JPH06230865A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To solve problems sucn as a communication failure and restriction to a communication area and to expand the communication area in an information processor having a communication function using light. CONSTITUTION:Since a light transmitting/receiving part 52 is arranged as high as possible and constituted so as to include a flexible optical fiber cable 102 or the like, light can be outputted to a required direction. Consequently light can be transmitted/received so as to evade an obstacle. In addition, 'a dead angle' due to the directivity of the transmitting/receiving part can be removed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device having a communication function such as a Japanese word processor and a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cables have been indispensable for connecting devices such as telephones. However, in recent home electric appliances, in order to improve usability, an increasing number of cordless devices exchange data by radio waves in place of the code.

The wave of this cordlessing is spreading to electronic devices such as word processors.

For communication between these devices, in addition to the radio wave system, there is a communication system using infrared light used in remote controllers for televisions, videos and the like.

[0005]

It is important to prevent interception of information when exchanging data with other devices in an electronic device in a codeless manner. Further, it is important to improve noise resistance and ensure reliability. For that purpose, it is preferable to use infrared light for communication.

However, in an office or the like, many obstacles in the communication such as a bookshelf and a partition often exist around the desk. Also, there are various obstacles such as books and floppy cases on the desk. In addition, there is a problem that infrared light having high directivity cannot exchange data due to the presence of such a slight obstacle. In addition, infrared rays having high directivity, on the contrary, have a drawback that a blind spot where signals cannot be transmitted and received becomes large.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device which can avoid obstacles and can smoothly perform communication by light or the like.

The present invention is based on the directivity of light, etc.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device having a small area (that is, a blind spot) where data transfer cannot be performed.

[0009]

The present invention has been made to achieve the above object, and in one aspect thereof, an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function. A processing circuit having at least one function, a function of using light as a signal carrier, outputting the signal carrier carrying information to the external space, and receiving the signal carrier carrying information carried from the external space A communication device configured to include a communication unit having at least one of the functions, for communicating information between the processing circuit and an external device, and a housing storing at least a part of the processing circuit, In the electronic device configured to include, the communication unit is installed at a substantially uppermost position of the housing in a state of use of the electronic device. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a clamshell type information processing device, a display device for displaying an image, a processing circuit having an information processing function, and at least the display device are supported. It has at least one of a display housing configured to be openable and closable, a function of outputting a signal carrier carrying information to an external space, and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information carried from the external space. A communication device configured to include a communication unit and performing communication of information between the processing circuit and an external device, wherein the communication unit is installed in the display housing. An information processing device for performing the operation is provided.

In this case, the communication unit includes an upper edge portion of the display housing when the display housing is opened and a right edge of the display housing when the display housing is opened. Upper end, a left edge upper end of the display housing when the display housing is opened, a rear upper end of the display housing when the display housing is opened, and the display housing. It is preferably installed at least at one of the upper end of the front surface of the display housing when the body is open.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function,
A communication unit including at least one of a function of using light as a signal carrier and outputting the signal carrier carrying information to an external space and a function of receiving the signal carrier carrying information carried from the external space And an electronic device configured to include a communication device that communicates information between the processing circuit and an external device, and a housing that stores at least the processing circuit. An electronic device is provided, characterized in that the direction of outputting the carrier and / or the direction of receiving the signal carrier can be changed.

As a fourth aspect of the present invention, a processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function,
It is configured to include a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a signal carrier carrying information to an external space and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information carried from an external space, and the above processing circuit, And a communication device that communicates information with an external device, wherein the communication unit includes a signal transmission body that is deformable by receiving a force from the outside. An electronic device characterized in that the orientation of an output end face that outputs the signal carrier to the external space and / or a receiving end face that receives the signal carrier from the external space is changed by being deformed.

The signal transmission body is an optical fiber and / or
Alternatively, it may be an electric cable. Further, it is preferable that the communication unit further includes at least a shape maintaining member that maintains the shape of the signal transmission body against gravity and internal stress of the signal transmission body itself. In addition, it is preferable to have a connecting unit that connects the communication unit and the communication unit that uses light as a signal carrier, which is included in another device, with their incident surfaces and emission surfaces facing each other.

As a fifth aspect of the present invention, a processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function,
It is configured to include a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a signal carrier carrying information to an external space and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information carried from an external space, and the above processing circuit, A communication device that communicates information with an external device and a movable device that changes the position and / or the direction of the communication unit to change the direction in which the signal carrier is output and / or the direction in which the signal carrier is received. An electronic device is provided.

The movable means may be configured so that its position and / or direction can be changed, and includes a movable body having the output end face and / or the reception end face of the communication section. . Further, the movable body has at least a housing in which a part of the processing circuit is stored, and the movable body is installed in the housing and rotates according to a position and / or a direction of the housing. May be.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in a clamshell type information processing device, a display device for displaying an image, a processing circuit having an information processing function, and at least the display device are supported. It has at least one of a display housing configured to be openable and closable, a function of outputting a signal carrier carrying information to an external space, and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information carried from the external space. A communication unit configured to include a communication unit, for communicating information between the processing circuit and an external device; and a movable body that rotates according to an opening / closing angle of the display housing. An information processing apparatus, wherein the communication unit is installed on the movable body.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, an electronic device capable of communicating with other devices by mounting a communication device using light as a signal carrier, has an information input processing function and information display. A processing circuit having at least one of a processing function and a print information processing function;
A housing for storing at least a part of the processing circuit, and a connector for connecting the communication device, the connector being connected to the processing circuit, wherein the connector is the housing when the electronic device is in use. The electronic device is provided at a position that is substantially the uppermost part of the electronic device.

