JPH0926832A - Information processing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable information processor such as a notebook type personal computer, etc., that can be used more easily and also can continuously operate a pager function, etc., for 24 hours. SOLUTION: A small sub-LCD 20 of low resolution is prepared in addition to a large main LCD 10 of high resolution, and the sub-LCD 20 can always be viewed even when the main LCD 10 is closed. A touch panel 22 is provided at an upper part of the sub-LCD 20, and both sub-LCD 20 and panel 22 can be used as the pointing devices and also used for the pen input operations. Furthermore, the sub-LCD 20 and a sub-CPU which controls the sub-LCD 20 can receive and display the pager messages even when the main LCD 10 and a main CPU which controls the LCD 10 atop their operations.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing device such as a personal computer (personal computer), and more particularly, to a portable personal computer having a reduced size, which is easier to use and has more functions. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Notebook-type personal computers have appeared on the market, and information processing apparatuses have become smaller and lighter. In addition, many user-friendly operating systems (OS) and applications that use pointers have been developed, and the functions of personal computers are becoming more sophisticated. Therefore, in order to cope with the miniaturization and high functionality, many devices have been devised for input devices and power supply devices of personal computers. For example, a pointing device such as a trackball or slider is commercially available along with a keyboard so that a user-friendly OS or application using a pointer can be used on a notebook computer, and a mouse is externally attached. The above software can be used without it.

Further, a portable personal computer is also equipped with a high-speed CPU for increasing the processing speed, and with an LCD having a high resolution and a large display range, resulting in an increase in power consumption. ing. Therefore, there is a personal computer that suspends the system by performing a resume process or the like when there is no access for a certain period of time. There is also a personal computer that supplies a low-frequency clock to a CPU that can operate with clocks of a plurality of frequencies if there is no access for a certain period of time.

[0004]

As described above, the miniaturization is performed,
Further, the inventor of the present application has an object to provide a more user-friendly and easy-to-use personal computer with respect to a highly functional portable personal computer. At that time, even in the case of portable personal computers, the time for continuous use has been extended in response to the recent information-oriented society. At the same time to provide it. Furthermore, it is also one of the objectives to provide a personal computer that can further include functions that are expected to spread in the future, such as an individual selection calling function (pager function). Of course, as long as it is portable, it is one of the objectives to provide a personal computer that can satisfy the demands for size reduction, weight reduction, and price reduction.

[0005]

To solve these problems, the inventor of the present application has proposed a new personal computer form in which a sub-display equivalent to or smaller than the main display provided in the conventional personal computer is provided. That is, an information processing device such as a personal computer according to the present invention has a main processor and a main display and a sub display connected to the main processor via a bus, and the sub display is equal to or smaller than the main display. , And has a first mode in which the main display and the sub-display are operating, and a second mode in which only the sub-display is operating.

By providing a main display and a sub display, many advantages can be found. For example, in terms of displaying and entering data,
If a display area such as a pop-up menu of an application running on the main display is assigned to the sub-display side, processing such as menu selection can be performed without missing a part of the image on the main display side. Further, depending on the OS, it is possible to assign commands such as error display to the sub-display side.

By providing a sub-display in addition to the main display and further providing a touch panel on the sub-display, the display function of the main display is reduced, such as selecting a process displayed on a menu from the sub-display. It is possible to perform various processes without the need. The touch panel may be transparent or translucent to be installed on the sub display, or may be installed below the sub display such as an electromagnetic induction type. Further, an area for inputting at least one movement of the cursor and pointer displayed on the main panel, for example, a relative movement amount or direction, can be set in at least a part of the touch panel, and it can be used as a pointing device. Will also be possible. An area for pen-inputting an application displayed on the main display may be set in at least a part of the touch panel. By providing such an input area on the sub display, it is not necessary to provide the main display side with two functions of display and input. For example, with regard to pen input, it is easy to see the screen, and a touch panel is not required on the main display side, so factors such as a reduction in contrast and an increase in cost due to the touch panel can be eliminated. Further, since the sub display may be smaller than the main display, a touch panel with higher resolution can be provided. Therefore, it is possible to provide a function as a highly accurate pointing device and a function as a pen input, and it is easy to switch the input method depending on the operation scene, application, and the like.

On the other hand, as the functions of the information processing apparatus, there are many functions that do not require a large, high-resolution main display. For example, display of time and schedule, display of pager call, reception of mail, function as a calculator, and the like. It is desirable that these functions and displays be operated continuously for 24 hours. However, due to limitations such as power consumption and the life of the display, continuous display was impossible. On the other hand, in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, these functions are displayed on the sub display.
It can be displayed for 4 hours, and the sub-display can be operated with low power consumption. Therefore, 24 hours of continuous service can be performed without imposing a heavy load on the power source.

