JP2006246041A - Electronic appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the operability of an input means without enlarging a display side casing and to miniaturize an operation side casing. <P>SOLUTION: The electronic apparatus comprises a first rotation part 12 for coupling an operation side casing 3 and a display side casing 6 so as to open/close both the casings 3, 6 and a second input means 19 for inputting input data by using a capacitance sensor 18. The capacitance sensor 18 includes sensor electrodes 17 which are built in the first rotation part 12 opposed to an exposed part in both the opened/closed states of the operation side casing 3 and the display side casing 6 in the first rotation part 12, and when a human body 26 approaches the sensor electrodes 17, capacitance generated between the sensor electrodes 17 and the human body 26 is detected by the capacitance sensor 18. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, and in particular, an operation-side housing provided with an input means for inputting input data and a display-side housing provided with a display means are provided so as to be opened and closed via a coupling mechanism. It relates to electronic equipment.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in electronic devices such as mobile phones and digital video cameras, a liquid crystal display device is provided for an operation-side casing provided with an input unit having an input unit such as a button key or a cross key for inputting input data. A display-side housing provided with a display means such as is formed so as to be openable and closable via a coupling mechanism.

  In general, a mobile phone as an electronic device is formed so that a display-side casing can be folded with respect to an operation-side casing so that a display screen of a display unit faces, for example, a button key as an input unit. In recent years, a display-side housing is provided to be rotatable at one end edge of the operation-side housing using one shaft of the connection mechanism using a biaxial connection mechanism, and a display screen in the display-side housing is provided. Mobile phones that can flip the display-side housing so that the back side where the keypad is not provided face the button keys and fold the display-side housing against the operation-side housing using the other axis are also frequently used (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  In a mobile phone using such a biaxial connection mechanism, when the display-side housing and the operation-side housing are closed with the display-side housing reversed, the button keys are displayed on the display-side housing. For example, button keys cannot be operated while viewing the display screen.

  Further, even in a mobile phone that does not use a biaxial connection mechanism, for example, when a button key is operated to operate a lens of a digital camera or a second display unit provided on the back surface of the display-side housing. However, if the display-side housing and the operation-side housing are in a closed state, the button keys cannot be operated.

  Therefore, even in the closed state as described above, in order to be able to perform an operation to operate the function provided in the exposed portion of the display-side housing in the closed state, For example, it is considered to provide a button key or the like as another input means on the side surface of the operation side casing. Thereby, in the mobile phone, for example, even when the operation side casing and the display side casing are closed in a state where the display side casing is inverted, the mobile phone is formed on the side surface while viewing the display on the display screen. It can be operated by the button buttons.

  However, in such a cellular phone, when the operation is performed using the button key formed on the side surface of the operation side casing, the button key cannot be visually recognized when the operation is performed while viewing the display screen. Had a bad problem.

  In addition, in order to be able to perform operations in a closed state, in a conventional mobile phone, a cross is placed next to the display screen as another input means in front of the display screen in the display-side housing. It is also possible to provide a key or the like.

  However, in such a mobile phone, since the cross key is provided next to the display screen, the display screen becomes small and the visibility of the display screen is deteriorated. It was. Further, in order not to make the display screen small, the display-side casing and thus the mobile phone itself must be enlarged, which is contrary to the demand for downsizing of the mobile phone, which has been increasingly demanded in recent years.

JP 2002-118633 A

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and it is possible to improve the operability of the input means without increasing the size of the display-side casing, and to further reduce the size of the operating-side casing. It is an object to provide an electronic device that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the electronic device according to the present invention is characterized in that an operation side casing provided with a first input means for inputting input data and a display side casing provided with a display means are connected so as to be openable and closable. And a second input means for inputting input data using the capacitance sensor, wherein the capacitance sensor includes the connection mechanism. A sensor electrode is provided in the coupling mechanism corresponding to a portion exposed in both the open and closed states of the operation side housing and the display side housing in the mechanism, and a human body approaches the sensor electrode. Thus, the electrostatic capacitance generated between the sensor electrode and the human body is detected by the electrostatic sensor.

  In addition, the coupling mechanism is arranged in parallel with one end edge of the operation side casing, and a first rotation shaft serving as a center of a rotation operation for opening and closing the operation side casing and the display side casing; You may have a 2nd rotating shaft arrange | positioned orthogonally to a 1st rotating shaft and used as the center of the rotation operation | movement of the said display side housing | casing.

  Furthermore, the second input means may input input data of operations common to both the display-side casing and the operation-side casing in both open and closed states.

