JPH06222901A - Information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the work efficiency of information processing by enlarging the display picture of an information processor such as an electronic computer with a simple device. CONSTITUTION:In the information display device of the electronic computer or any device utilizing the electronic computer, one or more auxiliary display devices 5a and 5b such as liquid crystal display devices, EL display devices or plasma display devices are used as auxiliary screens in addition to a main display device 4, and a virtual picture larger than the size of the main display device 4 is divided and displayed by the respective display devices 4, 5a and 5b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information display device in an electronic computer or a device using the electronic computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an information display device capable of displaying data stored in an electronic computer has been used in which one display device is connected to one worker for an operator or a device using the electronic computer. ing. In this type of display device, when it is necessary to display an area exceeding the screen of the display unit, any one or all of the following three methods are used. First, scroll the displayed image vertically or horizontally. Second, reduce the displayed image. Third, for example OS / 2, MS-Windows, Mac OS
In the window-type user graphical interface provided by, etc., it is possible to arrange multiple windows and switch between these windows as necessary.

[0003]

However, in the first method described above, not only the troublesome operation of scrolling is forced, but also it is not possible to compare a plurality of places apart from each other by the size of the display screen, or There is a problem that it is impossible to see the entire image. In many personal computers, the scrolling speed of the screen is not fast enough compared to the working speed of a human, so this problem is serious. Further, the second method has a problem that it is difficult to read characters due to the reduction of the image. In addition, the third method not only has a problem that it requires a troublesome operation such as switching windows, but it cannot see the window on the back side among the windows arranged in a stack. There is a problem that comparison and correction cannot be performed while simultaneously viewing the contents of two or more windows. This significantly reduces the work efficiency when performing operations such as cutting and pasting (copying and pasting) between a plurality of windows.

The above problems can be reduced to some extent by enlarging the display screen. However, in many cases, since the CRT is used for the display screen, it is costly to make the display screen extremely large. And unrealistic in terms of space. Regarding the third problem in particular, the number and size of windows that the operator wants to open varies widely depending on the operator, so it is not enough to enlarge the screen of a single main display device. However, there is a problem that the expandability and flexibility required for the system cannot be secured. In addition, it is almost impossible to realize a large screen required here at a realistic cost with a flat panel display such as a single liquid crystal display.

[0005]

The gist of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned conventional problems is that an information display device in an electronic calculator or a device using the electronic calculator is used in addition to the main display device. An auxiliary display device such as one or more liquid crystal display device, EL display device or plasma display device is used as an auxiliary screen, and a virtual screen larger than the size of the main display device is divided and displayed by each display device. An information display device is characterized in that

In other words, the image display device of the present invention connects one or more liquid crystal display devices or EL display devices or plasma display devices as an auxiliary screen of the main display device, and a virtual screen larger than the main display screen. Can be divided into these display devices for display, and the data interface part for the display device that can be connected by freely changing the size and position of the auxiliary screen, and a display equipped with a device driver consisting of software The device is characterized in that it has a function of flexibly increasing the area and shape of the screen that can be viewed at one time as needed.

[0007]

According to the above-mentioned structure, since the amount of information displayed is substantially increased by connecting the auxiliary screen, it is possible to reduce troublesome operations such as scrolling and screen reduction. Since multiple window screens may overlap and the back window screen may not be visible, it is possible to work while simultaneously displaying multiple windows, dramatically improving work efficiency when using software with a graphical user interface. improves. In addition, a liquid crystal display device or an EL display device with a diagonal of about 10 inches or less is relatively inexpensive, and such a display device is subject to work depending on the contents of the computer or the device using the computer. By connecting flexibly, the device can be configured at a lower cost than using a large single display device,
Also, the occupied space can be saved.

[0008]

【Example】

First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information display device according to the present invention includes an electronic computer body 1, a keyboard 2, a mouse 3, a main display device 4 by a CRT, and an auxiliary display device 5a using a liquid crystal display device. And 5b. The display devices 5a and 5b have a dot matrix configuration.

The components of the information display device according to the present invention as described above are connected as shown in FIG. The computer main body 1 is a motherboard 9 including a CPU 6, a ROM 7, a RAM 8 and the like, a hard disk drive 1
0, floppy disk drive 11, hard disk controller 12, floppy disk controller 1
3, a first display device interface unit 14, a second display device interface unit 15, a power supply 16 and the like. The mother board 9, the hard disk controller 12, the floppy disk controller 13, and the first and second display device interface sections 14 and 15 are connected by a bus 17. The keyboard 2 and the mouse 3 are directly connected to the mother board 9, the main display device CRT 4 is in the first display device interface 14, and the plurality of auxiliary display devices 5a and 5b.
Are respectively connected to the interface portion for the second display device. As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of liquid crystal display devices, which are auxiliary display devices, may have an interface unit 20 shared with the interface unit for the display device to which the CRT which is the main display device is connected.

The image displayed with the above configuration is processed by the procedure shown in FIG. 4 or 5.
In the CPU of the motherboard 9, the font driver 2
1 and the graphic driver 22 generate font and graphic data to be sent to the controller according to the instruction of the application program 23. These processes are realized by software using the arithmetic function of the CPU 6. The display data generated here is sent to the first display device interface unit 14 and the second display device interface unit 15 by the bus 17.
CRT existing in the interface 14 for the first display device
The controller 24 stores the image information in the graphic VRAM 25 and then sends it to the CRT 4 as appropriate. Exactly the same, the LCD controller 26 existing in the interface unit 15 for the second display device stores the image information in the graphic VRAM 27 and then sends it to the display devices 5a and 5b as appropriate. Also, as shown in FIG.
If T and the interface part are shared,
As shown in FIG. 5, the interface unit 20 for the image display device.
Includes a CRT controller 27, a liquid crystal display controller 28, and a common graphic VRAM.