As described above, it is possible to control the sub-display and execute software to be processed by the sub-display by a sub-processor having a low processing capacity different from the main processor. Therefore, it is possible to provide the second mode in which only the sub-processor operates with respect to the first mode in which the main processor and the sub-processor operate. Further, in the first mode, a part of the processing of the main processor can be loaded on the sub-processor, so that an improvement in processing speed can be expected. On the other hand, in the second mode, although the information processing device continues to operate, only the sub processor operates, so that power consumption can be significantly reduced. It is also possible to perform the transition from the second mode to the first mode by operating the sub panel. The second mode in which the sub display operates from the first mode in which the main display and sub display operate depending on the operation on the sub panel and the presence / absence of access.
It is possible to perform the control of shifting to the mode of 1 and shifting from the second mode to the first mode.

Instead of providing a sub-processor, a main processor that can change the frequency of the operation clock in at least two steps is adopted. In the first mode, the main processor is operated by the high-frequency operation clock, and in the second mode, the main processor is operated. Allows the processor to run on a low frequency operating clock.

The above-described effects of providing the sub-display can be obtained not only in a portable information processing device such as a notebook type personal computer but also in a desktop type information processing device.

In a portable information processing device such as a notebook type, a main processor, a main display and a sub-display are housed in the main body. At that time, the main display is housed in the main body so as to be exposed as necessary. However, it is desirable to store the sub display in the main body so that it is always exposed. By providing the sub-display, the above-mentioned functions can be continuously displayed for 24 hours, so it is effective to keep the sub-display always visible. The sub-display can be provided as an option.In such a device, a slot for mounting a module equipped with the sub-display and a display window where the sub-display is always visible from the outside when the module is mounted. It is desirable to provide.

[0013]

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to a portable notebook personal computer which is an embodiment of the present invention.

<Outline of Apparatus> FIG. 1 shows a state in which the main body 2 of the notebook computer 1 of this embodiment is opened and the main LCD is exposed. In addition, as shown in FIG.
It shows how you have burned a CD. PC 1 of this example
Has a high-resolution LCD panel 10 which is a main display, and a portion 3 on which a high-resolution LCD panel 10 is mounted so as to be pivotable with respect to a portion 4 on which a keyboard 5 and the like are mounted. It has a small shape that is convenient to carry when the is closed. LC at the same time
The D panel 10 and the keyboard are covered with each other and protected against erroneous operation and damage. When operating the personal computer 1 using the LCD panel 10, as shown in FIG.
The CD panel 10 is opened to expose the LCD panel 10 and the keyboard 5 to create an easy-to-operate environment.

The personal computer 1 of this embodiment is further provided with a small sub-display 20 in front of the keyboard 5. The sub-display 20 is, for example, an LCD panel having an area about 1/10 of that of the main display 10, and may be a low-resolution monochrome display in this example. The sub-display 20 is attached to the center of the tip of the portion where the keyboard 5 is mounted, and is exposed even when the main LCD panel 10 is closed as shown in FIG. Therefore, the sub-display 20 always appears on the table even when being carried, and the display content of the sub-display 20 can be seen without opening and closing the main body 2 of the personal computer 1. Further, a substantially transparent touch panel (digitizer) 22 is mounted on the surface of the sub display 20, so that a pointer or a cursor can be operated and a pen input can be made from the sub display 20 as described later. ing. The touch panel is not limited to a transparent or semi-transparent one as in this example, and can be provided below the sub-display as long as it is a non-contact type such as an electromagnetic induction type.

On the side surface of the personal computer 1 of this example, in addition to a connector (not shown) such as a power source and a printer, a PCMCI
A slit 6 for mounting a PCMCIA card, in which the A socket is located, is provided. Therefore, it is possible to diversify the functions of the personal computer 1 by inserting various cards corresponding to the PCMCIA of this slit.
For example, it is possible to insert a card 51 having an individual selection calling function (pager function), receive a wireless call, and receive a message. Also,
It is also possible to mount the card 54 on which the sub display 55 is mounted. It is considered that a card with such a sub-display is mounted on the main body 4 of the personal computer of this example, and the vicinity 7 of the slit 6 is the sub-display so that the sub-display mounted on the card can be seen. It can be removed according to the size. In the personal computer of this example, when the card 54 equipped with the sub-display is mounted, two sub-displays can be used together with the sub-display 20 pre-mounted in the main body 2.

