JPH1091331A - Computer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the computer device equipped with a pointing device without increasing the size. SOLUTION: This device is constituted by connecting an end part of a device main body 55 having a keyboard 54 on the top surface side and an end part of a display part 56 having a plane display 51 together rotatably so that the display part 56 covers the top surface of the device main body 55 and the plane display 51 faces the keyboard 54, and when the display part 56 is opened around the end part from the device main body 55, the keyboard 54 on the side of the device main body appears. In this case, a manual operating means 53 of the pointing device for moving a cursor or pointer on the display 51 is provided on the side of the display part 56 where the display panel is provided, and switch means 72, 73, and 74 of the pointing device are provided on the top surface side of the display part 56.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a computer device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a computer device having a pointing device for moving a pointer or a cursor on a display to an arbitrary position on the display.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as data input / output means in data processing, data such as a digitizer, a mouse, a light pen, a trackball and the like have been input in addition to a keyboard while displaying data of characters and figures on a display screen of a computer CRT or the like. A method of creating data while performing an interactive operation through means is used. For example, it is widely used in CAD for performing data processing using graphics, in the field of simulation, and the like.

In recent years, in the field of data processing and OA,
As data input / output devices, OSs and application software that are processed by interactive operations that require the use of a pointing device in addition to a keyboard are increasing due to their excellent operability. For example, there are a window operation and an icon operation.

The use environment of the pointing device has been expanded, and it is required that the pointing device can be used not only by conventional desk-mounted operation but also in a portable state with a computer on a lap or on a palm. ing. For this reason, the pointing device
It does not require an installation area like a conventional mouse, digitizer, and the like, and needs to be incorporated in a computer device. Since a portable computer needs to be lightweight, small, and low power consumption, a pointing device also needs to be lightweight, small, low power consumption, and good operability.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a computer device having a conventional pointing device. This is a portable personal computer, which includes a device main body 2 having a keyboard 1 and a housing part 4 having a liquid crystal display 3 and the like, and a pointing device is provided in a part of the keyboard 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes a slider for operating the pointing device. By sliding the slider 5, a cursor or pointer on the display 3 can be moved to an arbitrary position.

[0006]

The keyboard of a computer device cannot ergonomically make its keys too small, so that the keyboard also needs to be of a certain size. However, in the computer device having the conventional pointing device, since the pointing device is provided on the keyboard, the size of the keyboard increases accordingly.
Accordingly, there is a problem that the size of the computer device is increased.

An object of the present invention is to realize a computer device equipped with a pointing device so as not to increase the size.

[0008]

In the computer apparatus according to the present invention, the end of the apparatus main body having a keyboard on the front surface side and the end of the display section having a flat display are arranged so that the display section covers the surface of the apparatus main body. In a portable computer device, a flat display is rotatably connected to face a keyboard, and a keyboard of the device main body appears when the display unit is opened from the device main body around an end, wherein the flat display is attached to the display unit. A pointing device for moving an overlying cursor or pointer within the flat panel display, the pointing device having a moveable means, and a switch means for determining the position of the cursor or pointer; and Moving operation means of the display unit On the side where the surface display panel is provided, the switch means is provided on the front side of the display unit, the operator's hand grasps the display unit, and his thumb operates the moving operation means, the index finger or The middle finger or the like can operate the switch means.

In addition, the flat display is a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel. The switch means has a plurality of switches, and the switch has irregularities on its surface. Further, the plurality of switches are arranged on a circumference having a radius equal to the length of a finger.

[0010] By adopting this configuration, a computer device with good operability in which a pointing device is mounted so as not to increase the size can be obtained.

[0011]

As shown in FIG. 1, the pointing device including the slider 53 is provided in the display housing 52 of the display unit, so that the operation of the slider 53 is easy as shown in FIG. Also, since the display housing has room for mounting the pointing device, it does not increase in size, and the keyboard remains unchanged.
The entire apparatus is not enlarged, and the operability is improved.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a computer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 51 denotes a flat display such as a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel; 52, a volume for adjusting the brightness of the display and brightness of the backlight; and a display section 52a such as a power lamp, a battery lamp, and a disk driver lamp. Is provided, and a pointing device is provided at the lower right of the housing portion 52, and 53 is a slider thereof. Reference numeral 54 denotes a keyboard provided on the main body 55.

The portable computer according to the present embodiment is
Generally, the keyboard is divided into a main body 55 and a display section 56, and when the display section 56 is opened, a keyboard 54 appears on the main body 55 side.

