JP2004246634A - Information processor, and information storage device for information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure high portability and unlimited display functions by solving the problems wherein information processing devices such as personal computers, though downsized to a notebook, need further downsizing, despite limited downsizing of notebook personal computers in terms of display size, and information terminals such as PDAs and cellular telephones, though downsized by the use of a small display, are limited in display functions. <P>SOLUTION: An information processor connects to input means by radio communication, executes information processing according to input information and outputs processing results to a display device via output control means; and is mountable on the display device and removable from the display. The information processor is further provided with information storing means for storing information, and can send and receive information to and from the information storing means by radio communication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an information processing device and an information storage device for the information processing device, and more particularly, to an information processing device, an information storage device, and the like that are easy to use by wireless communication.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, various wireless communication devices such as connection of various information terminals and information-related devices by a wireless LAN system, Internet connection by a PHS system, proximity communication by a Bluetooth system, and wireless Ethernet (Ethernet is a registered trademark of Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.) Connections and line connections between them have become possible and are becoming more widespread. On the other hand, although information processing apparatuses such as personal computers have become smaller, they have a notebook size, and further downsizing is desired.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the size of the display of a notebook computer is not so small, there is a limit to miniaturization. Information terminals such as PDAs and mobile phones have become smaller by using small displays, but display functions are limited. There is a demand for a personal computer that is small, thin, easy to carry, and has no restricted display function.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, an information processing apparatus and an information storage device for the information processing apparatus of the present invention employ the following means.
[0005]
(1) An information processing device mounted on a display device and detachable from the display device, a wireless communication unit receiving input information from an input unit, a processing unit processing the input information, and a processing result in the processing unit Is an information processing apparatus provided with an output control means for outputting to a display device.
[0006]
(2) In the above item (1), the information processing apparatus further includes an information storage unit for storing information.
[0007]
(3) In the above item (2), the information storage device is separated from the information processing device described in (2), and the information storage device including the information storage device further includes a second wireless communication unit. The storage unit and the processing unit are an information processing apparatus that transmits and receives information by the second wireless communication unit and the wireless communication unit.
[0008]
(4) An information storage device including an information storage unit that constitutes the information processing device according to the item (3).
[0009]
(5) It is assumed that the multimedia information stored in the information storage device and the attribute value of the multimedia information are read and processed, and the multimedia information and the attribute value are transmitted from different devices.
[0010]
(6) In the above item (5), the multimedia information is music information, the attribute value is an attribute value of the music information, and the multimedia information is transmitted to a sound reproducing apparatus having an electro-acoustic transducer, and the attribute value is transmitted. Is an information processing device that transmits a display operation device having a display.
[0011]
(7) In any one of the above items (5) and (6), the information processing device transmits multimedia information after encoding it.
[0012]
(8) In any one of the above items (5) and (6), the information processing device transmits multimedia information after decoding.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing device and an information storage device for the information processing device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that components denoted by the same reference numerals in the embodiments perform the same operation, and thus the description thereof may not be repeated.
[0014]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is a display device having a liquid crystal panel, 11 is an information processing device of the present invention, 12 is a keyboard as an input device, 13 is an information storage device of the present invention, and 14 is a mouse as a second input device. It is. The information processing device 11 is detachable from the display device 10 and is connected to the display device 10 by a connector. The information processing device 11 includes a wireless communication unit, and input information from the input device 12 is transmitted to the information processing device 11 by wireless communication. The operation information of the mouse of the input device 14 is sent to the information processing device 11 by wireless communication. The information storage device 13 having a large-capacity memory such as an HDD and the information processing device 11 are connected by wireless communication.
[0015]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of each device including the information processing device and the information storage device of the present invention in the first embodiment. 2, the information processing apparatus 11 of the present invention includes a processing unit 212, a first wireless communication unit 211, and a display interface 213 as an output control unit. The input device 12 includes an input unit 222 and a second wireless communication unit 221 and is typically a wireless keyboard. The information storage device 13 is an information storage device of the present invention including a third wireless communication unit 231 and an information storage unit 232. The processing unit 212 is a computer including a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM. The ROM and RAM store an information processing program, and can perform desired information processing. RAM is also used as main storage means. The RAM may be provided with a read / write memory such as an EEPROM which does not lose its stored contents even when the power is turned off. When a command for information processing is input from the input unit 222, the command is given to the processing unit 212 via the second wireless communication unit 221 and the first wireless communication unit 211, and the processing unit 212 Performs information processing. The content of the command, the process, and the processing result are displayed on the display device 10 via the display interface 213 as necessary. When the processing unit 212 needs data or programs that are not in the ROM or RAM, or when storing a large amount of processed data, the processing unit 212 sets the first wireless communication unit 211 and the third wireless communication unit 231 together. Necessary data and programs are exchanged with the information storage unit 232 via the communication unit.
[0016]
The first wireless communication unit 211, the second wireless communication unit 221, and the third wireless communication unit 231 are wireless communication based on the PHS standard, communication based on the IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN standard, Bluetooth communication, and IEEE 802.15 wireless communication. Use such as.
