Optical disc playback and display apparatus

• US 5,477,510 A
• Filed: 09/03/1993
• Issued: 12/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ukita, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, TAN X
• Application Number:
  US08/115,551
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 369/18, 369/33, 369/32, 369/47, 345/123, 345/124, 345/125, 434/307, 434/308, 434/309, 434/317, 434/318, 434/335, 434/362, 434/169, 434/309
• US Class Current: 369/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0283 for data storage and retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/065 Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/10 Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/0037 with discs

Abstract

An optical disc playback and display apparatus comprising a playback block for reproducing the optical disc recorded with large quantities of character information or image information, a display block, rectangular in shape, for displaying reproduced character information or image information, and a touch panel input block superimposed on the rectangular display block. The novel constitution eliminates use of a conventionally practiced hardware keyboard, making the apparatus far thinner and therefore more portable as well as enhancing ease of search data input.

Claims

1. A portable information search and display apparatus using a storing means for storing information data, said apparatus comprising:

a rectangular-shaped housing having an opening which is formed on the lateral side thereof for receiving said storing means;

a display device provided on a top surface of said housing and having a rectangular display area;

first key input means provided on the surface of said display device;

second key input means provided on the top surface of said housing and outside of said display device, and for controlling the operation of the portable information search and display apparatus, said second key input means having line scroll function keys and page scroll function keys; and

reproducing means for searching the information data from said storing means according to operation of said first and second input key means and for displaying the information data on said display device.

2. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said display device can either operate in a vertically long display mode or a laterally long display mode and the function of said physical cursor key means is exchanged based on said display mode.

3. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said data storing means includes disc drive means for playback data stored in an optical disc.

4. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said key input means comprises key data tablet means provided on top of said display device.

5. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein

said data tablet means is a transparent touch tablet which is operable in cooperation with said display device.

6. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein

said display device means is a transparent touch tablet which is operable in cooperation with said display device.

7. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein

said rectangular display device is a liquid crystal display.

8. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, furthering comprising:

receiving means provided on said housing for receiving an integrated circuit card having at least semiconductor memory.

9. A portable information search and display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said physical cursor key means includes a first pair of keys for performing said line scroll function in a vertically long display mode and a second pair of keys for performing said page scroll function in a vertically long display mode, said first pair of keys performing said page scroll function in said laterally long display mode, and said second pair of keys performing said line scroll function in said laterally long display mode.