A keyboard 54, a disk drive, a main board, and the like are mounted on the main body 55 side. On the display unit 56 side, however, only operation lamps, a volume 52a, and the like 52a are mounted on the display 51. There is room in space. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pointing device is provided at the lower right of the housing section 52 of the display section 56.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a pointing device used in this embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes an elastic member 1 in which a central portion is depressed and a permanent magnet 18 is buried thereunder.
A slider 13 includes a dome-shaped member 12 having a hole 12a at the center and a housing 13. The housing 13 slidably supports the slider. Reference numeral 17 denotes a printed circuit board provided below the slider, on which a switch 1 having magnetoresistive elements 14, 14 'and a key top 16 is provided.
5 are provided.

By sliding the slider 10 with a finger, the resistance of the magnetoresistive elements 14, 14 'is changed, and a signal for moving a cursor or pointer is transmitted. The switch 15 is turned on and off via the key top 16 by pressing the center of the slider 10.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the rear. In the figure, 55 is a main body, and 56 is a display. Button switches 72, 73, 74 corresponding to click buttons of a mouse are provided on the back, that is, on the front side of the display 56. Reference numeral 75 denotes unevenness for identifying the first, second, and third click buttons. One or two button switches 72, 73, and 74 may be mounted according to the mouse, or three button switches may be mounted according to the three-button mouse. Also this button switch 7
The shapes of 2, 73 and 74 are fan-shaped according to the finger of the hand, and are arranged in an arc shape having a radius equal to the length of the finger.

The embodiment constructed as described above is used as shown in FIGS. That is, when moving the cursor or the pointer, as shown in FIG. 4, the slider 53 of the pointing device is operated using the thumb 26 of the right hand 57, which is the squeezing hand. As shown in FIG. 5, while operating the slider 53 with the thumb 26 of the right hand, the button switches 72, 73, 74 on the display unit surface are operated using the index finger 27 or the middle finger. As described above, since the display unit 56 is operated in such a manner as to be gripped by the thumb and the fingers other than the thumb, the display unit 56 can be used without discomfort.

[0019]

By adopting this configuration, it is possible to obtain a computer device equipped with a pointing device so as not to increase the size. Further, in this computer device, since the operator can operate while capturing the movement of the cursor or pointer on the display and the operation state of the pointing device in the same field of view, the pointing device on the keyboard and the display on the display are different from the conventional one. It is not necessary to change the line of sight to the cursor or pointer, and a computer device with good operability and capable of reducing eye fatigue and the like can be obtained.

In addition, a moving device for the pointing device is provided on the side of the display unit on which the display is provided, and a switch device for the pointing device is provided on the front side of the display unit. The part is grasped from the front and back, and even if force is applied to the pointing device with the thumb, the surface is supported with other fingers, so stable operation can be performed,
It is possible to obtain a computer device having better operability, for example, a situation in which the computer device itself is turned over can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a pointing device used in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the embodiment of the present invention is operated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the embodiment of the present invention is operated.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a computer device having a conventional pointing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Slider 11 ... Rubber member 12 ... Dome-shaped member 13 ... Housing 14, 14 '... Magnetic resistance element 15 ... Switch 16 ... Switch key top 17 ... Printed circuit board 18 ... Permanent magnet 51 ... Flat display 52 ... Housing part 53 ... Slider 54 ... Keyboard 55 ... Main body 56 ... Display 72,73,74 ... Button switch 75 ... Unevenness

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An end of an apparatus body having a keyboard on the front side and an end of a display section having a flat display are rotatable such that the display section covers the surface of the apparatus body and the flat display faces the keyboard. In a portable computer device that is connected to the display unit and the keyboard of the device main body appears when the display unit is opened from the device main body around the end portion, a cursor or pointer on the flat display is moved to the display unit within the flat display. A pointing device for moving, the pointing device having a moving operation means, a switch means for determining the position of the cursor or the pointer, and the moving operation means being the flat display panel of the display unit; On the side where the Means are provided on the front side of the display unit, the operator's hand grasps the display unit, and his thumb operates the moving operation means, and the index finger or the middle finger can operate the switch means. A computer device. 2. The computer device according to claim 1, wherein said flat display is a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel. 3. The computer device according to claim 1, wherein said switch means has a plurality of switches, and the switch has irregularities on its surface. 4. The computer device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of switches are arranged on a circumference whose radius is the length of a finger.