JP4744195B2 - Portable information terminal device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable information terminal device, and more specifically, a portable information terminal such as a cellular phone that can variably control the viewing angle of a display device on which various types of information are displayed and suppress peeping on the display screen. Relates to the device.

  A small portable information terminal device can be carried in a pocket or a bag, and is used in various places. For example, it is often used in conference rooms, restaurants, station platforms, trains and buses. In such a case, there is a possibility that the display screen of the portable information terminal device may be peeped by a nearby third party, and the privacy of the user cannot be ensured.

  As a countermeasure against such peeping, it is conceivable to narrow the viewing angle of the display device. For example, a narrow-field film that can be attached to a display screen of a mobile phone is conventionally known. A narrow-field film is a film that looks transparent from the front but appears opaque (for example, black) from an oblique direction, and has a certain effect in preventing peeping. However, if this kind of narrow-field film is attached, the image quality deteriorates even when viewed from the front, and the user must always see a low-quality screen display. Further, it is not possible to use the display screen obliquely as in the case of viewing the display screen with a large number of people.

In addition, techniques for variably controlling the viewing angle of a display device have been conventionally proposed (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). Patent Document 1 describes a configuration for controlling a viewing angle using a liquid crystal panel in a display device for a mobile phone, and Patent Document 2 describes a display device for a car navigation device. In particular, the car navigation device of Patent Document 2 describes a configuration in which a viewing angle is narrowed for a part of a region in a display area so that only the region is not visible from the driver's seat.
JP 2004-62094 A JP 2003-15535 A

  Conventional display devices make it difficult to see the screen display from an oblique direction by narrowing the viewing angle of the display screen. However, even with such a display device, the screen display cannot be completely invisible from an oblique direction, and even when viewed from outside the viewing angle, the contrast is lowered and is difficult to see. Only. Therefore, there is a problem that a third party can peep at the display screen even from an oblique direction.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a portable information terminal device that can effectively suppress peeping of a display screen from an oblique direction.

  The portable information terminal device according to the present invention can switch the display device to a wide viewing mode and a narrow viewing mode, and in the narrow viewing mode, a narrow viewing angle region and a wide viewing angle region are mixed in the display area, It is intended to prevent the peeping by attracting the consciousness of the person who is looking away from the diagonal to the pattern caused by the viewing angle difference in the display area.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal device comprising: a display device that displays information in a display area on a display screen; and a visual field switching device that switches a viewing angle of the display screen. A switching device is arranged on the display screen, arranged in a matrix in the display area, and includes a plurality of segments composed of regions in which the viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode can be controlled independently of each other, and the plurality of segments. A viewing angle switching panel on which a display transmission surface composed of a background area except the display area is formed, a wide viewing mode in which the display area is browsed at a wide viewing angle, and the display area is browsed at a narrow viewing angle. The mode switching means for switching the narrow field mode, and in the wide field mode, the plurality of segments and the background area are widened. In the narrow field mode, the background area is narrow field of view, part of the segments are narrow field of view, and the other segments are wide angle of view. The

  With such a configuration, if the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow viewing mode, the contrast is reduced in the wide viewing angle segment area with respect to the screen display in which the contrast is lowered by setting the background area to a narrow viewing angle. A high pattern is visually recognized. Accordingly, it is possible to make the screen display difficult to read by attracting the consciousness of a person who is looking into the display screen to the high contrast pattern in the narrow-field mode. An arbitrary pattern can be displayed by switching a plurality of segments independently to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle. Therefore, if a pattern that attracts people's interest is displayed, the screen display is more difficult to read. can do.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal device comprising pattern data storage means for storing pattern data, wherein the viewing angle control means is based on the pattern data and the viewing angles of the plurality of segments in the narrow viewing mode. Configured to control.

  With such a configuration, arbitrary pattern data can be stored in the pattern data storage unit according to the user's preference, and a plurality of segments can be independently viewed in a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode based on the pattern data. You can switch to

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal device comprising wireless communication means for transmitting / receiving a radio signal to / from a base station, wherein the pattern data storage means stores the pattern data received from the base station. Composed.

  With this configuration, the desired pattern data is received from the base station according to the user's preference and stored in the pattern data storage means, so that when the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow field mode, the pattern is displayed. Can be viewed with high contrast.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information terminal device comprising image data creating means for creating image data and pattern data creating means for creating the pattern data based on the image data.

  With such a configuration, desired image data is created according to the user's preference, and pattern data created based on the image data is stored in the pattern data storage means, so that it is displayed from an oblique direction in the narrow field mode. When viewing the screen, the pattern can be viewed with high contrast.

A portable information terminal device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention comprises data binarizing means for binarizing the image data based on a predetermined threshold, and the pattern data creating means applies the binarized image data to the binarized image data. The pattern data is generated on the basis of the pattern data, and the predetermined threshold value is set to a value corresponding to a ratio of the plurality of segments having a wide viewing angle and a narrow viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode.

  With such a configuration, the color or grayscale image data created by the image data creation means is binarized, and the pattern data created based on the binarized image data is stored in the pattern data storage means. Can do. Therefore, when the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow-field mode, a binarized pattern based on desired image data expressed in color or gray scale can be visually recognized. By setting the threshold value when binarizing image data to a different value depending on the ratio of wide viewing angle segments and narrow viewing angle segments during viewing angle control, the screen display can be improved in narrow viewing mode. It can be made difficult to read effectively.