As an eighth aspect of the present invention, an electronic device capable of communicating with another device by mounting a communication device using light as a signal carrier, has an information input processing function and information display. A processing circuit having at least one of a processing function and a print information processing function;
A housing for storing at least a part of the processing circuit, and a connector for connecting the communication device, the connector being connected to the processing circuit, wherein the connector is installed near a corner of the housing. An electronic device is provided.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, an electronic device capable of communicating with other devices by mounting a communication device using light as a signal carrier, has an information input processing function and information display. A processing circuit having at least one of a processing function and a print information processing function;
There is provided an electronic device including: a housing storing at least a part of the processing circuit; and a plurality of connectors connected to the processing circuit for mounting the communication device.

In the seventh, eighth, and ninth aspects, the processing circuit may include a part of the function of the communication device.

[0022]

In the above electronic device, since the communication section is located at the uppermost position (for example, in the case of a clamshell type information processing device, the display housing), the light communication from the obstacle is avoided and the optical communication is smoothly performed. Can be done

Further, if the communication section is configured to include an optical fiber or the like, the direction in which the light is output or the direction in which the light can be received can be changed by bending the optical fiber or the like. Alternatively, the same effect can be obtained by changing the position or direction of the communication unit by the movable means (movable body). Therefore, communication can be smoothly performed without moving the electronic device itself.

Also in the electronic device equipped with the communication device, the same effect can be obtained by installing the connector on the uppermost part. Further, when the connector is installed in the vicinity of the corner, the length of the communication device can be lengthened, and the ability to avoid obstacles is enhanced. If a plurality of connectors are provided, they can be attached at optimal positions according to various usage environments. It should be noted that there is no need to attach or detach the entire communication device, and only a part thereof may be attachable.

[0025]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, "light" is a concept including visible light, infrared light, and other electromagnetic waves having high directivity.

The first embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the external basic configuration of the information processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment has a main body 10 and a liquid crystal display device (Liquid C) that also functions as a lid of the main body 10.
It is a so-called "clamshell type", which is mainly composed of a physical display (hereinafter, simply referred to as "LCD") 60 (in the figure, a printer is shown in addition to the information processing device). However, the basic configuration of the information processing device 1 is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to other types of information processing devices.

A keyboard 70, a floppy disk device 80, various circuit boards and the like are stored in the main body 10. The main body 10 and each device 60, 70, 80 are connected by a cable, and operate in close cooperation with each other. The structure of the circuit in the main body 10 is shown in FIG.

Further, in the main body 10, a CPU 20 for controlling various circuits and processing print / display information and executing a predetermined operation, a RAM 30 and a ROM 31 storing various data and programs, and various character dots. CG (Character G that stores the pattern)
32), an LCD controller 40 for controlling the LCD 60, a keyboard controller 41 for controlling the keyboard 70, a floppy disk device controller 42 for controlling the floppy disk device 80,
A printer controller 50 for controlling the printer 90,
A transmission device 51 that transmits data to the printer 90, a reception device 56 that receives a signal returned from the printer, and the like are stored.

In this embodiment, as the transmitting device 51 and the receiving device 56, those which transmit and receive signals using infrared rays are adopted. It is a part of the transmitting device 51 that directly sends the light to the external space, and the receiving device 56 that directly receives the light transmitted through the external space.
Is performed by the receiving unit 57 that is a part of. However, as will be described later, the transmitter 52 and the receiver 57 do not necessarily have to be installed in the main body 10.

On the other hand, the printer 90, which is the communication partner,
As a matter of course, a receiver 91 for receiving the light emitted from the transmitter 51 and a transmitter 96 for emitting light to the receiver 56 are provided. It is the transmitter 9 in the transmitter 96 that directly sends the light to the external space.
The receiver 7 in the receiver 91 directly receives the light transmitted through the external space. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the printer 90 has a processing circuit and a printing mechanism for processing print information.

Transmitters 51 and 96, receivers 56 and 91
Is a configuration including a light emitting diode and a lens,
By selecting an appropriate lens for use, the directivity of the light transmitted and received by the transmitters 52, 97 and the receivers 56, 91 can be adjusted.

The present embodiment is characterized by the arrangement of the transmitters 52 and 97, the receivers 57 and 92, and the structure for realizing the arrangement. Therefore, hereinafter, the description will focus on the feature points. Since other specific circuit configurations and the like basically have no characteristics, detailed description thereof will be omitted, and only the description will be made as necessary in the following description.

The "communication unit" in the claims corresponds to the transmitting units 52 and 97 and the receiving units 56 and 91.

When transmitting and receiving a signal by light between the information processing apparatus 1 and the printer 90 (or another information processing apparatus 1), an obstacle that may be an obstacle is an ashtray on a desk,
Books etc. are considered. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the transmitter 52 and the receiver 57 are installed at the substantially uppermost position in the usage state of the information processing device 1, that is, at the tip of the display device 60 (see FIG. 3). ). Further, on the printer 90 side, the receiving unit 92 and the transmitting unit 97 are also installed at positions substantially at the top. With such an arrangement, light can be passed over the obstacle I on the desk, and communication failure can be prevented (see FIG. 4).

It should be noted that what is substantially located at the top is
Only the transmitters 52 and 97 and the receivers 57 and 92 are sufficient, and it is not necessary to arrange the transmitter 51 and the like at the top. Further, if the height is high enough to avoid the obstacle I actually expected (for example, an ashtray), it does not necessarily have to be the uppermost part. At least at the position above the rear upper end 100 of the main body 10 in the state where the LCD 60 is opened, the above effect can be obtained to some extent (compared to the case where the main body 10 is provided with the transmitting unit).