<System Configuration> FIG. 3 shows a schematic system configuration of the personal computer of this example. PC 1 of this example
Is a high-performance main CPU 11 such as 32-bit or 64-bit that operates at a high speed of 100 MHz, RO
It is provided with a memory 12 such as M and RAM, and a bus and a bus controller 14 for connecting various modules and the CPU 11. The main CPU 11, memory 12, and bus controller 14 are local buses 13
And the bus controller 14 is connected to the IS
Data input / output to / from various modules is controlled via the A bus 15. In addition, the bus controller 14 of this example
Controls interrupt resources in addition to controlling the bus. Therefore, signals such as SMI (system management interrupt) for power management, RI (ring indicator), and IRQ (interrupt request) for controlling the system state are transmitted and received to and from the sub CPU, which will be described later, to operate the main CPU 11. It controls the state and correspondingly controls the state of the video controller for the main display.

Various modules are connected to the ISA bus 15. For example, in FIG. 3, a peripheral controller 16 for controlling main input / output, a sub CPU 29 for controlling sub display relations, and a PCMCIA socket 5 are shown.
A PCMCIA controller 59 for controlling the exchange with a card having each function connected via 0 is connected. The peripheral controller 16 includes a serial port controller, a parallel port controller,
It functions as an FDD (floppy disk) controller, a controller for a DMA interface, and the like, and further has a function as an RTC (real-time clock).

The video controller 17 controls the main LCD 10 together with the video RAM 18 connected thereto, and is compatible with VGA, SVGA, monochrome or color LCDs. In recent years, the main LCD 10 has been
Many high-resolution color LCDs that are compatible with 256-color display applications have been adopted.
In order to cope with this, the video controller 17 and the VRAM 18 also have high functionality and large capacity.

It is installed in the PCMCIA socket 50, and P
As a card connected to the ISA bus 15 via the CMCIA controller 59, there is a pager card 51, for example. There are several types of pager cards 51 depending on the communication method and the like, but a call is made to a specific user by radio of a specific frequency band, and messages and the like can be transmitted at the same time. Other than that, there is also one having a function such that the time can be calibrated using the pager card 51. Other wireless RF cards 52 such as PHS cards and GPS cards can also be mounted in the PCMCIA socket 50, and the functions of each card can be added to the personal computer. Further, a card 54 having a small sub LCD panel 55 built therein can be mounted in the socket 50. FIG.
Has a pager function 56, and a processor 57 for controlling the pager function and the built-in sub LCD 55.
A PCMCIA card 54 with a built-in is described as an example. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this example, and PCM for various other utilities such as games and calculations.
It is possible to mount a CIA card.

The ISA bus 15 further includes a sub LCD.
A sub CPU 29 for controlling the sub LCD 20 is connected to the sub CPU 29 in cooperation with the main CPU 11 or by the sub CPU 29 alone.
You can control the application that operates by using. An LCD controller 28 for directly controlling the sub LCD 20 is connected to the sub CPU 29, and the LCD controller 28 has an appropriate capacity VRA.
Equipped with M. Further, the sub CPU 29 has a sub L
An A / D (analog / digital) conversion module 27 capable of converting data from the digitizer 22 installed on the CD 20 is also connected. Further, the personal computer of this example is also provided with a serial interface 26 directly connected to the sub CPU 29, and the pager module 25 and other RF modules 24 are connected to this serial interface.
Can be attached. Therefore, the PCM described above
Instead of using the CIA socket 50, the serial interface 26 can be used to have a pager function, and cards or modules having different functions can be connected to each other to achieve multiple functions.

The sub CPU 29 of the personal computer of this example also controls the interrupt control with the system and the accompanying power management of the entire system. As described above, the sub CPU 29 transmits / receives signals related to SMI, RI, and IRQ to / from the bus controller 14, and thereby controls the entire system including the state of the main CPU 11. At the same time, the sub CPU 29 is also connected to the power controller 23, and the system power 23a and the sub CP 23 are adjusted in accordance with each mode such as a full-on mode, a doze mode, and a suspend mode described later.
The U-related system power 23b is controlled respectively.

