JP2007260409A - Portable electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable electronic device which exhibits a shape easily operable by the user. <P>SOLUTION: The portable electronic device 100 has a laterally long housing 10 both ends of which are held by the hands of the user, and an LCD fitted in a front surface of the housing 10. Bulges 42L, 42R projecting outward are formed on both end portions of a rear surface of the housing 10, both end portions being held by the fingers of the user holding the housing 10. When the fingers and the palms of the user are naturally bent and placed along the bulges 42L, 42R, the device fits the hands, and the operability is hardly impaired even if the user violently moves the device during playing a game. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a structure of a portable electronic device, and more particularly to a structure that improves the operability of the portable electronic device.

  In recent years, a wide variety of games have been developed and occupy a high position as entertainment. In particular, portable game devices have recently become widespread, and users can enjoy games regardless of location.

  A wide variety of portable electronic devices such as a portable game device and a personal information terminal (PDA) have been developed, but most of them have a casing that is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped. When a game is played using these portable electronic devices, it is difficult to grasp the casing and the operability is insufficient. In addition, there is a problem that the user's hand tends to get tired when gripping for a long time in a rectangular parallelepiped housing.

  The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable electronic device having a shape that can be easily operated by a user.

  An aspect of the present invention relates to a portable electronic device that includes a horizontally long casing whose both ends are gripped by both hands of a user, and display means fitted into the surface of the casing. This device is characterized in that bulges that are convex outward are formed at both end portions of the back surface of the casing to which a user's finger holding the casing is applied.

  According to this aspect, when the user's finger and palm are naturally bent, the portable electronic device can be easily gripped by following the bulge on the back surface of the housing, and a game is played by the device. The operability is not easily lost even with intense operations. In addition, familiarity when held in the hand is good, and even if the portable electronic device is held for a long time, the hand is not easily fatigued.

  The casing of the portable electronic device may be a resin molded part, and this resin molded part is composed of a translucent window part capable of visually recognizing the display means and a frame part other than the translucent window part. Is preferably formed from a transparent first resin, the frame is formed from a colored second resin, and the first resin and the second resin are preferably integrally molded by two-color molding. Thus, the intensity | strength of a housing | casing is securable by integrally forming a translucent window part and a frame part.

  Moreover, you may shape | mold so that 1st resin may cover the whole surface of a frame part in the resin molding component of the said housing | casing. This makes it possible to form a uniform surface without seams, steps, or gaps on the surface of the housing, so that aesthetics are improved.

  The portable electronic device includes a speaker inside the housing, and a through hole through which sound generated from the speaker passes is formed on the bottom surface of the housing. The through hole has an angle closer to the surface of the housing. May be attached. As a result, a voice can be emitted in a direction close to the face of the user holding the portable electronic device.

  In addition, a second through hole may be formed on the surface of the housing, and a space for guiding sound generated from a speaker to the second through hole may be formed inside the housing. As a result, the user feels that sound is also emitted from the surface of the housing, and the presence is improved.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above components is also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, since the bulge is provided on the back surface of the casing of the portable electronic device, the operability of the portable electronic device is improved.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
1 to 6 are views showing an appearance of a portable electronic device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front view of the portable electronic device 100, and the housing 10 has a horizontally long oval shape as a whole. Both ends of the housing 10 are curved and formed in an arc shape centered at a position decentered from the center line by a certain distance.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the housing 10 is composed of an upper part 10a, an intermediate part 10b, and a lower part 10c, and a switch contact for generating signals by various button operations therein, and processes the signals. A central control device that executes various calculations, an image processing unit that executes image processing, and a circuit board (not shown) on which a sound processing unit that executes sound processing and the like are mounted. A circuit board (not shown) is fixed to the upper part 10a or the lower part 10c. Further, the intermediate portion 10b has higher rigidity than the upper portion 10a and the lower portion 10c, and ensures the rigidity of the entire casing 10.

  Returning to FIG. 1, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as “LCD”) 12 as a display device is fitted in the central portion of the housing 10. For example, when the portable electronic device 100 functions as a game device, the LCD 12 displays a game screen. When the portable electronic device 100 functions as a so-called personal information terminal (PDA), a schedule book is displayed. And address book are displayed.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the shape of the upper portion 10a. The upper portion 10a is a resin molded part, and is provided so as to cover the LCD 12 and various buttons arranged on the circuit board. The upper part 10 a is composed of a translucent window part 102 and a frame part 104. FIG. 8 is a view clearly showing the frame portion 104. The frame portion 104 is formed with a substantially rectangular space for molding the transparent window portion 102, holes 106 and 108 for loosely inserting various buttons, holes for visually recognizing the LEDs, and the like.

  The transparent window portion 102 is formed of a transparent resin material to protect the LCD 1 and make the LCD 12 visible. The frame portion 104 is formed from a colored resin material so that the circuit board cannot be seen. The translucent window portion 102 and the frame portion 104 are integrally molded by a two-color molding technique that simultaneously molds resins of different colors and different materials. Specifically, a colored resin material that forms the frame portion 104 is injected into the mold, and then a transparent resin material that forms the light-transmissive window portion 102 is injected. At this time, the transparent resin material is not only the translucent window portion 102 but also the button hole on the surface of the frame portion 104 (that is, the surface seen by the user when the portable electronic device 100 is gripped by the user). It is molded so as to cover thinly the whole except for. As a result, a uniform surface without seams, steps, or gaps is formed between the light-transmitting window portion 102 and the frame portion 104, and the aesthetic appearance is increased and the LCD 12 can be easily viewed through the light-transmitting window portion 102.