In FIG. 3, the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57 are provided one by one, but if they are provided at various places, it is possible to cope with a wider variety of usage environments. Such an example is shown in FIG. 5 as a second embodiment. In this embodiment, the transmitting unit 5 is provided at each of the upper left and right side surfaces of the LCD 60, the upper front surface, the upper rear surface, and the upper end surface, respectively.
2. A receiver 57 is installed. These (each transmitter 52
In addition, the receiving units 57) do not operate all at the same time, and one or two (or more) of them are selected and operated depending on the position where the printer 90 is placed. There is. As a result, the transmission output of each transmitter 52 and the sensitivity of the receiver 57 can be increased without increasing the power consumption as a whole. That is, the ability to avoid obstacles can be increased and the distance at which data can be transmitted and received can be increased. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, an obstacle I higher than the position of the transmitter 52 or the like is used.
However, once the printer 9
It is possible to tell 0. As another effect, even when the LCD 60 is closed as shown in FIG.
It is possible to send and receive data. This is effective when printing the contents that should not be known to others.
Furthermore, data can be exchanged with the printers 90 placed on the left and right sides of the information processing apparatus 1 by means of the transmission unit 52 and the like installed on the side surface.

As described above, since the transmitter 52 and the like are installed at various places, the "blind spot" of light is reduced, and the printer 90
The degree of freedom of arrangement is increased. Therefore, it is possible to deal with a wider variety of usage situations. The relative positional relationship between the transmitter 52 and the receiver 57 (for example, the transmitter 52 is above the receiver 57 (in the figure)) is not limited to the one shown in this figure. Further, the transmitter 52 and the receiver 57 may be integrated and may be installed at substantially the same position.

A third embodiment will be described.

The information processing apparatus of this embodiment is characterized in that the positions and orientations of the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57 can be changed to avoid obstacles and eliminate blind spots in optical transmission and reception. Is to have.

Specifically, this is realized by providing the movable device 101 shown in FIG. 8 and installing the transmitting section 52 and the like on this.

The movable device 101 comprises a shaft 1010 and a movable body 1012.

The shaft 1010 is provided on the housing of the information processing apparatus. The movable body 1012 is the shaft 101.
It is rotatably attached to 0. A transmitting unit 52 and a receiving unit 57 are provided on one of the surfaces of the movable body 1012 adjacent to the surface connected to the shaft 1010. Therefore, by rotating the movable body 1012, it is possible to change the direction of the transmitting unit 52 and the like and change the area in which light can be transmitted and received.

The installation position of the movable device 101 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of avoiding obstacles, it is preferably as high as possible as in the above embodiment. For example, installation at the positions shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 can be considered.

FIG. 9 shows an example of installation on the upper edge portion 600 (in use) of the LCD 60. The movable device 101 is attached with the shaft 1010 installed on the upper edge portion 600 of the LCD 60.

FIG. 10 shows that a notch 602 is provided on the upper edge portion 600 (in use) of the LCD 60,
This is an example installed here. In this example, in addition to the configuration described above, the movable body 1012 is configured to be slidable along the shaft 1010 in the upward direction (indicated by a dotted arrow in the drawing). Normally, as shown in FIG.
It is used as it is in the notch 602. In this state, there is no protruding portion from the upper edge portion 600, so that it is a smart appearance. The same can be said for the non-use state of the information processing apparatus with the LCD 60 closed. On the other hand, when the communication partner (for example, the printer 90) is on the left and right of the information processing apparatus, the movable body 1012 is slid to be rotatable and then rotated in a desired direction. As a result, the blind spot of optical transmission / reception can be reduced.

The LCD 60 shown in FIGS.
This is an example in which a cutout portion 602 ′ is provided at a position which becomes an upper end of the side surface 604 (when the information processing apparatus 1 is in use), and the movable device 101 is installed here. The shaft 1010 is installed horizontally on the wall surface of the cutout portion 602 '. Therefore, the movable body 1012 can rotate in the direction shown by the arrow in the figure. Further, the wall surface 606 forming the cutout portion 602 'is formed in a circular shape, and the movable body 1012 can be rotated in this state without being slid outward as in the example shown in FIG. You can In this example (FIGS. 11 and 12),
The transmittable / receivable area in the horizontal plane (including the movable device 101) is shown by hatching in FIG. Note that, here, the transmittable area of the transmitting unit 52 and the receivable area of the receiving unit 57 are collectively shown as a “transmittable / receivable area”.
Strictly speaking, due to the difference in the directivity of each of the transmission unit 52 and the reception unit 57, the boundary line between the transmittable area and the receivable area is different.

As described above, this embodiment (FIGS. 8 to 13)
In the above, at least on the plane including the rotation locus of the transmitting unit 52 and the like (the transmitting unit 52, the receiving unit 5
7) can be turned in all directions. Therefore, irrespective of the directivity of the transmitter 52 or the like, the blind spot where light cannot be transmitted or received unless the information processing device 1 or the printer 90 itself is moved is almost completely eliminated, and it can be easily used in more diverse usage situations. Can handle. For example, printer 9
Even when 0 is moved or the like to change the positional relationship between the two, it is possible to secure the transmission and reception of the data only by rotating the movable body 1012 and appropriately changing the direction and the like of the transmitting unit 52.