In the portable information terminal device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the image data creating means includes an imaging means for photographing a subject and outputting image data.

  With such a configuration, pattern data created based on desired image data obtained by photographing a subject is stored in the pattern data storage unit, and the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow field mode. The pattern can be viewed with high contrast.

In the portable information terminal device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the viewing angle control means is configured to switch the plurality of segments to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle independently every predetermined time in the narrow viewing mode. .

  With such a configuration, a high-contrast pattern that can be seen from an oblique direction in the narrow-field mode can be dynamically changed. For this reason, it is possible to attract the consciousness of a person who is peeping at the display screen to a moving pattern and make the screen display more difficult to read. Compared to a static pattern, it is difficult to predict the mode of change in a dynamic pattern, so that the screen display can be made more difficult to read.

  The portable information terminal device according to the present invention, in a narrow viewing mode in which a display area is viewed with a narrow viewing angle, switches a plurality of segments independently to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle, thereby partially changing the viewing angle in the display area. By making them different from each other, an arbitrary pattern can be displayed. If a pattern that easily attracts people's interests is displayed, it is possible to effectively attract the viewer's consciousness to the pattern, making it difficult to read or recognize the screen display from an oblique direction.

  In addition, by storing desired pattern data such as pattern data received from the base station or pattern data based on image data created in the portable information terminal device in the pattern data storage means, it can be displayed from an oblique direction in the narrow-field mode. When viewing the screen, the pattern can be viewed with high contrast.

  In addition, if a plurality of segments are switched to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle independently at predetermined time intervals, a high-contrast pattern that can be seen from an oblique direction in the narrow viewing mode can be dynamically changed. It can attract consciousness effectively. Accordingly, it is possible to make the screen display more difficult to read or recognize from an oblique direction.

  FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of a portable information terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A mobile phone 1 is shown as an example of the portable information terminal device. The mobile phone 1 is a so-called foldable mobile phone, in which a display housing 100 and an operation housing 200 are connected via a hinge part 300, and are folded with one surface of the display housing 100 and the operation housing 200 facing each other. be able to.

  In the display housing 100, the main display unit 101 and the receiver for receiving 103 are arranged on the inner casing surface when folded, and the sub display section 102 and the camera 104 are arranged on the outer casing surface. In addition, the operation casing 200 has a large number of operation keys 201 and a microphone for transmitting 203 arranged on the inner casing surface when folded. Such a foldable mobile phone 1 can be carried in a compactly folded state, and if the casing is unfolded, the operation key 201 can be pressed while viewing the display on the main display unit 101. . That is, main information display is performed using the main display unit 101, and main operation input is performed using the operation keys 201.

  The main display unit 101 generally has a display area having a vertically long rectangular shape, and various information including personal information is displayed in the display area. In order to prevent such a display from being viewed by a third party, the main display unit 101 can variably control the viewing angle in the left-right direction. Here, it is assumed that a wide viewing mode that is an operation state with a wide viewing angle and a narrow viewing mode that is an operation state with a narrow viewing angle can be switched. In general, the main display unit 101 of a mobile phone has a display area smaller than that of a television receiver or a stationary information terminal device, and the position of the user's eyes and the display screen for use in the hand. Since the relationship is almost constant, it is suitable for viewing angle control. Further, since the mobile phone is used with the main display unit 101 standing to some extent, the peeping can be effectively prevented by narrowing the viewing angle in the left-right direction.

  The operation key 201 includes a privacy switch 202 for the user to instruct switching of the viewing angle of the main display unit 101. When the main display unit 101 is in a wide viewing mode that can be viewed well from an oblique direction, if the user operates the privacy switch 202, the main display unit 101 is in a narrow viewing mode that cannot be easily viewed from the oblique direction. Become. Thereafter, when the user operates the privacy switch 202 again, the main display unit 101 returns to the wide field mode.

  In this embodiment, an example in which the viewing angle control is performed on the main display unit 101 will be described, but it is needless to say that the same viewing angle control can be applied to the sub display unit 102. In this embodiment, an example in which the viewing angle in the left-right direction is controlled will be described. However, the viewing angle in the up-down direction can be controlled in the same manner.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of how the main display unit 101 in the narrow field mode is seen. (A) in the figure shows an image when the main display unit 101 is viewed from the viewpoint within the viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode, and (b) is oblique from the viewpoint outside the viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode. The image when seen in is shown.

  In the case of the wide viewing mode, if the main display unit 101 is viewed from the viewpoint within the viewing angle in the wide viewing mode, it is natural that the screen display can be viewed well. Similarly, even in the narrow field mode, if the main display unit 101 is viewed from the viewpoint within the viewing angle in the narrow field mode, the screen display can be viewed well as shown in FIG. it can. In the narrow field mode, the color quality and the like are slightly reduced as compared with the wide field mode, but it can be visually recognized in a generally good manner.

  On the other hand, when the main display unit 101 in the narrow viewing mode is viewed from a viewpoint that is within the viewing angle in the wide viewing mode but out of the viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode, as shown in FIG. The original screen display can be seen only with low contrast, and a pattern composed of a plurality of dots superimposed on the screen can be seen with high contrast. This pattern is realized by partially changing the viewing angle in the display area of the main display unit 101.