  Of the frame portion 104, the portions positioned above and below the transparent window portion 102 (that is, the portion where the decoration region 16 and the button region 50 are present) are very thin as shown in FIGS. Therefore, the strength of the upper portion 10a can be increased by performing two-color molding as compared with a structure in which a transparent resin plate is attached on the LCD or a transparent resin plate is fitted into the frame portion 104. In the portable electronic device, since the user may strongly press the surface of the casing for button operation, the casing needs to have a certain strength. However, as in this embodiment, the transparent window portion and the frame The strength can be ensured by integrally molding the part. Moreover, since the translucent window part 102 and the frame part 104 can be simultaneously and integrally molded by two-color molding, it contributes to cost reduction. Furthermore, since the entire surface of the frame portion 104 is thinly covered with a transparent resin material in the form of a film, a glossy appearance as if it was coated is obtained, and the aesthetics are improved.

  The resin material is preferably a polycarbonate resin having impact resistance and transparency, but other resins such as an acrylic resin may be used. Moreover, you may shape | mold a translucent window part and a frame part with a different resin material.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the surface of the upper portion 10a of the housing 10, that is, the surface facing the user, is mainly the left hand region 48L gripped by the user's left hand, the right hand region 48R gripped by the right hand, the LCD 12, and the LCD 12 Is formed of a horizontally long button area 50 where various buttons are arranged, and a decorative area 16 positioned above the LCD 12. Cutouts 84 </ b> L and 84 </ b> R are formed in the upper left part and upper right part of the upper part 10 a of the housing 10, respectively.

  The left-hand region 48L is provided with a cross key 20 for mainly inputting direction instructions and an analog device 22 for mainly inputting analog instructions. These detailed configurations and functions will be described later. Indicators 32 and 34 are further provided in the left hand region 48L. The indicator 32 indicates that the removable storage medium is being accessed, and the indicator 34 indicates that the wireless LAN (hereinafter referred to as “WLAN”) communication is being performed.

  The analog device 22 is located closer to the user than the cross key 20. Further, the center of the analog device 22 is located closer to the center of the housing 10 than the center of the cross key 20. This is because when the thumb of the left hand of the user moves from the cross key 20 to the analog device 22, the thumb is rotated using the lower left side surface of the housing 10 as a fulcrum and the center of the analog device 22 is tilted. This is because the operation is easier when the device 22 is inside.

  The right hand region 48R is provided with buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d (hereinafter, collectively referred to as “button keys 30”) for mainly inputting a single instruction. The structure and function of the button key 30 will be described later. Indicators 36 and 40 are further provided in the right hand region 48R. The indicator 36 is lit when the power of the portable electronic device 100 is turned on, and the indicator 40 is lit when in a hold state in which any key of the portable electronic device 100 is invalid.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the centers of the cross key 20 and the button key 30 are shifted from the center of the casing 10 in the laterally long direction.

  The center of the cross key 20 and the button key 30 is arranged at an equal distance from the center line 14 in the left-right direction of the housing 10, but between the pressing surfaces 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, 20 d of the disk-shaped key top of the cross key 20. The distance is smaller than the distance between the buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d. This is due to the following reason. That is, since the cross key 20 is mainly used for instructing up / down / left / right movement, it is often continuously moved, so that the key top is pressed so that the user can operate the key without removing the thumb from the cross key. It is preferable to set the distance between the surfaces 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d. On the other hand, the button key 30 is often used to give different instructions to the buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d. For this reason, it is easier to operate with the thumb away from the key, so it is easier to operate, so when you place your thumb on one button, do not accidentally press the other button with your fingertip. It is preferable to set between each button 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d.

  Upper surface through holes 28L and 28R are provided on both sides of the transparent window 102 of the upper portion 10a, one for the left hand region 48L and one for the right hand region 48R.

  The button region 50 is disposed in the vicinity of the outer edge of the upper portion 10 a of the housing 10 on the side closer to the user holding the portable electronic device 100. The button area 50 is an area in which buttons 52 to 64 other than the cross key 20, the analog device 22, and the button key 30 are arranged, and is preferably visually distinguishable from the left hand area 48L and the right hand area 48R. Composed. In this embodiment, the button area 50 is formed in an elongated hill shape extending in the left-right direction, which is raised from the plane composed of the left-hand area 48L, the right-hand area 48R, and the LCD 12, and various buttons 52 to 64 are arranged in the vicinity of the apex. Be placed. By doing so, the user can visually distinguish the buttons to be operated while the game or application is in progress from the other buttons. Furthermore, since the button area 50 is raised, the user can feel the arrangement of the buttons 52 to 64 by touch. Further, the button area 50 is raised to protect the LCD 12.

