JP3152470B2 - desk - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a desk capable of arranging electronic equipment such as an information input / output device or a data processing device at an appropriate position on a desk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, office desks are overflowing with displays and keyboards of personal computers and workstations, and there are severely mixed environments in order to work efficiently. In addition, each OA device is considered only to be used as a single device, and when a system or a network is constructed, cable wiring or the like is confused, and in the worst case, an operation failure is caused.

A conventional method for solving these problems is to use a large C
It has been proposed to adopt a flat display such as a liquid crystal panel instead of the RT, or to embed a display, an input device and the like on a top plate. For example, JP-A-63-
Japanese Patent Publication No. 21404 describes a device in which a flat display and a keyboard are fixed to a table top of a desk, and can be stored by turning over the table top. JP-A-1-190309 and JP-A-2-198508 also disclose a structure in which a display can be stored in a desk.

[0004] Further, a desk in which an input integrated flat display is embedded in a desk top plate (development of a workstation with an advanced man-machine interface, Hitachi Review, Vol.
21986-2). However, the above method
It is not an easy-to-use OA desk for humans. In the first three conventional examples, the input method is not considered at all only for the display, and the example in which the input integrated flat display is embedded in the desk top board considers the input, but is still OA work for humans. Does not provide an environment that can fully support.

That is, if an input / output device or the like is once embedded in a desk, its position is fixed, and the use of the desk is limited.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and is intended to dispose a plurality of electronic devices such as input / output devices and data processing devices at appropriate positions on a desk. It realizes a desk that enables the user. In addition, the input-integrated display, which is an input / output device, can be easily placed at any position on the desk top, providing an environment where multiple sheets of paper can be arranged on the desk and work can be performed as if writing with a pen. Is what you do.

[0007]

The desk of the present invention comprises a plurality of detachable units capable of mounting an electronic device and a connector for transmitting electric power or an electric signal corresponding to the electronic device, and an electric device connected to the unit. A plurality of connectors corresponding to the connectors of the unit provided at a plurality of positions on the desk for transmitting signals or power, and a data bus for electrically connecting the plurality of connectors on the desk are provided on the desk. .

[0008]

In the desk of the present invention, data is transmitted to a connector provided on the desk via an electrical signal corresponding to the electronic device mounted on the detachable unit via the connector mounted on the unit. Is delivered via the data bus to the electronic device attached to the unit connected to the other connector on the desk, so the unit with the electronic device attached to any position on the desk where the connector is provided It becomes possible to arrange.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an embodiment of a desk according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a pedestal 1 has power or electric signals (a system bus of a computer system, a telephone line,
A mixed bus 7 for transmitting an Ethernet cable or the like is laid out vertically and horizontally, and a connector is arranged for each unit.

In FIG. 1, the mixing bus 7 is composed of a simultaneous cable, a flat table, and the like. However, it is needless to say that the wiring patterns shown in the figure do not limit the present invention. For example, in this example, the units are arranged on the entire surface of the desk, but when the connectors are arranged only at two places on the desk, a mixed bus for output between the connectors and an external device may be provided. Various wiring patterns can be considered depending on conditions such as the number.

[0011] The regular laying of the mixing bus makes it possible to physically fix the units 2 to 6 to the pedestal 1 with one-touch without any routing or connection of cables or the like, and it is also possible to make electrical connection at the same time. . The units 5 and 6 are devices having a display function and a function of reading coordinate information obtained by a pen operation. By integrating the display and input, storing it in a unit, and placing it on the tabletop, you can place the paper on the desk and operate as if you were writing with a pen.

The unit 10 is physically fixed to the desk by inserting the connector 9, and the power or the electric signal of the mixing bus 7 is guided into the unit via the connector 8 and the connector 9. The same applies to the other units. Units 2, 3, and 4 include a CPU in order.
It incorporates a board, network control board, and high-speed numerical calculation board.

In this desk, the body type of a person using units 5 and 6 (in this case, two, but one or more than three) incorporating an input integrated flat display,
It is placed in the best position from the ergonomic point of view according to the habit, preference, and work content. Various units having other functions, such as a unit equipped with a telephone, a unit equipped with a speaker, a camera, and the like, can be considered. Even when these units are incorporated in the unit, the power or electric signal required for the unit is required. This can be realized by providing a connector capable of exchanging data.

Further, the unit can be used as a box having a simple connector, and the units 2, 3, 4
It is also possible to incorporate a CPU board, a network control board, and a high-speed numerical calculation board. Since the upper part of these units is used as a mere top plate and does not have the function of interfacing with humans, it can be placed anywhere. These boards can be mounted with any function as long as they meet the unit specifications (physical shape, electrical specifications, etc.). As a result, a computer system equivalent to a workstation is constituted only by the top plate of the OA desk.

A unit having these functions will be used in the future if it follows the rules such as the size of the unit and the connection method.
It can handle devices with new functions that will be developed without any problems. As shown in the figure, the unit of the unit is too large and the degree of freedom of arrangement seems to be small, but this can be solved by combining and arranging units of smaller units (size).

