JPH11272455A - Portable information unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the portable information unit of low power consumption by preferentially starting a specified application program from a file at the time of starting. SOLUTION: At the time of starting, a filer program is preferentially started at first, and the filer program is displayed on LCD 16 with file structure as directory structure. A directory where PIM, a system and a game are stored in LCD 16 is displayed in a system showing directory structure. When 'PIM' in an item displayed by a void is selected by an operation key 13, for example, an address book, a schedule and a memo pad in a file stored in PIM are displayed in a system showing directory structure. When a cross cursor pointer 14 is moved, the 'address book' is selected and the application is started by an operation key 13, the name of an individual is displayed and the content is displayed on LCD 16 by depressing a prescribed key.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a portable information device incorporating PIM (Personal Information Manager) software such as an electronic address book and a schedule.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, many portable information devices of this kind have been introduced in a pocket size. However, it has not been possible to reduce the size of the portable information device to a size which can be carried on an arm and used as a watch. .

[0003]

In the above-mentioned wristwatch-sized portable information device, a large battery having a high capacity cannot be used, and a small battery has a short life and is not suitable for practical use. In the case where data stored in a portable information device is taken out or stored, it takes time with the conventional portable information device, and the battery is often consumed here as well. The challenge was how to extend battery life.

Some portable information devices have a function of displaying time. However, this type of portable information equipment has an LCD as a display device.
Is small, data and time cannot be displayed on the same screen. For this reason, the mode for displaying data and the mode for displaying time are switched, but this switching requires a plurality of steps, and the battery is often consumed even in such a situation.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to preferentially execute a specific application program (particularly a filer program) when starting up a portable information device. An object of the present invention is to provide a portable information device with low power consumption, which can be activated and can display time at any time during use.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a portable information device according to the present invention comprises a central processing unit (CP).
U), fixed memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), input device, and liquid crystal display (LC
D), and the RAM stores a file having a directory structure including the start information of the application program. When the portable information device is started, the start-up information for the specific application program in the file is used for the application program. Is configured to be activated with priority.

[0007] In the portable information device having this configuration,
The specific application program may be a filer program. In this case, the filer program displays a file structure of the RAM or ROM as a directory structure, and a specific file from a plurality of files displayed by the display device. The configuration may include a file selecting unit to be selected and a starting unit to start an application program associated with the file selected by the file selecting unit.

In this configuration, the filer program may be started by pressing a predetermined key of the keys constituting the input device while the first application program is being executed. In the case where the first application program is running, the starting means terminates the first application program, and subsequently starts the second application program associated with the file selected by the file selecting means. Can be configured.

Further, in the portable information device having the above configuration, a time display program is stored in the ROM,
The time may be displayed by pressing a predetermined key of the keys constituting the input device. In this case, even when the portable information device is down, the system may be configured such that the time is displayed. The time can be displayed by pressing a predetermined key.

Further, an interface (I / O) connected between the outside and the CPU for performing communication with the outside.
F), the data stored in the RAM is transmitted and received in data units handled by the application program. In this configuration, when transmission / reception starts, the LCD
, The display power supply may be disconnected to bring the display into a pause state.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a band 12 is attached to a frame 11 so that it can be carried on an arm. An operation key 13, a cross cursor pointer 14, and a time display key 15 are attached to the frame 11, and function as an input device. On the front of the frame 11 is an LC for displaying the input contents and the output results corresponding thereto.
D16 is provided. Cross cursor pointer 14
Is composed of four buttons, and the user can move the pointer up, down, left and right while watching the LCD 16.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, a CPU (central processing unit)
A ROM 22 and an input device 23 are connected to 21. The ROM 22 contains an OS, a filer program, a time display program, and the like. Input device 23
Are the operation keys 13, the cross cursor pointer 14,
It is composed of a plurality of keys such as a time display key 15. Further, a RAM 24 having directory-structured data is connected to the CPU 21, and the CPU 21 performs predetermined arithmetic processing while exchanging signals with the ROM 22 and the RAM 24 according to a command from the input device 23. The LCD 16 is connected to display the result of this processing, and is displayed on the LCD 16. An interface (I / F) 26 is provided to the CPU 21.
Is used to communicate with other portable information devices or personal computers using infrared communication or serial cable communication.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 are views showing LCD screens displayed when the portable information device according to the present invention is activated. At the time of activation, the filer program is activated first, and the filer program displays the file structure on the LCD 16 as a directory structure. LCD
16 displays a screen as shown in FIG. That is, PIM
(Personal Information Manager),
A directory in which systems, games, and the like are stored is displayed in a format indicating a directory structure. Here, for example, “PIM” of the item displayed in white
Is selected by the operation key 13, PI as shown in FIG.
The address book, schedule, memo pad, etc. of the files stored in M are also displayed in a format showing the directory structure. Here, the cross cursor pointer 14
When the user selects "Address Book" and activates this application using the operation keys 13, the name of the individual is displayed as shown in FIG. 5, and the contents are displayed on the LCD 16 by pressing a predetermined key.

