JPH09204288A - Display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily divide a display image into plural screens and display them. SOLUTION: In the electronic appliance of a pen input type, when a line segment dividing the screen is plotted with a pen, a control part 24 detects the line segment, sets a division flag to a RAM 26 and divides the screen of a display device into two with the line segment as a boundary. In a divided state, individual editing area and display memory are allocated to the respective screens and data are processed by using the corresponding editing area and display memory. The contents of the two display memories are synthesized and pictures to be actually displayed are generated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device in which a display unit and an input unit are integrated, and more particularly to a display device capable of dividing a display surface into a plurality of screens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in electronic equipment such as a word processor equipped with a display device, it has been known that the display surface of the display device is divided so that different screens are displayed at the same time and the respective display contents are operated simultaneously. However, in this type of conventional display device, in order to divide the display screen, the cursor (blinking display) indicating the character input position displayed on the display surface is to be divided using the cursor keys. The screen was divided by pressing the Enter key when the move was completed. Therefore, it takes a long time to operate, the efficiency is low, and the operation is troublesome.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a display device which is easy to operate, has a short operation time, and is excellent in operability. .

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a display device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a display device in which a display portion and an input portion are integrated, and a display surface of the display means. Indicating means for indicating the coordinate position, detecting means for detecting the coordinate position indicated by the indicating means, and a display surface of the display means divided by a boundary including the coordinate position detected by the detecting means. And a dividing means.

According to the display device having such a configuration, it is possible to divide the screen at an arbitrary position by designating an arbitrary coordinate position by the instruction means. Therefore, the screen can be easily divided into desired shapes for use.

A display device according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises a display means in which a display portion and an input portion are integrated,
Input means for inputting a boundary dividing the display surface of the display means, detection means for detecting the boundary input by the input means, and a display surface of the display means with the boundary detected by the detecting means as a boundary. And a dividing means for dividing.

According to the display device having such a configuration, it is possible to divide the screen at an arbitrary boundary input by the input means. Therefore, the screen can be easily divided into desired shapes for use.

A display device according to a third aspect of the present invention includes a display surface, a display means for displaying a graphic on the display surface, and an input for drawing an arbitrary graphic on the display surface of the display means. Means for detecting that a predetermined figure is drawn on the display surface of the display means by the input means, and the figure detecting means for detecting that a predetermined figure is drawn on the display surface. In this case, the display surface of the display means is divided into a plurality of screens with the drawn figure as a boundary.

According to the display device having such a configuration, the screen can be divided with the figure input by the input means as a boundary. Therefore, the screen can be easily divided into desired shapes for use.

Display control means for displaying the divided screens divided by the dividing means in different display modes, for example, a text mode and an image mode, may be arranged.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An electronic device (display device) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) An electronic device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is, as shown in FIG.
And an electronic pen 12 for input. The electronic device body 11 has a display input surface 1 in which a display surface and an input surface are integrated.
3 are formed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a circuit configuration of this electronic device. As illustrated, this electronic device includes a pen detection unit 21, a coordinate reading unit 22, a buffer 23 that temporarily stores output signals of the pen detection unit 21 and the coordinate reading unit 22,
The control unit 24, the ROM 25, the RAM 26, the display drive unit 30, and the display unit 31 are included.

As shown in the figure, the pen detector 21 detects the contact between the pen 12 and the display input surface 13 and outputs a detection signal. The coordinate reading unit 22 includes a pen 12 and a display input surface 13.
The coordinates of the contact position with are read and the read coordinates are output. The buffer 23 temporarily stores the detection signal from the pen detection unit 21 and the coordinates from the coordinate reading unit 22.

The ROM 25 stores a control program for controlling input by the pen 12, fixed data and the like.
In particular, in this embodiment, a program for executing the screen division process shown in FIG. 5 is stored. RAM
Reference numeral 26 denotes an editing area 27 used for processing / editing data, a division control area 28 required for controlling screen division,
It has a display area 29 for storing display information.

The display unit 31 is composed of a flat panel display or the like and displays images, data and the like. The display drive unit 30 displays an image on the display unit 31 under the control of the control unit 24. The display unit 31, the pen detection unit 21, and the coordinate reading unit 22 are arranged in a stacked manner so that input can be performed on the display screen.