  According to the electronic apparatus of the present invention, each sensor electrode in the capacitance sensor of the second input means is exposed in both the open and closed states of the display-side casing in the coupling mechanism with respect to the operation-side casing. Accordingly, the operator of the electronic device can operate the second input means in both the opened and closed states of the display-side casing.

  As described above, according to the electronic device of the present invention, the operator can operate the second input means even when the operation side housing and the display side housing are closed, for example. It can be carried out. Here, the viewing direction for the operator of the coupling mechanism and the exposed portion of the display-side housing is the same, and the operator operates the second input means while looking at the exposed portion of the display-side housing. It can be performed. Thereby, the operativity of an electronic device can be improved.

  Further, by allowing input data of operations common to both the display side case and the operation side case to be opened and closed by the second input means, the common input data can be input to the operation side case. Therefore, it is not necessary to form a button key or the like for inputting, so that it is possible to reduce the size of the operation-side casing and hence the size of the mobile phone.

  Further, since there is no need to provide input means on the display-side casing, it is possible to prevent the display-side casing from becoming large.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Here, in the present embodiment, a description will be given using a mobile phone as an electronic device, but the electronic device of the present invention is not limited to a mobile phone, for example, a digital video camera, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), etc. It can be used for various electronic devices.

  FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are perspective views showing a mobile phone according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the mobile phone 1 is provided with first input means 2 for inputting input data. It has an operation side housing 3 and a display side housing 6 provided with a liquid crystal display device 5 as a display means. The first input means 2 includes a plurality of button keys 8, and input data corresponding to each button key 8 is input by operating each button key 8.

  The operation side case 3 and the display side case 6 are connected via a connection mechanism 10, and the connection mechanism 10 is provided at one end edge of the operation side case 3 and is connected to one end edge of the operation side case 3. It has a substantially cylindrical first rotating portion 12 having a first rotating shaft 11 positioned in parallel. A substantially rectangular parallelepiped second having a second rotating shaft 14 orthogonal to the first rotating shaft 11 at a central portion in the direction of the first rotating shaft 11 of the first rotating portion 12 on the peripheral surface of the first rotating portion 12. The rotation unit 15 is provided, and the second rotation unit 15 is connected to one end edge of the display-side housing 6.

  The display-side casing 6 is provided so as to be rotatable about the first rotation shaft 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the display-side casing 6 displays the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 5 with respect to the operation-side casing 3. The front surface where 5a is provided and each button key 8 are provided so that opening and closing is possible. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the display-side housing 6 is provided so as to be capable of rotating 180 ° about the second rotation shaft 14. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the display-side housing 6 is rotated about the first rotation shaft 11 in a state where the display-side housing 6 is rotated by 180 ° about the second rotation shaft 14. 3 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the operation-side housing 3 such that the back surface of each button 3 faces each button key 8.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the mobile phone 1 uses a capacitance sensor 18 that detects a capacitance generated between the sensor electrode 17 and the human body 26 when the human body 26 approaches the sensor electrode 17. Second input means 19 for inputting input data.

  The sensor electrode 17 of the capacitance sensor 18 is a portion exposed inside the first rotating unit 12 in both the opened and closed states of the operation side housing 3 and the display side housing 6 in the first rotating unit 12. In the present embodiment, five sensor electrodes 17 are provided.

  The second input means 19 is provided with a detection unit 20 that detects a change in capacitance with respect to each sensor electrode 17 when the human body 26 approaches each sensor electrode 17 via the second rotation unit 15. The sensor electrodes 17 and the detection unit 20 constitute a capacitance sensor 18.

  Further, the second input means 19 has an input unit 21 for inputting data of the sensor electrode 17 whose capacitance has changed from the detection unit 20 when the capacitance of each electrostatic sensor is changed by the detection unit 20. Yes. And the input part 21 outputs the input data of the operation | movement corresponding to the sensor electrode 17 from which the electrostatic capacitance changed based on the data input from the electrostatic sensor to the control part 22 which controls operation | movement of each part of the mobile telephone 1. It is supposed to be.

  In the present embodiment, by bringing the human body 26 close to each sensor electrode 17, five types of input data of movement operation in four directions, up and down, left and right, and determination operation are input to the control unit 22 of the mobile phone 1. Can be done.

  Input to the control unit 22 of the mobile phone 1 by the second input means 19 when the human body 26 approaches each sensor electrode 17 at a position corresponding to each sensor electrode 17 on the outer peripheral surface of the first rotating unit 12. Each operation display 24 corresponding to the operation of the input data is recorded.

