JP2002232532A - Hand-held operation type electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hand-held operation type electronic device that reads bar-code converted data or the like in a form in line with a usual operation form, ensures the user-friendliness of itself and reduces time and effort of data entry. SOLUTION: A slope is chamfered and formed at an upper loft corner of a side face of a main body case A of a mobile phone, a bar code reader 5R is placed thereon, and the slope is used for a bar code read face by a bar code read section 5. Furthermore, a read execution button 6 whose displacement direction axis is directed vertically to a center of a bar code read face is provided to a right side face opposed to the bar code read section 5 of the main body case A on which a thumb of a user is placed in a usual operation form. In the case of reading and utilizing data of a bar code, while the user keeps a usual operation form where the user grips the main body case A in one hand, the user touches the bar code read face to the bar code being the read object, depresses the read execution button 6 and reads the bar code.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand-held electronic device that is operated while being held in a hand, such as a mobile terminal such as a portable telephone.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A portable telephone which is widely used at present is a kind of a hand-held electronic device in which a user operates a key and inputs various data while holding the hand. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-12648 discloses data input to such a mobile phone.
No. 0 discloses a technique of reading bar-coded data with a predetermined reading device and inputting the data to a mobile phone in order to eliminate the complexity of key operations.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-239097 discloses a technique in which a code reader is provided on the upper end surface of a mobile phone, and data read by the code reader is processed in the mobile phone.

[0003]

When a user operates a mobile phone, the user holds the main body of the mobile phone with one hand with the front of the mobile phone provided with keys, a display, and the like facing the user. Is usually the case. In contrast,
When reading data coded in a bar code or the like to be input data to a mobile phone, in the technology using the above-described reading device, the reading device is operated with the other hand, or the mobile phone held by the other hand is used. It is necessary to release the telephone body once and operate the reading device. Further, in the technology in which a code reader is provided on the upper end surface of the mobile phone, the mobile phone is changed so that the upper end surface faces the display surface of the code, or the display medium of the code is changed with the other hand. It is necessary to touch the top surface.

[0004] As described above, in the conventional technique of using data coded in a bar code or the like as input data to a mobile phone, an operation different from a normal operation mode of the mobile phone is required. Therefore, although the complexity of the key operation is eliminated, there are cases where the convenience is not always good, and the advantage of the simple method of reading and using coded data has not been fully utilized.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in a hand-held electronic device such as a mobile phone, data represented by an image, such as bar-coded data, is processed in a normal operation mode. It is an object of the present invention to provide a technology that enables reading in a form conforming to the standards described above, secures usability of the electronic device, and further reduces the time and labor required for data input.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
It is characterized by having reading means for reading an image on an inclined surface portion inclined with respect to the side surface of the main body housing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inclined surface portion inclined with respect to the side surface of the main body housing, and reading means provided on the inclined surface portion and reading an image on the inclined surface of the inclined surface portion. It is characterized by:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a main body housing having an inclined surface portion chamfered between a vertical side surface and a horizontal side surface with respect to the front when held by a user, and the main body. A reading unit is provided in the housing and reads an image facing the inclined surface portion, and data of the image read by the reading unit is used as input data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the hand-held electronic device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the main body housing has a finger positioned when the user holds the electronic device. And an instruction unit for instructing the reading unit to execute reading by being operated with the finger.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the hand-held electronic device according to the fourth aspect, the indicating means is located on a side portion on the other side of the main body housing from the inclined surface portion, and is pressed. In this case, the reading section is instructed to execute reading, and the inclined surface portion is located in a pressing direction of the indicating section.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the hand-held electronic device according to the fifth aspect, the pressing direction axis of the indicating means passes through the center of the inclined surface of the inclined surface and is located at the center of the inclined surface. It is characterized by being perpendicular to the inclined surface.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the hand-held electronic device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, there is provided a projecting portion projecting from a side surface of the main body casing, and The inclined surface of the surface portion is a surface that does not intersect with the protruding portion.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <Structure> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external front view showing a configuration of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention. This mobile phone has the functions of a general mobile phone, and additionally has a unique function of reading and using barcode data as described below.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an antenna for wireless communication in which a predetermined antenna tip is attached to a flexible rod-shaped antenna, and FIG. 1 shows a state in which the rod-shaped antenna portion is stored inside. It is. A display 2 is driven by an internal control circuit or the like (not shown), and displays predetermined information such as characters and images (still images and moving images). Reference numeral 3 denotes a key input unit in which various keys for receiving data input by the user are arranged. Reference numeral 4 denotes a voice detection unit that detects a voice or the like emitted by a user during a call.