As shown in FIG. 3 (A), the editing area 27 includes a first editing area 27A used in a normal time and a second editing area 27B used in a normal time and a screen division.
It is composed of The division control area 28 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a division flag register 28A that stores a division flag that indicates whether or not the screen is divided, and a validity that indicates which of the two screens (windows) generated by the division is valid (active). An effective screen flag register 28B for storing a screen flag and a division length register 28C for storing a division length indicating the size of two screens formed by division. As shown in FIG. 3C, the display area 29 includes an actual VRAM 29A that stores image data that is actually displayed, and first and second VRAMs 29B and 29 used when the screen is divided.
It is composed of C and.

Next, an example of screen operation in the electronic device having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. When the "screen division" is selected with the pen 12 while the function operation (menu) 41 is displayed as shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), the access bar 42 is displayed in the uppermost line of the display area, the screen is lowered by one line, and the display surface is divided into two screens 13A and 13B in a substantially symmetrical manner. The screen is divided in display character size units, not dot units. For example, when 20 characters are displayed in one line, the left one and the right nine are used and one of the characters is used in the division ruled line 43.

The portion of the access bar 42 located on the valid screen (the screen currently being accessed) is colored (shown by hatching in FIG. 4) to indicate that it is in the valid state. The screen in the active state is switched by touching the display input surface 13 with the pen 12.

The dividing position of the screen is represented by the pointer 44. When the pointer 44 is pointed with the pen 12 and the pen is moved in the left-right direction (along the access bar 42),
As shown in (C), the division ratio (horizontal size ratio) of the two screens 13A and 13B changes. Further, a division end icon 44 for ending the division of the screen is displayed in the upper left portion of the display input surface 13, and the division of the screen is ended by pointing this icon with the pen 12.

Next, the operation of the electronic device that enables the above-described screen operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, when the power is turned on, the control unit 24 starts the processing shown in FIG. 5 in accordance with the program stored in the ROM 25, and performs general electronic notebook processing (other processing).
Is performed (step S1). At this time, the division flag is turned off by the initial setting. Therefore, the control unit 2
4 executes data processing using the first editing area 27A and expands the display content in the actual VRAM 29A. continue,
The contents of the actual VRAM 29A updated by this processing are displayed on the screen of the display unit 31 via the display drive unit 30 (step S2), and the state shifts to the input waiting state (step S3).

If there is any input (contact with the display input surface 13 by the pen 12), the pen detector 21 detects the input, and the coordinate reader 22 determines the contact position. To be done. These pieces of information are read by the control unit 24 via the buffer 23. Subsequently, the control unit 24 determines whether the division flag is on, that is, whether the screen has already been divided (step S4).
Here, the division flag is turned off.

Next, it is determined whether or not the screen division is instructed (step S5). That is, in the state where the menu 41 shown in FIG. 4A is displayed, it is determined whether or not "screen division" is selected. If the screen division is not instructed, the flow returns to step S1 and the process corresponding to the input is executed.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S5 that the screen division is instructed, the division flag register 28
A division flag is set to A (step S6). Then, a predetermined division ratio, for example, 10: 9 is set in the division length register 28C (step S7). continue,
The valid screen flag register 28B is set with a flag for validating the left screen 13A (step S).
8).

Then, the first VRAM 29B is replaced by the actual VRAM.
The contents of 29A are written (step S9). Then, the contents of the first VRAM 29B are written in the second VRAM 29C (step S10).

Next, the contents of the first VRAM 29B are changed to the actual V
The data is written in the RAM 29A (step S11). On this occasion,
The access bar 42 is written on the upper part, and further, a part of the access bar 42 is colored to show the active state based on the valid screen flag and the division length. In addition, the pointer 44 is written at the position designated by the division length,
Write the end icon 45 in the upper left. Further, according to the setting of the division length register 28C, the second VRAM 29C
Of the contents of the
Write to RAM 29A. The contents of the actual VRAM 29A set in this way are displayed in step S2 as shown in FIG. 4 (B).

Then, it waits for some input (step S3). If there is any input, it is determined whether or not the division flag is turned on (step S4). In this example, since the division flag has been set in the process of step S6, it is determined that the division flag is on,
The flow proceeds to step S12. In step S12,
The coordinates detected by the coordinate reading unit 22 indicate the division end icon 4
It is determined whether or not 5 is instructed.