<Functional Block> FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of the personal computer 1 of this embodiment. In the main system 41 operated by the main CPU 11, application software such as spreadsheet operates on the uppermost layer 42, and the operating system (OS) operates on the lower layer 43.
Various device drivers run on the lower layer 44 of the OS. The device drivers include, for example, a character recognition engine 45, a kana-kanji conversion device (FEP) 46, a device driver 47 for pointing, a device driver 48 for a sub LCD, and further a main LCD.
There are various device drivers, such as printer, FDD, HDD, and printer. The character recognition engine 45 uses the FE
It is a functional module that executes character recognition by ink data from the digitizer 22 on the sub LCD that is input in association with the data from P46. The FEP 46 performs ink data acquisition, user interface management of a character recognition function, etc. in addition to kana-kanji conversion. Further, the pointing device driver 47 includes the sub CPU 29.
It is a functional module for transmitting and receiving data regarding the relationship with the subsystem 61 that moves with, especially regarding the digitizer (touch panel) 22. Further, the sub-LCD device driver 48 is a functional module for transmitting and receiving display-related data of the sub-LCD 20 connected to the subsystem 61.

As described above, in the personal computer of this example, the main system 41 is provided with device drivers for exchanging data with the subsystem 61, and the OS or application software operates these device drivers to operate the main system. The subsystem 61 and the sub LCD 20 can be controlled from 41. Conversely, the subsystem 61 side also controls the main system 41 side via the device driver,
Data can be sent.

The subsystem 61 has a main system interface 63 which is a functional module for communicating various data with the main system 41 on the uppermost layer 62. Further, in this uppermost layer 62, software for communication that operates in the environment of the subsystem 61 runs. further,
In the lower layer 64, the sub LCD display control module 65, the touch panel input control module 66, the state holding module 67 and the external interface module 6
8 etc. moves. The sub LCD display control module 65
The display data is expanded into a bit map and actually connected to the sub LCD 20 by hardware to directly control the display of the LCD. The touch panel input control module 66
The resistance-divided voltage data of the touch panel 22 is A / D
Captured via the conversion module 27, touch panel 2
The data input from 2 is converted into coordinate data. The state-keeping module is the main and subsystem state,
For example, the status of each function that must be maintained in order to control the state such as issuing an SMI and entering the power management mode is retained and rewritten as necessary. The status holding module also has a function of monitoring the status of the battery at the same time. The external interface module 68 receives RI (ring indicator),
It manages data communication between the external device and the sub CPU, such as measurement of battery data.

<System Operating State> The personal computer of this example manages the operating states of the main CPU 11, the main LCD 10, and other modules in several modes. The transition states between the modes are shown in FIG. The cold start 71 is a case where the entire system is restarted. The personal computer 1 of this example has a sub LCD 2
Since 0 and the sub CPU 29 can be used to operate for 24 hours, the case of restarting, the case of resetting the sub CPU 29, or the case of booting the system after the system fatal error command is issued is equivalent.

In the full-on mode 72, the main CPU 11
Is in a fully operating state, and is a mode in which all systems including the main LCD 10 are turned on. In this mode, the main CPU 11 and the sub CPU 29,
The main LCD 10 and the sub LCD 20 are in motion, which is a mode in which the functions of the personal computer of this example can be fully exerted. Many functions can be executed at high speed by the main CPU 11 and the sub CPU 29.

The dose mode 73 is a mode in which the speed of the operation clock of the main CPU 11 is reduced to a fraction of one by using a clock divider function or the like. In this mode, the display state of the main LCD 10 is also set to the slow refresh state in which the refresh rate is lowered at the same time. In this dose mode 73, the power consumption is reduced while the main CPU 11 is kept in the operating state, and the full-on mode 72 is used.
It is a mode that can be quickly transferred to.

The suspend mode 74 is the dose mode 7
This is a mode in which the power consumption is further reduced compared to 3. In this mode, power is supplied to the main CPU 11, but the operation clock is stopped, and the main C
The PU 11 consumes almost no power. Further, all the peripheral devices controlled by the peripheral controller 16 are held in the off state. Further, the power of the main LCD 10 is also turned off. Therefore, there is almost no power consumed by the peripheral device, and the power consumption can be significantly reduced. In this mode, the OS
Since such programs are held in a loaded state, it is possible to save the trouble such as rebooting and the power consumption of the device necessary for the transition to the full-on mode 72. However, compared to the doze mode 73, it takes some time to check the environment of the peripheral,
It also takes time for the display on the main LCD 10 to return.

The hibernate mode 75 is a mode in which the power consumption is further suppressed, and the power supply to the system is stopped except for the RTC function of the sub CPU 29 and the peripheral controller. Therefore, in this mode, only the process that can be handled by the sub CPU 29 and its system, that is, the sub LCD 20, the touch panel 22 and the like can be performed, and the full-on mode 72 is transitioned after the OS is rebooted.