Further, since both the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57 are installed on the movable body 1012, it is convenient that the directions of both can be adjusted at the same time. Further, since the directivity of the transmitter 52 itself can be increased, the transmission of the transmitter 51 is performed without shortening the transmittable distance (note: generally, the narrower the directivity, the farther the light reaches). Output (that is, power consumption) can be suppressed. In addition, since the directivity of the receiving unit 57 can be similarly increased, the receiving sensitivity can be increased, and as a result, the receivable distance can be increased (without increasing the transmission output of the communication partner). Such an effect is particularly important in a device such as the information processing device 1 which is premised on battery driving.

A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

In this embodiment, although the transmitter 52 and the movable device 101 'are built in the housing of the LCD 60,
It is possible to change the direction. Mobile device 10
The basic structure of 1'is the same as that of the third embodiment, but in the present embodiment, this is realized by further adding a configuration for rotating the movable body 1012 in conjunction with the opening / closing operation of the LCD 60. ing. Hereinafter, an example of the interlocking mechanism will be described in detail. However, the mechanism described here is merely an example, and may be realized by another mechanism.

A shaft 13 for rotatably connecting the LCD 60 to the main body 10 is provided with a pulley 13 at its end. The shaft 12 and the pulley 13 are fixed and do not rotate when the LCD 60 is opened or closed.

On the other hand, the movable device 101 'is installed above the pulley 13 in the housing of the LCD 60.
Around the shaft 1010, a pulley 14 that rotates with the movable body 1012 is provided. The pulley 14 has a smaller outer diameter than the pulley 13. A belt 15 is stretched between the pulley 14 and the pulley 13.

In such a structure, the meshing position between the belt 15 and the pulley 13 is determined according to the opening / closing angle of the LCD 60 (Note: see the movement of A and B in FIG. 15). . Therefore, by changing the degree of opening of the LCD 60, the belt 15 and the pulley 14 are rotated to move the movable body 1012 (that is, the transmitting unit 52, etc.).
You can change the direction of. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, when the LCD 60 is opened, the transmitter 52 and the like face upward. On the contrary, when the LCD 60 is closed, the transmitting section 52 and the like face downward. Since the liquid crystal display device generally has a narrow visible range, the screen may be difficult to see when the orientation of the transmitter 52 or the like is changed by opening / closing the LCD 60 (for example, the first embodiment).
However, in this embodiment, the pulley 14 is replaced by the pulley 13
Since it is smaller than the above, the orientation of the transmitter 52 and the like can be largely changed by only slightly changing the angle of the LCD 60. Therefore, such a problem of visibility hardly occurs. However, if the pulley 14 is extremely smaller than the pulley 13, another problem that the angle adjustment of the transmission unit 52 becomes difficult occurs, and therefore, the pulley 14 and the pulley 14 are difficult to adjust.
The ratio of the size of the LCD 13 is determined in consideration of the size of the viewing angle of the LCD 60 and the operability.

The housing of the LCD 60 is a movable device 10.
Around 1'is composed of a detachable transparent member (Note: the transparent portion is shown as a shaded portion in FIG. 14 (b)). Therefore, in actuality, the adjustment is performed while confirming the direction of the transmission unit 52 from this portion.

Further, the angle of the transmitting section 52 is set so as to face rearward and obliquely downward when the screen is most easily viewed in a normal use state (at the time of factory shipment) as an initial setting. However, if the orientation of the transmitter 52 cannot be sufficiently adjusted as it is, the transparent member is removed, and the belt 1 is pressed and fixed by hand, and the pulley 1 is held.
The user can change the initial settings by compulsorily rotating the fourth and the like. In this example, the movable body 101
The transmitter 2 and the transmitter 52 are installed on the LCD 60, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be installed on the upper portion of the main body 10, for example.

A fifth embodiment will be described.

In this embodiment, the basic structure of the movable device 201 is different from that of the above embodiment.

The movable device 201 of this embodiment is the LCD 60.
It is installed on the upper end of the side surface 604 (see FIG. 16).
The movable body 2012 has a spherical shape. On the other hand, the movable body 2012
The receiving portion 2011 for holding the is provided on the side surface 604 (see FIG. 17). The receiving part 2011 is a movable body 20.
12 has a spherical concave surface portion that can be fitted to the outer curved surface, holds the movable body 2012 so as not to come off in the concave surface portion, and allows the movable body 2012 to move in all directions like a so-called "universal joint". It is configured so that it can be oriented freely (see FIG. 18). With such a configuration, the transmitter 52 and the like can change its direction in an extremely wide range, so that the blind spot is small. Therefore, even if the directivity of the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57 is narrow, it is possible to cope with various usage environments. Therefore, it is possible to increase the distance over which data can be transmitted and received while suppressing these power consumptions. Figure 19 shows the area that can be sent and received.
It is indicated by hatching in (a). Further, FIG. 19B shows a transceivable area when the movable device 201 and the like are provided on the left and right sides of the LCD 60. Here, the transmittable area by the transmitting unit 52 and the receivable area by the receiving unit 57 are collectively shown as "transmittable / receiveable region", but strictly speaking, due to the difference in directivity between the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57, The boundary line between the transmittable area and the receivable area is different.

If the movable device 201 is attached to the rear side of the LCD 60 as shown in FIG. 20, the blind spot area on the back side of the LCD 60 can be made smaller. LCD having such a configuration
Although there may be a case where the blind spot area on the front side of 60 is enlarged, there is practically no problem because the printer 90 and the like are rarely placed on the front side. In the figure, the light transmittable / receivable area is indicated by diagonal lines. As described above, the transmittable area and the receivable area do not necessarily match.

A sixth embodiment will be described.

The present embodiment is characterized in that the transmitting section 52 itself is configured so that the light transmitting direction can be changed. Others are the same as the above-mentioned embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 21, the transmitter 52 of this embodiment comprises a light emitting unit 104, an optical fiber 102, and a covering material 103 for covering the same.