If the end of division has not been instructed, the flow proceeds to step S13, and it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to change the division ratio. That is, it is determined whether or not the pointer 44 is pointed. When the pointer 44 is instructed, the division ratio set in the division length register 28C is reset according to the movement of the pen 12 (step S14).

Subsequently, the access bar 41 and the pointer 44A on the actual VRAM 29A are updated, and further, the first VRAM 29B and the second VRA are based on the reset division ratio.
The contents of M29C are written in the actual VRAM 29A (step S11). As a result, the movement of the pen 12 is 2
The three screens 13A and 13B are displayed with their sizes changed.

On the other hand, if NO in step S13, that is, if it is determined that the pointer 44 is not instructed, the flow proceeds to step S15 to check whether or not the change of the effective screen is instructed. Determine. For example, when the screen 13A on the left side is currently set to the valid state and the screen 13B on the right side is touched by the pen 12, it is determined that the valid screen has been changed. Similarly,
If the right screen 13B is set to be valid, and the left screen 13A is touched by the pen 12, it is determined that the valid screen has been changed.

If it is determined to change the valid screen, the valid flag set in the valid screen flag register 28B is changed. Subsequently, the partial coloring of the access bar 41 in the image data stored in the actual VRAM 29A is changed (step S11). The contents of the actual VRAM 29A are displayed in step S2.

For this reason, the pen 1 is placed on the display surface which is not in the valid state.
When touched at 2, the display of the access bar 42 changes, the display surface in the valid state changes to the non-valid state, and the display surface in the non-valid state changes to the valid state.

If NO in step S15, that is, if the display surface in the valid state is touched by the pen 12, the flow returns to step S1 and the normal processing based on the input is performed. In step S1, since the division flag is set, the data processing is performed using the one corresponding to the valid screen among the first and second editing areas 27A and 27B, and the edited result is converted into the first and second VRs.
Write to the one corresponding to the valid screen of AM29B, 29C. In addition, the first and second VRAMs 29 are arranged according to the division ratio.
The contents of B and 29C are synthesized on the actual VRAM 29A.
Then, in step S2, the contents of the actual VRAM 29A are displayed.

For example, when the second screen 13B is set to be valid, data processing is performed using the second editing area 27B, the display content is written in the second VRAM 29C, and further according to the division ratio. First and second VRAM2
The contents of 9B and 29C are combined and displayed on the actual VRAM 29A. At this time, the first editing area 27A and the first editing area 27A
The contents of VRAM 27B are not affected. Therefore, the first
Even if a program different from the program being processed is executed on the screen 13A, it does not affect the first screen 13A. Therefore, two different programs such as a calendar and a schedule can be independently executed using the first and second editing areas 27A and 27B, and can be independently displayed on the two divided screens. It is also possible to set the display attributes (display modes) of the two screens separately. Further, for example, the first screen 13A can be set to the text display mode, the second screen 13B can be set to the image display mode, and the like.

If it is determined in step S12 that the division has ended, that is, if the division end icon 45 is instructed by the pen 12, the division flag, the effective screen flag, and the division length are cleared (step S18), and the second VRAM 29C is stored. It is cleared (step S18), and the contents of the first VRAM 29B are set in the actual VRAM 29A (step S1).
9). After that, the flow returns to step S2 to display the contents of the actual VRAM 29A. Therefore, the second screen 13B is closed, and the display content of the first screen 13A is displayed on the entire display input surface 13.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to easily divide the screen into a plurality of parts by using the pen input,
It is possible to divide and display a screen by different processing in terms of software. Therefore, the operation time does not take and the operability can be improved.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the shapes of the divided screens are fixed,
The size could only be changed laterally.
However, the present invention is not limited to the first embodiment, and it is possible to divide the screen into arbitrary shapes and sizes, for example. Hereinafter, a pen input type electronic device capable of dividing a screen into an arbitrary shape at an arbitrary position will be described.

First, an outline of the screen division processing of the pen-input type electronic device of this embodiment will be described. When a line is drawn on the display input surface 13 with the pen 12 and a line from one side to another side is drawn as shown in FIGS. Is divided into two regions.