  The button area 50 is not limited to the above-described structure, and may be different in height from the left hand area 48L and the right hand area 48R. Here, the “height” refers to a height based on the horizontal plane when the casing 10 is placed on the horizontal plane so that the upper side surface 10a faces upward. For example, the button region 50 may be formed in an elongated stepped structure having a trapezoidal section or a rectangular section, and various buttons 52 to 64 may be disposed thereon. Alternatively, a wall that is the same as or higher than the height of the top of the buttons 52 to 64 is provided above and below the buttons 52 to 64 that are arranged horizontally on the same height plane as the left hand region 48L, the right hand region 48R, and the LCD 12. The buttons 52 to 64 may not be easily pushed by the user's hand operating the cross key 20 or the button key 30.

  Various buttons 52 to 64 arranged in the button area 50 (also referred to as “sub-operation buttons”) are not frequently used for operations frequently required in the progress of a game or other applications, and are frequently pressed. A button type that is not necessary is preferred. Specifically, the home button 52 is a button for returning to the home screen, and the volume buttons 54 and 56 are buttons for decreasing or increasing the volume of sound reproduced from a speaker or headphones. The display button 58 is a button for turning on and off the backlight of the LCD 12, and the sound button 60 is a button for turning on and off the sound output. The select button 62 is a button for selecting an item displayed on the screen, and the start button 64 is a button for starting play of the game mainly when a game program is being executed.

  In a conventional portable electronic device or game controller, the buttons as described above are not arranged on a different surface from the cross key and the button key as in this embodiment, for example, below the cross key and the button key. Had been placed in. In this case, when the cross key or the button key is operated, the finger may touch these buttons, resulting in an erroneous operation. In the portable electronic device according to the present embodiment, these various buttons are arranged on the surface away from the cross key or the button key, so that erroneous operations are reduced.

  Notches 86L and 86R are also formed in the lower left and lower right of the upper portion 10a of the housing 10 in the same manner as the upper left and upper right portions. A grip portion 87L is provided under each notch 86L. A hole 24L is formed in the gripping portion 87L so that a strap or the like (not shown) can be tied.

  In order to use the portable electronic device 100 of this embodiment, as will be described later with reference to FIG. 9, the index finger is placed on the upper surface of the housing 10, and the left thumb is placed above the cross key 20 or the analog device 22. The thumb of the right hand is placed above the button key 30. The fingers below the middle finger wrap around the bulge on the back surface of the housing 10. In this way, the curved surface created by the index finger and the shape of the side surface of the housing 10 are familiar and easy to hold, and at the same time, the weight of the housing 10 is held by the finger below the middle finger. Even if is moved, the portable electronic device 100 can be stably held by the remaining fingers.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the portable electronic device 100. As described above, bulges 42L and 42R (hereinafter, collectively referred to as “bulge 42”) are formed at both ends of the back surface of the housing 10. A flat surface is formed between these two bulges, and almost the entire flat surface is a lid 44 of the small disk drive. One end of the lid 44 is pivotally supported on the lower portion 10c of the housing, and the other end of the lid 44 is opened to the back side of the portable electronic device 100 by sliding a switch 76 provided in the intermediate portion 10b. It is like that. A small disk drive (not shown) is accommodated inside the housing with the lid 44 opened so that the disk can be placed thereon. This disc provides application programs and game programs for the portable electronic device 100. Note that most of the mechanisms such as an optical pickup (for example, a lens and a servo mechanism) of a small disk drive are disposed on the back side of the right half surface of the LCD 12 in FIG.

  The L button 46L and the R button 46R (hereinafter, collectively referred to as “LR button 46”) are buttons operated by the user's left index finger or middle finger and right hand index finger or middle finger, respectively, as described above. These LR buttons 46 are used to give special instructions that cannot be operated only with the cross key 20 or the button key 30. For example, when a game screen is displayed on the LCD 12, the LR button 46 is operated for special actions (such as holding and crouching) of characters in the game, or to develop a special technique.

  By providing the gripping bulge 42 on the back surface of the housing 10, it is difficult for the user's fingertips to touch the lid 44 of the small disk drive, thereby preventing a large force from being applied to the disk drive in use. Further, since the bulges 42 are provided at both ends of the back surface of the housing 10, even when the portable electronic device 100 is placed on a flat surface, the lid 44 of the small disk drive does not contact the flat surface. In addition, since the impact on the small disk drive is reduced, stable operation of the drive is ensured, and read errors and the like are reduced.

  As can be seen from FIG. 2, the tops of the cross key 20 and the button key 30 are transparent windows of the upper portion 10a when the casing 10 is placed on a horizontal surface so that the surface on which the LCD 12 is not fitted faces downward. It is higher than the maximum height of the surface of the portion 102. Even when the housing 10 is placed with the top portion and the button region 50 so that the surface on which the LCD 12 is fitted is directed downward, the surface of the transparent window portion 104 covering the LCD 12 is not damaged. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the casing 10 has an arc cross section so that the thickness decreases toward the both ends, and the cross key 20 and the button key 30 also match the sectional shape of the casing 10. It is arrange | positioned so that it may incline toward the outer side. This is to make it easier to grip the housing 10 and to improve the operability of the cross key 20 and the button key 30 with the thumb.

  An intermediate portion 10 b of the housing 10 is provided with an input terminal 70 for an external device and an attachment hole 74 for fixing the external device to the housing 10. By connecting to an external device using the input terminal 70, the portable electronic device 100 can be used as an input device to a personal computer or the like, for example, in place of an existing keyboard or mouse. The connection with the external device will be described in detail later. The intermediate unit 10b is further provided with a switch 76 for opening the lid of the small disk drive and a port 88 of the infrared module.

