JPH10333778A - Portable information processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To improve an input environment and a visual recognition environment in a portable information processing device. SOLUTION: The input keys 3a to 3d which can be operated with the fingers of a hand 14 holding the apparatus main body 1 in a state where a cover 2 with an input apparatus is opened 360 degrees, turned around the back side of the apparatus main body 1 and overlapped with each other. It was provided on the lid 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable information processing device, and more particularly to an input device for facilitating an input operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A portable information processing apparatus is a further miniaturized form of a laptop type information processing apparatus using a keyboard as an input device, and is constituted by a pressure-sensitive element or the like. A portable information processing device that has a pen input function using a tablet and a pen input only and does not use a keyboard is generally known. Operation was impossible, and there was a problem in operability.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, to enable input operation with the finger of the person holding the apparatus body, and to use both keyboard input and pen input. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable information processing device which can be used as a personal computer.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portable information processing apparatus, which includes a cover for covering and protecting a liquid crystal display of the apparatus main body, and a hand holding the apparatus main body on the back surface of the apparatus main body. By providing an input key that can be operated with a finger, the operability is improved.

When the lid provided with the input keys is rotated 360 degrees and overlapped on the back side of the apparatus main body, the input keys are arranged at positions where the input keys can be operated with the fingers of the handle of the apparatus main body. In the case of a standard key layout input device,
When the lid is rotated 360 degrees and overlapped on the back side of the apparatus main body, the input operation is facilitated by changing the key pattern so as to be suitable for finger operation.

More specifically, a first means is a portable information processing apparatus having a device main body containing a control board and a liquid crystal display, and a lid for covering the surface of the device main body to protect the liquid crystal display. The apparatus is characterized in that an input device is provided which can be operated by a finger of a hand holding the device main body in a state where the lid is rotated 360 degrees and attached to the back surface of the device main body. In this case, the input device may be provided on the lid.

A second means is an information processing apparatus provided with a control board and a liquid crystal display as a display screen in the apparatus main body, wherein the input operation can be performed on the apparatus main body with a finger of the hand holding the apparatus main body. It is characterized by providing various input keys. In this case, the input key may be provided on a side surface and / or a back surface of the apparatus main body.

[0008] A third means is an information processing apparatus in which a control board and a liquid crystal display are accommodated in an apparatus main body, and an input device is provided on a cover for protecting the main body.
A control means is provided for changing the key pattern of the input device when the device is rotated by 0 degrees and superimposed on the rear surface of the device main body, so that input operation can be performed with a finger of the hand holding the device main body. I have.

Further, a fourth means is an information processing apparatus having a control board, a liquid crystal display as a display screen, and an input device provided on a cover for protecting the liquid crystal display. The tablet is provided with a key pattern switching button, and the key pattern of the input device can be switched by the control means in accordance with the operation of the switching button.

A fifth means is an information processing apparatus having a control board, a liquid crystal display as a display screen, and an input device on a cover for protecting the device. A key pattern switching key is provided on the back surface of the surface marked with, and when the lid is rotated 360 degrees and overlapped on the back surface of the device main body, the switching key touches the convex portion of the device main body and the input device is controlled by the control means. By switching the key pattern, the input operation can be performed with the finger of the hand holding the apparatus main body.

Further, a sixth means is an information processing apparatus having a control board, a liquid crystal display as a display screen, and an input device on a cover for protecting the liquid crystal display. A key pattern changeover switch is provided, and when the cover with the input device is rotated by 360 degrees, the changeover switch is operated on a convex portion provided on the back surface of the cover on which the input key is provided, and the input device is controlled by the control means. By switching the key pattern, the input operation can be performed with the finger of the hand holding the apparatus main body.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a use state of a portable information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the portable removal processing apparatus according to this embodiment, a control board and a liquid crystal display as a display screen are housed in the apparatus main body 1 and input keys 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d (input device 3 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a place where a user actually holds and uses it with his / her hand 14 as viewed from below. In this portable information processing apparatus, the
There is a feature in that the input operation can be performed with the finger of the hand 14 holding the device main body 1 in a state where the device 14 is rotated by 0 degrees, turned around on the back surface of the device main body 1, and overlapped. This enables an input operation to be used in combination with pen input. For pen input, for example, an input panel such as a well-known transparent tablet using a pressure-sensitive element, which is set on a display screen of a liquid crystal display, is used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the input device 3 provided on the lid 2 is formed inside the lid 2 by a membrane sheet 8 constituting the input keys 3a to 3d, a reinforcing plate 10, and a cover 9 covering these. Then, a flexible cable integrally formed by the membrane sheet 8 and the cover 9 is connected to the apparatus main body 1 so as to be connected to a connector 5a provided on a control board 5 housed in the apparatus main body 1, and an input panel is used. It is used to cover and protect a certain tablet 7 or liquid crystal display 6.

