JP3436010B2 - Portable information terminal - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable information terminal which is powered by a battery and has two LCDs as display devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, small portable information terminals have been actively developed due to the advent of high volume efficiency batteries and the miniaturization and power consumption reduction of electronic parts. A conventional portable information terminal having two LCDs generally has the configuration shown in FIG. The configuration and operation will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, 1 is a large power consumption LCD whose power consumption is higher than or equal to that of the other LCD, and 2 is small power consumption L whose power consumption is lower than or equal to that of the other LCD.
CD, 3 is a high power LCD image control unit for controlling the image signal displayed on the high power LCD 1, and 4 is for generating and controlling the power supply to the high power LCD 1 and the high power LCD image control unit 3. High power consumption LCD power supply,
Reference numeral 5 is an image control unit for a low power consumption LCD that controls an image signal displayed on the low power consumption LCD 2, and 6 is a low power consumption LCD.
2 and a small power consumption LCD power supply for generating and controlling a power supply to be supplied to the small power consumption LCD image control unit 5, 7 is an overall control unit for controlling the entire mobile information terminal, and 8 is a power supply for the entire mobile terminal. Is a battery for supplying the battery, and 10 is a user interface unit for inputting a user's instruction.

When power is supplied from the battery 8, the overall control section 7 instructs the high power consumption LCD power supply 4 and the low power consumption LCD power supply 6 to supply power respectively. High power consumption LC
The power source 4 for D and the power source 6 for low power consumption LCD are the high power consumption LCD 1 and the image control unit 3 for high power consumption LCD, respectively.
Then, the necessary power is generated and supplied to the low power consumption LCD 2 and the low power consumption LCD image control unit 5.

Further, the overall control unit 7 has a large power consumption LCD 1
And the small power consumption LCD 2 are instructed to display an image, and the large power consumption LCD image control unit 3 and the small power consumption LCD image control unit 5 follow the instructions of the overall control unit 7 to display the large power consumption LCD.
1. Image data to be displayed on the low power consumption LCD 2 is output to the high power consumption LCD 1 and the low power consumption LCD 2, respectively.

When the user interface section 10 receives an input from the user, the overall control section 7 instructs the image control section 3 for the large power consumption LCD and the image control section 5 for the small power consumption LCD to display the corresponding image. To do. 2 in this way
It is possible to display two images using one LCD.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional configuration, even if the battery power is consumed and the remaining battery level becomes low, the two LCDs always display and operate ( Because it keeps supplying power),
When the battery was exhausted, the entire functions of the mobile information terminal stopped at the same time. In particular, when the function of using two LCDs is less important than the function of using only one of the functions of the portable information terminal, the two LCDs
The phenomenon that the time until both functions cannot be used at the same time (because the power consumption is high) (the entire terminal cannot be used) is short is not desirable.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, the portable information terminal of the present invention has a battery remaining amount monitoring section and monitors the electronic remaining amount to set the remaining battery amount. When the value is below the threshold, the power supply to the high power consumption LCD and the high power consumption LCD image control unit is stopped,
Display using only one low power consumption LCD. According to the present invention, a portable information terminal having a long operating life is realized.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention described in claim 1 of the present invention is a large power consumption liquid crystal display device having the same or larger power consumption than the other, and a small power consumption L having a smaller power consumption than the other.
CD, image control unit for large power consumption LCD for controlling image display of the large power consumption LCD and small power consumption LCD, image control unit for small power consumption LCD, for the large power consumption LCD and large power consumption LCD A high power LCD power supply for supplying power to the image control section, and a low power LC for supplying power to the low power consumption LCD and low power consumption LCD image control section.
A power source for D, a power source for the high-power LCD, a power source for the low-power LCD and a battery that supplies power to the entire device, and a battery remaining amount monitoring unit that detects the remaining power of the power consumed by the battery,
ON / OFF control of power supply for the high power LCD power source and the low power LCD power source, and the high power LCD
An image control unit for low power consumption LCD, and an overall control unit for instructing the image control unit for low power consumption LCD the content of the image to be displayed on the high power consumption LCD and the low power consumption LCD, and for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus, When the remaining battery level detected by the remaining battery level monitoring unit exceeds a preset value, power is supplied to the large power consumption LCD and the small power consumption LCD to operate, and the remaining battery level monitoring unit If the remaining battery level detected in step 2 is lower than the preset value, the high power consumption LCD
A portable information terminal which operates by reducing the power consumption of the entire device by stopping the power supply to the device and having two or more types of image information groups to be displayed on the low power consumption LCD, and having the large power consumption L
When the CD and the low power consumption LCD are operated by supplying power, the first image information group not including the image information displayed on the high power consumption LCD is selected and displayed on the low power consumption LCD .
And the third image information group is displayed on the high power consumption LCD.
And, wherein when supplying power to the power supply only to the small power consumption LCD stopped to large power consumption LCD is the place of the third image information gun that has been displayed on the large power consumption LCD <br / > The image information to be displayed on the small power consumption LCD, which is a portable information terminal configured to select the second image information group in which the image information is added to the image information of the first image information group and display the selected small image consumption LCD. There are two or more types of groups, and the image information groups are different in the case of operating by supplying power to the large power consumption LCD and the small power consumption LCD and in the case of supplying power to only the small power consumption LCD. It has an effect of selecting an item and displaying it on the low power consumption LCD.

