JPS63279655A - Composite display and input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To clearly recognize a power interruption state or power saving state of a composite equipment by providing a control means applying display control to a display section and detecting various states and controlling them in a composite equipment, a display section and an input section so as to detect the interruption or power or power saving state to the composite equipment thereby applying continuous display of the operation guide information on the display section. CONSTITUTION:When the power input of the composite equipment 3 is,e.g., turned off, a controller 2 changes over a power supply section 260 from an external power supply into an internal battery. Then the on/off state of a main switch is discriminated when the main switch is turned off, a display representing the display of the power-off and the operation guide information for the operation guide is given on the upper right corner of a planer display device 8b. Then the controller 2 turns off the internal battery. In this case, the power application to the planer display device 8b is interrupted and the operation guide information of the content is displayed continuously on a message column 11 of the planer display device 8b.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a composite display and input device, and more specifically, it is a device that integrates devices having several independent functions such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine. The present invention relates to a composite display and input device used in a composite device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, electronic devices such as copying machines, facsimiles, printers, etc. that process image information according to their respective purposes have been assembled and used individually and independently as a single device. With recent technological advances, composite devices that integrate these multiple types of functions have begun to be put into practical use.

In such a multifunction device, it is naturally necessary to integrate input keys for performing each function and a display section for displaying operation information.

By the way, in the case of conventional devices, button-type input keys are used as the input keys necessary to perform each function, and many input keys are simply arranged in a row on one side, and they are not used as a display section for operation information. LED (Light Em)
ission Display) and L CD (Liq
Many of them use uidCrystal Display).

However, in the conventional device, no consideration has been given to measures such as displaying a message on the display when the power of the complex device is turned off or a power outage occurs, or any power saving measures. This is because conventional display sections are usually constructed using nematic liquid crystals, which no longer retain their display function when electricity is cut off.

Further, display units using nematic liquid crystals have problems in that the display speed of operation information is slow and the viewing angle is narrow, due to the low regularity of molecular arrangement of the nematic liquid crystals.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, in conventional devices, measures against power outages and power off, and even power saving measures are not sufficient, and in addition, the performance of the display section is insufficient. It was something.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a composite display and input device that can clearly recognize the state of a composite device even when the power is cut off or is in a power saving state, and can also improve the performance of the display section. It is.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The composite display and input device of the present invention is used for a composite device that integrates multiple types of devices having independent operation functions, A display section having a holding function, an input section integrated with the display section, display control for the display section, and the composite device.

It has a display section and a control means for detecting and controlling various states in the input section, and the control means detects a power cutoff or a power saving state to the composite device and causes the display section to display and maintain operation guide information. It is something to do.

(for production) The operation of the apparatus having the above configuration will be explained below.

The control means of this device detects various states of the display section and the input section of the multifunction device 1, such as a power-off state and the presence or absence of an input state for the input section. Then, when it is detected that the power supply to the composite device is cut off, control is executed to display and maintain operation guidance information to that effect on the display unit.

Further, when the control means detects a state in which there is no input to the input unit, it executes control to make this state a power saving state and display and maintain operation guidance information to that effect on the display unit.

(Example) Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

The complex device 1 shown in FIG. A control panel section 8 that inputs necessary input information and displays operation information, and an operation program and control panel section 8 for the multifunction device section 3.
A memory 200 as a storage means that stores various control programs for the controller 2 in advance, and a timer 250 that sends clock pulses to the controller 2 as will be described in detail later.
and a power supply unit (external power supply and internal battery) 260. Then, the controller 2 and the timer 250
and the proximity sensor 8C included in the control panel section 8 constitute a control means 300.

The multifunction device section 3 includes a copying machine 120. Facsimile 13
0. It is configured by integrating four types of devices: a printer 140 and a scanner 150.

The control panel section 8 has an integral structure of a transparent touch panel 8a that is a rectangular input section and a flat display 8b that is a display section facing the transparent touch panel 8a. It has a proximity sensor 8C that detects when an object (for example, a user) approaches the touch panel 8a.

The transparent touch panel Ba of the control panel section 8 and the flat display 8b are in an overlapping state in which the transparent touch panel 8a is on the upper side and the backlight 8d is on the lower side at one corner of the device main body 4, as shown in FIG. It is incorporated in.

Further, the controller 2. Memory 20o, timer 25
0 and the power supply section 260 are built into the device main body 4.

