JP2008078989A - Portable equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cellular phone capable of turning an image displayed on a screen part to a desired direction. <P>SOLUTION: A display part 4 with the screen part 3 for displaying the image G is provided with sensor parts 15a-15d of an optical sensor 15 which detects contact of a user's finger, etc. along four sides of the screen part 3, respectively. The image G to be displayed on the screen part 3 is turned to the desired direction by varying direction of the image G to be displayed on the screen part 3 by a control part in accordance with the contact position of the user's finger, etc. detected by the optical sensor 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a mobile device including a screen unit that displays an image.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a mobile phone, which is a mobile device, opens and closes an operation unit having a microphone and a plurality of operation buttons and a display unit having a vertically long screen unit and a speaker for displaying an image by a hinge unit. It is configured to be connected to be rotatable.

  In recent years, such mobile phones can receive television broadcasts. For example, when the display unit is opened with respect to the operation unit and the screen unit is viewed in a vertically long state, When the phone image is displayed on the screen, and the display is rotated and closed with respect to the operation unit and the screen is viewed horizontally, the screen display is displayed on the received TV broadcast. It is possible to switch.

  However, in such a mobile phone, the image displayed on the screen unit is fixed in a fixed direction with respect to the orientation of the mobile phone, and thus the orientation of the image is reversed when the orientation of the mobile phone is reversed. .

In view of this, there has been known a mobile phone that detects the orientation of a mobile phone by a sensor and switches the orientation of an image displayed on a screen unit in accordance with the detected orientation (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP 2005-229490 A JP 2006-53427 A

  However, in the mobile phone described above, the orientation of the image displayed on the screen is determined only by the orientation of the mobile phone. Therefore, for example, when the map is displayed as an image, the user fixes the orientation of the mobile phone. There is a problem that it is not possible to cope with a case where it is desired to change the orientation of an image in a state.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a portable device capable of directing an image to be displayed on a screen in a desired direction.

  The present invention provides a display unit having a screen unit for displaying an image, a detection unit provided in the display unit for detecting contact of an object to be contacted, and a direction of the image displayed on the screen unit. And a control means for changing in accordance with the contact state of the contacted object detected in (1).

  Then, the direction of the image displayed on the screen unit is changed by the control unit in accordance with the contact state of the contacted object detected by the detection unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to direct an image to be displayed on the screen unit in a desired direction.

  The configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a mobile phone as a mobile device. The mobile phone 1 has a longitudinal display having one end of a longitudinal operation unit 2 and a screen unit 3 capable of displaying an image G. One end portion of the portion 4 is mechanically and electrically connected by a hinge portion 5 as a connecting portion.

  Note that the image G includes not only still images but also moving images and characters.

  The operation unit 2 has, on one main surface side facing the display unit 4 closed by the hinge unit 5, an operation unit main body 11, for example, a plurality of operation buttons 12 as input units arranged in the operation unit main body 11, And a microphone 13 as an audio input unit.

  The operation buttons 12 can be used to make telephone calls, send and receive e-mails, and operate an image G displayed on the display unit 4 by inputting a user operation.

  The microphone 13 is for inputting voice when making a call with the mobile phone 1, and is provided, for example, in the vicinity of the end opposite to the hinge portion 5, which is the other end in the longitudinal direction of the operation unit main body 11.

  The screen unit 3 is a liquid crystal display panel formed in, for example, a rectangular shape, and is configured with a liquid crystal layer interposed between a pair of substrates (not shown). The screen unit 3 is provided with an optical sensor 15 as a detecting means.

  The optical sensor 15 detects light from the outside of the screen unit 3 and outputs a signal according to the detected light. For example, a user's finger F as a contacted object contacts the screen unit 3. In this case, it is possible to detect the contact of the user's finger F or the like to the screen unit 3 by changing the signal by blocking the light from the outside of the screen unit 3 by the shadow of the finger F or the like. Has been. The optical sensor 15 includes sensor portions 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d that are positioned along the four sides that are peripheral portions of the screen portion 3.