Next, the operation of the information display device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the display examples shown in FIGS. In the display device according to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, virtual image information 29 larger than the main display device is divided into the CRT 4 which is the main display device and the auxiliary display devices 5a and 5b. It is to be displayed. The shape and arrangement of the auxiliary display device are arbitrary, and the auxiliary display device may be arranged left and right adjacent to the main display device as shown in FIG. 6, or may be arranged vertically as shown in FIG. 7 or at a position apart from the main display device. It is also possible to do so. In the present invention, since a flat-panel display device such as a liquid crystal display device is used as an auxiliary display device, the arrangement of the display device itself can be changed very easily. The layout of the display screen is changed by instructing the device driver to change the parameters from the application program. The pointer of the mouse displayed on the screen of the display device can be freely moved within the virtual screen 29 which is larger than the main display device, and the plural window screens shown in FIG. You can move or change the size freely by doing. FIG. 6 shows an example in which three windows of a spreadsheet, a word processor and a menu are displayed at the same time, and FIG. 7 shows an example in which the necessary parts of one large spreadsheet are displayed on three display devices. ing.

Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a main display device 31 and auxiliary display devices 32 and 33 are provided in a main body 30 of a device using an electronic computer such as a programmable controller. Furthermore, these display devices have transparent electrode touch switches 34, 3 on the surface.
5 and 36 are added, and information can be input by touching the surface of the display device with a finger. In addition, it has a key group 37 for moving a selected portion in the image information vertically and horizontally.

FIG. 9 shows the internal construction of the apparatus body 30. The display device includes a sequencer unit 38 that is in charge of various calculations, control of controlled devices, generation of display information, and various interface functions, and a display controller 39.
A main display device 31 using the liquid crystal display device and auxiliary display devices 32 and 33 are connected via the. Similarly, a transparent electrode type touch switch 34 provided on the display surface of each of the display devices 31, 32 and 33,
35 and 36 are connected via the touch panel controller 40, and at the same time, a key group 37 for moving a selected portion in the image information up, down, left and right is connected to the sequencer section.

Next, the operation of the information display device in this embodiment will be described below with reference to the display examples shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 10, the display device according to the present invention divides image information 41 larger than that of the main display device into a main display device 31 formed of a liquid crystal display device and auxiliary display devices 32 and 33 formed of a liquid crystal display device. To be displayed. The shape and arrangement of the auxiliary liquid crystal display device are arbitrary and can be configured according to the needs of the device. In the display example shown in FIG. 10, the window 42 showing the operating status of the device to which the programmable controller is connected in the middle of the work displays the window 43 showing the graph showing the temperature transition and the ten-key pad for inputting numerical values. Since it is hidden behind the window 44, the operability is poor. However, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, after touching the window 43 of the graph showing the temperature transition, the key group 37 for moving up, down, left and right is operated to display this window 43 on the auxiliary display device 33. Window 4 with a numeric keypad for moving and entering numbers as well
After touching 4, the window group 44 can be moved to the auxiliary display device 33 by operating the key group 37 for moving it up, down, left and right. With the configuration shown in the present embodiment, it is possible to grasp the status of the device connected to the programmable controller and operate it with good operability and quickly.

[0017]

As described above, in the information display device of the present invention, one or more liquid crystal display devices, EL display devices, or plasma display devices are connected as an auxiliary screen of the main display device, and a virtual screen larger than the main display screen is displayed. Screen can be divided and displayed on these display devices, and the size and position of the auxiliary screen can be freely changed to connect the data interface for the display device and the device driver consisting of software. The display device provided has a function of flexibly increasing the area and shape of the screen that can be seen at one time as needed.

Therefore, since the amount of information displayed is substantially increased by connecting the auxiliary screen, it is possible to reduce troublesome operations such as scrolling and screen reduction, and in addition, a plurality of window screens overlap each other. Since the window screen on the back side is not hidden, it is possible to work while displaying multiple windows at the same time, which has the effect of dramatically improving work efficiency when using software having a graphical user interface.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an information display device of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a connection state of each component of the above.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing another example of the above.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of an image information processing procedure in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another example of the above.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a display by the display device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing another example of the above.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a part of a display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a connection state of the above-mentioned components.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of an example of a display according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of another example of the above.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Computer Main Body 2 Keyboard 3 Mouse 4 Main Display Device 5a, 5b Auxiliary Display Device 9 Motherboard 10 Hard Disk Drive 11 Floppy Disk Drive 12 Hard Disk Controller 13 Floppy Disk Controller 14 First Display Interface 15 Second Display Interface part 16 power supply 17 bus 20 interface part 21 font drive 22 graphic drive 23 application program 24 CRT controller 25 graphic VRAM 26 LCD controller 27 graphic VRAM 29 screen 30 main body 31 main display device 32, 33 auxiliary display device 34 , 35, 36 Transparent electrode touch switch 37 Key group 38 Sequencer section 39 Display controller Rollers 40 touch panel controller 41 image data 42, 43 and 44 window

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An information display device in an electronic computer or a device using an electronic computer, which is supplemented with one or more auxiliary display devices such as a liquid crystal display device, an EL display device or a plasma display device in addition to the main display device. An information display device, which is used as a screen, and a virtual screen having a size larger than that of the main display device is divided and displayed by each display device.