In FIG. 2, 5 is a cover of the apparatus main body 4, 6 is a paper feed cassette, and 7 is a paper discharge tray.

Here, the control panel section 8 will be briefly described in detail.

The transparent touch panel 8a uses an optical method and a transparent conductive film (
Although various methods such as a resistive film method, a capacitance i method, a pressure sensor method, and an acoustic method can be employed, in this embodiment, a transparent conductive film (resistive film) method is employed.

A specific example of the transparent conductive film type transparent touch panel 8a includes a glass substrate on which a transparent ITO film is pre-deposited, dot spacers provided at predetermined intervals on this glass substrate, and An example of this is a combination of a glass substrate and a hard conductive sheet that is arranged in parallel and has excellent abrasion resistance.

The flat display 8b is formed into a flat shape using a ferroelectric liquid crystal material.

Here, the ferroelectric liquid crystal will be explained in detail. Ferroelectric liquid crystal is a type of smectic liquid crystal.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the state of molecular arrangement of smectic liquid crystal and nematic liquid crystal. Figure 3(b).

The smectic liquid crystal shown in (C) forms many phases from A phase to I phase due to molecular arrangement. That is, FIG. 3(b)
shows the smectic A phase (SmA), and FIG. 3(C) shows the smectic A phase (SmC*).

Further, FIG. 3(d) schematically shows the helical axis of the smectic liquid crystal.

The smectic liquid crystal shown in Figures 3(b) and 3(C)
Compared to the nematic liquid crystal shown in Figure (a), it is characterized by a higher regularity of molecular arrangement and a layered structure.

In particular, the liquid crystal exhibiting the smectic C* phase shown in Figure 3 (C) is called a ferroelectric liquid crystal, and has the ability to maintain display states (memory function) and high-speed (1 (ms) or less) switching function. is known to have.

Next, we will discuss the operating principle of the display mode of ferroelectric liquid crystal in the fourth section.
This will be explained with reference to the drawings and FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the birefringent display mode, and FIG. 5 shows the guest-host display mode.

The birefringence display mode shown in Fig. 4 (a>, (b)) produces bright and dark displays by utilizing the fact that the polarization direction of liquid crystal molecules with respect to the helical axis changes depending on the direction of the electric field E (indicated by ■ and ■). This is how it was done.

In addition, in the guest-host display mode shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), a dye whose light absorption rate changes depending on the polarization direction is dissolved in advance in the liquid crystal, and the liquid crystal displays based on the direction change of the electric field E. The change in the polarization direction of the light is used to provide a colored display or a colorless display.

In the case of the above-mentioned image display modes, all 1 (IIIS
), and the response speed is more than two orders of magnitude faster than that of TN (twisted nematic) liquid crystal (
Reference: “Nikkei Electronics” = 1984 1-
No. 2, etc.).

The proximity sensor 8C uses, for example, an infrared radiation temperature sensor. This temperature sensor measures thermal energy in a wavelength range particularly related to temperature using radiated infrared rays, and converts this measurement result into an electrical signal proportional to temperature. That is, this temperature sensor has a function of detecting only a human body whose body temperature is about 35 to 38 degrees Celsius.

The control means 300 controls the settings of the key manual section on the transparent touch panel 8a, controls the display of operation information and operation guidance information as described later on the flat display 8bk, and energizes the multifunction device 3, the transparent touch panel 8a, and the flat display 8b. It has a state detection and energization control function, and a function of transferring input information to the transparent touch panel 8a.

Next, the operation of the device having the above configuration will be explained. First, Figure 6 (a>, (b)
), will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9.

When the power input of the composite device 3 is turned off (Sm), the controller 2 switches from the external power source of the power supply section 260 to the internal battery (Sr1), roughly determines whether the main switch is on or off (Sr1), If the main switch is off, the flat display 8b is turned off as shown in FIG.
Display control is performed to display operation guidance information indicating that the power is off and operation guidance on the masonry corner (this will be referred to as "messe':;KM 11 J") (Sr1)
. Controller 2 then turns off the internal battery (S
r1). At this time, the power to the flat display 8b is cut off, but the message column 11 of the flat display 8b has a 6th message due to the display holding function described above.
In FIG. (b), the operation guide information with the revealing content is continuously displayed.