  FIG. 3 is a rear view of the portable electronic device 100. As described above, the bulges 42R and 42L are provided at both ends of the back surface of the portable electronic device 100, and the lid 44 of the small disk drive is disposed between them. The bulge 42R also has a role as a lid of a battery housing portion (not shown). When the bulge 42R is slid leftward (in the direction of the end of the portable electronic device 100) while pressing the ellipse-shaped convex portion 43, the bulge 42R is detached, and a replaceable battery housed inside the housing is obtained. appear.

  FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the portable electronic device 100. As indicated by dotted lines in the figure, speakers 80L and 80R are provided inside the housing 10. Bottom portions through holes 26L and 26R are formed in the intermediate portion 10b located in front of the speakers 80L and 80R, respectively. Further, a plug 82 of a cord 84 connected to the headphones and the remote controller is inserted into a jack (not shown). These will be described later with reference to FIG. A terminal 66 for supplying DC power to the portable electronic device 100 is provided on the right side of the upper portion 10a. The intermediate portion 10b is provided with an electrode 78 for supplying electric power to the portable electronic device 100 when the portable electronic device 100 is placed in a so-called “cradle”. The bottom through-holes 26L and 26R also serve to support the portable electronic device 100 by inserting a projection of the cradle when the portable electronic device 100 is placed on the cradle.

  FIG. 5 is a left side view of the portable electronic device 100. The intermediate part 10b is provided with a WLAN switch 90, and the lower part 10c is provided with an insertion port 92 for inserting a removable storage medium. FIG. 6 is a right side view of the portable electronic device 100, and a power switch 94 for turning on / off the portable electronic device 100 is provided in the intermediate portion 10b.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state when the portable electronic device 100 is held by a user. The portable electronic device 100 is basically operated while being held by the user's hand. The left and right edges of the housing 10 are held by the left and right hands, respectively. As shown in the drawing, the housing 10 is gripped so as to be attached to the arc shape of the left side surface of the housing 10 with the user's left hand lightly bent. At this time, the thumb of the left hand of the user is placed on the cross key 20, and the cross key is operated with this thumb. Similarly, the user's right hand is lightly bent, and the housing 10 is gripped so as to be attached to the arc shape on the right side surface of the housing 10. At this time, the thumb of the right hand of the user is placed at the center of the button key 30 and the button key is operated with this thumb. Only the index finger of the user, or the index finger and the middle finger are lightly bent and placed on the LR button 46, and the LR button 46 is operated with the index finger or the middle finger.

  The user's middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger, or ring finger and pinky finger are attached to the back surface of the housing 10 in a lightly bent state to hold the weight of the portable electronic device 100. As described above, the bulges 42 are provided at both ends of the back surface of the housing 10 so as to fit the curved shape of the user's finger. The bulge 42 is a plastic material in one example, but may be a non-slip material such as rubber, or may be a metal material to give a texture. In addition, the bulge 42 has a smooth circular cross section in FIG. 2 or FIG. 4, but has a step to make it easy for the user's finger to attach, or has many small protrusions to improve the difficulty of sliding. It may be formed. Thus, by providing the bulge 42, the portable electronic device 100 can be easily grasped, and the operability is not easily lost even if a violent operation is performed while playing a game with the device. In addition, the finger and palm are naturally bent along the arc shape on both sides of the housing 10 and along the bulge 42 on the back surface of the housing. Even if the electronic device 100 is held for a long time, the hand is not easily fatigued. In addition, since the weight of the portable electronic device 100 is held by the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger, the portable electronic device 100 can be stably held even when the thumb or index finger is released from the button. .

  FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of the portable electronic device 100. When the cross key 20, buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, L button 46L, and R button 46R are pressed, a digital signal corresponding to the pressing operation is sent via the interface (indicated as I / F 190 in FIG. 10) to the central control unit. 180 is input. The same applies to other buttons not shown in FIG. When the user speaks a finger from the button, the button is restored to its original position. The operation of the analog device 22 is converted into a digital signal and input to the central controller 180 via the I / F 190. Input signals to the infrared module 88 and the WLAN module 90 are input to the central controller 180 via the I / F 190. Audio input to the microphone 142 is converted into a digital signal and input to the central controller 180. When the remote controller 140 is operated, a digital signal corresponding to the operation is input to the central controller 180 via the I / F 190. The small disk drive 186 and the memory 188 are connected to the central controller 180 via the I / F 190. The central controller 180 processes various input signals in accordance with application software recorded on a disk mounted on the small disk drive 186 or application software stored in the memory 188, and processing results corresponding thereto are obtained. Outputs image and audio signals. The image processing unit 182 processes the output image signal and displays it on the LCD 12. The audio processing unit 184 processes the output audio signal and reproduces it through the speaker 28 or the headphones 144.

  The portable electronic device 100 has a plurality of functions. In one example, the portable electronic device 100 functions as a game device. The user can play a game by inserting a disk storing a game program into a small disk drive 186 provided on the back of the housing. Specifically, when the disc is set and the power switch 94 is turned on, the game program is read and a game start screen is displayed on the LCD 12. When the start button 64 is pressed in this state, the game is started. When the user appropriately operates the cross key 20, the analog device 22 or the button key 30 to select a menu item appearing on the screen or operates a character, the input signal is transmitted to the central controller 180, and the central controller 180 advances the game according to these input signals and the game program.

