Hand-held electronic device

• US 20020107054A1
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 138 East LCD Advancements Limited (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Fujisawa, Teruhiko, Chihara, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/573
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/04 using radio waves radio-controlled time-pieces G04R
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07762 the adhering arrangement making the record carrier wearable, e.g. having the form of a ring, watch, glove or bracelet record carriers for insertion in the human body for medical purposes A61B90/00; record carriers adapted for attachment to animals A01K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

A hand-held electronic device comprises an IC-card chip unit, a watch CPU, a power source unit, a display unit, and a switch connected between the power source unit and the IC-card chip unit. The watch CPU has a power supply controlling unit. The IC-card chip unit performs contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver in close range. The watch CPU operates on power from the power source unit, receives data from the IC-card chip unit to display the data on the display unit or to process the data before displaying them on the display unit. The power supply controlling unit closes a switch at least during the period of time that the watch CPU receives data from the IC-card chip unit, thereby causing power to be supplied from the power source unit to the IC-card chip unit.

Claims

1. A hand-held electronic device comprising:

a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver;

a power source;

a display unit;

an information processing unit which operates on power from said power source, for receiving data from said contactless communication unit to display the data on said display unit or process the data before displaying them on said display unit; and

a power supply controlling unit for causing the power source to supply power to said contactless communication unit at least during the period of time that said information processing unit receives data from said contactless communication unit.

2. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising a switch inserted between said power source and said contactless communication unit,

wherein said power supply controlling unit conducts said switch, thereby causing said power source to supply power to said contactless communication unit.

3. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 2,

wherein said switch is a transistor.

4. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said contactless communication unit includes an antenna and a high-frequency circuit connected thereto.

5. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said contactless communication unit has a clock generating unit for generating clock from carrier received from said external transmitter-receiver and receives data from said external transmitter-receiver by the clock.

6. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising a power voltage generating circuit for generating power voltage from signal received from said external transmitter-receiver through contactless communication unit to supply the generated power voltage to a circuit in said contactless communication unit.

7. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 6,

wherein said power voltage generating circuit includes a rectifier circuit for rectifying signal received from said external transmitter-receiver to generate said power voltage.

8. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said contactless communication unit comprises a non-volatile memory, and writes acquired data by said contactless data communication to said non-volatile memory or updates data in said non-volatile memory through said contactless data communication;

and

wherein said information processing unit receives data from said nonvolatile memory of said contactless communication unit.

9. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said contactless data communication unit further comprises a nonvolatile memory, and a power voltage generating circuit for generating power voltage from signal received from said external transmitter-receiver to supply the generated power voltage to a circuit in said contactless communication unit including said non-volatile memory;

performs contactless data communication utilizing power voltage generated by said power voltage generating circuit; and

writes in said non-volatile memory acquired data by said contactless data communication or updates data in said non-volatile memory through said contactless data communication; and

wherein said information processing unit receives data from said nonvolatile memory of said contactless communication unit.

10. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising a carrier detecting unit for detecting carrier transmitted from said external transmitter-receiver,

wherein, when carrier is being detected by said carrier detecting unit, said contactless communication unit performs contactless data communication with said external transmitter-receiver, and when carrier is not being detected by said carrier detecting unit, said information processing unit receives data from said contactless communication unit.

11. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 10,

wherein said carrier detecting unit operates on power from said power source.

12. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said contactless communication unit further comprises a carrier detecting unit for detecting carrier transmitted from said external transmitter-receiver, a non-volatile memory, and a power voltage generating circuit for generating power voltage from signal received from said external transmitter-receiver to supply the generated power voltage to a circuit in said contactless communication unit including said non-volatile memory;

when carrier is being detected by said carrier detecting unit, performs said contactless data communication utilizing generated power voltage by said power voltage generating circuit; and

writes into said non-volatile memory data acquired by said contactless data communication or updates data in said non-volatile memory through said contactless data communication; and

wherein said information processing unit, when carrier is not being detected by said carrier detecting unit, receives from said contactless communication unit data read from said non-volatile memory.

13. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 12,

wherein said carrier detecting unit operates on power from said power source.

14. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 12,

further comprising a clock supplying unit for generating clock for timing control of the said contactless communication unit during the period of time that carrier is not being detected by said carrier detecting unit.

15. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 12,

wherein, when it changes from a state where carrier is being detected by said carrier detecting unit to a state where carrier is not being detected by said carrier detecting unit, with this as a trigger, data transfer from said contactless communication unit to said information processing unit is initiated.

16. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising a carrier detecting unit for detecting carrier transmitted from said external transmitter-receiver,

wherein, when carrier is being detected from sa id carrier detecting unit, said contactless communication unit performs contactless data communication with said external transmitter-receiver and said information processing unit receives data from said contactless communication unit.

17. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said carrier detecting unit operates on power from said power source.

18. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising an operator,

wherein, according to an operation by the operator, said power supply controlling unit causes said power source to supply power to said contactless communication unit and said information processing unit receives data from said contactless communication unit.

19. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 16,

wherein said power supply controlling unit, when data signal is transmitted from said contactless communication unit to said external transmitter-receiver, causes said power source to supply power to said contactless communication unit.

20. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said information processing unit, upon receiving data from said contactless communication unit, displays the data or results obtained by processing the data on said display unit.

21. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 20,

further comprising an operator,

wherein said information processing unit, when the termination of a display operation is instructed by said operator, terminates the display operation of the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data.

22. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 20,

wherein said information processing unit terminates the display operation after maintaining the display operation for a predetermined period of time of the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data.

23. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 22,

further comprising an operator,

wherein, when the termination of a display operation is instructed by said operator, in cases where the operation of displaying the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data is being performed, said information processing unit terminates the display operation.

24. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 20,

further comprising an operator,

wherein said information processing unit displays the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data on said display unit and terminates the display operation, and, when the start of a display operation is instructed by said operator thereafter, resumes the terminated display.

25. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said information processing unit, when it does not display received data from said contactless communication unit or results obtained by processing the data, displays other information on said display unit.

26. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 25,

wherein said information processing unit has a timekeeping unit for performing timekeeping operations to generate time information, and, when the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data are not displayed, displays the time information obtained from said timekeeping unit.

27. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a timekeeping unit for performing timekeeping operations to generate time information; and

an analog hand display unit for automatically driving analog hands based on said time information to perform time display operations.

28. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 27,

wherein said display unit includes transparent liquid crystal display element positioned in front of said analog hands, and said analog hands are visually identified through the transparent liquid crystal display element.

29. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 27,

wherein said display unit includes a transparent organic electroluminescence light emitting element, and said analog hands are visually identified through the transparent organic electroluminescence light emitting element.

30. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 27,

wherein said display unit includes a liquid crystal display element positioned in rear of said analog hands.

31. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 27,

wherein said display unit includes an organic electroluminescence light emitting element positioned in rear of said analog hands.

32. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 27,

wherein said analog hand display unit includes a driving motor which stepwisely drives said analog hands;

and

wherein said hand-held electronic device comprises a motor drive prohibiting unit which inhibits the supply of driving signal to said driving motor, during the period of time that said contactless communication unit is performing contactless data communication with said external transmitter-receiver.

33. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising an operator,

wherein said information processing unit, when the start of a display operation is instructed by said operator, displays on said display unit received data from said contactless communication unit or results obtained by processing the data.

34. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 33,

wherein said information processing unit, when the termination of a display operation is instructed by said operator, terminates the display operation of the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data.

35. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 33,

wherein said information processing unit terminates the display operation after maintaining the display operation for a predetermined period of time of the received data from said contactless communication unit or the results obtained by processing the data.

36. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said power supply controlling unit, when data signal is transmitted from said contactless communication unit to said external transmitter-receiver, causes power to be supplied from said power source to said contactless communication unit.

37. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

further comprising a display prohibiting unit for suspending a display operation of said display unit during the period of time that said contactless communication unit performs contactless data communication with said external transmitter-receiver at the other end.

39. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 38,

further comprising a memory,

wherein said display prohibiting unit resumes the display operation of said display unit when acquired data by said contactless data communication are written into said memory, alternatively when data in said memory have been updated through said contactless data communication.

40. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 38,

comprising a controller for causing said contactless data communication to be divided into multiple times and performed intermittently,

wherein said display prohibiting unit causes a display operation of said display unit to be suspended when said contactless data communication are initiated or resumed, and the operation to be resumed when said contactless data communication is suspended or terminated.

41. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 38,

wherein said display unit comprises a display panel unit for performing display operations and a display driving unit for driving said display panel unit;

and

wherein said display prohibiting unit suspends a display operation by suspending the operation of said display driving unit.

42. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 38,

wherein said display unit comprises a display panel unit for performing display operations and a display driving unit for driving said display panel unit according to display control signal;

and

wherein said display prohibiting unit suspends a display operation by cutting off the supply of said display control signal to said display driving unit.

43. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 42,

wherein said hand-held electronic device further comprises a circuit board, and said contactless communication unit comprises an antenna, and both of said display panel and said antenna are provided on one of the two sides of said circuit board.

44. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 38, further comprising:

a lighting unit which is placed on front or back side of said display unit, for lighting said display unit; and

a light prohibiting unit for prohibiting said lighting unit to perform lighting operations during the period of said contactless data communication.

45. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 45,

wherein said lighting unit has a electroluminescence lighting device.

46. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

having the shape of a wristwatch that can be mounted on the arm of a user.

47. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said power source is a battery.

38. A hand-held electronic device as claimed in 38,

wherein said display prohibiting unit detects that radio communication start signal is received from said external transmitter-receiver by said contactless communication unit, thereby detecting the start of said contactless data communication.

48. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver;

a carrier detecting unit for detecting carrier transmitted from said external transmitter-receiver;

a power source;

a power supply controlling unit for causing said power source to supply power to said contactless communication unit during the period of time that carrier is being detected by said carrier detecting unit;

an information processing unit which operates on power from said power source, for receiving data obtained from said contactless communication unit through said contactless data communication within the period of time that carrier is being detected by said carrier detecting unit to display the data on said display unit, or to process the data before displaying them on said display unit.

49. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a contactless communication unit which obtains power from received signal from an external transmitter-receiver, for performing radio communication with said external transmitter-receiver;

a power source;

a level shifter which receives power supply from said power source, for converting signal received from said external transmitter-receiver by said contactless communication unit into signal of a level that corresponds to the voltage of said power source for output;

a display unit;

an information processing unit for displaying on said display unit information corresponding to the output signal of said level shifter or results obtained by processing the information.

50. A hand-held electronic device, comprising:

a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver;

a display unit for displaying information by digital control;

an information processing unit which receives data obtained through said contactless data communication from said contactless communication unit to display the data or results obtained after processing the data on said display unit; and

a display prohibiting unit for causing the display operation of said display unit to be suspended during the period of time that said contactless communication unit performs said contactless data communication.

51. A method for controlling a hand-held electronic device comprising a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver, a power source, a display unit, an information processing unit which operates on power from said power source, and a power supply controlling unit for controlling power supply from said power source to said contactless communication unit, the method comprising the steps of:

causing the said information processing unit to perform a process of receiving data from said contactless communication unit to display said data on said display unit or to process the data before displaying them on said display unit; and

causing said power supply controlling unit to supply power from said power source to said contactless communication unit at least during the period of time that said information processing unit receives data from said information processing unit.

52. A method for controlling a hand-held electronic device comprising a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver and a display unit, including the step of:

suspending a display operation of said display unit during the period of time that said contactless data communication are being performed.

53. A computer program product for controlling a hand-held electronic device comprising a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver, a power source, a display unit, an information processing unit which operates on power from said power source, and a power supply controlling unit for controlling power supply from said power source to said contactless communication unit, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program means for causing said information processing unit to perform a process of receiving data from said contactless communication unit to display said data on said display unit or to process the data before displaying them on said display unit; and

computer readable program means for causing said power supply controlling unit to supply power from said power source to said contactless communication unit at least during the period of time that said information processing unit receives data from said information processing unit.

54. A computer control program product,

wherein the control program is executed by a hand-held electronic device having a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver and a display unit,

comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to suspend a display operation of said display unit during the period of time that said contactless data communication is being performed.

55. A recording medium in which control program means for controlling a handheld electronic device is stored, the hand-held electronic device comprising a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver, a power source, a display unit, an information processing unit which operates on power from said power source, and a power supply controlling unit for controlling power supply from said power source to said contactless communication unit,

wherein said control program means causes the said information processing unit to perform a process of receiving data from said contactless communication unit to display said data on said display unit or to process the data before displaying them on said display unit;

and

wherein said control program means causes said power supply controlling unit to supply power from said power source to said contactless communication unit at least during the period of time that said information processing unit receives data from said information processing unit.

56. A computer readable recording medium in which control program means for controlling a hand-held electronic device is stored, the hand-held electronic device having a contactless communication unit for performing contactless data communication with an external transmitter-receiver, and a display unit,

wherein said control program means comprises a process of suspending a display operation of said display unit during the period of time that said contactless data communication is being performed.

57. A radio device for watches, comprising:

a casing detachable from a watch;

a radio communication means, provided with the casing, for performing data exchanges with an external radio device through radio communication.