  In the display area of the main display unit 101, a plurality of segments each composed of a dot-like region are arranged in a matrix of M rows × N columns (M and N are natural numbers, respectively). In the wide viewing mode, all the segments and the background area excluding the segments in the display area have a wide viewing angle, so that the entire display area has a wide viewing angle. On the other hand, in the narrow viewing mode, the background region has a narrow viewing angle, and a plurality of segments are selectively set to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle. For this reason, when the main display unit 101 is viewed in an oblique direction in the narrow viewing mode, a high contrast pattern is formed in a wide viewing angle segment region in the low contrast display area as shown in FIG. Appears to appear.

  When viewing a screen display on which such patterns with different contrasts are superimposed, human vision is unconsciously attracted to high-contrast patterns, making it difficult to recognize low-contrast patterns. The cellular phone 1 according to this embodiment recognizes or interprets the contents even if the original screen display looks low contrast by attracting the viewer's consciousness to the high contrast pattern in this way. It is hard to do.

  If attention is paid only to the high contrast pattern region, the screen display can be seen more easily than when the entire display area is narrowed. However, an arbitrary pattern can be displayed by selectively switching a plurality of segments to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle. Therefore, if a pattern that easily attracts people's interest is displayed, the contents are recognized or interpreted. Can be difficult.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the main display unit 101, and shows a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG. The main display unit 101 includes the visual field switching panel 2 and the liquid crystal display device 5. On the display screen of the liquid crystal display device 5, the display transmission surface of the visual field switching panel 2 is arranged, and the visual field switching panel 2 switches the viewing angle of the display transmission surface, whereby the viewing angle of the main display unit 101 is increased. Can be switched.

  The liquid crystal display device 5 is a known display device including a display liquid crystal panel 3 and a backlight 4. In the liquid crystal panel 3 for display, a liquid crystal 34 is sealed between two insulating transparent substrates (for example, glass substrates) 32a and 32b. Further, polarizing plates 31a and 31b are arranged on the outer surfaces of the substrates 32a and 32b, respectively, and transparent electrodes (for example, ITO electrodes) 33a and 33b are formed on the inner surfaces, respectively. For example, in the case of a general TFT liquid crystal display device, a common electrode is formed as the front-side electrode 33a, and a large number of pixel electrodes are formed as the back-side electrode 33b.

  The backlight 4 is a light source that supplies light from the back side to the transmissive liquid crystal panel 3 for display. The display liquid crystal panel 3 displays characters and images by controlling the potential of each pixel electrode and controlling whether or not the incident light from the backlight 4 is transmitted for each pixel. That is, the area on the substrate 32b where the pixel electrodes are arranged corresponds to a display area, and information made up of characters, figures, etc. is displayed by varying the light transmittance according to the position in the display area. Is done.

  On the other hand, the view switching panel 2 realizes variable control of the viewing angle by changing the transmittance according to the traveling direction of light. A region through which light from the liquid crystal display device 5 is transmitted, that is, a region on the visual field switching panel 2 corresponding to the display area of the liquid crystal display device 5 is referred to as a display transmission surface.

  In this view switching panel 2, a liquid crystal 24 is sealed between two insulating transparent substrates (for example, glass substrates) 22a and 22b, and a polarizing plate 21 is disposed on the outer surface of the front substrate 22a. Transparent electrodes (for example, ITO electrodes) 23a and 23b are respectively formed on the inner surface of 22b. That is, if the polarizing plate 31 a of the display liquid crystal panel 3 is added, the configuration is the same as that of the display liquid crystal panel 3.

  The polarizing plates 21 and 31a are arranged so that their transmission axes coincide with each other, and incident light from the display liquid crystal panel 3 is transmitted through the visual field switching panel 2 if the polarization plane of the liquid crystal 24 does not change. Can do. In the liquid crystal 24, the polarization plane of the transmitted light rotates according to the angle formed by the optical axis of the transmitted light with respect to the front direction. Therefore, incident light traveling obliquely in the liquid crystal 24 toward the outside of a predetermined viewing angle is The polarizing plate 21 is blocked.

  4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the principle of viewing angle control. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in the wide viewing mode, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) ) Is a C arrow view. FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic views showing a state in the narrow field mode, in which FIG. 5A is a perspective view, and FIG.

  The main display unit 101 aligns the transmission axes a1 and a2 of the polarizing plates 21 and 31a with the vertical direction of the display screen, and the liquid crystal molecules 24e (molecules of the liquid crystal 24) disposed between the polarizing plates 21 and 31a. By controlling the orientation direction, the viewing angle in the left-right direction of the display screen is changed.

  In the wide viewing mode, the liquid crystal molecules 24e are aligned so as to be parallel to the transmission axes a1 and a2 (see FIG. 4). At this time, even when the visual field switching panel 2 is viewed from the front viewpoint e1, or when viewed from the viewpoint e2 having an angle α in the left-right direction with respect to the viewpoint e1, the direction of the liquid crystal molecules 24e. Appears to coincide with the transmission axes a1 and a2. Therefore, regardless of the light traveling direction, the incident light from the display liquid crystal panel 3 is not birefringent in the liquid crystal 24 and can pass through the polarizing plate 21. The viewing angle of the main display unit 101 is the widest in this case and matches the viewing angle of the display liquid crystal panel 3.

  On the other hand, in the narrow field mode, an electric field is formed between the electrodes 23a and 23b, and the liquid crystal molecules 24e are rotated from the state shown in FIG. 4 and are oriented so as to form an angle θ with respect to the transmission axes a1 and a2 ( (See FIG. 5). However, the liquid crystal molecules 24e are only tilted in the front-rear direction by the rotation, and the projected image on the display screen is still kept parallel to the transmission axes a1 and a2. That is, the liquid crystal molecules 24e are rotated in a plane perpendicular to the display screen and parallel to the transmission axes a1 and a2.

