Patent ID: 7826874

Claim:
A handheld communication device providing a selectively activated backlight responsive to movement of the device when said device had been in a resting state, comprising: a display; a backlight system for said display; a keyboard; a microprocessor controlling aspects of said keyboard and display; an accelerometer; and a power application operating on said microprocessor to place said device in one of a plurality of power consumption modes by monitoring signals from said accelerometer and changing modes within said plurality of power consumption modes based on said signals, wherein said plurality of power consumption modes include at least an off state, a fully on state, and a low power state that consumes less power than said fully on state and more power than said off state; and said power application turns off said backlight system when said device is said low power state; places said device in a higher power state from said low power state when said device is in a stationary state at a resting location and said accelerometer provides a first signal indicating a subsequent movement of said device from said resting location to a first location in a spaced relationship from said resting location and then activates said backlight system when placed in said higher power state; and places said device in said low power state from said higher power state upon receipt of a signal indicating return of said device from said first location to around said resting location, said signal being derived from data from said accelerometer, and then said power application deactivates said backlight system.