[0010]

[0011]

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a portable information terminal having a mode in which two LCDs are provided and two LCDs are simultaneously displayed and only one LCD is displayed, one LC is provided.
By disposing a transmissive coordinate input means on the LCD on the display side in the mode in which only D is displayed, two L
In both the CD simultaneous display mode and the mode in which only one LCD is displayed, in the mode in which only one LCD is displayed, an image displayed on the LCD on the display side is used to instruct a user instruction from the coordinate input means. It has the effect of enabling input.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a portable information terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a large consumption of the two LCDs of the portable information terminal which have the same or large power consumption. Electric power LCD, 2 is a small power consumption LC with the same or small power consumption of the two LCDs of the portable information terminal
D is a large power consumption LCD image control unit for controlling an image signal displayed on the large power consumption LCD 1, and 4 is a large power consumption L.
A large power consumption LCD power supply for generating and controlling a power supply to be supplied to the CD 1 and the large power consumption LCD image control unit 5,
Is a low power consumption LCD image control unit for controlling an image signal to be displayed on the low power consumption LCD 2, and 6 is a low power consumption LCD 2
And a small power consumption LCD power supply for generating and controlling a power supply to be supplied to the small power consumption LCD image control unit 5, 7 an overall control unit for controlling the entire mobile information terminal, and 8 a power supply for the entire mobile terminal. A battery to be supplied, 9 is a battery remaining amount monitoring unit for monitoring the remaining battery amount in the battery 8, and 10 is a user interface unit for inputting an instruction from the user.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a portable information terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the portable information terminal. When power is supplied from the battery 8, the overall control unit 7 sets the battery remaining amount threshold in the battery remaining amount monitoring unit 9 (flow 1). The battery remaining amount monitoring unit 9 detects the battery remaining amount detected by a method such as accumulating the electric power consumed by the battery 8 and taking the difference from the electric power when the battery is fully charged (Flow 2).
Compares with the battery residual amount threshold value (flow 3).

When the detected value of the remaining battery amount is larger than the remaining battery amount threshold value, the overall control unit 7 causes the large power consumption LCD power source 4 and the small power consumption LCD power source 6 to respectively display the large power consumption LCD 1 and the small power consumption LCD images. Control unit 3 and low power consumption LC
D2 and the low power consumption LCD image control unit 5 are instructed to supply power. The high power consumption LCD power supply 4 and the low power consumption LCD power supply 6 are a high power consumption LCD 1 and a high power consumption LCD image control unit 3, respectively, and a low power consumption LC.
The necessary power is generated and supplied to the D2 and the low power consumption LCD image control unit 5 (flow 4).