[0017]
Since the information processing device 11 of the present invention is detachable from the display device 10, the information processing device 11 can be made compact and easy to carry. Since the input device 12 is connected to the input device 12 by wireless communication, the information processing device 11 does not need to incorporate a large input device 12 such as a keyboard, and the size can be further reduced. Since the display device 10 and the input device 12 can be of a standard size, work efficiency is higher than that of a notebook computer or a PDA. If the user goes to a place where the display device 10 to which the information processing device 11 of the present invention is detachable and the input device 12 that can be connected to the information processing device 11 by wireless communication are installed, the owner of the information processing device 11 And desired information processing can be performed. Since the owner can keep the information processing device 11 at hand, there is no danger of theft in an office or the like.
[0018]
In addition, the information processing apparatus 11 may include a plurality of types of wireless communication units. This is because the communication means used when the keyboard accesses Bluetooth communication and the mouse accesses the wireless LAN or the Internet may be PHS. The reason for accessing the Internet is considered because the information processing apparatus 11 may have a function of directly accessing the Internet.
[0019]
The information processing device 11 may include a large-capacity storage device, for example, a small HDD as information storage means.
[0020]
When the information storage device 13 separated from the information processing device 11 is used as in the configurations of FIGS. 1 and 2, the information storage device 13 can be easily added. It is also possible to carry around only the information storage device 13 to acquire information, and then use the information processing device 11 to perform information processing.
[0021]
The connection between the information processing device 11 and the display device 10 may also be performed by wireless communication. As the input device, the wireless mouse shown in FIG. 1 may be used.
[0022]
The information processing device 11 may include a power supply inside. Alternatively, the display device 10 may supply power. When a RAM is used inside the information processing apparatus 11, a backup power supply may be provided to prevent the internal data from being erased when the information processing apparatus 11 is stored.
[0023]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, a connectorless (power source also includes a fuel cell or the like) personal computer main body can be constructed by wirelessly connecting the input device, the information processing device, and the information storage device. Therefore, the size of the personal computer can be reduced, the portability and expandability can be improved, and the place of use and the environment are not restricted.
[0024]
In the present embodiment, it goes without saying that the information processing device can be connected to the Internet. The same applies to other embodiments.
[0025]
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the information processing device and the input device and / or the information storage device may be connected via the Internet. That is, the information processing apparatus transmits and receives information to and from the input means or the information storage means via the Internet. As shown in FIG. 6, the information processing device and the display device may be connected via a network such as the Internet. With such a configuration, it is possible to support remote cooperative work. Specifically, the information entered with the keyboard at the point A and the command specified by the mouse at the point B are processed by the information processing device at the point C, and the result can be output to the display device at the point D.
[0026]
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention. 3, the information storage device 33 stores multimedia information and attribute values of the multimedia information. The multimedia information is, for example, data obtained by digitizing a music signal, and is music information including a plurality of music pieces. The attribute value is an attribute value of music information, for example, a title and a song number of the plurality of songs.
[0027]
The multimedia information may be recorded on a recording medium that is detachable from the information storage device 33. The multimedia information may be information obtained via the Internet or the like.
[0028]
The information processing device 31 of the present invention can read the multimedia information and the attribute value of the multimedia information stored in the information storage device 33 and transmit the multimedia information and the attribute values to different devices. First, the multimedia information can be transmitted to the audio reproducing device 34. In addition, the attribute value of the multimedia information can be transmitted to the display operation device 32. The battery 35 is a power supply for the information processing device 31 and the information storage device 33. The display operation device 32 displays the attribute value of the received multimedia information on a display. That is, the song number and music title are displayed in the form of a song list. When the user selects a desired song number using an operation button provided on the display / operation device 32, the display / operation device 32 sends the selected attribute value or a part thereof to the information processing device 31. The information processing device 31 sends the multimedia information of the music corresponding to the received attribute value to the audio reproducing device 34. The sound reproducing device 34 is an earphone of a hanger type, and reproduces transmitted music information.
[0029]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of each device in the second embodiment described in FIG. The information processing device 31 includes a first wireless communication unit 311, a processing unit 312, and an interface unit 313. The processing unit 312 is a computer having a built-in CPU, ROM, and RAM. The information storage device 33 includes an interface unit 331 and an information storage unit 332. The display operation device 32 includes a second wireless communication unit 321, an input unit 322, and a display unit 323. The audio reproducing device 34 includes a third wireless communication unit 341 and an audio reproducing unit 342.