In FIG. 1, these components denoted by reference numerals 1 to 4 mainly fulfill the functions of a general mobile phone, and are physically provided in a general mobile phone. Although it has the same configuration, it also plays a role in functions unique to the present mobile phone as appropriate (this will be clarified in the operation description below). Although not described in detail, the present mobile phone has another configuration for performing the function of a general mobile phone.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a bar code reading section for reading a bar code. This mobile phone is formed such that its main body housing A is beveled so as to be cut obliquely from the upper end left side to the upper left side surface. A bar code reader is provided on the surface portion. In FIG. 1, 5s indicated by a one-dot chain line represents the cut surface referred to here.
s is inclined at an angle that does not intersect with the antenna 1 as shown.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mobile phone, and more clearly shows a state in which the bar code reading section 5 is provided. As shown in this figure, the present mobile phone is provided with a surface inclined with respect to the side surface, and reads a bar code at the inclined surface.

That is, the upper left corner of the main body casing A is an opening 5A that diagonally connects the vertical side wall WA1 and the horizontal upper end wall WA2, and a bar that wants the outside from the opening 5A. A code reader 5R is provided in the main body housing A. The barcode reader 5R includes a detection unit having an optical element for detecting a barcode image, which is directed in the opening direction of the opening 5A (obliquely upward to the left), and a predetermined detection code output (not shown) inside the main body housing A. It is constituted by a circuit or the like, and reads an opposing bar code placed parallel to the opening surface (the above-described inclined surface) of the opening 5A. In the following, the opening surface of the opening 5A where the detection unit of the barcode reader 5R is located is referred to as a "barcode reading surface".

On the other hand, reference numeral 6 in FIG. 1 denotes a reading execution button for driving the barcode reader 5R to execute a reading operation when pressed. The reading execution button 6 is used when the user's thumb is held in a normal operation mode in which the user is holding the mobile phone with his right hand (similar to the key operation of a general mobile phone). It is provided on the right side of the main body housing A located. In FIG. 1, a vertical cross section of the right side portion in the central portion in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is indicated by a broken line (the reading execution button 6 does not protrude beyond the side line in the main body front view). When the right side portion is viewed from the front, the read execution button 6 is located in a concave portion 6A formed in the center of the side surface as shown in FIG.

Here, the concave portion 6A is formed so that the center of the right side wall is depressed in a curved shape that becomes deeper upward and shallower downward, and the reading execution button 6 protrudes from the deepest portion thereof (broken line in FIG. 1). See also section). The read execution button 6 projects obliquely downward and to the right, and the direction in which the button is displaced by pressing is perpendicular to the cut surface 5s. As a result, the axis of the reading execution button 6 in the button displacement direction passing through the center of the protruding front end surface passes through the center of the barcode reading surface and is perpendicular to the barcode reading surface.

A decoding section for decoding coded data of a bar code, a storage section for temporarily storing the decoded data, and other arithmetic processing for utilizing the data for various processes are provided inside the portable telephone. A part is also provided (both are not shown). The decoding section is connected to the detection code output circuit of the barcode reading section 5 and the barcode read by the barcode reading section 5 is such that the coded data of the barcode is read by the detection section.
The output from the detection code output circuit based on the image detection is decoded by the decoding unit, and is used in the mobile phone.

<Operation> Next, the operation of the present portable telephone having the above configuration will be described. This mobile phone is used to input data such as telephone numbers by operating keys,
In the case of a normal operation mode as a telephone, the user holds the main body housing A with one hand (right hand) with his / her front facing himself / herself, like a general mobile phone, and Operate. When reading and using the bar code data, as shown in FIG.
The user presses the reading execution button 6 by applying the bar code reading unit 5 to the button 0 (the bar code 10 is a bar code printed and displayed on a predetermined flat medium such as paper or plastic).

At this time, in this portable telephone, the bar code reader 5R is provided on the inclined surface formed by chamfering the upper left corner of the side surface as described above, and the inclined surface becomes the bar code reading surface. Therefore, the user can face the barcode reading surface to the barcode 10 while holding the mobile phone in the normal operation mode. Further, since the cut surface 5s having the barcode reading surface is at an angle that does not intersect with the antenna 1, the antenna 1 does not hinder the barcode reading surface from hitting the barcode 10.