Examples of triggers for transitioning to each mode are as follows. A transition to the cold start 71 is made by system reset or detection of a system fatal error (S1). Then, when the hardware initialization and system diagnosis are completed in the cold start, a transition is made to the full-on mode 72 (S2). In the full-on mode 72, if there is no access for a predetermined time, transition to the doze mode 73 (S3), and if a resume event occurs in the doze mode 73, transition to the full-on mode 72 (S4). For the resume event, the touch panel 22 on the sub LCD 20 is touched to input or restart the program,
It is possible to receive data (ring, RI) from the pager function connected to the personal computer. Not only the pager function but also a function to accept data transmitted from other external sources, such as input from various RF modules, external input from a modem connected to the serial port, detection of incoming mail, etc. Can be included in.

When the doze mode 73 is not accessed for a predetermined time, the transition to the suspend mode 74 is made (S5). If the personal computer is set up to transition to the suspend mode when the power is turned off, the power switch is turned off to transition from the full on mode 72 to the suspend mode 74 (S8). From the suspend mode 74, a transition to the full-on mode 72 may be made by a resume event similar to the above, or a transition (S6) may be made by turning on the power switch.

If the hibernation mode 75 has not been accessed for a predetermined time in the suspend mode 74, a transition is made (S7). If the system is set to transition to the hibernation mode 75 by turning on / off the power switch, turning off the power switch in the full-on mode 72 causes the hibernation mode 75.
When the power switch is turned on in the hibernation mode 75, the state transitions to the full-on mode 72 (S9). The power switch may be mechanical, and since the sub LCD of this example is always displayed, the sub LCD 20 and the touch panel 22 are
It is also possible to realize the power switch with a soft switch using the sub CPU 29.

As described above, the personal computer of this embodiment is provided with the four modes 72 to 75, and the transition between these modes is made to achieve both the reduction of power consumption and the expansion of functions. Further, the sub CPU 29 and the sub LCD related thereto
By providing the 20 and the touch panel 22, a predetermined function can be operated for 24 hours in an environment with very low power consumption. In a portable personal computer such as a notebook type computer as in this example, when the main LCD is not used, the main computer is closed and transitions to the suspend mode 74 or the hibernation mode 75. Therefore, in the personal computer of this example, even if the main LCD is closed, the sub L
Keep the CD20 always visible,
It is possible to continuously operate a predetermined function through 0 for 24 hours.

It is of course possible to manage the clock of the main CPU 11 in each mode and control the supply of power to each system by the main CPU 11 itself or each system. In the personal computer of this example, the main CPU is operated by a signal from the sub CPU 29 which is in operation for 24 hours.
11 and the state of each system are managed, and the sub CPU 29
The power controller 23 connected to manages the supply of power to each system. For example, when transitioning from the doze mode 73 to the suspend mode 74,
A signal for issuing an SMI is sent from the sub CPU 29 to the bus controller 14, and the main CPU 11 is stopped. On the other hand, if the pager is set to transition to the full-on mode 72 by detecting an incoming call, the sub C
The PU 29 sends a ring instruction (RI) to the bus controller 14 to issue a resume instruction to the main CPU 11 to resume the full-on mode.

The transition between modes is not limited to the above. For example, it is possible to change the mode depending on the status of hardware such as battery abnormality. When the battery voltage drop is detected by the A / D conversion function of the sub CPU in the full-on mode 72, the sub CPU 29 issues an SMI to the main CPU 11 via the bus controller 14, and the SMI of the system connected to the main CPU 11 is issued.
Processing is performed to shift to the suspend mode 74 or hibernation mode 75. In SMI processing, SMI
(System management interrupt) allows you to switch to the system management mode, save the CPU status and memory, and stop the power supply to the CPU and the system connected to it. The connected system can be restored. By providing such processing, troubles such as data loss can be avoided even if there is an abnormality in the battery.

<Usage Examples with Sub LCD as Input Side> Some usage examples of the sub LCD 20 which is the sub display provided in the personal computer of this example and the touch panel 22 placed on the sub LCD 20 will be described below. First, FIG. 6 shows an example in which the touch panel 22 is used as a pointing device for moving a cursor or a pointer displayed on the main LCD 10. In this example,
When the finger is moved in the direction in which the pointer is desired to be moved while pressing the touch panel 22 with the finger, the signal from the touch panel 22 is A / D converted, and data for moving the pointer, for example, relative movement amount and direction is input. Therefore, the user can control the movement of the pointer or the cursor through the touch panel in the same sense as operating a pointing device such as a trackball. Sub LC
All the surfaces of D20 may be provided as an area for moving the pointer or the like, or a limited area of the sub LCD 20 may be used for moving the pointer and the remaining area may have the same function as a mouse click button. It may be used for. The display of the area according to these purposes can be freely set using the sub LCD 20. Further, by operating the pointer or the like using the touch panel 22, it is possible to freely operate a user-friendly OS or application using the pointer without attaching a mouse or the like.