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the units 5 and 6 equipped with the input-integrated display of FIG. In the figure, a high-resolution liquid crystal display 21 is used for display, and a transparent coordinate detection tablet 22 is fixed on the display screen. Liquid crystal display 21 and tablet 2
A thin black insulating plate 23 is sandwiched between the two to prevent leakage of the backlight and insulate them (21 and 22). These (21 to 23) are covered with the unit housing 24. Case 24
, A connector 25 is fixed to a predetermined place with a screw or the like, and necessary power and communication information are picked up from the mixing bus 7 in FIG. The power and communication information received from the connector are supplied to a printed circuit board 27 via a cable 26 in the unit. The substrate 27 has a function of controlling the liquid crystal and a function of controlling the tablet. As a result, the liquid crystal tablet integrated with display and input can be operated.

Since the liquid crystal display and the tablet have the same resolution, coordinate data input by the tablet through pen input can be displayed on the liquid crystal display as it is, and data written with the pen can be directly written on paper. A feeling can be realized. Characters, symbols, and pictures written with a pen can be displayed as they are, can be interpreted as commands, and can be subjected to character recognition processing. It is also possible to create a board for performing the recognition processing exclusively and to unitize it as shown in FIGS.

In FIG. 2, the unit 24 is a housing of a liquid crystal tablet, but a printed circuit board corresponding to 27 is fixed in the space, and 2 to 4 (CPU board, LAN board, numerical calculation board) in FIG. Can be stored. Also in this case, similarly to the liquid crystal tablet, electric power, information of the cis bus, and the like are supplied through the mixing bus 7 and the connector 27.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a desk according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mixed bus 7 is a set of a power line 34, a network cable 31, a telephone line 32, a workstation system bus 33, a television antenna line (omitted), and the like, and is supplied to each unit. Each unit only needs to be used according to its purpose. For example, a telephone uses a telephone line 32, boards mainly use a system bus 33, and a LAN uses a network line 31.

The power line 34 of the mixing bus 7 is
V and a DC power supply for directly driving the devices and the printed board. The system bus 33 includes data lines, address lines, memory control lines, and the like. The RS232C standard wiring may also be included in the system bus. In FIG. 3, handwritten information input from a tablet is basically processed by a control board or a CPU board of the tablet and displayed on a liquid crystal via a liquid crystal control board. Of course, information taken from other phones, cameras, etc
After performing arithmetic processing on a high-speed image processing board or the like, it is displayed on a liquid crystal or output by telephone.

When communicating with other desks, departments and regions, resources such as the network line 31 and LAN board are used.

[0022]

According to the present invention, since the position can be changed for each unit, the position can be freely changed, unlike the case where the input / output device is embedded in the desk as in the conventional device. It becomes possible. Further, since the input-integrated flat panel display can be arranged in an optimal number and an optimal position for the user, a work environment without a sense of incongruity can be constructed in which the user can work while writing with a pen on conventional paper. By arranging a plurality of input-integrated flat displays, it is possible to construct a "multi-display" system that is even more efficient than a multi-window.

Further, since the workstation-level computer itself is stored on the tabletop, space efficiency is increased and unnecessary cable connection between devices is eliminated. Further, since the unit has a structure in which various communication resources can be used through the connector, it is possible to flexibly cope with a new unit having a new function, and there is an effect that the expandability of the apparatus is excellent.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a desk according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an input integrated flat display unit in a desk according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a desk according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Base 2 CPU board storage unit 3 Network control board storage unit 4 High-speed image processing board storage unit 5 Input integrated flat display mounting unit 6 Same as above 7 Base mixed bus 8 Base side connector 9 Unit side connector 10 Unit 11 Input integrated flat display 12 Input Integrated Flat Display 13 Pedestal Side Connector 14 Unit Side Connector 21 Display Liquid Crystal Display 22 Pen Input Coordinate Detection Tablet 23 Insulation Plate 24 Unit Housing 25 Mixed Bus Connector 26 Unit Cable 27 Control Printed Circuit Board

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yumiko Ueda 2--18 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Mitsugu Kobayashi 2--18-3 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka (56) References JP-A-5-95818 (JP, A) JP-A-61-2721 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A47B1 / 00-41/06 G06F 1/16-1/20 G06F 3/00-3/18

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of detachable units to which an electronic device and a connector for transmitting electric power or an electric signal corresponding to the electronic device can be attached, and a plurality of positions on a desk for transmitting electric signals or electric power to the unit. A desk provided with a plurality of connectors corresponding to the connectors of the unit provided on the desk, and a data bus for electrically connecting the plurality of connectors on the desk. 2. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the unit has a rectangular shape and has at least one connector, and the connector includes a data bus for electrically connecting the connectors on the desk. The desk according to claim 1, wherein 3. The desk according to claim 1, wherein the connector on the desk is laid on the desk in a vertical and horizontal manner, and the unit is connected to one of the connectors on the desk. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said unit functions as a display device, a display / input integrated device, a main control device, a network control device, a storage device, and the like.
And the desk according to claim 3. 5. The desk according to claim 1, wherein the unit is a dummy device that does not function electrically.