Patent ID: 8174483

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a display unit configured to display information to a user and having a backlight to illuminate the display; a proximity circuit configured to generate a transmitted signal and to receive a received signal that is indicative of a user's proximity; and a control unit coupled to the display and the proximity detector and configured to perform: obtaining the received signal from the proximity detector; analyzing the received signal to determine a current degree of motion of the user's proximity; when the current degree of motion is not greater than a first predetermined threshold and not greater than a second predetermined threshold for at least a first predetermined time duration, deactivating the display unit; when the current degree of motion is greater than the first predetermined threshold and not greater than the second predetermined threshold and the display unit is not already activated, turning the display unit to a first intensity level; when the current degree of motion is greater than the second predetermined threshold, turning the display unit on a second intensity level, wherein the first intensity level and the second intensity level are different; and when the current degree of motion is greater than the first predetermined threshold and not greater than the second predetermined threshold for at least a second predetermined time duration and the display unit is already activated, turning the display unit to the second intensity level.