The light emitting section 104 emits light used for signal transmission, and the light emission thereof is controlled by the circuit section of the transmitter 51.

The optical fiber 102 is suitable for transmitting the light emitted from the light emitting section 104. One end of the optical fiber 102 is attached to the light emitting portion 104, and light is input from the end portion. On the other hand, the other end side is a free end. Therefore, by bending the optical fiber 102, the output direction of the light to the outside can be freely changed (see FIG. 22). The directivity can be changed by providing a lens or the like at the end on the side that outputs light to the outside, if necessary.

The covering material 103 is simply the optical fiber 102.
The optical fiber-1 of the transmitter 52
When 02 is bent, the bent state can be maintained (against gravity, the restoring force of the optical fiber itself). In this example, the covering material 103 covers only the side surface of the optical fiber 102, but from the viewpoint of protection of the optical fiber 102, it is preferable that the covering material 103 also covers the light emitting side end surface thereof. However, it is needless to say that at least the portion covering the end face needs to be able to sufficiently transmit light. The covering material 103 corresponds to the form supporting member in the claims. In addition,
In addition to this, the form supporting member may be realized by connecting a large number of universal joints or the like.

Although the length of the transmitting section 52 is not particularly limited,
Longer lengths are advantageous for the purpose of avoiding obstacles. However, in consideration of actual usability, it is preferable that the length corresponds to the size of the information processing device housing. For example, the length may be the same as the long side of the information processing device housing. It goes without saying that which length to match should be determined according to the mounting position of the transmitter 52. In addition, it is preferable that the connecting position of the transmitting unit 52 and the LCD 60 or the like (or the position of a connector to be described later) is near a corner of the casing of the LCD 60 or the like. This is because if the tip position of the transmitter 52 is made to correspond to the housing, the transmitter 52 can be lengthened.

The transmitter 52 has its tip (that is,
Since the movable range of the light emission end) is extremely wide, the degree of freedom of installation in the information processing device is extremely large. For example, it is conceivable to mount it at the position shown in FIGS.

In FIG. 23, the transmitter 52 is attached near the corner of the lower right side surface (in use) of the LCD 60. The transmitting unit 52 uses only the light emitting unit 104 for the LCD 6
Since it is attached directly to the light source 0, the portion ahead of the light emitting portion 104 (that is, the optical fiber 102, the covering material 103)
Can change its direction and position freely. Therefore,
Various obstacles can be avoided, and signals can be exchanged with the printer 90 or the like in a cordless fashion. In this example, the connection position between the information processing device and the transmission unit 52 (that is, the light emitting unit 104).
Although the mounting position) is on the lower side, there is no inconvenience from the viewpoint of avoiding obstacles because the transmitter 52 extends upward. On the contrary, by arranging the connecting position at the bottom, it is particularly effective when the printer 90 is placed under a desk (see FIG. 30).

FIG. 24 shows an example in which the transmitter 52 is installed near the upper corner (in use) of the LCD 60.
In this example, the length of the optical fiber 102 can be made longer than that of the example in FIG. 22 (Note: In general, a clamshell type information processing device is longer in the left-right direction than in the depth direction. In addition, since the light emitting surface position (that is, the tip of the optical fiber 102) can be set at a higher position, it is effective for avoiding tall obstacles.

23 and 24, the light emitting section 1
The optical fiber 102 has a structure in which it is bent by 90 ° in the vicinity of 04, but these detailed structures can be changed as necessary.

FIG. 25 shows an example in which the transmitter 52 is attached to the information processing apparatus via a connector so that the transmitter 52 can be attached and detached. In this example, the light emitting unit 104 is provided with a connector 1040. Also, on the information processing device side, connectors 1042 connected to the circuit unit of the transmission device 51 are provided at various places
a and b are provided. Therefore, the transmitter 52 can be attached to and detached from the information processing device, and the transmitter 52 can be attached at the most optimal position according to the usage environment. In this case, if the power capacity of the information processing device permits, a plurality of transmitters may be simultaneously available. However, it is not necessary to attach / detach the transmitting unit 52 as a whole, and the light emitting unit 1 is provided on the side of each connector 1042a, 104b.
04 may be provided and only the optical fiber 102 (and the coating material 103) may be attached and detached. Alternatively, conversely, the transmission device 52 and the like may not be configured so that only the transmission unit 52 and the like are detachable, but the entire transmission device 51 and the reception device 56 may be detachable.

FIG. 26 shows a modification of FIG. In this example, a groove 610 is provided on the side surface of the LCD 60, and the transmitter 52 can be housed in the groove 610. With such a configuration, the portion of the optical fiber-102 of the transmitter 52 does not hang down during movement, which is advantageous in that it is excellent in portability. Also,
In the housed state, the transmitter 52 does not become exposed in a bent state, so that the entire apparatus may be refreshed externally. Furthermore, by forcibly inserting a portion of the optical fiber 102 into the groove 610, its shape can be adjusted to be "linear".

Like FIG. 26, FIG. 27 is also made from the viewpoint of improving portability, and the groove 6 is formed at the upper end of the LCD 60.
12 are provided.

FIG. 28 has almost the same configuration as that of FIG. 23, but is characterized in that the mounting portion 1015 to the LCD 60 is configured to be rotatable. In this example, since this portion is rotatable, the optical fiber-102 and the like can be oriented in a desired direction without being forced (see FIG. 28B).