  In another example, the portable electronic device 100 also functions as a music player. The user can listen to the stored music by inserting a disk in which music data is stored into the small disk drive 186 or by inserting a removable storage medium into the insertion slot 92. In this case, by using the cross key 20 or the analog device 22, it is possible to select a song name that the user wants to listen to from the song names displayed on the LCD 12. The selected music data is converted into analog sound by the sound processing unit 184 and output from the speaker 28 or the headphone 144.

  Note that the functions of the portable electronic device 100 are not limited to these, and may have an address book, a schedule book, a memo pad, a mail communication function, and the like, as in a conventional personal information terminal (PDA). Good.

  Heretofore, the schematic configuration of the portable electronic device 100 according to the present embodiment has been described. Next, the configuration and function of each main part will be described in detail.

1. Cross key The cross key 20 gives a discrete direction instruction in eight directions composed of four directions (up, down, left and right) and directions between these four directions. As shown in FIG. 1, the cross key 20 is a key in which convex pressing surfaces 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, and 20 d corresponding to four directions of up, down, left, and right are formed on the surface of a disk-shaped key top. The disk-like key top is supported by a fulcrum 20e located at the center thereof so that the key top can be tilted in eight directions. The deforming member, the energizing member, and the switch contact described above are disposed below each of the pressing surfaces 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d, and any one of the pressing surfaces 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d of the cross-shaped key. When is pressed downward, only the switch contact immediately below the pressed pressing surface is turned on. The cross key 20 is used, for example, to move a game character displayed on the LCD 12 up and down, left and right, and to select an item on a menu screen. Moreover, since each pressing surface 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d is formed in a convex shape, the user can perform a desired operation without looking at the cross key 20. As described above, the top of the convex pressing surface is formed so as to be higher than the maximum height of the surface of the transparent window portion 102 of the upper portion 10a, so that the LCD 12 is placed so as to face downward. However, the transparent window 102 on the surface of the LCD 12 is prevented from being damaged. Further, since the disk-shaped key top is inclined in a mortar shape toward the center fulcrum 20e, it is easy to place a thumb on the center portion, and the cross key 20 can be operated with certainty.

2. Analog Device The analog device 22 performs a continuous direction instruction that can indicate an arbitrary direction of 360 degrees. The analog device 22 has a hole 22a drilled in the surface of the housing 10, and is movable through the hole 22a in the front / rear / left / right direction. For example, an operation pad 22b made of rubber is provided. And a detection means (not shown) for converting the movement amount and movement direction of the operation pad into an electric signal.

  The operation pad 22b of the analog device 22 is biased to the center of the hole 22a by a spring or the like, and is always located at the center of the hole 22a when the user does not operate. During operation, the stroke can be over 360 degrees. Since this stroke is set to about 2 mm, the user does not have difficulty in inputting with the maximum stroke, and the middle input can be performed finely.

  By adopting such a structure, a function similar to a so-called “joystick” can be realized although it is small, and high operability as a game controller can be obtained.

  The input converted into the electrical signal by the detection means is converted into a digital signal by an A / D conversion unit arranged on a substrate (not shown) and transmitted to the central controller 180. Then, central controller 180 performs an operation based on the game program and displays a display corresponding to the input on LCD 12.

  Note that it is possible to easily select which of the input from the cross key 20 and the input from the analog device 22 is used by processing on software. As another embodiment, a switch for switching input between the cross key 20 and the analog device 22 may be provided separately.

3. Button Key As shown in FIG. 1, the button key 30 includes buttons 30 a, 30 b, 30 c, and 30 d each having a cylindrical key top surface with symbols of circles, crosses, triangles, and squares. Each of these buttons is used to provide a single instruction input. The above-described deforming member, energizing member, and switch contact are arranged below the buttons 30a, 30b, 30c, and 30d, respectively. Only the switch contacts directly under the button are turned on. The input corresponding to each button key differs depending on the game program or application executed in the portable electronic device 100. For example, it is used for input such as an attack in a game, item acquisition, menu screen display, item selection, and inquiry determination.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the button keys are provided at regular intervals so as to be arranged one by one at the four vertices of the square. For this reason, the user can operate the triangle button and the square button at the back when viewed from the right hand side by extending the thumb of the right hand without changing the position where the housing 10 is gripped. , You can operate the round button and cross button in front of you as seen from the right hand side. On the surface of these buttons, protrusions or grooves corresponding to circles, crosses, triangles, and squares may be provided so that each button can be identified.

4). LR key When a complicated operation is required as in a video game in recent years, the operation means may be insufficient with only the conventionally provided cross key and button key. Therefore, in recent controllers, an L button and an R button are often provided separately in order to increase the operation means. In the portable electronic device 100 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the LR button 46 is disposed on the upper surface of the intermediate portion 10b of the housing 10, and a part of the intermediate portion 10b is not pressed when not pressed. It is a push button showing the appearance as configured. As described above, the LR button 46 is provided at a position where the abdomen of the index finger hits when the user grips the housing 10.