FIG. 7 shows how a pen is input to an application via the touch panel 22 provided on the sub LCD 20. Case of inputting characters (Fig. 7 (a))
There is a case (Fig. 7 (b)) for inputting an image
Any of these can be set by the display of the sub LCD 20, and the user can perform pen input using the instructed area and input data to the OS or application running on the main LCD 10.

6 and 7 are examples in which data can be input from the sub LCD 20.
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a portable word processor or the like is known in which a touch panel is attached to the main LCD 10 for pen input. On the other hand, in the personal computer of this example, pen input can be performed without providing a touch panel on the main LCD 10 side. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the deterioration of the contrast of the main LCD due to the provision of the touch panel, the difficulty of viewing due to the simultaneous display and input, and the inconvenience in operation. Further, since it is not necessary to provide an input area on the main LCD side, it is possible to maximize the displayable area. Furthermore, the size of the touch panel can be changed to the sub LCD.
Since it can be limited to the size of, the cost can be reduced and the weight can be reduced. Further, since the touch panel can be small, a high density touch panel can be adopted, which is convenient for pen input.

The example in which the sub LCD 20 is used as the input side is not limited to the above pointer operation and pen input. In addition to this, an input method such as displaying an input menu on the sub LCD 20 and selecting input data using the touch panel 22 can be considered. By using the sub LCD 20, an area for inputting can be provided in addition to the display on the main LCD 10. Therefore, various usages can be considered, and a personal computer with much easier input and easier operation can be realized. One of them is to display operation guidance on the side of the sub LCD, so that careful guidance and error display can be output regardless of the display on the main LCD. Thus, the personal computer according to the present invention can realize a more user-friendly personal computer that can be easily used by anyone regardless of age or sex.

Input from the sub-LCD using the touch panel is performed in the full-on mode 72, and when the input is not performed continuously, the mode is transited to the dose mode 73 to reduce power consumption. Then, when the touch panel is pressed again, the doze mode 73 can be changed to the full-on mode 72. The mode transition using the touch panel is performed as follows, for example. First, full-on mode 72
Input and operation using the pointer are performed with. afterwards,
If the user does not touch the touch panel for a predetermined time, the mode automatically shifts to the doze mode 73 and the power saving state is set. Next, when the user touches any of the touch panels 22, the sub CPU 29 operates as a resume event to restore the clock speed of the main CPU 11 and restore the refresh rate of the main LCD 10 to high speed. In the dose mode 73, the battery display 79 is only displayed on the sub LCD 20. Of course, it is also possible to display the mode at that time on the sub LCD 20 or display for limiting the area to be touched when the mode is changed.

The battery indicator 79 changes depending on the battery voltage drop. For example, when the voltage exceeds a certain value, the sub L
The battery display appears on the CD, and if there is something wrong with the battery, such as a drop in voltage, the battery display disappears. When an abnormality occurs in the battery, the SMI process is performed as described above, and the data and memory are saved.

<Usage Example with Sub LCD as Output Side> FIG. 8
An example in which a function for displaying a message received from a pager module or the like is assigned to the sub LCD 20 is shown in FIG. For example, in the suspend mode 74, the main CPU 11 is in the stopped state, and the main LCD
No power is supplied to 10. In the suspend mode 74, when the pager module 25 or the pager card 51 mounted on the personal computer senses the arrival of data, the sub CPU 29 is used to download the message. Then, send that message to sub L
Display on CD20. Therefore, the incoming data of the pager can be detected and the message can be displayed without restarting the main CPU 11 or the main LCD 10. Similarly, in the hibernation mode 75, the message received by the pager can be displayed on the sub LCD 20. The function of displaying a signal from the outside via another RF can be set in the sub LCD 20 as well, and the processing for communication via the telephone line can also be performed using the sub LCD 20.

As described above, in the personal computer of this example, the sub L
By providing the CD 20, it is possible to add a function that is desired to operate continuously for 24 hours, and it is possible to significantly reduce the power consumed during the operation of the function. Therefore, by adding a pager function to the personal computer of this example, the information received there can be always displayed on time, and the information can be transmitted to the user without delay.