Since the reading execution button 6 is located at the thumb position of the user in the normal operation mode, the user touches the bar code reading surface to the bar code 10 and reads the bar code with the belly of the thumb as it is. The execute button 6 can be pressed. As a result, a force F is applied in the direction of displacement of the reading execution button 6 as shown in FIG. 5, and the axis of the direction of displacement is perpendicular to the center of the barcode reading surface. It is pressed so as to be parallel to the barcode 10. Accordingly, the detection unit of the barcode reader 5R faces the barcode 10 evenly, and the image (coded data) of the barcode 10 can be accurately detected.

As described above, according to the present portable telephone, the bar code reading operation can be performed while the user holds the main body housing A in one hand in the normal operation mode. Therefore, there is no need to change the mobile phone body or perform another operation with the other hand. Further, the pressing operation of the reading execution button 6 contributes to the improvement of the barcode detection accuracy, and accurate barcode reading is performed in the normal operation mode.

With the above reading operation, the coded data of the bar code 10 is read by the bar code reader 5R. The read data is decoded by the decoding unit and becomes data of information indicated by the barcode 10.
It is temporarily stored in the storage unit and is used in the mobile phone by the arithmetic processing unit. This makes it possible to convert the information indicated by the barcode 10 into visible characters or the like and display it on the display 2 or to provide other predetermined processing, and the function of reading and using the barcode data is provided. Is achieved.

<Applications and Modifications> Next, applications and modifications of the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to some specific examples.

(1) Relationship between Side Protrusions such as Antennas and Reading Units etc. Many general mobile phones are provided with antennas on either the left or right of the upper part of the main body. The mobile phone of the above embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a mobile phone in which an antenna is provided on the upper right side, and therefore the bar code reading unit 5 is provided in the upper left corner. On the other hand, when the present invention is applied to a mobile phone provided with an antenna on the upper left side, the bar code reading unit 5 and the reading execution button 6 are provided symmetrically with respect to the above embodiment, so that the bar A function of reading and using code data can be realized.

In the case of a portable telephone in which an antenna is provided at a position other than the upper part of the main body, the position and bar of the bar code reading section are appropriately determined according to the position and length of the antenna so as not to interfere with bar code reading. What is necessary is just to determine the angle of the code reading surface and the like, and the same applies to the protruding object on the side surface of the main body other than the antenna.

That is, in order to apply the present invention to a hand-held electronic device such as a mobile phone in the same manner as in the above embodiment, a bar code or the like is provided on the side surface of the main body of the electronic device, avoiding a protruding portion. An image reading unit is provided, and
The image reading surface is on a surface that is inclined at an angle that does not intersect the part. Then, a reading execution button for instructing execution of the image reading is provided at a portion of the side of the main body opposite to the image reading section.

In many cases, the antenna of the portable telephone is constituted by a flexible member, and although not shown, the antenna 1 in the above embodiment also has a flexible rod-shaped antenna portion. . Therefore, in the mobile phone of the above embodiment, it is virtually impossible to perform a reading operation by applying the barcode reading surface to the barcode 10 even when the antenna 1 is extended by elastically deforming the rod-shaped antenna portion. It is possible (such as
The same applies to other cases where the projecting object on the side of the main body is flexible. ).

(2) Form of Reading Unit The bar code reading unit 5 in the above embodiment is a main body casing A
However, the reading surface may be another closed curved surface such as another polygon or a circle, and its size is arbitrary. For example, the reading unit may be configured using a linear scanner having a width of about several millimeters or an extremely small optical detection element whose reading surface can be regarded as a point.

(3) The position of the reading section and the reading execution button,
Angle and Number of Installations The barcode reading unit 5 in the above embodiment may be provided at the lower left corner or the lower right corner of the main body housing A. Here, when provided in the lower left corner, the curved surface shape of the concave portion 6A and the projection angle of the reading execution button 6 are vertically symmetric with respect to the above-described embodiment, so that the normal operation mode can be maintained in the same manner as described above. A barcode reading operation can be performed by the thumb.

On the other hand, when the bar code reading section 5 is provided at the lower right corner, the curved surface shape of the concave portion 6A and the projection angle of the reading execution button 6 are vertically symmetrical with those of the above-described embodiment, and the reading execution is performed. The button 6 and the like are provided at a position such as the index finger of the user on the left side in the normal operation mode. Thus, the user can press the reading execution button 6 with the finger on the left side such as the index finger even in the normal operation mode, and performs the barcode reading operation in the normal operation mode as described above. be able to. In addition, similar to the above (1),
In these cases, the barcode reading unit and the reading execution button may be provided symmetrically as required.

