Display and input combination panel

• US 4,870,458 A
• Filed: 04/24/1987
• Issued: 09/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Todome, Tuyoshi, Shibuya, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, Arthur T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PENDEGRASS, JOAN H
• Application Number:
  US07/042,025
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 355/3 SH, 355/14 SH, 355/14 R, 355/14 C, 355/75, 355/200, 355/209, 355/218, 340/706-708, 340/711-712, 364/188, 350/333, 350/339 R, 350/339 F, 350/339 D
• US Class Current: 399/185
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5016 User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/605 Holders for originals or exposure platens for photographic purposes in general G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

To reduce the areas of a display panel and an input panel of a copying machine, for instance, the two panels are combined at the same place. The combination panel comprises a liquid crystal display panel for displaying various data thereon in response to a display signal indicative of x- and y-coordinates, and a transparent electrode-matrix touch panel superposed upon the display panel to enter operation data related to the displayed data when a user touches the surface thereof at the position under which the data is being displayed to generate an operation signal indicated by the same x- and y-coordinates. A Fresnel lens is placed on the display unit or under the touch panel to deflect light toward the user. Further, a sensor is disposed in the touch panel so that when an original is sandwiched between the two panels, the touch panel is usable to determine any desired rectangular image area to be trimmed or masked, while shifting the display area to the side thereof.

Claims

1. A display an input combination panel, comprising:

(a) a dot-matrix display means for displaying operation information in response to display signals indicative of -x- and -y- coordinates;

(b) transparent electrode-matrix control means superimposed upon said dot-matrix display means for entering operation instructions related to display operation information by touching the surface thereof at positions under which operation information is being displayed to generate operation instruction signals indicated by -x- and -y- coordinates, wherein said transparent electrode-matrix control means is opened or closed relative to said dot-matrix display means by means of at least one hinge to allow an image information medium to be sandwiched between such transparent electrode-matrix control means and said dot-matrix display means; and

a sensor disposed in said transparent electrode-matrix control means for detecting the presence of an image information medium sandwiched between said dot-matrix display means and said transparent electrode-matrix control means, whereby, when said sensor detects the presence of the medium, any desired rectangular image information area can be determined by touching the surface of said control means at two diagonally opposing points.

2. The display and input combination panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein said dot-matrix display means is restricted to a smaller area than that covered by the maximum sized image formation medium, in response to a sensor signal indicative of the presence of an image information medium sandwiched between said display means and said control means.

3. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image information related to an original, comprising:

(a) means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, said displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon, the displaying means including;

a back light;

a liquid crystal board disposed over the back light for displaying data in cooperation with the back light; and

a Fresnel lens disposed on the liquid crystal board for deflecting light passing through the liquid crystal board in a desired direction; and

(b) means, disposed on the displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with the operation information displayed on the displaying means and entering the information related to the original.

4. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image information related to an original, comprising:

(a) means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, the displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon; and

(b) means, disposed on the displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with operation information displayed on the displaying means and entering the information related to the original;

the entering means comprising;

a transparent glass board;

a broad transparent electric sheet covering all of the transparent glass board;

spacers disposed at regular intervals on the broad transparent electrode sheet in -x- and -y-directions;

a transparent film;

a number of electrode pats attached to the transparent film and disposed within the spaces enclosed by the spacers; and

a glare-prevention coat formed on the transparent film.

5. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image formation related to an original comprising:

(a) a touch panel means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, the displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon;

(b) means, disposed on said displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with operation information displayed on said displaying means and entering the information related to the original; and

(c) a Fresnel lens attached to the lower surface of the touch panel.

6. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image information related to an original, comprising:

(a) means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, the displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon; and

(b) means, disposed on said displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with operation information displayed on said displaying means and entering the information related to the original, the entering means being opened or closed relative to the displaying means by at least one hinge, to allow sandwiching of the original between the entering means and the displaying means.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the hinge is attached to a rod vertically slidable relative to the displaying means, to allow a thick original to be sandwiched between the entering means and the displaying means.

7. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image formation related to an original, comprising:

(a) means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, the displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon;

(b) means, disposed on said displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with the operation information displayed on the displaying means and entering the information related to the original; and

(c) a sensor disposed in the entering means for detecting image information related to the original, so that, when the sensor detects the presence of the original, any desired rectangular image area can be determined by touching the surface of the entering means at two diagonally opposing points.

8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the displaying means is restricted to a smaller area than that covered by a maximum-size original.

10. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image information related to an original, comprising:

(a) means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, the displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon; and

(b) means, disposed on the displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with operation information displayed on the displaying means and entering the information related to the original, the entering means including a transparent switching member for designating a position where the operation information is displayed by touching the surface thereof.

11. An apparatus for displaying and entering operation instructions and image information related to an original, comprising:

(a) means for displaying operation information at predetermined coordinates, the displaying means having a surface for supporting the original thereon, the displaying means further including;

a display panel having a plurality of dot-matrix display segments; and

a driver, connected to the dot-matrix display segments, for activating the display segments; and

(b) means, disposed on the displaying means in tandem, for entering operation instructions in accordance with the operation information displayed on the displaying means and entering the information related to the original.