Although FIGS. 23 to 28 are all mounted on the housing of the LCD 60, they may be mounted on the housing of the main body 10 from the same viewpoint. In addition, in FIG.
Although only 2 is shown, the receiving unit 57 may have the same configuration. In this case, as shown in FIG.
From the standpoint of usability, it is preferable to bundle the optical fibers of both (the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57) together with the covering material 103. Alternatively, the optical frequencies of the light used by the transmitter 52 and the receiver 57 are different, and one optical fiber is used.
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which transmission and reception are performed in (i.e., frequency division).

The seventh embodiment will be described.

This embodiment is an application of the sixth embodiment, and a connector 1044 is provided at the tip of the transmitter 52 (= the light emitting end of the optical fiber 102) (see FIG. 31).
It is characterized in that it is possible to directly connect to the transmitting unit 52 of another device. The connector 1
Reference numeral 044 is the connecting means referred to in the claims. In this case, the signal should be exchanged in the cordless or the optical fiber-1
A user can arbitrarily select and switch whether to directly send and receive the signal 02. For example, signals are transmitted and received in a codeless manner only when the communication partner (for example, the printer 90) is distant. When the two are close to each other or when secret data or the like is output, the optical fiber 102 is directly connected to exchange signals (see FIG. 32).

When the two are directly connected, signals can be sufficiently transmitted and received even with weak light. Therefore, the output of the light emitting unit 104 is variably configured and the output is provided in the case of the direct connection. If the configuration is weakened, the power consumption can be suppressed. In this case, if a switch for detecting the connection state is provided on the connector 1044 and the output is automatically changed according to the detection result of the switch, the number of operations by the user does not increase.

Further, the switching work only needs to attach / detach the connector, and it is not necessary to replace the hardware. Therefore, at any time (even when it is in communication), the two methods (direct connection and cordless) can be freely switched.

As shown in FIG. 33, the optical fiber-10
Even if the cable 1020 for electric signals is used instead of the optical fiber 2 and the light emitting unit 104 ′ is arranged at the tip position of the transmitting unit 52, the above-described seventh and eighth optical fibers 102 are not used. It is also possible to obtain the same effect as that of the embodiment.

When the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit 57 are integrated into one unit, the transmitting unit 52 and the receiving unit on the other side, and the receiving unit 57 and the transmitting unit on the other side. It is natural that they are connected in correspondence with each other.

Next, the configuration of the printer 90 side will be described as eighth and ninth embodiments. The transmitter 97 and the receiver 92 on the side of the printer 90, which is a communication partner, basically
It is preferable that the information processing apparatus is installed at a position / angle determined from the same viewpoint. For example, the transmitter 9
It is preferable that 7 is installed at a position as high as possible. In addition, a movable device may be provided so that its direction can be changed.

FIG. 34 shows an example of a movable device as an eighth embodiment. The movable device 901 is installed in a cutout portion 902 provided at a corner of the printer 90. The notch 902 is provided with a horizontal shaft 9010.
The movable body 9012 on which the transmitter 97 is installed is attached so as to be rotatable around the shaft 9010. The notch surface 902 of the notch portion 902 is a circumferential surface, and does not become an obstacle when rotating the movable body 9012 (see FIG. 35). Therefore, the movable body 9012 can be rotated to change the direction of the transmitter 97 (in the figure, the direction of rotation of the movable body 9012 is indicated by a solid arrow).

Further, the movable body 9012 is constructed so as to be slidable outward along the shaft 9010, and can be pulled out to the outside of the cutout portion 902 if necessary (see FIG. 36). As a result, even if there is an information processing apparatus that is a communication partner behind the printer 90 (indicated by a dotted arrow in FIG. 34), the housing of the printer 90 itself does not become an obstacle. Further, even when the printer is installed on a shelf located above the upper processing device, it is possible to deal with Saturday. In this example, since the movable body 9012 is pulled out from the notch 902 only when the communication partner is behind (or below), in a normal state, there is no unnecessary protrusion and it is smart from the design side. In this example, only the transmitter 97 is installed on the movable body 9012, but the receiver 92 may also be installed on the movable body 9012 in the same manner.

As described above, since the transmitting unit 97 can be directed to the other side on the printer 90 side as well, the directivity of light is increased and the light is emitted (without increasing the overall power consumption). It can reach far away (see FIG. 37). Therefore, the receiving unit 57 on the information processing device side
Even if the sensitivity of light detection is reduced as a result of widening the directivity of the communication range, the communicable distance can be lengthened. Similarly, for the receiving unit 92, even if the directivity is increased,
By changing its direction, you can surely catch the light sent by the other party. Therefore, the sensitivity of the receiver 92 can be increased, and the output of the transmitter 52 on the information processing device side can be decreased. Such an effect is particularly important in an information processing device that is supposed to be portable.

Another movable device 901 'as the ninth embodiment.
Is shown in FIG.

This movable device 901 'exposes the transmitting portion 97 and the receiving portion 92 only when necessary (see FIG. 38A), and otherwise stores them in the printer 90 (see FIG. 38 ( (See b)).

Details of the movable device 901 'will be described with reference to FIG. A circular recess 90 is formed on the outer wall surface of the printer 90.
8 are provided. Then, in the center thereof, there is a central shaft 909 having a supporting sphere portion 9090 at the tip. On the other hand, the movable body 9012 ′ is a disk-shaped member having a size that fits exactly in the recess 908, and the transmitter 97 and the receiver 92 are arranged side by side on the side surface thereof. A concave portion 90120 having the same curved surface shape as the outer peripheral surface of the support sphere portion 9090 is provided on the lower side surface of the movable body 9012 ′. Then, the movable body 9012 ′ supports the concave portion 90120 in the support sphere portion 90.
90 is fitted and held. Therefore, the movable body 9
012 ', in the range that does not collide with other members,
You can change its direction freely.