The overall control unit 7 has a large power consumption LCD 1
And the small power consumption LCD 2 are instructed to display an image, and the large power consumption LCD image control unit 3 and the small power consumption LCD image control unit 5 follow the instructions of the overall control unit 7 to display the large power consumption LCD.
1. Image data to be displayed on the low power consumption LCD 2 is output to the high power consumption LCD 1 and the low power consumption LCD 2, respectively.

When the user interface section 10 receives an input from the user, the overall control section 7 instructs the image control section 3 for the large power consumption LCD and the image control section 5 for the small power consumption LCD to display the corresponding image. Yes (Flow 5). In this way, it becomes possible to display two images using two LCDs.

When the remaining battery level detection value is equal to or smaller than the remaining battery level threshold value, the overall control unit 7 causes the high power consumption LCD power source 4 to operate.
And low power consumption LCD power supply 6 with high power consumption LC
The power supply to the D1 and the high power consumption LCD image control unit 3 is stopped, and the low power consumption LCD 2 and the low power consumption LCD image control unit 5 are instructed to supply power.

Large power consumption LCD power supply 4 has a large power consumption L
The power supply to the CD 1 and the high power consumption LCD image control unit 3 is stopped, and the low power consumption LCD power source 6 generates and supplies the necessary power to the low power consumption LCD 2 and the low power consumption LCD image control unit 5. (Flow 6).

Further, the overall control unit 7 has a low power consumption LCD 2
Instructing to display an image, the low power consumption LCD image control unit 5 outputs the image data to be displayed on the low power consumption LCD 2 to the low power consumption LCD 2 according to the instruction of the overall control unit 7 (flow 7). The overall control unit 7 does not instruct the high power consumption LCD 1 to display an image.

When the user interface section 10 receives an input from the user, the overall control section 7 instructs the low power consumption LCD image control section 5 to display an image corresponding thereto. In this way, the low power consumption LC of the two LCDs
Display using only D2 is possible.

Here, even when the battery remaining amount detection value is equal to or smaller than the battery remaining amount threshold value, the power consumption of the high power consumption LCD image control unit 3 is small compared to the high power consumption LCD 1 to the extent not causing a problem. In this case, the overall control unit 7 may not instruct the high power consumption LCD power supply 4 to instruct the high power consumption LCD image control unit 3 to stop the power supply.

In this way, when the remaining battery power is reduced, the operation is such that only the LCD with low power consumption is used for display, so that the portable information terminal can operate with low power consumption.

Further, when the remaining battery level is reduced and the battery is emptied, the entire portable information terminal is stopped. In addition, when the battery remaining amount increases due to battery replacement and charging and the battery remaining amount detection value> the battery remaining amount threshold value, two L
The operation uses the CD for display.

Compared to the case where two LCDs are always displayed when the same battery is used to operate the portable information terminal in the above procedure, only the low power consumption LCD is displayed, but the entire portable information terminal is displayed. The operating life can be extended.

(Embodiment 2) When the user instructs the user interface unit 10 to always display using two LCDs, the battery residual amount detection value detected by the battery residual amount monitoring unit 9 is compared with the battery residual amount threshold value. Even if the battery remaining amount detection value ≦ the battery remaining amount threshold value, the overall control unit 7 performs the same operation as in the first embodiment when the battery remaining amount detection value is larger than the battery remaining amount threshold value. Display using. When the user has instructed to operate according to the operation procedure in the first embodiment when the battery level is reduced from the user interface section 10, the overall control section 7 operates so as to perform the operation according to the procedure in the first embodiment. Control the terminal.

(Embodiment 3) There are two or more types of image information groups displayed on the low power consumption LCD 2, and one of them is an image group (image group 1) displayed in the operation mode displayed on two LCDs. , The other is low power consumption LCD2
Image group to be displayed only in the mode (Image group 2)
Is.

Generally, the image group 2 has a low power consumption LCD 2
It is preferable to add image information to the image group 1 in place of the image group (image group 3) that was being displayed on the large power consumption LCD 1 that is not displayed in the mode in which only the image is displayed.