Further, a plurality of sets of the image reading unit such as the bar code reading unit 5 and the reading execution button 6 and the reading execution button may be provided. For example, in the mobile phone of the above embodiment, another barcode reading unit may be provided at the lower right corner in addition to the barcode reading unit 5 at the upper left corner. In this case, if a concave portion and a reading execution button which are vertically symmetrical with the above embodiment are provided at the thumb position (left side portion) when the user grips the main body housing A with the left hand, The barcode reading operation can be performed in the same state even when the main body housing A is gripped by either the left or right hand.

In the above embodiment, the read execution button 6 has the displacement direction axis directed perpendicular to the center of the bar code reading surface, but this geometrical positional relationship is always strictly observed. You don't need to be. This is a configuration for more appropriately performing barcode reading as described above, and the same displacement direction axis passes approximately through the center of the barcode reading surface and is approximately perpendicular to the barcode reading surface. It is possible to read a barcode even with a simple configuration. Furthermore, even in the case where one or both of these configurations are lacking, if the reading execution button is located at the position where the user's finger is in the normal operation mode,
It is also possible to read the barcode as it is.

(4) Object to be read Barcode 10 to be read in the above embodiment
Is a barcode image represented on a medium placed on a horizontal plane, but the image to be read in the present invention is not limited to this. The image to be read may be any image that can be read by image detection with an optical element or the like.

For example, if a display object is displayed in a substantially planar shape so that an image can be detected and read by an optical element, not only bar codes but also arbitrary images such as characters and images can be read. May be targeted. In this case, the barcode reader 5R in the above embodiment is a predetermined scanner such as a character recognition scanner or an image capturing scanner, and a decoding unit and an arithmetic processing unit and the like are provided. Thus, similarly to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to realize a mobile phone or the like that can capture characters, images, and the like on a reading surface that is inclined with respect to the side surface and use the characters and images as input data.

The display medium to be read is also arbitrary, and may be a portable article such as a magazine or a commodity, or a non-portable article such as a vertical wall surface or an inclined wall surface of a building. For example, an image such as a barcode may be displayed on a poster or signboard on a street or indoors, and the image may be read on the above-described inclined reading surface and used as input data.

(5) Control of reading execution In the above-described embodiment, the reading operation is executed by pressing the reading execution button 6. However, this pressing operation starts and continues reading by manual scanning. It may be an instruction. That is, in a hand-held electronic device such as a mobile phone, the size of the inclined surface formed on the side surface is limited. Therefore, in order to read a wide range of images, image detection is performed while moving the reading surface. Need to be Therefore, if the image is detected and the reading is continuously performed as long as the reading execution button 6 is pressed, much image data represented over a wider area by the manual scanning of moving the reading surface is used as input data. Will be available.

(6) Use Form of Read Data Data read from an image such as a bar code can be displayed on a display as described above or can be used for other processing. It can be used in various forms according to the function of the portable electronic device and the image to be read. For example, with regard to the mobile phone of the above embodiment, it is possible to convert a telephone number into a bar code, read it, store it in the storage unit, and perform a calling operation.

When a portable telephone having a communication function capable of connecting to the Internet is used as the mobile phone of the above embodiment, the data read for the Internet connection can be used. That is, www (world wide we
b) URL for accessing the Web page of the server
When an address (Uniform Resource Locator address) is converted into a barcode, and the above-described barcode reading operation is performed with the barcode as a reading target, the URL address is read and becomes input data to the mobile phone. Therefore, the input data is used in the same manner as the URL address entered by key input, and the communication function accesses the web page of the www server indicated by the URL address.

Further, in the above embodiment, when a portable telephone having a communication function capable of connecting to the Internet is used and a character recognition scanner is provided in place of the bar code reading unit 5, the data is printed on a magazine or the like. By performing a reading operation on the URL address (character) to be read, the URL address is input to the mobile phone. Thereby, similarly to the above, the www indicated by the URL address
The user can access the Web page of the server.

It should be noted that whether or not clear data is obtained when an image is read, or if a specific data format is predetermined, whether or not the read data conforms to the format is determined. Alternatively, the completion or failure of the reading may be notified to the user by voice or display.