When transmitting / receiving data, the transmitting unit 92
The position (shown as A in FIG. 39) on the opposite side of the printer is pushed inward of the printer 90. Then, the movable body 901
2'rotates around the support sphere 9090 as a center, and the a portion protrudes outward (see FIG. 39 (b))). As a result, the transmitter 92 and the like are exposed, and light can be transmitted and received. Further, in this state, as shown in FIG. 40, by rotating the movable body 9012 ′, it is possible to change the orientation of the transmitting unit 92 and the like.

In this example, not only the orientation of the transmitting unit 92 and the like can be changed, but also the transmitting unit 92 and the like can be stored inside. Therefore, it is possible to ensure the protection of the lens and the like of the transmitting unit 92. This effect is particularly useful in a small-sized printer that is supposed to be moved together with the information processing apparatus. Also, it is smarter and better from a design perspective.

The configuration of the movable device 901 'of the printer 90 shown here can of course be applied to an information processing device. FIG. 41 shows a state in which the movable device 901 ′ is installed on the upper edge of the LCD 60 of the information processing device.

In addition to this, it is of course possible to apply the configurations of the first to eighth embodiments to a printer.

Although light (for example, laser light or infrared light) is used as the signal carrier in the above description, it can be similarly applied to the case where other ultrasonic waves having relatively high directivity are used. Is. Further, it is not always necessary to use the light of the same frequency for transmission and reception.

In the above-described embodiments, the so-called clamshell type information processing device and printer have been described as examples, but the present invention can be similarly applied to other various electronic devices. For example, the present invention is similarly applicable to all electronic devices such as an information processing device in which a main body, a display device, and an input device are housed in separate housings, a FAX, and a display device installed independently.

[0096]

According to the present invention, it is possible to carry out optical communication while avoiding obstacles existing between devices. Moreover, the optical communication area can be expanded. In addition, portability is not often sacrificed when realizing these.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of an information processing apparatus and a printer which are embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing internal configurations of an information processing device and a printer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement of a transmission unit 52 and a reception unit 57 of the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing how obstacles are avoided during optical transmission and reception.

5A and 5B are a front side perspective view and a rear side perspective view showing an arrangement of a transmitter 52 and a receiver 57 of an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing how obstacles are avoided during optical transmission and reception.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing how obstacles are avoided during optical transmission and reception.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a movable device 101 included in an information processing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a perspective view showing an example of mounting the movable device 101 to an information processing device. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of how the movable device 101 is attached to an information processing device.

11 is a perspective view showing an example of mounting the movable device 101 to an information processing device. FIG.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG.

13 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmittable / receivable range in the mounting example of FIG.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a movable device 101 ′ included in the information processing device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing how the movable device 101 ′ operates.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a movable device 201 included in an information processing apparatus which is a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounted state of the movable device 201.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing how the movable device 201 operates.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmittable / receivable range in the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmittable / receivable range when the mounting angle of the movable device 201 is changed.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmitter 52 included in the information processing apparatus according to the sixth embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram showing how the transmission direction is changed by the transmission unit 52.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view showing an example of attachment of a transmitter 52 in the information processing apparatus of the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view showing an example of attachment of a transmitter 52 in the information processing apparatus of the sixth embodiment.

25A and 25B are a perspective view showing an example in which the transmission section 52 in the information processing apparatus of the sixth embodiment is detachable via a connector, and an explanatory view showing a state of attachment / detachment.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing an example of attachment of a transmitter 52 in the information processing apparatus of the sixth embodiment, and an explanatory view showing the manner of its operation.

27A and 27B are a perspective view showing an example of attachment of the transmitter 52 in the information processing apparatus of the sixth embodiment, and an explanatory view showing the manner of operation thereof.

28A and 28B are a perspective view showing an example of attachment of the transmitter 52 in the information processing apparatus of the sixth embodiment, and an explanatory view showing the manner of operation thereof.

FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a transmitter 52 and a receiver 57 are integrated and integrated.

FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram showing how signals are exchanged with a printer 90 installed under a desk.

FIG. 31 is an explanatory diagram showing a transmitter 52 included in the information processing apparatus according to the seventh embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 32 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of being directly connected to another device via a connector 1044.

FIG. 33 is an explanatory diagram showing another configuration example of the transmission unit 52 of the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view showing a movable device 901 included in the printer according to the eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 35 is an explanatory diagram showing how the movable device 901 operates.

FIG. 36 is an explanatory diagram showing how the movable device 901 operates.

FIG. 37 is an explanatory diagram showing how signals are exchanged.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing a movable device 901 ′ provided in the printer of the ninth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 39 is an explanatory diagram showing details of a movable device 901 ′.

FIG. 40 is an explanatory diagram showing how the movable device 901 ′ operates.

