receiving the second user input for selecting the second brightness step.   
     
     
         14 . A portable terminal comprising:
 a radio frequency receiver for amplifying signals which are received at the portable terminal;   a display; and   a processor configured to:
 control the display to display a first screen comprising an indication area which comprises a first indicator indicating a charge status of a battery of the portable terminal and a second indicator indicating a received signal strength of the signals; 
 based on identifying a request for displaying a brightness step selection interface while the first screen is displayed, control the display to display a second screen comprising the brightness step selection interface and the indication area which comprises the first indicator and the second indicator; 
 receive a first user input for selecting a first brightness step on the brightness step selection interface displayed on the display, the brightness step selection interface being for selecting one of a plurality of brightness steps including the first brightness step, a second brightness step, and a plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps, wherein the first, second, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps respectively correspond to a first brightness value, a second brightness value, and a plurality of intermediate brightness values between the first and second brightness values, and wherein the plurality of brightness steps are an entirety of brightness steps supported by the portable terminal; 
 in direct response to receiving the first user input for selecting the first brightness step and prior to receiving another user input, control the display to display a selector at a position corresponding to the first brightness step and adjust an intensity of illumination output by the display according to the first brightness value while displaying the selector at the position corresponding to the first brightness step; 
 receive a second user input for selecting the second brightness step on the brightness step selection interface displayed on the display, while the selector is displayed at the position corresponding to the first brightness step and the intensity of illumination output by the display is regulated according to the first brightness value; and 
 in direct response to receiving the second user input and prior to receiving another user input, control the display to display the selector at a position corresponding to the second brightness step without displaying the selector at any position corresponding to the plurality of intermediate brightness steps and adjust the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the second brightness value, 
   wherein a shape and a size of the selector displayed at the position corresponding to the first brightness step are identical with a shape and a size of the selector displayed at the position corresponding to the second brightness step.   
     
     
         15 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a touch screen,   wherein the touch screen comprises the display, and   wherein the first user input for selecting the first brightness step and the second user input for selecting the second brightness step are received via the touch screen.   
     
     
         16 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first user input for selecting the first brightness step and the second user input for selecting the second brightness step are each a single selection user input. 
     
     
         17 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the brightness step selection interface includes a plurality of positions respectively corresponding to the first brightness step, second brightness step, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps. 
     
     
         18 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of positions respectively corresponding to the first brightness step, second brightness step, and plurality of intermediate brightness steps between the first and second brightness steps remains the same regardless of the selected brightness step. 
     
     
         19 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to control the display to:
 continue to display the brightness step selection interface when receiving the first user input for selecting the first brightness step; and   continue to display the brightness step selection interface when receiving the second user input for selecting the second brightness step.   
     
     
         20 . The portable terminal as claimed in  claim 14 ,
 wherein the control of the display to display the selector at the position corresponding to the first brightness step and the adjustment of the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the first brightness value at least partly occur at a same time, occur adjacent in time, or occur offset in time, and   wherein the control of the display to display the selector at the position corresponding to the second brightness step and the adjustment of the intensity of illumination output by the display according to the second brightness value at least partly occur at a same time, occur adjacent in time, or occur offset in time.