  When the field switching panel 2 in such a narrow field mode is viewed from the front viewpoint e1, the direction of the liquid crystal molecules 24e coincides with the direction of the transmission axes a1 and a2 as in the wide field mode, but the viewpoint e1. When viewed from a viewpoint e2 having an angle α in the left-right direction, the direction of the liquid crystal molecules 24e forms an angle β with the transmission axes a1 and a2. For this reason, the light traveling toward the viewpoint e2 has its polarization plane rotated according to the angle β in the liquid crystal 24 and attenuated or blocked by the polarizing plate 21. Since the angle β changes according to the angle θ and the angle α, a viewing angle corresponding to the angle θ is obtained.

  Accordingly, the viewing angle of the viewing switching panel 2 can be linearly changed according to the angle θ between the liquid crystal molecules 24e and the transmission axes a1 and a2. However, in this embodiment, the wide-field mode in which the electrodes 23a and 23b are at the same potential and the narrow-field mode in which the electrodes 23a and 23b are partially different in potential are switched and controlled.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the electrodes 23a and 23b of the visual field switching panel 2 of FIG.

  The front-side electrode 23a is configured as one flat electrode piece and is connected to the electrode terminal Ta0.

  The electrode 23b on the back side is divided into a total of 90 segments arranged in a matrix of 9 rows × 10 columns each consisting of a dot-like area, and a background area excluding the segments in the display area. Are configured as independent electrode pieces. These electrode pieces are insulated from each other by providing a slight gap (for example, a minimum of 12 μm) between adjacent electrode pieces.

  Each segment is connected to a different electrode terminal. That is, 90 segments are different such that 10 segments in the first row are connected to the electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb10, and 10 segments in the second row are connected to the electrode terminals Tb11 to Tb20. The electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb90 are connected. The background region is connected to the electrode terminal Tb0.

  In this way, when a plurality of electrode terminals Tb0 to Tb90 are connected to one electrode 23b, a plurality of wires connecting the electrode pieces of the electrode 23b and the electrode terminals Tb0 to Tb90 are not short-circuited to each other. It becomes difficult to route. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a plurality of wirings are routed using a so-called multilayer wiring technique on the back side of the electrode 23b. That is, a plurality of insulating layers are stacked on the back side of the electrode 23b, and wirings are extended from each electrode piece of the electrode 23b toward the back side, and these wirings are connected to the electrode terminals Tb0 to Tb90 via the plurality of insulating layers. As a result, a plurality of wirings can be routed without causing a short circuit.

  If one of two kinds of voltage levels (for example, 0V and 3V) is applied to such electrode terminals Ta0, Tb0 to Tb90, a region with different potentials of the opposing electrode pieces has a narrow viewing angle, and the potential is The same area has a wide viewing angle. Therefore, the viewing angle in the display area can be partially varied according to the combination of the voltage levels applied to the electrode terminals Ta0, Tb0 to Tb90.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the display transmission surface of the visual field switching panel 2 in the narrow visual field mode. Here, in both cases (a) and (b), it is assumed that a high level (3 V) is applied to the electrode terminal Ta0 of the front electrode 23a.

  (A) shows a case where a low level (0V) is applied to the electrode terminal Tb0 and a high level (3V) is applied to the electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb90. In this case, an electric field is formed in the background region connected to the electrode terminal Tb0 to have a narrow viewing angle, and a plurality of segments connected to the electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb90 have a wide viewing angle without forming an electric field. .

  (B) shows a case where a low level is applied to all the electrode terminals Tb0 to Tb90 connected to the electrode 23b on the back side. In this case, an electric field is formed in both the background region connected to the electrode terminal Tb0 and the plurality of segments connected to the electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb90, and the entire display transmission surface has a narrow viewing angle.

  If the combination of the voltage levels applied to each electrode piece constituting the electrodes 23a, 23b is switched, in the narrow viewing mode, the plurality of segments arranged in a matrix are independently switched to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle, An arbitrary pattern can be displayed with high contrast in the display area. That is, a predetermined terminal of the electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb90 is set to the same voltage level as the electrode terminal Ta0, the corresponding segment is set to a wide viewing angle, and the other terminals of the electrode terminals Tb1 to Tb90 and the electrode terminal Tb0 are The voltage level different from that of the electrode terminal Ta0 is set so that the corresponding segment and the background region have a narrow viewing angle. When the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in this state, a pattern with high contrast is visually recognized in the region of the wide viewing angle segment with respect to the screen display with reduced contrast (see FIG. 2B).

  Therefore, in the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to make the screen display difficult to read by attracting the consciousness of the person who is looking into the display screen to the high contrast pattern in the narrow field mode. An arbitrary pattern can be displayed by switching a plurality of segments independently to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle. Therefore, if a pattern that attracts people's interest is displayed, the screen display is more difficult to read. can do.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the mobile phone 1 shown in FIG. The main control unit 400 is a processor that controls main operations of the mobile phone 1. Here, control is performed for the receiver 103 for reception, the camera 104, the operation key 201, the microphone for transmission 203, the wireless unit 401, the viewing angle controller 402, the LCD controller 403, the pattern data storage unit 404, and the image creation program storage unit 405. ing.