[0030]
The information storage unit 332 stores multimedia information and attribute values of the multimedia information. The multimedia information is, for example, the music information described above. The attribute value is an attribute value of music information, that is, for example, a title and a song number of music. The processing unit 312 reads out the multimedia information stored in the information storage unit 332 and the attribute value of the multimedia information via the interface unit 311 and the interface unit 312, and stores them in the internal RAM. The information processing device 31 can transmit the read multimedia information and the attribute value of the multimedia information to different devices. First, the attribute value of the multimedia information is transmitted to the display operation device 32 via the first wireless communication unit 311 and the second wireless communication unit 321. The display operation device 32 displays the attribute value of the received multimedia information on the display unit 323. That is, the song number and music title are displayed in the form of a song list. When the user looks at the music table and selects a desired music number with an operation button of the input means 322 provided on the display / operation device 32, the input means 322 decodes the operation and selects the selected attribute value. Is transmitted to the information processing apparatus 31 via the second wireless communication unit 321. In the information processing device 31, the selected attribute value is received by the first wireless communication unit 311, the multimedia information of the song corresponding to the received attribute value is extracted from the RAM, and is received via the first wireless communication unit 311. To the audio playback device 34. The audio reproducing device 34 receives the transmitted multimedia information, that is, digital data of a music signal in the third wireless communication means 341, reproduces the digital data by the audio reproducing means 342, and converts the digital data into an acoustic signal by earphones. The user can listen to the selected music.
[0031]
In the above description, the multimedia information and the attribute value of the multimedia information are read out together from the information storage unit 332 of the information storage device 33 and stored in the processing unit 312. The value may be read from the information storage unit 332 and sent to the display operation device 32, and after the music piece is selected, the multimedia information of the corresponding music piece may be read from the information storage means 332. If the multimedia information is composed of a large number of songs and cannot fit in the size of the RAM in the processing means 312, only the selected songs may be read out.
[0032]
The interface units 331 and 313 may be wireless communication units, and the information processing device 31 may acquire multimedia information and attribute values of the multimedia information from the information storage device 33 by wireless communication.
[0033]
After the information storage device 33 is connected to a multimedia information sales station and multimedia information is purchased, the information storage device 33 can be connected to the information processing device 31 to reproduce the multimedia information.
[0034]
The display operation device 32 may be incorporated in a mobile phone device. The display unit of the mobile phone device is used as the display unit 323, and a telephone button is used as the input unit 322.
[0035]
If the music information transmitted by the first wireless communication unit 311 to the third wireless communication unit 341 is data encoded by a method such as AAC or MP3 or data encoded by a unique method, the audio reproduction unit 342 Has a built-in decoder corresponding to those methods. If the music information transmitted from the first wireless communication means 311 to the third wireless communication means 341 is data such as linear PCM decoded from a method such as AAC or MP3, the audio reproducing means 342 has no decoder. May be.
[0036]
The device that decodes or encodes multimedia information and / or its attribute value is not limited to the information processing device 31, but may be performed by the display operation device 32, the audio playback device 34, or another device (not shown). Is also good.
[0037]
The sound reproducing device 34 may include a headphone or a speaker instead of the earphone as the electroacoustic transducer.
[0038]
In the above description, the use of reproducing music as multimedia information has been described. However, the information processing apparatus of the present invention provides information other than music, for example, information on movies and programs, information on electronic books having text and audio information, and the like. Can also be applied to the reproduction of.
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention,
[0039]
(1) The same operation and processing as a standard-sized personal computer can be performed simply by carrying a small-sized information processing device.
[0040]
(2) Since the information processing device can be kept at hand by the owner, there is no danger of theft in an office or the like.
[0041]
(3) The use of an information storage device separated from the information processing device facilitates the addition of the information storage device. It is also possible to carry around only the information storage device, acquire information, and then perform information processing by the information processing device.
[0042]
(4) The information processing apparatus can be used as a reproduction apparatus for multimedia information such as music reproduction.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external configuration diagram of a system including an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a configuration block diagram of a system including an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is an external configuration diagram of a system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 includes an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an external configuration diagram of a system including an information processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference Signs List 10 display device 11, 31 information processing device 12 input device 13, 33 information storage device 14 input device 32 display operation device 34 sound reproduction device

Claims (9)

An information processing device attached to the display device and detachable from the display device,
Wireless communication means for receiving input information from the input means,
Processing means for processing the input information;
An information processing apparatus comprising: an output control unit that outputs a processing result of the processing unit to the display device. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising information storage means for storing information. The information storage unit is separated from the information processing apparatus according to claim 2,
The information storage device including the information storage unit further includes a second wireless communication unit, wherein the information storage unit and the processing unit transmit and receive information by the second wireless communication unit and the wireless communication unit. Item 3. The information processing device according to Item 2. 4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein transmission / reception of information to / from the input unit or the information storage unit is performed via the Internet. An information storage device comprising: an information storage unit that constitutes the information processing device according to claim 3. The multimedia information stored in the information storage device and the attribute value of the multimedia information are read and processed,
An information processing apparatus in which a destination device that transmits the multimedia information and the attribute value is different. The multimedia information is music information, the attribute value is an attribute value of music information, the multimedia information is transmitted to a sound reproducing device having an electro-acoustic transducer, and the attribute value is displayed on a display having a display. 7. The information processing device according to claim 6, wherein the information is transmitted to an operation device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the multimedia information is transmitted after being encoded. 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the multimedia information is transmitted after being decoded.

Images