  The display unit 4 includes a display unit body 16 formed on one main surface side so as to be approximately the same size as the operation unit body 11, and the display unit body 16 has a screen unit 3 substantially corresponding to the longitudinal direction. A speaker 17 serving as an audio output unit is disposed in the center.

  The speaker 17 is for outputting sound when making a call with the mobile phone 1, and is provided, for example, in the vicinity of the end opposite to the hinge portion 5, which is the other end in the longitudinal direction of the display unit main body 16.

  The hinge unit 5 includes an operation unit side hinge 24 provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the operation unit main body 11, and a display unit side hinge that connects the operation unit side hinge 24 and one end of the display unit main body 16. 25 are connected to each other.

  The operation part side hinge 24 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape along the width direction of the operation part main body 11, and a notch part 26 into which the display part side hinge 25 is fitted is formed in the center part.

  The display unit side hinge 25 has a longitudinal hinge body 27 along the operation unit side hinge 24. The display unit side hinge 25 is fitted into the notch 26 at the center and is rotatably inserted into the operation unit side hinge 24. A substantially cylindrical connecting portion 28 is projected. In addition, on the side opposite to the connecting portion 28 of the hinge main body 27, a protrusion (not shown) that protrudes from one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the display main body 16 intersects the rotation axis of the connecting portion 28, for example, rotates in an orthogonal direction. It is inserted so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction of the shaft.

  As a result, the hinge unit 5 opens and closes the operation unit 2 and the display unit 4 as shown in FIG. 1, and rotates the display unit 4 relative to the operation unit 2 as shown in FIG. It is configured as follows.

  Next, the internal structure of the one embodiment will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the mobile phone 1 includes a control unit 31 as a control means, and the control unit 31 includes the operation buttons 12, the microphone 13, the speaker 17, and the sensor units 15 a to 15 d of the optical sensor 15. A radio transmission / reception unit 33 for signal transmission / reception, a television tuner 34 as a television reception unit, a television image processing unit 35, and a display processing unit 36 for processing an image G to be displayed on the screen unit 3, respectively. It is connected.

  The control unit 31 includes an IC (not shown), a memory that is a storage device, and the like, and controls operations of the respective units that are electrically connected in accordance with various input signals.

  The radio unit 33 modulates / demodulates a radio signal transmitted / received to / from a base station via an antenna (not shown) provided in the operation unit main body 11 or the like.

  The TV tuner 34 receives TV signals via the antenna.

  The TV image processing unit 35 converts the TV signal received by the TV tuner 34 into data that can be displayed on the screen unit 3 and outputs the data to the display processing unit 36.

  The display processing unit 36 uses the timing control for displaying the data from the TV image processing unit 35 and the like as the image G on the screen unit 3 of the display unit 4 in real time, and the menu by the user's operation as the image G. Display control or display of data received from a network such as a website connected via the base station on the screen unit 3 as an image G. The display direction of the image G Can be arbitrarily set in the screen section 3.

  Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

  When the mobile phone 1 is used for normal conversation (in the telephone mode), as shown in FIG. 1, the user opens the display unit 4 with respect to the operation unit 2 and appropriately operates the operation buttons 12 and the like. A telephone number or the like is input, and a conversation with the connected party is performed via the microphone 13 and the speaker 17. At this time, the control unit 31 modulates the voice input to the microphone 13 by the radio unit 33 and transmits the modulated voice to the base station via the antenna. The signal is received via the antenna, demodulated by the radio unit 33, and output from the speaker 17.

  Similarly, when the mobile phone 1 is used for sending and receiving e-mail (in the e-mail mode), the control unit 31 displays characters on the screen unit 3 via the display processing unit 36 in response to an input operation such as the operation button 12. When sending and receiving, the wireless unit 33 modulates the input character data, etc., and transmits it to the base station via the antenna. Is received via the antenna, demodulated by the radio unit 33, and displayed as characters on the screen unit 3 via the display processing unit 36.