  The wireless unit 401 transmits and receives various kinds of information such as call sounds and e-mails by transmitting and receiving wireless signals to and from the base station 500. The LCD controller 403 supplies drive signals to the main display unit 101 and the sub display device 102. The viewing angle controller 402 supplies a driving signal to the viewing field switching panel 2 to perform switching control of the viewing angle, and constitutes a viewing field switching device together with the viewing field switching panel 2.

  The main control unit 400 outputs a control signal to the viewing angle controller 402 when the privacy switch 202 is operated or when a setting change related to viewing angle control is performed by operating other operation keys 201. The viewing angle controller 402 generates a voltage signal to be applied to each electrode terminal Ta0, Tb0 to Tb90 of the viewing switching panel 2 based on this control signal.

  The pattern data storage unit 404 is a pattern data when a plurality of segments of the visual field switching panel 2 are independently switched to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle in the narrow visual field mode, that is, each electrode of the visual field switching panel 2 in the narrow visual field mode. Pattern data of combinations of voltage levels applied to the terminals Ta0, Tb0 to Tb90 is stored. The viewing angle controller 402 performs switching control of the viewing angle of the viewing angle switching panel 2 based on the pattern data given from the pattern data storage unit 404 via the main control unit 400.

  The image creation program storage unit 405 stores an application program (image creation program) for creating image data. Based on a predetermined operation of the operation key 201 by the user, the main control unit 400 executes an image creation program, whereby a screen for creating image data is displayed on the main display unit 101. Then, the user can create desired image data on the main display unit 101 by operating the operation key 201.

  In the mobile phone 1 according to the present embodiment, pattern data can be acquired in the following three modes, and the pattern data can be stored in the pattern data storage unit 404. The user can store arbitrary pattern data in the pattern data storage unit 404 according to his / her preference, and can control the switching of the viewing angle of the visual field switching panel 2 in the narrow visual field mode based on the pattern data.

(1) Reception of pattern data from base station In the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment, pattern data is acquired by receiving pattern data from the base station 500 by wireless communication and storing it in the pattern data storage unit 404. be able to. A plurality of types of pattern data are stored in the server device 501 connected to the base station 500, and the user performs wireless communication with the base station 500 using the mobile phone 1, thereby making a call, Internet Alternatively, desired pattern data can be selected from a plurality of types of pattern data stored in the server device 501 via e-mail or the like.

  The selected pattern data is transmitted from the server apparatus 501 to the mobile phone 1 by wireless communication via the base station 500, and the mobile phone 1 that has received the pattern data stores the pattern data in the pattern data storage unit 404. The user operates the operation key 201 of the mobile phone 1 to select the pattern data stored in the pattern data storage unit 404, thereby performing viewing angle switching control based on the pattern data received from the base station 500. Can be set as follows.

  According to such an aspect, when desired pattern data is received from the base station 500 according to the user's preference and stored in the pattern data storage unit 404, the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow field mode. Moreover, the pattern can be visually recognized with high contrast.

(2) Creation of image data by image creation program In the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment, the user operates the operation key 201 to execute the image creation program, and a desired display is performed on the main display unit 101 of the mobile phone 1. By creating image data, pattern data can be created based on the image data.

  The creation of the image data using the image creation program may be created by a combination of 9 × 10 matrix dots corresponding to a plurality of segment arrangement modes. That is, the user operates the operation key 201 to create image data by setting a plurality of dots displayed in a matrix on the main display unit 101 to either a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle. Such an embodiment may be adopted. In this case, the main control unit 400 creates pattern data by extracting information on the wide viewing angle or the narrow viewing angle associated with each dot based on the created image data, and the pattern data is converted into the pattern data. The data is stored in the data storage unit 404.

  Further, the creation of image data using the image creation program may be performed by creating arbitrary image data regardless of the arrangement mode of the plurality of segments. That is, a mode in which the user creates image data by operating the operation keys 201 and appropriately arranging arbitrary characters and figures on the main display unit 101 may be employed. In this case, the main control unit 400 creates pattern data according to the color of the pixel corresponding to each segment in the created image data, and stores the pattern data in the pattern data storage unit 404. For example, when monochrome image data is created on the main display unit 101, the main control unit 400 assigns narrow viewing angle information if the color of the pixel corresponding to each segment is black. For example, pattern data is created by assigning wide viewing angle information.

  The user operates the operation key 201 of the mobile phone 1 to select the pattern data stored in the pattern data storage unit 404, and thereby the visual field based on the pattern data created from the image data created by the image creation program. It can be set to perform corner switching control.

  According to such an aspect, desired image data is created according to the user's preference, and pattern data created based on the image data is stored in the pattern data storage unit 404, so that it is oblique in the narrow field mode. When the display screen is viewed from the direction, the pattern can be viewed with high contrast.

  In the case of creating arbitrary image data, the created image data may be in color or gray scale. In this case, the main control unit 400 binarizes the image data by comparing each pixel data (such as luminance data) of the created image data with a predetermined threshold value.

Steps S101 to S106 in FIG. 9 are flowcharts showing an example of binarization processing of the created image data. First, the main control unit 400 sets a threshold value used for binarization as a reference threshold value stored in advance in a memory (not shown) provided in the mobile phone 1 (step S101), and uses the reference threshold value as an image creation. The image data is binarized by comparing with each pixel data of color or grayscale image data created using the program (step S102).