On the other hand, when Sr1 described above determines that the main switch is on (Sr1), the controller 2 considers this state to be a power outage state, and as shown in FIG. Display control is performed to display operation guidance information instructing a countermeasure in the message field 11 (Sr1).

In this case as well, the operation guidance information shown in FIG. 6(a>) is displayed and retained on the flat display 8b.

After that, when the power outage ends or the main switch turns on (
Sr1), the multifunction device 3 performs warming-up under the control of the controller 2 (Sr1), and the above-mentioned operation guidance information is erased and the flat display 8b displays a normal display (hereinafter referred to as "control panel display"). Return to (s
rio).

Then, when the multifunction device 3 finishes warming up and is ready for input to the transparent touch panel 8a (STII),
This composite device 3 becomes operable, and if there is an input to the transparent touch panel 8a (ST12), processing according to the input is executed (ST13).

Next, the power saving mode will be explained with reference to FIG. 6(C), FIG. 8, and FIG. 9.

When the final input is made to the transparent touch panel 8a (ST21), the timer 250 starts counting zero pulses with a cycle of 1 second (ST22).

Then, the controller 2 detects that there is no input for a predetermined period of time (for example, 90 seconds) to the transparent touch panel 8a (ST23) based on the signal from the proximity sensor 8C (ST24), and displays the normal display on the flat display 8b. 5T25) As shown in FIG. 6(C), display control is performed to display operation guidance information indicating the power saving mode and subsequent operation guidance on the message a111 (ST26).
). Then, the power supply is turned off only for the flat display 8b (ST27). At this time, the operation guidance information in the message column 11 on the flat display 8b is displayed and held in the same manner as in the case described above.

Furthermore, the controller 2 resets the count by the timer 250 at the same time as controlling the flat display 8b to turn off the power.

Power continues to be supplied to the transparent touch panel 8a throughout the power saving mode described above (ST28).

Eventually, when there is a re-input on the transparent touch panel 8a (ST
29) Under the control of the controller 2, the timer 250 starts counting again, and the controller 2 turns on the power to the flat display 8b (5T30), and returns the display on the flat display 8b to the control panel display. (ST31). After the composite device 3 becomes operational and the transparent touch panel 8a is ready for input (ST32
), if there is an input to the transparent touch panel 8a (ST33)
, the processing according to the input will be executed (ST
34).

Among the embodiment devices described above, especially the flat display 8
Since b uses ferroelectric liquid crystal, the response speed is fast.
Furthermore, since the viewing angle is wide, the user of this device can clearly see operation guide information and other operation information.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.

For example, the above-described operation guidance information can be displayed using the entire surface of the flat display.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention described in detail above, it is possible to provide a composite display and input device in which the state of the composite device can be clearly recognized even when the power is on or in the power saving state, and the performance of the display unit is also excellent. Can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a compound device including the same device, and FIG.
>, (b), (c), and (d) are explanatory diagrams showing the state of molecular arrangement of nematic liquid crystal and smectic liquid crystal, respectively, and Figure 4 <a> shows the relationship between the spiral axis and polarization axis in birefringent display mode. 4(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the operating principle of the birefringence type display mode, and FIG. Fig. 5(b) is an explanatory drawing showing the operating principle of the Gesl--Phos[-type display mode, Fig. 6(a). FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment device when the power input is turned off; FIG. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the embodiment device, and FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing the operation of the embodiment device in the instant power mode. 1... Composite equipment, 2... Controller, 3... Composite equipment section, 8...Control panel section, 8a...
Transparent touch panel, 8b... flat display, 300... control means.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) Used in a composite device that integrates multiple types of devices with independent operation functions, including a display section having a display holding function, and an input section integrated with the display section;
Display control for the display unit, the composite device, the display unit,
and a control means for detecting and controlling various states in the input section, and the control means detects a power cutoff or a power saving state to the composite device and displays and maintains operation guidance information on the display section. Features a composite display and input device. (2) The composite display and input device according to claim 1, wherein the display section is made of a ferroelectric liquid crystal material. (3) The composite display and input device according to claim 1, wherein the control means detects a power outage or power-off state of the composite device and controls displaying operation guide information on the display unit at this time. Device. (4) The control means detects a state in which no input is made to the input section for a predetermined period of time, and based on this detects, controls power cutoff to the display section and display retention of operation guidance information on the display section. Composite display and input device according to item 1.