JP2008158761A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processor in which a display part can be arranged on the front side even when the number of keyboards thereof is only one. <P>SOLUTION: This information processor is provided with: a main body for generating display data; a display device mounted to the main body for displaying the display data; and an input device installed at the main body with its backward and forward directions to the display device attachable to two ways of a normal state and an opposite state, wherein the input device is characterized so that plane outer shapes can be especially point symmetric. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus.

  A notebook computer usually comprises a main body having an input means such as a keyboard formed on the surface thereof, and a lid-like display device engaged with the main body by an engaging means such as a hinge. The device includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal panel or a plasma display panel. In recent notebook computers, a touch panel is often provided in front of the input means on the main body.

  Of these, the keyboard is often used as an input means for work, and the ease of the work increases the value of the entire notebook personal computer in combination with the display unit. For example, when the display unit is brought in front of the keyboard, characters can be input without raising the viewpoint.

What is described in Patent Document 1 is a portable electronic information processing apparatus in which two keyboard parts are opposed to each other of a liquid crystal display panel part via a hinge mechanism.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-123447

  However, the conventional technology is expensive because of the two keyboard parts, and the one that is not used at the same time is a hindrance in terms of space and weight, which also hinders the user's viewpoint. was there.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus that can display a display unit in front of only one keyboard.

  In order to solve the above problems, an information processing apparatus of the present invention includes a main body that generates display data, a display device that is attached to the main body and is capable of displaying the display data, and the display device that is provided in the main body. And an input device which can be attached in two ways, the normal direction and the reverse direction.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an information processing apparatus that can bring the display unit to the front even with only one keyboard.

  Embodiments of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an information processing apparatus 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the outer shape of the keyboard. FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining a method of attaching the keyboard. FIG. 4 is another perspective view for explaining a keyboard mounting method. FIG. 5 is an overall plan view of the notebook computer with the keyboard attached in the reverse direction. FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the system.

  The information processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a notebook personal computer, but may be a laptop personal computer. In the information processing apparatus 1, a display device 7 including a display unit 5 that can display the display data is rotatably attached to a main body 2 that generates display data via a hinge unit 3. The hinge means 3 electrically and mechanically connects the display device 7 to the main body 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display device 7 includes a display unit 5. Here, the display unit 5 is a display unit provided in the display device for a user to perform main work. For example, a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel is used as the display unit 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 2 is provided with input means 6 such as a keyboard. Further, the main body 2 has a touch panel mechanism 8 at the front part of the surface of the main body 2.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the outer shape of the keyboard. 2 is a schematic diagram of a keyboard as input means 6. The front part 10 having a so-called QWERTY key or the like and the rear part 20 usually having a function key or the like are main input function parts. The keyboard flexible cable 30 has a connector at the tip for electrical connection to the main body 2. This is for system connection described later. The screwing portions 41 to 44 are portions for screwing the keyboard to the main body 2. The external shape of the keyboard is point-symmetrical, and the screwing portions 41 and 44 and the screwing portions 42 and 43 are also point-symmetrical.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining a method of attaching the keyboard. When removing the keyboard, the keyboard holder 50 is removed, and then the screws 61 and 62 fixing the keyboard are removed.

  FIG. 4 is another perspective view for explaining a keyboard mounting method. The keyboard flexible cable 30 connected to the connector 70 of the system board (not shown) in the main body 2 is removed.

The above description was mainly about how to remove the work method. Next, the reverse installation will be described.
FIG. 5 is an overall plan view of the notebook computer with the keyboard attached in the reverse direction. Since the keyboard outer shape is point-symmetric as described with reference to FIG. 2, the keyboard is rotated 180 degrees and returned to the mounting position. The display device 7 is used in front.

  In this state, the keyboard flexible cable 30 is connected to a connector (not shown) of the system board prepared for reverse mounting. Next, it fixes again with the screws 61 and 62 removed previously, and the keyboard holder 50 is returned.

  If a reverse mounting connector for the keyboard flexible cable 30 cannot be prepared, the keyboard flexible cable 30 may be lengthened and bent to fit under the keyboard during reverse mounting.

The keyboard outer shape is not limited to the shape shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the (control) system.
The information processing apparatus 1 has a control system built in the main body 2.
The control system will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of the control system 80.
The control system 80 includes a display device drive unit 81, a CPU 82 that performs general-purpose control of the system through the display device drive unit 81, a keyboard drive unit 83, and a keyboard controller 84. The keyboard controller 84 controls the keyboard 6 through the connector 71 equivalent to the connector 70 for connection when the connector 70 or the keyboard is reversed.

<Usage example>
The notebook PC with the keyboard attached in reverse is used by turning the LCD parallel to the bottom and rotating the node PC 180 degrees. The 180-degree rotation of the LCD display has been proven even with conventional tablet PCs and is realized with a display driver.

The laptop keyboard is usually fixed and cannot be used in the reverse direction, but it can be used from the opposite direction by rotating the keyboard (and the display).

<Effect>
When entering characters with a notebook PC keyboard, the display (LCD) is usually on the front, and you have to look up from the hand to see the characters you have entered. In conventional notebook PCs, the display device (LCD) is not placed in front of the keyboard, but the display device is placed in front by rotating the keyboard 180 degrees (in the opposite direction) without raising the viewpoint. You can now enter characters. The points of the example are the following two points.

-The laptop can be operated in the opposite direction.
・ Reducing the burden when entering characters by placing the display device in front.
<Points of invention>
1. Information processing device that can mount the input device upside down 1. The input device of the information processing apparatus can be operated in two ways: a normal state and an opposite state. The input device of the information processing device can be rotated 180 degrees (outline / attachment input device)
<Summary>
By turning the input device of the information processing apparatus 180 degrees and attaching it, the information processing apparatus can be operated in the opposite direction. When used in the opposite direction, the display device can be brought in front of the input device, and characters can be input without raising the viewpoint.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.
Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements according to different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

The perspective view which shows the information processing apparatus of the Example which concerns on this invention. The keyboard external view top view of the Example. The perspective view for demonstrating the keyboard attachment method of the Example. The perspective view for demonstrating the keyboard attachment method of the Example. The whole top view of the notebook computer of the state which attached the keyboard of the Example to reverse direction. The schematic block diagram which shows the system of the Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing apparatus 2 Main body 3 Hinge means 5 Display part 6 Input means 7 Display device 8 Touch panel mechanism 10 Keyboard front part 20 Keyboard rear part 30 Keyboard flexible cable 41, 42, 43, 44 Screw fixing part 50 Keyboard holder 61, 62 Screw 70 , 71 Connector 80 Control system 81 Display device drive means 82 CPU
83 Keyboard drive means 84 Keyboard controller

Claims (5)

A body that generates display data;
A display device attached to the main body and capable of displaying the display data;
An input device that is provided in the main body and can be attached in two ways in a state opposite to the normal state with respect to the display device in the front-rear direction;
An information processing apparatus comprising: The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input device has a point symmetric plane outer shape. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input device has a point-symmetrical position of an attachment site in a planar outline. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main body has a bifurcated structure so that an electrical connection portion to the input device can be connected in the two ways. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input device has an electrical connection portion to the main body having a length sufficient to enable the two types of connections.

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