  After that, the main control unit 400 assigns narrow viewing angle information if the color of the pixel corresponding to each segment is black based on the color of the pixel corresponding to each segment in the binarized image data. If so, pattern data is created by assigning wide viewing angle information (step S103). In this way, in the pattern data created by comparison with a certain threshold value, the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment and the narrow viewing angle segment differs depending on the luminance of the image data before binarization. That is, when the image data before binarization is entirely dark image data, the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment decreases, and the image data before binarization becomes smaller. In the case of generally bright image data, the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment increases.

  If the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment is too large, when viewing the display screen from an oblique direction in the narrow viewing mode, it is easy to display the screen through the area corresponding to the wide viewing angle segment. May be read or recognized. Therefore, in the present embodiment, if the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment is less than a certain value (No in step S104), the main control unit 400 directly uses the pattern data as the pattern data storage unit 404. (Step S105), if the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment is equal to or greater than a certain value (Yes in step S104), the threshold is changed (step S106). The image data is binarized again based on the threshold value (step S102).

  In this way, until the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment becomes equal to or greater than a certain value (until No in step S104), the main control unit 400 changes the threshold value and images based on the threshold value. A series of data binarization processes (steps S102, S103, S104, and S106) are repeated, and when the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment to the narrow viewing angle segment becomes less than a certain value (No in step S104). The pattern data is stored in the pattern data storage unit 404 (step S105). In this way, by setting the threshold value when binarizing the image data to a different value according to the ratio of the wide viewing angle segment and the narrow viewing angle segment at the time of viewing angle control, The screen display can be made more difficult to read effectively.

(3) Creation of Image Data by Camera Shooting In the mobile phone 1 of the present embodiment, image data can be created by photographing a subject with the camera 104, and pattern data can be created based on the image data.

  Arbitrary image data created by photographing using the camera 104 is in color or gray scale. Accordingly, the main control unit 400 can create pattern data by binarizing image data in the manner described with reference to FIG. 9, and can store the created pattern data in the pattern data storage unit 404. .

  The user operates the operation key 201 of the mobile phone 1 to select the pattern data stored in the pattern data storage unit 404, and thereby the viewing angle based on the pattern data created from the image data created by the camera photographing. Can be set to perform switching control.

  According to such an aspect, pattern data created based on desired image data obtained by photographing a subject is stored in the pattern data storage unit 404, and the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow field mode. The pattern can be viewed with high contrast.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the viewing angle controller 402 of FIG. The viewing angle controller 402 includes a voltage control unit 410, a PWM generation circuit 411, an inverter 412, 92 switching elements 413, and 92 amplifiers 414.

  The PWM generation circuit 411 generates a pulse signal for AC driving the visual field switching panel 2. For example, a pulse signal having a frequency of 70 Hz is generated. The inverter 412 generates an inverted signal obtained by inverting the pulse signal (non-inverted signal). Each switching element 413 selects and outputs one of these non-inverted signal and inverted signal. The output signal of each switching element 413 is amplified to a predetermined voltage level by the corresponding amplifier 414 and then output to the electrode terminals Ta0, Tb0 to Tb90.

  The voltage control unit 410 controls each switching element 413 based on an instruction from the main control unit 400, and performs switching between the wide viewing mode and the narrow viewing mode and switching of the wide viewing angle pattern in the narrow viewing mode.

  When the visual field switching panel 2 is AC driven, a wide viewing angle is obtained by applying an in-phase pulse signal to the opposing electrodes 23a and 23b, and a narrow viewing angle is obtained by applying a reverse-phase pulse signal. Therefore, in the wide field mode, the voltage control unit 410 controls the switching element 413 so as to supply in-phase pulse signals (for example, non-inverted signals) to all the electrode terminals Ta0, Tb0 to Tb90. The plurality of segments and the background area are all wide viewing angles. In the narrow field mode, the switching element 413 is controlled to supply a non-inverted signal to the electrode terminal Ta0 and to apply an inverted signal to the electrode terminal Tb0, thereby setting the background region to a narrow field angle, and the electrode terminals Tb1 to By selectively applying an inverted signal or a non-inverted signal to Tb90, the segment to which the inverted signal is applied is set to a narrow viewing angle, and the segment to which the non-inverted signal is applied is set to a wide viewing angle.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a pattern region having a wide viewing angle is dynamically switched in the narrow viewing mode. (A) and (b) in the figure both show a state when the main display unit 101 in the narrow-field mode is viewed from an oblique direction in the left-right direction. Are different. By dynamically switching the wide viewing angle patterns (a) and (b) in the narrow viewing mode, a person peeping from an oblique direction can see a pattern with movement.

  Such dynamic switching of the pattern is performed by the voltage control unit 410 of FIG. 10, and the wide viewing angle patterns of (a) and (b) are alternately switched every time a predetermined time period is predetermined. For example, the pattern is switched every 1 to 2 seconds. In general, human vision has the property of being attracted to moving patterns, so if a high-contrast moving pattern is superimposed in a low-contrast display area, the viewer's consciousness is more strongly attracted to the pattern. The screen display can be made more difficult to read. Compared to a static pattern, it is difficult to predict the mode of change in a dynamic pattern, and thus the screen display can be made more difficult to recognize or interpret.