  By the way, when the game creator considers the game content, it is necessary to consider the operability by the controller, and it can be said that the function of the controller and the game content are closely related. In other words, game content is often limited by the function and operability of the controller. In the portable electronic device according to the present embodiment, as described above, the cross key, the analog device, the button key, and the LR button, and the functions provided in the controller of the so-called stationary game device, while having a compact outer shape, Has equivalent or better operation buttons. The conventional portable game device does not have such a variety of controllers, so that the game content is limited, or the program is transferred even when the game of the stationary game device is ported to the portable game device. However, in the portable electronic device according to the present embodiment, such a problem does not occur, and the range of creation by the game creator can be expanded.

  In addition, operation means such as a cross key, a button key, and an LR key function as a man-machine interface interposed between the user and the portable electronic device, and are particularly important when playing a game. That is, the operability of the casing of the portable electronic device and the functionality of the operating means are highly related to the ease of playing the game and the fun. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a portable electronic device that has high operability and expandability while being a case that is large enough to be held by a user with both hands.

5). Speaker The portable electronic device 100 can output sound from the top surface through holes 28L and 28R provided on the top surface of the housing 10 and the bottom surface through holes 26L and 26R provided on the bottom surface of the housing 10. .

  As shown in FIG. 4, the speakers 80 </ b> L and 80 </ b> R that output sound are provided on the left and right sides in the vicinity of the bottom surface in the housing 10 so as to be substantially perpendicular to the surface of the housing 10. The speakers 80 </ b> L and 80 </ b> R are arranged so as to emit sound toward the bottom surface of the housing 10. The bottom through holes 26L and 26R are provided at positions facing the speakers 80L and 80R in the intermediate portion 10b, and sound output from the speakers 80L and 80R is emitted from the bottom through holes 26R and 26L to the outside of the housing. . The bottom through holes 26L and 26R are formed to have an upward angle (toward the surface of the housing) so that sound is emitted in a direction close to the user's face when the user holds the portable electronic device 100. Yes.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11, ducts 98L and 98R communicating with the upper surface through holes 28L and 28R are formed inside the housing 10 from the back surfaces of the speakers 80L and 80R, respectively, thereby the speakers 80L and 80R. A part of the sound output from the voice is emitted in the direction of the face of the user holding the housing 10. For this reason, the user feels that sound is also emitted from the surface of the housing 10, and the realism that the user feels is improved. This duct may be designed as a so-called bass reflex structure to emphasize bass.

  Thus, since sound is emitted in two directions from the four through-holes on the front and bottom surfaces of the housing 10, a sense of reality can be increased. Moreover, the sound with a surround effect can also be emitted from the portable electronic device 100 by four through-holes.

6). Headphones FIG. 12 shows a state when a plug 82 of headphones (not shown) is removed from the housing 10. The circular jack 146 is a jack for audio output to headphones, and the rectangular jack 148 is a jack for input from a remote controller (not shown) and a microphone (not shown). The plug 82 is provided with two different shaped terminals respectively inserted into the jack 146 and the jack 148.

7). Input Terminal and Power Supply Terminal As described above, the intermediate portion 10 b of the housing 10 is provided with the input terminal 70 for the external device and the mounting hole 74 for fixing the external device to the housing 10. The portable electronic device 100 according to the present embodiment is connected to an external device using the input terminal 70, thereby using the portable electronic device 100 as an alternative to an existing keyboard or mouse, for example, to a personal computer or the like. It can be used as an input device.

  The input terminal 70 may have a terminal structure that cannot supply power from the portable electronic device 100 to an external device. Despite having such a terminal structure, the portable electronic device 100 is provided on both sides of the input terminal 70 for attaching an external device such as a camera to the portable electronic device 100 and receiving data input from the external device. A power supply terminal 72 that can supply power to the external device may be provided.

  Examples of the external device include a camera unit and a GPS unit. By attaching the camera unit, in addition to an aspect used as a normal digital camera, the user's face holding the portable electronic device 100 is displayed on the LCD 12 of the portable electronic device 100 and used as a game screen. Or, it is possible to consider a usage mode that can be used as an alternative to game input by recognizing a user's action taken by a camera. Further, by attaching a GPS unit, the portable electronic device 100 can be used as a handy-type GPS device, such as a road guide or a record of a user's movement history. In addition, a keyboard, a mobile phone module, or the like can be connected to the input terminal 70.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 13 is a front view of a portable information terminal 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the portable information terminal 200 includes an LCD 210, a small stick 212, an analog / digital selection switch 214, a main button 216, a center board 250, a front cover 260, a left depression 280, and a right depression 282.

  The LCD 210 is provided at the center of the portable information terminal 200 and displays game contents and video contents. The display on the LCD 210 is adjusted so as to have a predetermined brightness and color tone so that the user can fully view the display contents through the front cover 260 described later. The small stick 212 realizes the function of a joystick in a compact manner, has a tiltability in an arbitrary direction of 360 degrees, and acquires the tilting state as an input intensity in principle in an analog manner. The analog / digital selection switch 214 is a switch for the user to selectively change the input of the small stick 212 from analog to digital, or from digital to analog, according to the operational requirements of the game. The main buttons 216 are ◯, Δ, □, and X buttons each having a specific function assignment. These buttons constituting the main button 216 are arranged at positions on the top, bottom, left and right on substantially the same circumference. The small stick 212 and the main button 216 are used for operating a game character, for example.