  In the mobile phone 1, when the operator of the mobile phone 1 makes a part of the human body 26 approach the peripheral surface of the first rotating unit 12 with reference to each operation display 24, input data of a desired operation is obtained. It is designed to be entered. Each operation display 24 is recorded at a position corresponding to the position where each sensor electrode 17 is arranged, that is, a position where the display-side housing 6 is exposed in both the open and closed states. The display side housing 6 can be operated by the operator in both the open and closed states.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  According to the present embodiment, each sensor electrode 17 in the capacitance sensor 18 of the second input means 19 is in a state in which the display side housing 6 in the first rotating unit 12 is open / closed with respect to the operation side housing 3. In this way, the operator of the mobile phone 1 can operate the second input means 19 in both the opened and closed states of the display-side housing 6. .

  Therefore, for example, the operator of the mobile phone 1 displays the operation side case 3 and the display on the operation side case 3 while the display screen 5a of the liquid crystal display device 5 is exposed to the outside while the display case is inverted about the second rotation axis 14. Even when the side housing 6 is closed, the second input means 19 can be operated. Here, since the viewing direction in the operator of the 1st rotation part 12 and the display screen 5a is the same, since the operator can operate the 2nd input means 19 while seeing the display of the display screen 5a, Thereby, the operativity of the mobile phone 1 can be improved.

  In addition, by allowing the second input means 19 to input common input data of operations common to both the opened and closed states of the display-side housing 6 and the operation-side housing 3, It becomes unnecessary to form the button keys 8 and the like for inputting the common input data, and thereby the operation-side casing 3 can be reduced in size, and the mobile phone 1 can be reduced in size.

  Moreover, since it is not necessary to provide an input means in the display side housing | casing 6, it can prevent that the display side housing | casing 6 enlarges.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various change is possible as needed.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the input data input by the second input means 19 is a four-direction moving operation and a determining operation, but is not limited to this. For example, the mobile phone 1 has a built-in digital camera. In such a case, input data for performing a photographing operation of the digital camera may be input by the second input means 19.

  In addition, the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment has the biaxial connection mechanism 10, but is not limited to this, and the display side housing 6 and the operation side housing 3 are connected so as to be openable and closable. If it is.

  Further, in the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment, the first input unit 2 is provided in the operation-side casing 3 and the second input unit 19 is provided in the first rotating unit 12. For example, input data of an operation that requires input in the closed state is input to a portion exposed in the closed state of the display-side housing 6 and the operation-side housing 3 in the second rotating unit 15. Three input means may be provided.

The conceptual perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the open state of the display side housing | casing and the operation side housing | casing in the electronic device which concerns on this invention The conceptual perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the closed state of the display side housing | casing and operation side housing | casing of FIG. The conceptual perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the display side housing | casing in the case of reversing the display side housing | casing of FIG. 1 centering around a 2nd rotating shaft, and the operation side housing | casing. The conceptual perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the closed state of the display side housing | casing and the operation side housing | casing at the time of reversing the display side housing | casing of FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the electronic device of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mobile telephone 2 1st input means 3 Operation side housing | casing 5 Liquid crystal display device 5a Display screen 6 Display side housing | casing 10 Connection mechanism 11 1st rotating shaft 12 1st rotating part 14 2nd rotating shaft 15 2nd rotating part 17 Sensor Electrode 18 Capacitance sensor 19 Second input means

Claims (3)

A connection mechanism for connecting the operation side housing provided with the first input means for inputting the input data and the display side housing provided with the display means so as to be openable and closable;
A second sensor that includes a capacitance sensor that detects a capacitance and inputs input data using the capacitance sensor;
The capacitance sensor is provided with a sensor electrode inside the coupling mechanism corresponding to a portion exposed in both the opened and closed states of the operation side casing and the display side casing in the coupling mechanism. An electronic apparatus, wherein a capacitance generated between the sensor electrode and the human body when the human body approaches the sensor electrode is detected by the capacitance sensor.   The coupling mechanism is arranged in parallel with one end edge of the operation side casing, and is configured to have a first rotation shaft serving as a center of a rotation operation for opening and closing the operation side casing and the display side casing; The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second rotation axis that is arranged orthogonal to the rotation axis and serves as a center of rotation operation of the display-side casing.   The said 2nd input means inputs the input data of the operation | movement which is common in both the open / closed states of the said display side housing | casing and the said operation side housing | casing. Electronics.

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