In the first embodiment, when the battery remaining amount detection value> the battery remaining amount threshold value, the image group 1 is displayed with the low power consumption LCD 2,
The large power consumption LCD 1 is displayed using the image group 3, and when the remaining battery level detection value ≦ the remaining battery level threshold, the large power consumption LC
Low power consumption LCD using image group 2 without displaying D1
2 is displayed.

(Embodiment 4) Reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1 is a coordinate input means such as a touch panel or a tablet through which an image displayed on an LCD arranged below is transmitted and a user inputs coordinate information. is there. Coordinate input means 1
The reference numeral 1 is arranged on one of the two LCDs, which is always used for display during operation of the mobile terminal, or the LCD on the other side of the LCD which is turned off and does not display.

When the user inputs the coordinate information to the coordinate input means 11, the user interface unit 10 notifies the general control unit 7 that the coordinate information has been input, and the general control unit 7 displays on the LCD according to the input coordinate information. Change the displayed image information. In this way, the user interface for inputting the coordinate information to the coordinate input means 11 with reference to the image displayed on the LCD is realized.

Even when the power of one LCD is turned off and only the other LCD is displayed, the coordinate information can be input using the image displayed on the LCD.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, the function of the portable information terminal is changed in order to switch the operation mode when the battery level becomes low and to perform the display using only the LCD with the smaller power consumption. It is possible to obtain an excellent effect that a part of the operation time can be prolonged.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a portable information terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same appearance.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the mobile information terminal.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of a conventional portable information terminal.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 High power consumption LCD 2 Small power consumption LCD 3 High power consumption LCD image controller 4 High power consumption LCD power supply 5 Image controller for LCD with low power consumption 6 Small power consumption LCD power supply 7 Overall control unit 8 batteries 9 Battery level monitor 10 User interface section 11 Coordinate input means 12 pens

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A large-power-consumption liquid crystal display device having the same or larger power consumption than the other, a small-power consumption LCD having a smaller power consumption than the other, and an image display of each of the large-power consumption LCD and the small-power consumption LCD. An image control unit for controlling a large power consumption LCD, an image control unit for a small power consumption LCD, a power supply for a large power LCD that supplies power to the large power consumption LCD and an image control unit for the large power consumption LCD, and the small consumption A power LCD, a low power LCD power supply that supplies power to the image control unit for the low power LCD, a power supply for the high power LCD, a power supply for the low power LCD, and a battery that supplies power to the entire device; A battery remaining amount monitoring unit for detecting the remaining power of the generated power, ON / OFF control of power supply for the high power LCD power supply and the low power LCD power supply, and the high power consumption LCD
An image control unit for low power consumption LCD, and an overall control unit for instructing the image control unit for low power consumption LCD the content of the image to be displayed on the high power consumption LCD and the low power consumption LCD, and for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus, When the remaining battery level detected by the remaining battery level monitor exceeds a preset value, power is supplied to the large power consumption LCD and the small power consumption LCD to operate, and the remaining battery level monitor When the remaining battery level detected in step 1 is lower than a preset value, the portable information terminal operates by stopping the power supply to the large power consumption LCD and reducing the power consumption of the entire device. When there are two or more types of image information groups to be displayed on the small power consumption LCD, and the large power consumption LCD and the small power consumption LCD are operated by supplying power, the image information displayed on the large power consumption LCD is not included. First image information Select a county to display on the low power LCD and consume the third image information county
When displaying on the power LCD, stopping the power supply to the high power LCD and supplying power only to the low power LCD, the high power LC
Selects the second image information gun plus image information to substitute for the third image information gun that has been displayed on the D on the first image information gun image information to be displayed on the small-power LCD The featured personal digital assistant. 2. A portable information terminal having two LCDs and having two simultaneous display modes and one display mode, wherein a transparent coordinate input means is arranged on the LCD displayed in the one display mode. The portable information terminal according to claim 1, wherein