  Built-in components such as an LCD 210 shown in the figure and a CPU (not shown) are mounted on the central substrate 250. The entire peripheral edge of the central substrate 250 protrudes from a housing defined by a front side cover 260 and a back side cover 270 described later. Since the central substrate 250 is made of a material having a predetermined hardness such as metal, this structure can increase the flexural rigidity of the housing.

  The front cover 260 is a cover that is placed on the front side of the central substrate 250 and covers the built-in components mounted on the central substrate 250. The front side cover 260 is formed of a material having a predetermined transparency and color, and may be integrally formed with a resin such as polycarbonate. If polycarbonate having the effect of blocking ultraviolet rays is used, the central substrate 250 and built-in components can be protected from direct sunlight and the like due to outdoor use. The front side cover 260 formed of such a resin has a certain color and transparency, and the user can fully view the display content of the LCD 210 with the brightness adjusted as described above through the front side cover 260. be able to. For this reason, it is not necessary to cut a transparent display window provided in the case of a conventional portable information terminal, for example, in the LCD 210, and since the integrity of the front cover is ensured, the design is innovative. An impression can be given to the user. The front cover 260 may be formed by casting a metal such as aluminum. In that case, consideration is given to the shape in order to ensure the visibility of the LCD 210.

  The portable information terminal 200 has a shape that is assumed to be held by a user with both hands or one hand, with the index finger placed on the upper surface side and the thumb placed on the front side.

  The front cover 260 is provided with a substantially circular left recess 280 centered on the small stick 212. Further, a right depression 282 is formed inside the circumference of the main button 216 where the ○, Δ, □, and X buttons are arranged. The left indentation 280 and right indentation 282 have a predetermined size that allows the user to hook the tip of the thumb on the periphery, and the user hooks the thumb into the left indentation 280 and the right indentation 282, respectively. Since the body can be gripped, the user can stably grip the portable information terminal and easily operate the portable information terminal. In addition, even if the finger is accidentally detached from the joystick during the operation of the small stick 212, the portable information terminal 200 can be gripped by hooking the finger into the recess to prevent, for example, dropping. Effect is also obtained.

  Further, since the main button 216 is arranged at the periphery of the right depression 282, the user's thumb operating the main button group is naturally placed in the depression, and the portable information terminal 200 in a state where the thumb is hooked in the depression. Can be easily realized, so that the stability of the grip is improved.

  The left indentation 280 and the right indentation 282 are disposed at symmetrical positions on the front surface of the housing as shown in the figure. Thereby, the user can hold the portable information terminal more naturally. Further, the front cover 260 has a gentle inclination toward the back side toward the left and right ends in the drawing so that the casing is substantially spindle-shaped, and the left depression 280 and the right depression 282 are inclined on the left side, respectively. It is arranged on the surface and the right slope. With these configurations, when the user's finger is placed in the recess, the pressing force of the finger is directed toward the center of the housing, so that the user can hold the portable information terminal 200 more stably.

  FIG. 14 is a plan view of portable information terminal 200 according to Embodiment 2. As shown in the figure, the portable information terminal 200 further includes a disk cartridge slot 220, a media playback button group 222, a small USB connector 224, a left shoulder switch 226, a right shoulder switch 228, an eject button 230, and a back cover 270. .

  A disc cartridge storing game software, video content, music content and the like is inserted into the disc cartridge slot 220. The media playback button group 222 is provided in a portion surrounded by a broken line in the drawing. The figure also shows details of a media playback button group 222 in which that portion has been enlarged to aid understanding. The media playback button group 222 is a button group for controlling playback of music content and video content, and is a playback button, fast forward button, rewind button, stop button, and pause button from the left in the figure. The small USB connector 224 is a connector for connecting a personal computer or the like to the portable information terminal 200, for example. The left shoulder switch 226 and the right shoulder switch 228 are mainly operated by the user's index finger, and are used for game character operations and the like as with the small stick 212 and the main button 216 described with reference to FIG. The eject button 230 is a button for ejecting the disc cartridge inserted into the disc cartridge slot 220.

  The back side cover 270 is placed on the back side of the central substrate 250 and defines the casing of the portable information terminal 200 together with the above-described front side cover 260. The back side cover 270 is also formed of, for example, resin or metal, like the front side cover 260. However, the back cover 270 is preferably formed of a material having a predetermined frictional resistance. For example, a material with a fluffy surface is used, or such processing is performed on the surface, so that the user's hand can Friction is easily generated between them. As a result, the grip feeling is enhanced, the user functions as a slipper when gripping the portable information terminal 200, and can be gripped stably. In another example, the back cover 270 may be formed of leather or rubber, for example.

  FIG. 15 is a rear view of portable information terminal 200 according to Embodiment 2. FIG. As shown in the figure, the portable information terminal 200 further includes a battery 232, a transparent member 234, a stand 236, a memory slot 238, and an AC adapter jack insertion port 240.

