Index: firmware/export/config-e200.h
===================================================================
--- firmware/export/config-e200.h	(Revision 16053)
+++ firmware/export/config-e200.h	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 /* define this if you have a light associated with the buttons */
 #define HAVE_BUTTON_LIGHT
 
+/* define this if the backlight thread is used for fade */
+#define HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING
+
 /* define this if you have access to the quickscreen */
 #define HAVE_QUICKSCREEN
 
Index: firmware/backlight.c
===================================================================
--- firmware/backlight.c	(Revision 16053)
+++ firmware/backlight.c	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@
     BUTTON_LIGHT_ON,
     BUTTON_LIGHT_OFF,
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING
+    BACKLIGHT_FADE_UP,
+    BACKLIGHT_FADE_DOWN,
+#endif
 };
 
 static void backlight_thread(void);
@@ -387,12 +391,20 @@
     if (backlight_timeout < 0)
     {
         backlight_timer = 0; /* Disable the timeout */
+#ifdef HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING
+	queue_post(&backlight_queue, BACKLIGHT_FADE_DOWN, 0);
+#else
         _backlight_off();
+#endif
     }
     else
     {
         backlight_timer = backlight_timeout;
+#ifdef HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING
+	queue_post(&backlight_queue, BACKLIGHT_FADE_UP, 0);
+#else
         _backlight_on();
+#endif
     }
 }
 
@@ -501,10 +513,53 @@
 
             case BACKLIGHT_OFF:
                 backlight_timer = 0; /* Disable the timeout */
+#ifdef HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING
+		queue_post(&backlight_queue, BACKLIGHT_FADE_DOWN, 0);
+#else
                 _backlight_off();
+#endif
                 break;
-
+#ifdef HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING
+            case BACKLIGHT_FADE_UP:
+            {
+                bool finished = false;
+                if (!ev.data || TIME_AFTER(current_tick, ev.data))
+		{
+		    ev.data = current_tick + HZ/25;
+                    finished = __backlight_fade_up();
+		}
+                if (!finished)
+                {
+                    queue_remove_from_head(&backlight_queue, BACKLIGHT_FADE_DOWN);  /* cancel fade-down */
+                    queue_post(&backlight_queue, BACKLIGHT_FADE_UP, ev.data);
+                }
+		
+                break;
+            }
+            case BACKLIGHT_FADE_DOWN:
+            {
+                bool finished = false;
+                if (!ev.data || TIME_AFTER(current_tick, ev.data))
+		{
+		    ev.data = current_tick + HZ/25;
+                    finished = __backlight_fade_down();
+		}
+                if (!finished)
+                    queue_post(&backlight_queue, BACKLIGHT_FADE_DOWN, ev.data);
 #ifdef HAVE_LCD_SLEEP
+		else
+                {
+                    if (_lcd_sleep_timeout < 0)
+                    {
+                        _lcd_sleep_timer = 0; /* Setting == Always */
+                        lcd_sleep();
+                    }
+                }
+#endif /* HAVE_LCD_SLEEP */
+                break;
+            }
+#endif /* HAVE_BACKLIGHT_THREAD_FADING */
+#ifdef HAVE_LCD_SLEEP
             case LCD_SLEEP:
                 lcd_sleep();
                 break;
Index: firmware/target/arm/sandisk/backlight-c200_e200.c
===================================================================
--- firmware/target/arm/sandisk/backlight-c200_e200.c	(Revision 16053)
+++ firmware/target/arm/sandisk/backlight-c200_e200.c	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -25,10 +25,12 @@
 #include "as3514.h"
 
 static unsigned short backlight_brightness = DEFAULT_BRIGHTNESS_SETTING;
+static unsigned short current_brightness   = DEFAULT_BRIGHTNESS_SETTING;
 
 void _backlight_set_brightness(int brightness)
 {
     backlight_brightness = brightness;
+    current_brightness = brightness;
 
     if (brightness > 0)
         _backlight_on();
@@ -45,11 +47,13 @@
     _lcd_sleep_timer = 0; /* LCD should be awake already */
 #endif
     pp_i2c_send(AS3514_I2C_ADDR, DCDC15, backlight_brightness);
+    current_brightness = backlight_brightness;
 }
 
 void _backlight_off(void)
 {
     pp_i2c_send(AS3514_I2C_ADDR, DCDC15, 0x0);
+    current_brightness = 0;
 #ifdef HAVE_LCD_ENABLE
     lcd_enable(false); /* power off lcd */
 #endif
@@ -80,3 +84,30 @@
     GPIO_CLEAR_BITWISE(GPIOB_OUTPUT_VAL, 0x10); /* The "menu" backlight */
 #endif
 }
+
+/* returns true if fade is finished */
+bool  __backlight_fade_up(void)
+{
+#ifdef HAVE_LCD_ENABLE
+    lcd_enable(true); /* power on lcd */
+#endif
+    if (current_brightness < backlight_brightness)
+    {
+        pp_i2c_send(AS3514_I2C_ADDR, DCDC15, current_brightness++);
+    }
+    return current_brightness >= backlight_brightness;
+}
+
+bool  __backlight_fade_down(void)
+{
+    if (current_brightness > 0)
+    {
+        pp_i2c_send(AS3514_I2C_ADDR, DCDC15, current_brightness--);
+    }
+    if (current_brightness == 0)
+    {
+		_backlight_off();
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
Index: firmware/target/arm/sandisk/backlight-target.h
===================================================================
--- firmware/target/arm/sandisk/backlight-target.h	(Revision 16053)
+++ firmware/target/arm/sandisk/backlight-target.h	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  ****************************************************************************/
 #ifndef BACKLIGHT_TARGET_H
 #define BACKLIGHT_TARGET_H
+#include "stdbool.h"
 
 #define _backlight_init() true
 void _backlight_on(void);
@@ -25,6 +26,10 @@
 void _backlight_set_brightness(int brightness);
 int  __backlight_is_on(void);
 
+/* these both return true if the fade is finished */
+bool  __backlight_fade_up(void);
+bool  __backlight_fade_down(void);
+
 void _buttonlight_on(void);
 void _buttonlight_off(void);
 #endif