FIG. 41 is a perspective view showing an example in which a movable device 901 ′ is applied to an information processing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Information processing apparatus, 10 ... Main body, 12 ... Axis, 13
… Pulley, 14… Pulley, 15… Belt, 20…
CPU, 30 ... RAM, 31 ... ROM, 32 ... Character generator (CG), 40 ... LCD controller, 41 ... Keyboard controller, 42 ... Floppy disk device controller, 50 ... Printer controller -LA, 51 ... Transmission device, 52 ... Transmission unit, 56
... receiver, 57 ... receiver, 60 ... liquid crystal display (LCD), 70 ... keyboard, 80 ... floppy disk device, 90 ... printer, 91 ... receiver,
92 ... Receiving unit, 96 ... Transmitting device, 97 ... Transmitting unit,
100 ... Rear upper end of the main body 10, 101 ... Movable device,
102 ... Optical fiber, 103 ... Coating material, 104 ...
Light emitting part, 201 ... Movable device, 2011 ... Receiving part,
2012 ... Movable body, 600 ... LCD60 upper edge part,
602 ... Notch portion, 604 ... Side surface of LCD 60, 6
06 ... Wall surface of the notch 602, 610 ... Groove, 612
... Groove, 901 ... Movable device, 902 ... Notch, 90
8 ... Recessed portion, 909 ... Central axis, 1010 ... Axis, 10
12 ... Movable body, 1040 ... Connector, 1042 ... Connector, 1044 ... Connector, 9010 ... Shaft, 9
020 ... Notched surface, 9090 ... Support ball, 90120 ...
Recess, I ... Obstacle

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. A processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function, and a signal carrying information using light as a signal carrier. It is configured to include a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a carrier to an external space and a function of receiving the signal carrier that carries information transmitted from the external space. In an electronic device configured to include a communication device for communicating information between devices, and a housing in which at least a part of the processing circuit is stored, the communication unit includes the housing in a usage state of the electronic device. The electronic device is installed at a substantially uppermost position of the electronic device. 2. A clamshell type information processing device, a display device for displaying an image, a processing circuit having an information processing function, and a display device configured to support at least the display device and be openable / closable. And a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a signal carrier carrying information to an external space and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information carried from the external space, An information processing device, comprising: a communication device that communicates information between the processing circuit and an external device, wherein the communication unit is installed in the display housing. 3. The communication unit includes an upper edge portion of the display housing when the display housing is opened, and a right edge portion of the display housing when the display housing is opened. An upper end, a left edge upper end of the display housing when the display housing is opened, a rear upper end of the display housing when the display housing is opened, and the display housing The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information processing apparatus is installed at at least one of the upper end of the front surface of the display housing in the opened state. 4. A processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function, and a signal carrying information using light as a signal carrier. It is configured to include a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a carrier to an external space and a function of receiving the signal carrier that carries information transmitted from the external space. In an electronic device configured to include a communication device for communicating information between devices, and a housing in which at least a part of the processing circuit is stored, the communication unit is configured to output the signal carrier in a direction and / or
Alternatively, the direction in which the signal carrier is received can be changed, and the electronic device. 5. A processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function, and a signal carrying information using light as a signal carrier. It is configured to include a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a carrier to an external space and a function of receiving the signal carrier that carries information transmitted from the external space. And a communication device that communicates information between them, wherein the communication unit is configured to include a signal transmission body that is deformable by receiving an external force, and the signal transmission body can be deformed. The direction of the output end face that outputs the signal carrier to the external space and / or the receiving end face that receives the signal carrier from the external space is changed by the electronic device. 6. The signal transmission body comprises an optical fiber and / or
The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the electronic device is an electric cable. 7. The communication unit has at least a shape maintaining member that maintains the shape of the signal transmission body against gravity and internal stress of the signal transmission body itself. Electronic device. 8. A connection means is provided for connecting the communication section and the communication section of another device, which uses light as a signal carrier, with their incident surfaces and emission surfaces facing each other. The electronic device according to claim 5. 9. A processing circuit having at least one of an information input processing function, an information display processing function, and a print information processing function, and a signal carrier carrying information is output to an external space. Communication for communicating information between the processing circuit and an external device, the communication circuit having at least one of a function and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information from an external space. An electronic device, comprising: a device; and a movable unit that changes a position and / or a direction of the communication unit to change a direction in which the signal carrier is output and / or a direction in which the signal carrier is received. . 10. The movable means is configured so that its position and / or orientation can be changed, and includes a movable body on which the communication unit output end face and / or the reception end face is installed. The electronic device according to claim 9. 11. A housing having at least a part of the processing circuit housed therein, wherein the movable body is installed in the housing and rotates according to the position and / or orientation of the housing. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the electronic device is a device. 12. A clamshell type information processing device, a display device for displaying an image, a processing circuit having an information processing function, and a display device configured to support at least the display device and be openable / closable. And a communication unit having at least one of a function of outputting a signal carrier carrying information to an external space and a function of receiving a signal carrier carrying information carried from the external space, A communication device that communicates information between the processing circuit and an external device; a movable body that rotates according to the opening / closing angle of the display housing;
An information processing device, comprising: the communication unit being installed on the movable body. 13. An electronic device capable of communicating with other devices by mounting a communication device using light as a signal carrier, comprising an information input processing function, information display processing function, and print information processing. A processing circuit having at least one of the functions, a housing storing at least a part of the processing circuit, and a connector for connecting the communication device, the connector being connected to the processing circuit, The electronic device is characterized in that the connector is installed at a position which is substantially the uppermost part of the housing when the electronic device is in use. 14. An electronic device capable of communicating with another device by mounting a communication device using light as a signal carrier, comprising an information input processing function, information display processing function, and print information processing. A processing circuit having at least one function, a housing storing at least a part of the processing circuit, and a connector for connecting the communication device, the connector being connected to the processing circuit. The electronic device is characterized in that the connector is installed near a corner of the housing. 15. An electronic device capable of communicating with another device by mounting a communication device using light as a signal carrier, comprising an information input processing function, information display processing function, and print information processing. A processing circuit having at least one function, a housing storing at least a part of the processing circuit, and a plurality of connectors connected to the processing circuit for mounting the communication device. An electronic device having. 16. The electronic device according to claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to include a part of the function of the communication device.