When the lid 2 with the input device is used,
As shown in FIG. 3, the cover 2 is opened at 180 degrees and the apparatus main body 1 is opened.
Can be used in a state where the lid 2 is opened 360 degrees and turned around the back surface of the apparatus main body 1 to be overlapped as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. is there. In addition, when not in use, as shown in FIG. 4, the lid 2 is configured to be freely rotatable so as to cover the liquid crystal display 6 and the tablet 7 and to store them by using them as lids for protecting them. .

As shown in FIG. 1, a portable information processing apparatus which can be used in a state where the cover 2 with the input device is opened 360 degrees and turned around the back of the apparatus main body 1 has the apparatus main body 1 as shown in FIG. The input keys 3a to 3d of the input device 3 can be input with the finger of the hand 14 of the user, and the input operation can be performed in combination with the pen input. For example, as shown in FIGS. By using the lid 2 with an input device having a key arrangement, an input environment and a viewing environment can be improved and a comfortable input operation can be realized.

FIG. 6 shows a lid 2 with an input device provided simply with input keys 3a for input mode switching keys such as handwriting input with a pen and Roman character input when used as a word processor.

FIG. 7 shows the lid 2 with an input device further provided with a screen / cursor scroll key, a kanji conversion key, and an enter / execute key as input keys 3b to 3d. If data is only displayed and viewed without inputting characters with a pen, processing can be performed by providing a screen / cursor scroll key 3b and a confirm / execute key 3d.

FIG. 8 shows the input keys 3a to 3d shown in FIG.
This is an embodiment in which input keys 3e to 3h for instructing the same function are provided on the opposite side, so that the input operation can be similarly performed even when the apparatus main body 1 is held by the right hand. In another embodiment, all the input keys 3a
By providing ~ 3h as input keys for instructing different functions, it is also possible to carry out an input operation by holding with both hands when a character is not input.

As shown in FIG. 9, an input key 11 may be provided on the back surface or side surface of the apparatus main body 1 irrespective of the lid 2. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II in FIG. 11 is mounted on the lower case 1b so as to face the soft changeover switch 5b, and the switch button 11 is deformed by pressing the switch button 11 so that the soft changeover switch 5b on the control board 5 is depressed.
Is operated as a substitute for an input mode switching key or the like.

The input keys such as the input mode switching key 3a and the screen / cursor scroll key 3b exemplified in these descriptions may be input keys for optimal operation according to the specifications and use of the information processing apparatus. 3 to 3 h are input keys required according to the specifications of the information processing device developed by the maker, and there is no need to stick to the input mode switching key and the screen / cursor scroll key exemplified in the description. For example, a registration / end key for registering a created document may be provided. Also, a large number of deformation patterns can be considered for the number and arrangement of keys. Note that inputs from these keys are input to a control circuit (not shown), and processing is executed according to a preset program.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, a case where the present invention is applied to a portable information processing apparatus in which standard input keys are fully arranged in the input apparatus 3 will be described. Since the device main body 1 of the portable information processing device is basically made for the purpose of miniaturization and weight reduction, when the input keys of the input device 3 are fully arranged, the key size and Because the key pitch is small and it is difficult to perform input operations with your fingertips,
It is impossible to perform a key input operation in a 360-degree opened rotation state or in a state where it cannot be visually confirmed. Therefore, the device body 1
In order to perform an input operation with a finger having a hand, for example, the function assignment of the key pattern is changed so that any of the four input keys can be used as an input mode switching key or the like, as shown in FIG. Change the size of the input key. These are input keys 3a to 3d indicated by solid lines in the figure. The input keys 3a and 3b are places where standard input keys are not arranged. In such a case, this area is secured and displayed from the beginning so that the input operation can be performed when the key pattern is changed. . Thus, the user can perform an input operation by storing the approximate position. At this time, the input keys that are not used are switched so that they do not respond even when pressed (the input keys indicated by the broken lines in the figure correspond to the characters. In practice, the characters of the standard input keys are described. It is drawn with a broken line for easy understanding). For switching the key pattern, a touch button 7b for switching is provided on the tablet 7, and the switching is performed on a program set in a control circuit (not shown) by ON / OFF of the touch button 7b.