  The above modes can be switched by the control unit 31 in accordance with, for example, an operation with the operation button 12.

  When the mobile phone 1 is used for displaying an image or video received from a TV or the like (in display mode), the channel set by the user from the TV broadcast signal received via the antenna is set to the TV tuner. Channel selection is received at 34 and converted into a television signal. This television signal is converted into displayable data by the television image processing unit 35 and passed to the display processing unit 36.

  Similarly, when displaying an image received from the network on the mobile phone 1, the control unit 31 converts the radio signal received from the base station via the antenna and the radio unit 33 into displayable data and displays it. It is passed to the processing unit 36.

  At this time, when the user touches any of the four sides of the screen unit 3 with the finger F or the like, the outside of the screen unit 3 detected by any of the sensor units 15a to 15d of the optical sensor 15 by the shadow of the finger F or the like. The light output from each of the sensor units 15a to 15d is changed to a signal output from the sensor units 15a to 15d to the control unit 31, whereby contact with the screen unit 3 such as the finger F is detected.

  Here, the control unit 31 controls the operation of the display processing unit 36 when the change of the signal is continuously detected from the same sensor unit 15a to 15d a plurality of times, for example, twice, and the screen unit 3 is controlled. The direction of the image G to be displayed is changed to a direction corresponding to the detected sensor units 15a to 15d.

  Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the user holds the mobile phone 1 with the hinge 5 side as the right side and taps the right side of the screen 3 with the finger F twice, the sensor unit 15a makes this contact. Then, the control unit 31 controls the display processing unit 36 so that the sensor unit 15a side is on the right side of the image G.

  Similarly, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the user holds the mobile phone 1 with the hinge portion 5 on the left side and taps the right side of the screen portion 3 with a finger F twice, the sensor portion 15 b detects this contact. Then, the control unit 31 controls the display processing unit 36 so that the sensor unit 15b side is on the right side of the image G, and as shown in FIG. 7, the user holds the cellular phone 1 with the hinge unit 5 on the lower side and holds the finger. When the right side of the screen unit 3 is tapped twice by F, the sensor unit 15c detects this contact, and the control unit 31 controls the display processing unit 36 so that the sensor unit 15c side is the right side of the image G. As shown in FIG. 8, when the user grips the mobile phone 1 with the hinge portion 5 as the upper side and taps the right side of the screen portion 3 twice with the finger F, the sensor portion 15d detects this contact, and the sensor portion 15d The control unit 31 controls the display processing unit 36 so that the side is the right side of the image G.

  The display mode is switched by the control unit 31 in accordance with, for example, an operation with the operation button 12, or the display unit 4 is rotated through the hinge unit 5 with respect to the operation unit 2 as shown in FIG. In the closed state, the operation unit 31 is used for switching.

  As described above, according to the embodiment, the orientation of the image G displayed on the screen unit 3 by the control unit 31 corresponding to the contact state of the user's finger F detected by the optical sensor 15, for example, the contact position. By changing, the image G displayed on the screen unit 3 can be directed in a desired direction.

  In particular, since the user can change the orientation of the mobile phone 1 or invert the orientation of the display unit 4 at the hinge 5, the mobile phone 1 is configured as described above, so that the orientation of the mobile phone 1 or Regardless of the orientation of the display unit 4 or the like, the orientation of the image G can be arbitrarily switched as necessary, and the usability is improved.

  Specifically, for example, when moving a region displayed on the map while displaying a map or the like as the image G, the actual road and the direction of the map are changed without changing the direction of the mobile phone 1. It becomes possible to make it correspond, and usability becomes good.