(7) Applicable hand-held electronic device The mobile phone according to the above embodiment is an example of a hand-held electronic device to which the present invention is applied. The present invention can be applied to electronic devices of the type. For example, PHS (Personal Handy
Mobile terminals such as phone System (Personal Handy Phone System) and PDA (Personal Digital Assistants (Personal Digital Assistant)), pocket board, handheld computer, E-book device, MP3
Players, remote controllers for various appliances, etc., also have an inclined surface on the side when the user grips or grips it in a normal operation form, and an image reading unit is provided there, and By providing the reading execution button on the side surface portion, it is possible to read and use the image as input data in the normal operation mode.
That is, the present invention can be applied to any portable device that inputs and outputs text such as characters, images, and other data by wire, wireless, infrared, or other means.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a hand-held operation type electronic device operated by a user while holding it in a hand, an inclined surface portion inclined with respect to a side surface is provided in a main body housing. And the reading means for reading the facing image at the inclined surface portion is provided, so that the user can read the image by the reading means while holding the electronic device in a normal operation mode. Can be. This makes it possible to read data represented by an image such as bar-coded data in a form conforming to a normal operation form, to maintain and secure the usability of the electronic device, and to input data. And the time and labor required for the operation can be further reduced.

Here, as the instructing means for instructing the execution of reading by the reading means, a means which is used by a user to operate a part of the main body housing where one of the fingers is positioned when the user holds the hand. Then, the user can appropriately perform an image reading execution operation while holding the electronic device in a normal operation mode. In this case, the indicating means is of a pressing operation type provided on the side surface portion on the other side from the inclined surface portion in the main body housing, and when the inclined surface portion is positioned in the pressing direction, the instructing means starts from the inclined surface portion. The force due to the pressing operation acts on the facing image to be read. As a result, the positional relationship between the inclined surface portion and the image to be read is maintained, so that the reading operation is facilitated and the reading accuracy can be improved.
This effect can be further enhanced when the pressing direction axis of the indicating means passes through the center of the inclined surface and is perpendicular to the inclined surface of the inclined surface.

Further, when there is a projecting portion on the side surface of the main body housing, the projecting portion is obstructed by providing an inclined surface of the inclined surface portion on a surface that does not intersect with the projecting portion. The inclined surface portion can be opposed to the image to be read without reading, and the image can be read in the same manner as described above.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external front view showing a configuration of a mobile phone according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mobile phone.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a reading execution button 6 provided on the mobile phone.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state of a barcode reading operation by the mobile phone.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a force applied from a reading execution button 6 side during the reading operation in FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Antenna 2 Display 3 Key input part 5 Barcode reading part 5A Opening 5R Barcode reader 5s Cut surface 6 Read execution button 6A Recess 10 Barcode A Main body housing WA1 Side wall WA2 Top wall

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) H04N 1/107 H04N 1/04 A F term (reference) 5B047 AA01 BA02 BA03 5B072 AA08 BB01 CC24 DD02 JJ05 JJ09 JJ11 JJ14 JJ16 MM02 5C072 AA01 BA02 PA08 5K023 AA07 BB11 GG04 MM00 MM25

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A hand-held electronic device having reading means for reading an image on an inclined surface portion inclined with respect to a side surface of a main body housing. 2. A hand-held electronic device comprising: an inclined surface portion inclined with respect to a side surface of a main body housing; and reading means provided on the inclined surface portion and reading an image on the inclined surface of the inclined surface portion. 3. A main body housing having an inclined surface portion formed by chamfering between a vertical side surface and a horizontal side surface with respect to the front when held by a user's hand, provided in the main body housing, A hand-held electronic device comprising: reading means for reading an image facing the inclined surface portion; and utilizing data of the image read by the reading means as input data. 4. The hand-held electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is provided at a portion of the main body housing where one of the fingers is located when the user holds the electronic device, A hand-held electronic device further comprising instruction means for instructing the reading means to execute reading by being operated by the finger. 5. The hand-held electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the instruction unit is located on a side surface of the main body housing on a side opposite to the inclined surface, and the reading unit is operated by being pressed. A hand-held electronic device in which the inclining portion is located in a pressing direction of the instructing device. 6. The hand-held electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the pressing direction axis of the pointing means passes through the center of the inclined surface and is perpendicular to the inclined surface of the inclined surface. 7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a projecting portion projecting from a side surface of the main body housing, wherein an inclined surface of the inclined surface portion is a surface not intersecting with the projecting portion. A hand-held electronic device according to the item.