If the user wants to display the time during the series of operations, the user presses the time display key 15 to display a time display screen as shown in FIG. 6 even while another program is operating.
The time is displayed for a predetermined time. Time display key 1
Pressing 5 extends the time display period. Thereafter, when the time display period ends, the screen returns to the screen before the time display key 15 was pressed. Even when the system is broken for some reason, the clock display program is stored in the ROM 22 and operates without any problem. The time can be displayed with minimum power by blinking the LCD 16 or other methods. The information device of the invention has a function as a clock with priority. The key for displaying the time may include the specific time display key 15 as described above, and may also be used as another key. For example, operation key 13
The time may be displayed by pressing and holding this for a long time.

The filer program for a portable information device according to the present invention is characterized in that it can be started at any time even if a specific application program has already been started. For example, a short press of the time display key 13 activates the filer program. In this state, the file structure is displayed as the directory structure as described above. In this state, another application program can be started. In this case, the already started application program is forcibly terminated.
By providing a filer program having such a function, data reference and application program switching can be performed in a relatively short time.

Next, a case where communication is performed between the portable information device and another information device will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10 show screens displayed when, for example, the contents of the address book are transmitted to another information device via the I / F 26 in FIG. First, when an address book file is selected on the display screen of the filer program, and then "file operation" is selected from the filer menu of the filer program, the file is displayed as shown in FIG. If "File transmission" is selected from among them, there is a confirmation as to whether to transmit the address book as shown in FIG. 8, and if "Yes", it is displayed as shown in FIG. 9, and the data is transmitted to another information device. . Figure 10 when transmission is completed
A message like the above appears, indicating that the transmission has been completed. In order to reduce the current consumption, the display in FIG. 9 may not be displayed during the transmission, and the display may be put into the pause state.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, in an information device carried on a wrist, a specific application program, in particular, a filer program is configured to be preferentially activated, so that the time required to enter a use state is reduced. In addition to being convenient for the user, current consumption is reduced and battery life is extended. Also, since the time is displayed preferentially by pressing the time display key at any time, it has a function as a wristwatch, and can exchange data with other information devices. Therefore, the effect of the present invention is very large. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the appearance of an embodiment of a portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of one embodiment of a portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a first scene of a filer program of one embodiment of the portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a second scene of the filer program of the embodiment of the portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of an application program of one embodiment of the portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a time display state of the portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a first scene in a transmission operation state of one embodiment of the portable information device according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a second scene in the transmission operation state of the portable information device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a third scene of a transmission operation state of the portable information device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing display contents of a fourth scene in the transmission operation state of the portable information device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 frame 12 band 13 operation keys 14 cross cursor pointer 15 time display key 16 LCD 21 CPU 22 ROM 23 input device 24 RAM 26 interface (I / F)

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 18, 1999

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Jun Muto 1-8-8 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture Inside Seiko Instruments Inc. (72) Inventor Masahiro Noguchi 1-8-1, Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Seiko Instruments Inc. Inside the company (72) Inventor Noboru Kawai 1-8-8 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba Seiko Instruments Inc.

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A central processing unit (CPU), a fixed memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM),
In a portable information device including an input device and a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a file having a directory structure including an application program is stored in the RAM or the ROM. A portable information device characterized in that a specific application program is preferentially activated from among them. 2. The portable information device according to claim 1, wherein the specific application program is a filer program. 3. The filer program stores the RA.
File display means for displaying the file structure of the M or ROM as a directory structure; file selection means for selecting a specific file from a plurality of files displayed by the display means; association with the file selected by the file selection means 3. The portable information device according to claim 2, further comprising: an activation unit that activates the application program. 4. The filer program is activated by pressing a predetermined key of the keys constituting the input device during execution of the first application program. 3. The portable information device according to 3. 5. When the first application program is being executed, the activating means terminates the first application program, and then executes the second application program associated with the file selected by the file selecting means. 5. The portable information device according to claim 4, wherein said portable information device is configured to start said application program. 6. A time display program is stored in the ROM, and a time is displayed by pressing a predetermined key of the keys constituting the input device. A portable information device according to claim 5. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein, even when the system of the portable information device is down, the time is displayed by pressing a predetermined key among the keys constituting the input device. Item 6. The portable information device according to Item 6. 8. A central processing unit (CPU), a fixed memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM),
In a portable information device including an input device and a liquid crystal display device (LCD), an external device and the CPU are used to communicate with the external device.
A portable information device having an interface (I / F) connected between the portable information device and the portable information device, wherein data stored in the RAM is transmitted and received in data units handled by a filer program or an application program. 9. The portable information device according to claim 8, wherein when the transmission / reception is started, the display power supply of the LCD is cut off and the display enters a display pause state.