  The battery 232 supplies power for driving the portable information terminal 200. The battery 232 is configured to be detachable from the portable information terminal 200, and the user performs charging using a charger (not shown). In another example, the battery 232 may be fixed to the portable information terminal 200 and charged by an AC adapter (not shown) via an AC adapter jack insertion port 240 described later. The transparent member 234 is provided so that the user of the disc cartridge can visually recognize the operation state. Since the user can visually recognize the rotation operation of the disk cartridge inserted into the disk cartridge slot 220 described in FIG. 14, the design is improved. The stand 236 is a two-position stable mechanism for allowing the portable information terminal 200 to stand so that the user can view the video content or the like while it is placed on a desk or the like without holding the portable information terminal 200 by hand. It is. The memory slot 238 is an insertion slot for a recording medium that stores games, video contents, music contents, and the like. An AC adapter jack (not shown) for directly acquiring power for driving the portable information terminal 200 from, for example, a household power source is inserted into the AC adapter jack insertion slot, regardless of the battery 232. As described above, the battery 232 may be charged using this AC adapter.

  FIG. 16 is a front view of a portable information terminal 300 that is a first modification of the second embodiment. Only the differences from FIG. 13 will be described. In this example, the four corners of the casing and the four corners of the central substrate 250 protruding from the casing have a rounded shape. As a result, even when the user operates the left shoulder switch 226 and the right shoulder switch 228 (not shown) with the index finger, the housing is easy to adjust to the hand and can be operated without a sense of incongruity. In addition, the overall design is rounded, and a shape that gives a fresh impression can be realized. Further, the portable information terminal 300 has a two-position stable grip member 312 built in both left and right ends of the housing. The user can pull out the grip member 312 as appropriate and can hold the portable information terminal 300 stably.

  FIG. 17 is a front view of portable information terminal 400 that is a second modification of the second embodiment. Only the differences from FIG. 13 will be described. In this example, the upper right corner and the upper left corner of the housing and the central substrate 250 protruding from the housing have rounded shapes. As a result, the same effects as those of the first modification can be obtained with respect to the operation of the left shoulder switch 226 and the right shoulder switch 228 (not shown). Further, in this example, as with the portable information terminal 200 of FIG. 13, the lower right corner and the lower left corner of the central board 250 protruding from the housing and the housing are substantially perpendicular, so that in this portion, The holding stability of the housing is not impaired.

  FIG. 18 is a front view of a portable information terminal 500 that is a third modification of the second embodiment. Only the differences from FIG. 13 will be described. The portable information terminal 500 of this example has a storage unit 332. Further, the housing and the central substrate 250 have a slide mechanism (not shown), and both the left and right wings of the housing and the central substrate 250 can be slid and stored in the storage portion 332 as shown in FIG. As a result, the entire portable information terminal 500 can be miniaturized and carried, so convenience during transportation is enhanced. Further, since the operation mechanisms such as the small stick 212, the analog / digital selection switch 214, the main button 216 and the like are all housed in the housing portion 332, an effect of preventing a malfunction during transportation can be obtained.

  The present invention has been described above based on the embodiment. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are exemplifications, and various modifications can be made to the combination of each component, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. Any combination of the constituent elements described in the embodiments is also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  Although the portable electronic device or the portable information terminal has been described in the embodiment, the button structure and the button arrangement according to the present invention can be applied to a game controller of a stationary game device.

1 is a front view of a portable electronic device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a plan view of a portable electronic device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a rear view of a portable electronic device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a bottom view of a portable electronic device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a left side view of a portable electronic device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a right side view of a portable electronic device according to a first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the resin molding component which comprises an upper part. It is a figure which shows the frame part of an upper part. It is a figure which shows a mode when a portable electronic device is hold | gripped with both hands. It is a functional block diagram of a portable electronic device. It is a figure which shows a speaker structure. It is a figure which shows the jack of a headphone and a remote controller. 6 is a front view of a portable information terminal according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portable information terminal according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a rear view of a portable information terminal according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a first modification of the portable information terminal according to Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a second modification of the portable information terminal according to Embodiment 2. 10 is a front view showing a third modification of the portable information terminal according to Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 19 is a front view showing an operation of the portable information terminal of FIG. 18.

Explanation of symbols

  10 housing, 10a upper part, 10b middle part, 10c lower part, 12 LCD, 20 cross key, 22 analog device, 26L, 26R bottom through hole, 28L, 28R top through hole, 30 button key, 42L, 42R bulge , 46L L button, 46R R button, 48L left hand area, 48R right hand area, 50 button area, 70 input terminal, 72 power terminal, 74 mounting hole, 80L, 80R speaker, 82 headphone plug, 84 cord, 98L, 98R duct 180 central control unit, 182 image processing unit, 184 sound processing unit, 190 interface.

Claims (2)

Both ends can be held by both hands of the user,
A portable electronic device comprising display means fitted into the housing,
The outer edges of both ends of the casing are formed in an arc shape so as to follow a curve formed by the palm of the user's palm holding the casing,
The cross section when the casing is cut along the longitudinal direction so that the cross section is substantially perpendicular to the back surface has a shape such that the thickness gradually decreases from the center of the casing toward both ends. A portable electronic device. First operation means and second operation means operated by a user's thumb holding the casing are provided on the left and right sides of the casing surface, respectively.
2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation unit and the second operation unit are disposed so as to be inclined outwardly of the housing at a portion where the thickness of the cross section decreases. Type electronic device.

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