The structure of the electronic device according to this embodiment is basically the same as the structure of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. However, the division length register 28C can be removed. Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the power is turned on, normal processing other than the screen division processing is executed (step S21). For example,
A process of drawing a line on the locus of the pen 12 and a process assigned to the icon designated by the pen 12 are performed. Then, real V
The contents of RAM 29A are displayed in step S22.

Subsequently, the state of waiting for input is entered (step S23). When the contact of the pen 12 with the display input surface is detected, it is determined whether or not the division flag is turned on (step S24). Initially, the division flag is off, and the flow proceeds to step S25. In step S25,
It is determined whether or not the screen division is instructed. That is, it is determined whether or not both ends of the line segment drawn on the display input surface 13 have reached the sides of the display input surface 13 by the input in step S23. If the line segment is not drawn, or if both ends of the line segment have not reached the sides of the display input surface 13, step S2
If NO in step 5, the flow returns to step S21 to execute the process corresponding to the input.

On the other hand, both ends of the drawn line segment are the display input surface 1
If the number of edges has reached 3, the division flag is set in the division flag register 28A in order to divide the screen (step S26). Then, the coordinates of each dot of the line segment drawn on the display input surface 13 are discriminated, and a boundary line for dividing the screen is set in the boundary line register (step S27). still,
The position of the boundary line may be the position of the line segment drawn by the pen 12, or may be set in units of half-width units closest to the line segment.

Subsequently, the areas of the two regions of the display input surface 13 divided by the boundary line are discriminated, and the larger area is the first screen 13A, and the smaller area is the second screen 1.
3B, and the first screen 13A is enabled (step S
28).

Subsequently, the real RAM 2 is stored in the first VRAM 29B.
The contents of 9A are copied (step S29), and the second VRA
The contents of the first VRAM 29B are copied to M29C (step S30).

Then, the first VRAM is added to the actual VRAM 29A.
The contents of 29B are written (step S31). On this occasion,
The end icon 45 and the like are also written. Furthermore, the second
Of the contents of the VRAM 29C, the data in the area on the side having a smaller area divided by the boundary line is overwritten. After that, the flow returns to step S22, and the contents of the actual VRAM 29A are displayed. Through the above processing, the display input surface 13
Is divided into two, a first screen having a large area and a second screen having a small area, with a line segment drawn by the pen 12 as a boundary.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S24 that the division flag is ON, it is determined whether or not the division end icon 45 is designated (step S32). When the area other than the division end icon 45 is designated by the pen 12, it is determined whether the designated position is the first screen or the second screen (step S33).

If the determined area is the area within the screen which is currently set to be valid, the process returns to step S21 and the processing based on the input is performed. At this time, since the division flag is set, data processing is performed using the one corresponding to the valid screen of the first and second editing areas 27A and 27B, and the edited result is displayed as the first and second VRAM2.
9B, 29C corresponding to the valid screen, and the first and second VRAMs 29B, 2 according to the boundary line.
The contents of 9C are synthesized on the actual VRAM 29A. Then, in step S22, the contents of the actual VRAM 29A are displayed.

For example, when the second screen is set to be valid, data processing is performed using the second editing area 27B and the display contents are written in the second VRAM 29C,
Further, depending on the boundary line, the first and second VRAMs 29B,
The contents of 29C are combined and displayed in the actual VRAM 29A. At this time, the first editing area 27A and the first VRA
The contents of M29A are not affected. Therefore, executing a program different from the program being processed on the first screen using the second screen does not affect the first screen. Therefore, two different programs can be executed on different screens.

When it is determined in step S33 that the screen which is not currently set valid is designated by the pen 12, the valid screen is changed, and the flow returns to step S21. After that, the control unit 24 performs data processing corresponding to the newly set screen.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S32 that the division end icon 45 is instructed, the division flag, the boundary line register, and the valid flag are cleared (step S3).
5) The contents of the first VRAM 29B are copied to the real VRAM 29A (step S36), the second VRAM 29C is cleared (step S37), and the contents of the real VRAM 29A are displayed (step S22). Therefore, the screen on the smaller side (second screen) is closed, and the contents of the screen on the larger side (first screen) are displayed on the entire display input surface 13.