  Note that the timing of dynamic switching of the wide viewing angle pattern does not necessarily have to be a fixed time interval, but it is necessary to switch at a timing that can be recognized as being dynamic for human eyes. If it is too fast, a sufficient effect cannot be obtained. If AC driving is performed, it is necessary to switch at a time interval longer than at least the cycle, and it is desirable to switch at a time interval of, for example, 1/10 seconds or more.

  In this embodiment, an example in which two types of pattern areas are switched has been described. However, it is more effective if three or more types of pattern areas different from each other are sequentially switched. Furthermore, it is more effective if three or more types of wide viewing angle patterns are switched while changing the switching order.

  When image data is created by camera shooting, moving image data may be created by shooting a moving image with the camera 104, and pattern data may be created based on the created moving image data. In this case, the moving image can be displayed in the display area by continuously switching the pattern area based on the pattern data created from the moving image data.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user setting procedure related to viewing angle control, and illustrates a transition state between setting screens displayed on the main display unit 101. (A) is a visual field switching setting screen for the user to perform settings related to visual field switching. On this visual field switching setting screen, the user can select manner mode interlocking setting or pattern setting. The manner mode interlocking setting is an option for setting the narrow visual field mode to interlock with the manner mode, and the pattern setting is an option for changing the wide viewing angle pattern in the narrow visual field mode. If the pattern setting is selected on the visual field switching setting screen and the enter key is operated, the screen shifts to the pattern setting screen of (b).

  The user can select an arbitrary pattern from a plurality of patterns prepared in advance on the pattern setting screen. Options “Pattern A”, “Pattern B”, and “Pattern C” are fixed patterns that do not involve dynamic switching, and are used to set a pattern based on an initially set pattern or image data created by an image creation program It is. The option “pattern switching” is a setting for dynamically switching two or more patterns. The option “camera image” is a fixed pattern that does not involve dynamic switching, and is a pattern setting based on image data created by camera photography. If any of the options is selected and the enter key is operated, a pattern setting completion message in (c) is popped up and the screen returns to the visual field switching setting screen in (a).

  On the other hand, if the confirmation key is operated while the pattern setting screen (b) is displayed, the pattern confirmation screen (d) including a message for prompting confirmation of the pattern is displayed. While the pattern confirmation screen is displayed, the narrow viewing angle mode is set, and the user can confirm the selected wide viewing angle pattern. If the enter key is operated while the pattern confirmation screen is displayed, the screen moves to the screen (c), and if the clear key is operated, the screen returns to the pattern setting screen (b).

  Steps S201 to S206 in FIG. 13 are flowcharts showing an example of the narrow field mode process. This narrow field mode processing is an operation procedure of the viewing angle controller 402 in the narrow field mode, and is started when the user operates the privacy switch 202 in the wide field mode.

  First, the viewing angle of the display area is narrowed based on the user setting on the pattern setting screen of FIG. 12 (step S201). In the wide viewing mode, since the entire display area has a wide viewing angle, the viewing angle of the display area is reduced except for the wide viewing angle segment corresponding to the pattern specified by the user. When “pattern switching” is selected on the pattern setting screen, an arbitrary pattern that is dynamically switched is used, and a timer is started.

  In the pattern setting screen, if the user selects pattern switching instead of a fixed pattern, and if the predetermined time has elapsed and the timer has expired, pattern switching is performed (steps S202 to S202). S204). At this time, the timer is restarted.

  The above steps S202 to S204 are repeated until the narrow field mode is terminated (step S205). When the user operates the privacy switch 202 to end the narrow field mode and shift to the wide field mode, the entire display area is widened and the narrow field mode process is terminated (step S206).

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the number of segments arranged in a matrix is relatively small, for example, the case where the segments are arranged in a matrix of 9 rows × 10 columns has been described. If many segments are arranged in a matrix (for example, 100 rows × 100 columns) to display a more complicated pattern, the screen display can be made more difficult to read or recognize in the narrow field mode. In particular, when a pattern based on image data created by camera shooting is displayed in the display area, the pattern cannot be displayed to the extent that the captured image can be recognized unless the number of segments is large to some extent.

  However, when wiring is performed using the multilayer wiring technology as described above, if the number of segments is large, the number of wirings is increased accordingly, so it is difficult to route a plurality of wirings without short-circuiting each other. become. Therefore, in such a case, a voltage can be applied to the electrode terminals corresponding to each segment with a relatively small number of wires by routing the wires in a so-called active matrix system.

  FIG. 14 is a circuit diagram showing a specific example of wiring routed by the active matrix method. M rows of gate lines GL1 to GLM are arranged in parallel with each other on the electrode 23b on the back side of the visual field switching panel 2 in correspondence with the M rows × N columns of the segments arranged in a matrix. N columns of source lines SL1 to SLN are arranged in parallel to each other so as to be orthogonal to the gate lines GL1 to GLM. And the capacitor | condenser corresponding to each segment is comprised by providing switching element SW in each intersection of these gate lines GL1-GLM and source lines SL1-SLN.

  When switching each segment to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle, first, a high level voltage is applied to the first gate line GL1 of the M gate lines GL1 to GLM, and the other gate lines GL2 are applied. A low level voltage is applied to ~ GLM. At this time, the switching element SW connected to the gate line GL1 is turned on, and a high level voltage or a low level voltage is applied to the source lines SL1 to SLN, respectively. Charge is stored in the capacitor at the intersection of the line and the gate line GL1.