In the dose mode 73 and the full-on mode 72 as well, messages from the pager etc. are sub-LC.
There is an advantage in displaying on the D20 side. In the doze mode 73, it is not necessary to return the main CPU 11 just for displaying a message. On the other hand, even in the full-on mode 72, the message from the pager can be immediately displayed on the sub LCD 20 without breaking the display of the application being operated displayed on the main LCD 10.

On the contrary to the above, it is of course possible to switch to the full-on mode by detecting an incoming call of the pager module. In such a setting, when a message is downloaded by the pager module, the sub CPU 29 displays the content on the sub LCD 20 and sends RI to the bus controller 14 to transit to the full-on mode. Therefore, in such a setting, when an incoming call is sensed, the main CPU 11 resumes operation at full speed with a high-frequency clock signal, and the main LCD 10 also resumes display.

As described above, the sub-LCD 20 provided in the personal computer of this example is mainly used for input display, pager display, etc., and is different from the main LCD 10.
A low resolution such as 4 × 32 or 128 × 64 may be used. Of course it could be a color display,
Even in monochrome, the above-described merit due to the sub LCD 20 being additionally provided can be obtained. Therefore, the cost increase due to the provision of the sub LCD 20 is small.
On the contrary, since the touch panel 22 is provided so as to overlap the sub LCD 20 instead of the main LCD 10, the cost can be reduced and the main body can be made thin. Further, since the area to be covered is small, a touch panel with high resolution can be installed as described above.

The size of the sub LCD 20 is not limited to this example, and may be the same as or smaller than that of the main LCD. The sub LCD 20 may have a low resolution. In the sub CPU 29 that controls the sub LCD 20 as described above, processing that requires speed and input / output of a large amount of data are not performed.
The number 29 may be about 4 bits or 8 bits. Further, a low operation clock of several MHz or lower is sufficient.
Therefore, the power consumed by the sub CPU 29 is very small. Further, since the sub-CPU 29 is operated at a low frequency with the operating clock, the RF function of the pager unit or the like is less affected by noise from the sub CPU 29, and incoming call detection and message download can be performed accurately and reliably.

In the above example, the pager's incoming call detection and download are described as an example of the processing performed by the sub CPU 29, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is possible to continuously provide services such as schedule management and a calculator function separately from the main CPU by using the sub CPU 29, the sub LCD 20, and the like.

When the sub LCD 20 operates independently in the suspend mode or hibernation mode, the clock frequency of the main CPU 11 may be lowered instead of the sub CPU 29 to control the sub LCD 20. As shown in FIG. 9, the sub-LCD 20 and the touch panel (digitizer) 22 are I and I via the LCD controller 28 and the input interface 27, respectively.
It may be connected to the SA bus 15 and controlled by the main CPU 11. In such a system, suspend mode 74 and hibernation mode 7
5, the main CPU 11 is not completely stopped, is further divided by using the bus controller 14 and the clock switching mechanism 80 controlled by the main CPU 11, and the clock signal having a frequency lower than that of the dose mode 73 is supplied to the main CPU 11. .

In the above, the sub LC is attached to the main body of the personal computer.
An example in which D is prepared in advance is explained, but as explained based on FIG. 1, a PCMC equipped with a sub-LCD is explained.
It is also possible to add the IA card 54 by attaching it. Further, the number of sub-LCDs is not limited to one, and a plurality of sub-LCs for pointing device, pen input, message display from pager, etc.
Of course, it is good to have D.

Further, although a notebook type portable personal computer has been described as an example in the present example, even a desktop type personal computer or an information processing device such as an office computer is provided with a sub LCD to display and input. In terms of operation and power consumption, the same advantages as above can be obtained. Further, in this example, since a notebook type personal computer is taken as an example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is used as a main display and a sub display, but it goes without saying that these displays may be CRTs or plasma displays. Is. Further, since the notebook type personal computer has been described as an example, the shape of the main body is also described as a type in which the main LCD is opened and closed. However, the shape of the personal computer is not limited to this example, as long as the sub LCD is always visible even when the main LCD is not used.

[0053]

As described above, the information processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with the main display provided in the conventional information processing apparatus and the sub-display equivalent or smaller than the main display. It has been proposed that the information processing apparatus be used to perform processing in at least two modes: a mode in which the main display and the sub display operate and a mode in which only the sub display operates. Various effects as described above can be obtained by the information processing apparatus of this new form. For example, in terms of data input / output, a touch panel can be overlaid on the sub-display and used as a pointing device, or can be used for pen input. The present invention is not limited to this, and the information processing apparatus of the present invention can use the sub-display in addition to the main display for input, so under the environment different from the conventional one, various application softwares that are more user-friendly can be developed and run. be able to.

