diff --git a/api/current.xml b/api/current.xml
index 2cda5bd96bf88..50b45d6c73225 100644
--- a/api/current.xml
+++ b/api/current.xml
@@ -105888,6 +105888,17 @@
 <parameter name="time" type="long">
 </parameter>
 </method>
+<method name="isScreenOn"
+ return="boolean"
+ abstract="false"
+ native="false"
+ synchronized="false"
+ static="false"
+ final="false"
+ deprecated="not deprecated"
+ visibility="public"
+>
+</method>
 <method name="newWakeLock"
  return="android.os.PowerManager.WakeLock"
  abstract="false"
diff --git a/core/java/android/os/IPowerManager.aidl b/core/java/android/os/IPowerManager.aidl
index 5ac543d810585..bcf769da339b9 100644
--- a/core/java/android/os/IPowerManager.aidl
+++ b/core/java/android/os/IPowerManager.aidl
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ interface IPowerManager
     long getScreenOnTime();
     void preventScreenOn(boolean prevent);
     void setScreenBrightnessOverride(int brightness);
+    boolean isScreenOn();
 
     // sets the brightness of the backlights (screen, keyboard, button) 0-255
     void setBacklightBrightness(int brightness);
diff --git a/core/java/android/os/PowerManager.java b/core/java/android/os/PowerManager.java
index 11c96d2b4b3c8..2efc23041038f 100644
--- a/core/java/android/os/PowerManager.java
+++ b/core/java/android/os/PowerManager.java
@@ -420,6 +420,26 @@ public class PowerManager
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+      * Returns whether the screen is currently on. The screen could be bright
+      * or dim.
+      *
+      * {@samplecode
+      * PowerManager pm = (PowerManager) getSystemService(Context.POWER_SERVICE);
+      * boolean isScreenOn = pm.isScreenOn();
+      * }
+      *
+      * @return whether the screen is on (bright or dim).
+      */
+    public boolean isScreenOn()
+    {
+        try {
+            return mService.isScreenOn();
+        } catch (RemoteException e) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     private PowerManager()
     {
     }
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/PowerManagerService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/PowerManagerService.java
index 611a86e3576ae..270e3cba52a30 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/PowerManagerService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/PowerManagerService.java
@@ -1780,13 +1780,13 @@ class PowerManagerService extends IPowerManager.Stub
         }
     }
 
-    boolean screenIsOn() {
+    public boolean isScreenOn() {
         synchronized (mLocks) {
             return (mPowerState & SCREEN_ON_BIT) != 0;
         }
     }
 
-    boolean screenIsBright() {
+    boolean isScreenBright() {
         synchronized (mLocks) {
             return (mPowerState & SCREEN_BRIGHT) == SCREEN_BRIGHT;
         }
@@ -2089,7 +2089,7 @@ class PowerManagerService extends IPowerManager.Stub
         boolean enabled = (mode == SCREEN_BRIGHTNESS_MODE_AUTOMATIC);
         if (mUseSoftwareAutoBrightness && mAutoBrightessEnabled != enabled) {
             mAutoBrightessEnabled = enabled;
-            if (screenIsOn()) {
+            if (isScreenOn()) {
                 // force recompute of backlight values
                 if (mLightSensorValue >= 0) {
                     int value = (int)mLightSensorValue;
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/WindowManagerService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/WindowManagerService.java
index d3645c35ffa51..9acc97ab49cb4 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/WindowManagerService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/WindowManagerService.java
@@ -6095,8 +6095,8 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
                     }
                     // XXX end hack
 
-                    boolean screenIsOff = !mPowerManager.screenIsOn();
-                    boolean screenIsDim = !mPowerManager.screenIsBright();
+                    boolean screenIsOff = !mPowerManager.isScreenOn();
+                    boolean screenIsDim = !mPowerManager.isScreenBright();
                     int actions = mPolicy.interceptKeyTq(event, !screenIsOff);
 
                     if ((actions & WindowManagerPolicy.ACTION_GO_TO_SLEEP) != 0) {
@@ -6126,8 +6126,8 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
                 }
 
                 case RawInputEvent.EV_REL: {
-                    boolean screenIsOff = !mPowerManager.screenIsOn();
-                    boolean screenIsDim = !mPowerManager.screenIsBright();
+                    boolean screenIsOff = !mPowerManager.isScreenOn();
+                    boolean screenIsDim = !mPowerManager.isScreenBright();
                     if (screenIsOff) {
                         if (!mPolicy.isWakeRelMovementTq(event.deviceId,
                                 device.classes, event)) {
@@ -6143,8 +6143,8 @@ public class WindowManagerService extends IWindowManager.Stub
                 }
 
                 case RawInputEvent.EV_ABS: {
-                    boolean screenIsOff = !mPowerManager.screenIsOn();
-                    boolean screenIsDim = !mPowerManager.screenIsBright();
+                    boolean screenIsOff = !mPowerManager.isScreenOn();
+                    boolean screenIsDim = !mPowerManager.isScreenBright();
                     if (screenIsOff) {
                         if (!mPolicy.isWakeAbsMovementTq(event.deviceId,
                                 device.classes, event)) {