Small electronic apparatus with optical input device

• US 4,671,671 A
• Filed: 06/10/1985
• Issued: 06/09/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Suetaka, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US06/743,381
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/223, 368/69, 368/70, 368/155, 368/185, 368/187, 368/188, 368/234
• US Class Current: 368/69
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/08 Touch switches specially adapted for time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen

Abstract

A small electronic apparatus with an optical input device has an apparatus case for housing a main body therein, the apparatus case being provided with a light-transmitting member, at least part of which is exposed to outside light, an electrooptical display device in the apparatus case, a photosensor arranged in the apparatus case at a position between the electrooptical display device and the light-transmitting member, and a logic circuit arranged in LSI for receiving and processing, as an input signal associated with the main body, an output from the photosensor, the output from the logic circuit being used to provide a display signal to the electrooptical display device.

Claims

1. A small electronic apparatus with an optical input device comprising:

an appratus case for housing a main body therein, said apparatus case including a light-transmitting member at least a part of which is exposed to the outside light;

an electrooptical display device arranged to oppose said light-transmitting member in said apparatus case;

photosensor means including a plurality of photosensors arranged in said apparatus case at a position between said electrooptical display device and said light-transmitting member;

input position detection means for generating an input position signal indicative of a detected input position by identifying the photosensor from among said plurality of photosensors having the lowest output among the outputs of said plurality of photosensors when at least some light transmitted into at least one photosensor of said plurality of photosensors is interrupted;

logic circuit means including means for receiving and processing the input position signal generated by said input position detection means; and

means coupled to said logic circuit means for providing a display signal to said electrooptical display device.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensor means is arranged on a lower surface of said light-transmitting member.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of photosensors are arranged in a matrix form so as to correspond to data to be input.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensor means comprises a plurality of photosensors housed in said apparatus case, and said logic circuit means comprises means for obtaining trace data in accordance with outputs from said plurality of photosensors when data to be registered is traced on said plurality of photosensors through said light-transmitting member, and recognition means for recognizing the trace data.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic circuit means comprises means for detecting a photo direction of external light in accordance with an output from said photosensor means, and correcting means for correcting a signal from said photosensor means in accordance with the photo direction detected by said photo direction detecting means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a transparent touch switch means formed on a surface on said light-transmitting member, and said logic circuit means includes means for detecting that a human body part is brought into contact with said touch switch means so as to detect the output from said photosensor means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic circuit means for generating a signal representing a photosensor function which is supplied to said electrooptical display device, said signal being used to display the photosensor function.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said logic circuit means comprises current time counting means for obtaining a current time which is displayed on said electrooptical display device.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said apparatus case comprises a wristwatch case.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensor means comprises a line sensor which reads a character from a document.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising illuminating means for illuminating said electrooptical display device and the document.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said electrooptical display device includes a plurality of display elements, and wherein said logic circuit means comprises driving means for selectively driving said plurality of display elements of said electrooptical display device in a predetermined sequence, and means for detecting the output from said photosensor means while said driving means drives said display elements of said electrooptical display device.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said logic circuit means comprises current time counting means for obtaining a current time which is displayed on said electrooptical display device.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said apparatus case comprises a wristwatch case.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said electrooptical display device is arranged adjacent to said photosensor means in said apparatus case.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said logic circuit means comprises current time counting means for obtaining a current time which is displayed on said electrooptical display device.

17. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said light-transmitting member is formed at a lower surface side in said apparatus case.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a photoconductive member for guiding external light from an upper surface of said apparatus case to the document.

19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensor means includes a transparent plate disposed between said light-transmitting member and said electrooptical display device.

20. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said apparatus case comprises a wristwatch case.

21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said photosensor means is arranged on a lower surface of said light-transmitting member.