Further, the sub-display may be used as an output side to display time, schedule display, pager call display and the like. Such applications do not require the same features as the main display,
On the other hand, it is desirable that the application be continuously operated for 24 hours, and in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, these applications can be continuously operated by using the sub display. Since the main display and the main CPU that moves the application can be stopped while these applications are continuously operated, the load on the power supply is small and the life of the power supply can be greatly extended. Further, in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, since a predetermined application can be continuously moved by the sub display, it is possible to adopt a new shape in which the sub display is always exposed to the outside even when the main display is housed. Is effective.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a notebook computer according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a main LCD is opened.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the notebook computer shown in FIG. 1, showing a state in which a main LCD is closed.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the notebook computer shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of the notebook computer shown in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing a mode transition state of the notebook computer shown in FIG.

6 is a diagram showing an example in which the sub LCD of the notebook computer shown in FIG. 1 is used as a pointing device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the sub LCD of the notebook computer shown in FIG. 1 is used for pen input.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which the sub LCD of the notebook computer shown in FIG. 1 is used to display a pager message.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a different configuration example of the notebook computer of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ・ ・ PC 2 ・ ・ PC main body 3 ・ ・ Main LCD mounted part 4 ・ ・ Keyboard and sub LCD mounted part 5 ・ ・ Keyboard 6 ・ ・ PCMCIA card slot 7 ・ ・ Provided as PCMCIA card Sub LCD
Windows 10 · Main LCD 11 · Main CPU 12 · Memory 13 · Local bus 14 · Bus controller 15 · ISA bus 16 · Peripheral controller 17 · Video controller 18 · Video RAM 20 ··· Sub LCD 22 ··· Touch panel (digitizer) 23 · · Power controller 24 · · RF module 25 · · Pager module 26 · · Serial interface 50 · · PCMCIA socket 51 · · PCMCIA pager card 52 · · PCMCIARF card 54 · · Sub LCD PCMCIA card with built-in 80 ··· Clock switching mechanism

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A main processor and a main display and a sub-display connected to the main processor via a bus, wherein the sub-display is equal to or smaller than the main display, and further, the main display and the sub-display. An information processing apparatus having a first mode in which a display is operating and a second mode in which only the sub-display is operating. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sub processor that controls the sub display. 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the main processor and the sub processor operate in the first mode, and only the sub processor operates in the second mode. 4. The frequency of the operation clock of the main processor according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of the operation clock of the main processor can be changed in at least two stages, and in the first mode, the main processor operates at the operation clock of a high frequency, An information processing apparatus, wherein the main processor operates at the low-frequency operation clock in the second mode. 5. A main processor, and a main display and a sub-display connected to the main processor via a bus, the sub-display being equal to or smaller than the main display, and further being superimposed on the sub-display. An information processing device characterized in that a touch panel is provided. 6. The information processing according to claim 5, wherein an area for inputting a movement of at least one of a cursor and a pointer displayed on the main panel can be set in at least a part of the touch panel. apparatus. 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an area in which an application displayed on the main display can perform pen input can be set in at least a part of the touch panel. 8. The information processing according to claim 5, having a first mode in which the main display and the sub display are operating and a second mode in which only the sub display is operating. apparatus. 9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein an area for instructing a transition from the second mode to the first mode can be set in at least a part of the touch panel. 10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the means for receiving the transmitted data is connected to the bus, and the sub-display can set an area for displaying the transmitted data at least in the second mode. An information processing device characterized in that 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means capable of receiving an individual selection calling signal, wherein the sub-display can set an area for displaying the content received by the individual selection calling signal. Information processing equipment. 12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, which is a portable type in which at least the main processor, a main display, and a sub-display are housed in the main body, and the main display is exposed so as to be exposed as necessary. An information processing apparatus, which is housed in a main body, and is housed in the main body so that the sub-display is always exposed. 13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, being a portable type in which at least the main processor and the main display are housed in the main body, and the main display is housed in the main body so as to be exposed as necessary. Further, the main body, a slot for mounting a module equipped with the sub-display,
An information processing apparatus, characterized in that, when this module is mounted, the sub-display has a window that is always visible from the outside. 14. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, comprising: a main processor; a main display connected to the main processor via a bus; and a sub-display equivalent to or smaller than the main display, the main display comprising: An information processing apparatus control method comprising: a step of operating a sub-display; and a step of operating only the sub-display before and after this step.