As another embodiment, a key pattern switching key 12 is provided on the back side of the surface of the cover 2 with the input device shown in FIG. 4 where the input keys are provided (the external surface of the cover 2 when not in use). When the cover 2 with the input device is opened 360 degrees and turned into the back side of the device main body 1, the ON / OFF operation is performed by touching the convex portion 13 on the back surface of the device main body 1 as shown in FIG. Then, a key pattern switching instruction can be generated. Conversely, a convex portion is provided on the lid 2 with the input device, and when the lid 2 is opened 360 degrees and wrapped around the back side of the device main body 1, the convex portion comes into contact with the rear surface of the device main body 1. It is also possible to provide a key pattern changeover switch having a structure as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and operate the key pattern changeover switch by the projection.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the input operation can be performed with the finger of the hand holding the apparatus main body, and the input operation can be performed in combination with the pen input using the input panel superimposed on the liquid crystal display. Therefore, it is possible to configure a portable information processing device that improves the input environment and the viewing environment and realizes a comfortable input operation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a use state of a portable information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a part of a device main body and a lid of the portable information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lid with the input device of the portable information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is opened 180 degrees and used side by side on the device main body.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a storage state of the portable information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention in which a lid with an input device is placed on the device main body.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a use state in which the lid with the input device of the portable information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is turned around the back side of the device main body.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a key pattern of a lid with an input device of a portable information processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another example of a key pattern of a lid with an input device of a portable information processing device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing still another example of a key pattern of a lid with an input device of a portable information processing device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portable information processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a portable information processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a portable information processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Portable information processing apparatus 1a Upper case 1b Lower case 2 Lid 3 Input device (keyboard) 3a-3h Input key 4 Pen 5 Control board 5a Connector 5b Software changeover switch 6 Liquid crystal display 7 Tablet 7a Touch button (power supply) ON / OFF) 7b Touch button (key pattern switching) 8 Membrane sheet 9 Cover 10 Reinforcement plate 11 Switch button 12 Key pattern switching key 13 Convex part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Aizawa 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside the Taga Headquarters, Electrical Equipment Division, Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor Takashi Ishibashi Higashi Taga, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture 1-1-1, Machi, Hitachi, Ltd.Electrical Equipment Division, Taga Headquarters

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A portable information processing apparatus comprising: a device main body containing a control board and a liquid crystal display; and a lid that covers the surface of the device main body and protects the liquid crystal display. A portable information processing device, further comprising an input device which can be operated by a finger of a hand holding the device main body while being attached to a back surface of the device main body. 2. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said input device is provided on said lid. 3. An information processing apparatus having a control board and a liquid crystal display as a display screen in an apparatus main body, wherein the apparatus main body is provided with an input key which can be operated by a finger of a hand holding the apparatus main body. A portable information processing device characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. The portable information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the input key is provided on a side surface and / or a back surface of the device main body. 5. An information processing apparatus in which an input device is provided on a device body containing a control board and a liquid crystal display, and a cover for protecting the device, wherein the cover is rotated by 360 degrees and placed on the back surface of the device body. A portable information processing apparatus characterized in that control means for changing the function assignment of a key pattern of an input device at times is provided so that an input operation can be performed with a finger of a hand holding the apparatus main body. 6. In an information processing apparatus having a control board and a liquid crystal display as a display screen, and an input device provided on a lid for protecting the liquid crystal display, a key pattern is switched to a tablet including a pressure-sensitive element or the like. A portable information processing apparatus, comprising a button, wherein a key pattern of an input device can be switched by a control means in accordance with an operation of the switching button. 7. An information processing apparatus having a control board, a liquid crystal display as a display screen, and an input device provided on a lid for protecting the device body. A key pattern switching key is provided on the back surface, and when the lid is rotated 360 degrees and overlapped on the back surface of the device main body, the switching key touches a convex portion of the device main body to switch the key pattern of the input device by the control means. A portable information processing apparatus characterized in that the input operation can be performed with a finger of the hand holding the apparatus main body. 8. An information processing apparatus comprising a control board, a liquid crystal display as a display screen, and an input device on a cover for protecting the liquid crystal display, wherein a key pattern changeover switch is provided on a back surface of the device main body. When the lid with the input device is rotated 360 degrees,
By operating the changeover switch on the convex portion provided on the back surface of the cover on which the input keys are provided and switching the key pattern of the input device by the control means, the input operation is performed with the finger of the hand holding the device main body. A portable information processing apparatus characterized in that it can be used.