As described above, according to the second embodiment,
The display input surface 13 can be divided into two screens (windows) with an arbitrary line drawn with the pen 12 as a boundary, and independent software can be executed.

In the second embodiment, the screen is divided when the line segments from side to side of the screen are drawn. However, for example, as shown in FIG. When drawing, it is also possible to divide the screen with this line segment as a boundary. In this case, for example, step S35 in FIG.
Then, it is determined whether or not the drawn figure (line) is closed, and if it is closed, the division flag may be set to be turned on.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, the screen may be divided into regions (closed regions) formed by the drawn line segments and the sides of the display input surface 13. In this case, for example,
In step S25 of FIG. 7, it is determined whether or not the region formed by the drawn line and the side of the screen is closed, and every time the closed region is formed, the first screen and the second screen are displayed. The division flags of ... Are sequentially set. The number of screens that can be divided is
For example, the OS stored in the ROM 25 or the RAM 26
It is determined by the number of programs that can be executed in parallel (operating system). In this case, the number of edit areas and VRAMs corresponding to the number of programs that can be executed in parallel is prepared.

Further, the shape of the closed area is arbitrary, and as shown in FIG. 8C, the closed area may be formed within the closed area.

It is also possible to change the display mode or the like for each divided screen. For example, when the screen is divided as shown in FIG. 8A, the screen outside the boundary line is set to the character display mode (text mode) to display characters and symbols in color, and the inside of the boundary line is displayed. The screen may be displayed in monochrome by setting the image display mode (video mode). Conversely, set the image display mode on the display screen outside the border to display the image in color,
The screen inside the boundary line may be set to the text mode so that the characters are displayed in monochrome.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, it is possible to change the operation mode for each adjacent screen. When the screen is divided as shown in FIG. 8C, the outermost screen and the innermost screen have the same operation mode (character display mode), and the central screen has another operation mode ( Image display mode).

The operation mode (display mode) may be set by the program itself to be executed, or the operation mode of each screen may be set individually while each screen is set in the valid state. You may do it.

Although not shown, when the screen is divided, the fonts of the characters displayed outside and inside the boundary line may be displayed differently. For example, the characters on the screen outside the boundary line may be displayed in a cursive style, and the characters on the screen inside the boundary line may be displayed in Gothic style.

In the above description, an example of a pen-input electronic device in which the input surface and the display surface are integrated has been shown, but the structure of the input means is not particularly limited, and the input by a finger,
The same applies to input using a mouse or trackball.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the display device, the display surface can be divided into a plurality of screens (windows), and the display processing can be executed by an independent program on each of the plurality of screens. You can Therefore,
The operation time can be reduced and the operability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing details of a RAM shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation when a screen is divided in the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the electronic device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation when a screen is divided in the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of dividing a display surface into a plurality of screens.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 ... Pen detection unit, 22 ... Coordinate reading unit, 23 ... Buffer, 24 ... Control unit, 25 ... ROM, 26 ... RA
M, 27 ... edit area, 28 ... division control area, 29
... Display area, 30 ... Display driving unit, 31 ... Display unit

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A display unit in which a display unit and an input unit are integrated, an instruction unit for instructing a coordinate position on a display surface of the display unit, and a detection unit for detecting the coordinate position instructed by the instruction unit. And a dividing unit that divides the display surface of the display unit with a boundary including the coordinate position detected by the detecting unit as a boundary. 2. A display unit in which a display unit and an input unit are integrated, an input unit for inputting a boundary dividing a display surface of the display unit, and a detection unit for detecting the boundary input by the input unit. And a dividing unit that divides the display surface of the display unit with the boundary detected by the detecting unit as a boundary. 3. Display means for displaying a graphic on the display surface, input means for drawing an arbitrary graphic on the display surface of the display means, and the display of the display means by the input means. A graphic detecting means for detecting that a predetermined graphic is drawn on the surface; and a graphic display means for drawing the display surface of the display means when the graphic detecting means detects that the predetermined graphic is drawn on the display surface. A display device, comprising: a dividing unit that divides the screen into a plurality of screens with the formed figure as a boundary. 4. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising display control means for displaying the divided screens divided by the dividing means in different display forms.