  Thereafter, the applied voltage to the gate line GL1 and the source lines SL1 to SLN is set to a low level, a high level voltage is applied to the gate line GL2 of the next row, and similarly, the high level is applied to the source lines SL1 to SLN. Alternatively, when a low level voltage is applied, electric charges are stored in a capacitor at the intersection of the source line to which the high level voltage is applied and the gate line GL2. In this manner, charges are selectively stored in capacitors in all rows, and a potential difference is partially generated between the electrode 23b and the opposing electrode 23a, thereby making each segment independently a wide viewing angle. Or it can switch to a narrow viewing angle.

  According to the routing of the wiring by such an active matrix system, as many as M × N wirings are not required as in the case of routing a multilayer wiring, and only M + N wirings are required. Can be favorably controlled.

  In the above description, a configuration has been described in which a high-contrast pattern is displayed in white in a wide viewing angle segment area when the display screen is viewed from an oblique direction in the narrow viewing mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a high-contrast pattern may be displayed in color in the segment area having a wide viewing angle.

  Further, the display area of the main display unit 101 is divided into a plurality of divided areas, and the viewing angles of a plurality of segments arranged in a matrix in each divided area can be individually controlled for each divided area. It may be like this.

1 is an external view showing an example of a portable information terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a mobile phone 1 as an example of the portable information terminal device. It is explanatory drawing which showed an example of the appearance of the main display part 101 of a narrow visual field mode, (a) is a viewpoint within a viewing angle, (b) is an image at the time of seeing from a viewpoint outside a viewing angle. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the main display unit 101, and shows a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the principle of viewing angle control, and is the schematic diagram which showed the case of the wide viewing mode. It is a figure for demonstrating the principle of viewing angle control, and is the schematic diagram which showed the case of the narrow field mode. It is the figure which showed one structural example of the electrodes 23a and 23b of the visual field switching panel 2 of FIG. It is the figure which showed an example of the display transmission surface of the visual field switching panel 2 in a narrow visual field mode. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an internal configuration of the mobile phone 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. It is the follow chart which showed an example of the binarization process of the produced image data. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a viewing angle controller 402 in FIG. 8. It is the figure which showed an example in the case of switching a wide viewing angle pattern dynamically in a narrow viewing mode. It is the figure which illustrated one example of the user setting procedure regarding viewing angle control, and the mode of transition between setting screens is shown. It is the follow chart which showed an example of the narrow visual field mode process. It is a circuit diagram which shows the specific example of the wiring routed by the active matrix system.

Explanation of symbols

1 Personal digital assistant (mobile phone)
2 View switching panel 3 Display liquid crystal panel 4 Backlight 5 Liquid crystal display devices 21, 31a, 31b Polarizing plates 22a, 22b, 32a, 32b Insulating transparent substrates 23a, 23b, 33a, 33b Transparent electrodes 24, 34 Liquid crystal 101 Main display Unit 102 sub display unit 104 camera 201 operation key 202 privacy switch 400 main control unit 401 wireless unit 402 viewing angle controller 403 LCD controller 404 pattern data storage unit 405 image creation program storage unit 410 voltage control unit 411 PWM generation circuit 412 inverter 413 switching Element 414 Amplifier 500 Base station 501 Server apparatus a1, a2 Transmission axis e1, e2 View point Ta0 Front side electrode terminals Tb0 to Tb90 Back side electrode terminals GL1 to GLM Gate lines SL1 to SLN Source In SW switching element

Claims (7)

In a portable information terminal device comprising a display device that displays information in a display area on a display screen, and a visual field switching device that switches a viewing angle of the display screen.
The field-of-view switching device is arranged on the display screen, arranged in a matrix within the display area, and includes a plurality of segments composed of regions in which the viewing angle in the narrow-field mode can be controlled independently of each other, and the plurality of the plurality of segments A viewing angle switching panel on which a display transmission surface constituted by a background area composed of the display area excluding the segment is formed;
A mode switching means for switching between the wide viewing mode for browsing the display area with a wide viewing angle and the narrow viewing mode for viewing the display area with a narrow viewing angle;
In the wide viewing mode, the plurality of segments and the background region have a wide viewing angle, and in the narrow viewing mode, the background region has a narrow viewing angle, and some of the segments have a narrow viewing angle, A portable information terminal device comprising: viewing angle control means for making a segment a wide viewing angle. Pattern data storage means for storing pattern data;
2. The portable information terminal device according to claim 1 , wherein the viewing angle control means controls the viewing angles of the plurality of segments in the narrow viewing mode based on the pattern data. A wireless communication means for transmitting and receiving wireless signals to and from the base station;
The portable information terminal device according to claim 2 , wherein the pattern data storage unit stores the pattern data received from the base station. Image data creating means for creating image data;
The portable information terminal device according to claim 2 , further comprising pattern data creating means for creating the pattern data based on the image data. Data binarization means for binarizing the image data based on a predetermined threshold value,
The pattern data creation means creates the pattern data based on the binarized image data,
5. The portable information terminal device according to claim 4 , wherein the predetermined threshold is set to a value corresponding to a ratio of the plurality of segments having a wide viewing angle and a narrow viewing angle in the narrow viewing mode. 6. The portable information terminal device according to claim 4 , wherein the image data creating unit includes an image capturing unit that captures an image of a subject and outputs the image data. 7. The mobile phone according to claim 1 , wherein the viewing angle control means switches the plurality of segments to a wide viewing angle or a narrow viewing angle independently every predetermined time in the narrow viewing mode. Information terminal device.

Images