  Moreover, in recent years, in the mobile phone 1, not only still images but also moving images such as television broadcasts can be displayed on the screen unit 3, so that the direction of the image G is the direction of the mobile phone 1. Regardless of the fact that it can be set arbitrarily, the convenience in displaying the television broadcast as described above is also improved.

  Further, by disposing the optical sensor 15 along the peripheral edge of the screen unit 3, when changing the direction of the image G, the user can easily grasp the changing direction of the image G sensuously, which is easy to use. When the user holds the mobile phone 1, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, if the user holds the end of the mobile phone 1 with one hand, the user's finger F, in particular, Since the thumb is positioned in the vicinity of the peripheral edge of the screen portion 3, the thumb can easily touch the peripheral edge of the screen portion 3, and the direction of the image G can be easily switched.

  Furthermore, when each sensor part 15a-15d of the optical sensor 15 detects the contact of the finger F etc. to the screen part 3 continuously several times, the control part 31 switches the direction of the image G, so that the user can When the peripheral part of the screen part 3 is accidentally touched, it can suppress that the control part 31 malfunctions, and usability improves more.

  The configuration can be simplified by using the optical sensor 15 as the detection means for detecting contact of the operator's finger F or the like with the screen unit 3.

  In the above embodiment, the number of times that the optical sensor 15 detects contact of the user's finger F with the screen unit 3 in order to switch the orientation of the image G by the control unit 31 is, for example, once or 3 Any number of times can be set.

  Further, the position where the optical sensor 15 is provided is not limited to the position along the four sides of the screen unit 3, and can be provided at any position of the display unit 4 such as the four corners of the screen unit 3. In this case, the control unit 31 may change the orientation of the image G corresponding to the detected position.

  Further, other than the user's finger F, various other objects such as a touch pen can be used as the contacted object.

  As the detection means, any device other than the optical sensor 15 can be used.

  Further, as the contact state of the contact object detected by the detection means, for example, the contact position is continuously detected such as a state where the display unit 4 or the screen unit 3 is rubbed in a predetermined direction with a user's finger. A state etc. may be sufficient. In this case, the direction of the image G is changed so that the position where the rubbing starts is above the image G, and the position where the rubbing is finished is below the image G, or the direction of the image G is continuously changed. You may comprise as follows.

  Further, details of the mobile phone 1 such as the operation unit 2 and the hinge unit 5 are not limited to the above-described configuration. For example, the mobile phone 1 with a camera, a hinge that simply opens and closes the operation unit 2 and the display unit 4. Needless to say, the cellular phone 1 having the unit 5, the cellular phone 1 not having the hinge unit 5, or the cellular phone 1 having no TV tuner 34 can be used.

  The portable device is not limited to the cellular phone 1 and can be any portable device having a screen unit for displaying an image, such as a portable video game machine.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which opened the portable apparatus of one embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which rotated the display part of the portable apparatus same as the above with respect to the operation part. It is a perspective view which shows the state which reversed the display part of the portable apparatus same as the above and closed with respect to the operation part. It is a block diagram which shows the internal structure of a portable apparatus same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows the state which made the hinge part of the portable apparatus same as the above right side. It is a perspective view which shows the state which made the hinge part of the portable apparatus same as the left side same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows the state which made the hinge part of the portable apparatus same as the above downward. It is a perspective view which shows the state which made the hinge part of the portable apparatus same as the upper side.

Explanation of symbols

1 Mobile phone as a mobile device 3 Screen unit 4 Display unit
15 Optical sensor as detection means
31 Control unit as control means G Image

Claims (3)

A display unit having a screen unit for displaying an image;
A detecting means provided on the display unit for detecting contact of an object to be contacted;
And a control unit configured to change a direction of an image displayed on the screen unit in accordance with a contact state of the contacted object detected by the detection unit. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is provided along a peripheral portion of the screen unit. 3. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes a direction of a screen displayed on the screen unit when the detection unit continuously detects a contact of an object to be contacted a plurality of times. .

Images