Electronic equipment, auxiliary information display device, and portable game machine

• US 6,428,415 B1
• Filed: 10/06/1999
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Oka, Masaaki, Sasaki, Nobuo, Ohba, Akio, Aoki, Sachiyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Sager, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ashburn, Steven L
• Application Number:
  US09/409,474
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/33, 463/40, 463/44, 463/47, 352/129, 273/148.B
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/92 Video game devices specially adapted to be hand-held while playing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/204 the platform being a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/30 characterized by output arrangements for receiving control signals generated by the game device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/303 for displaying additional data, e.g. simulating a Head Up Display
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/66 for rendering three dimensional images
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A portable game machine 60 includes a detachable transparent film 62, a base film 63, and reels 64a, 64b, and a reflective liquid crystal panel 8 which is sandwiched in between, with the transparent film 62 in front of, and the base film 63 in back of the reflective liquid crystal panel, which is supported in a housing 4 to display images. In the portable game machine 60, menu options, icons, and other auxiliary information is depicted on the transparent film and the base film, etc. By manipulation of an operation unit, instructions are given by moving an arrow, etc. displayed on the reflective liquid crystal panel 6. Auxiliary information corresponding to multiple scenes is depicted on the transparent film 62 and the base film 63, and the auxiliary information that is displayed in a display unit 61 is changed by rotating the reels 64a, 64b to scroll the transparent film 61 and the base film 63.

Claims

1. Electronic equipment comprising:

a display means to display information;

an auxiliary information display means in which auxiliary information of the information that is displayed on said display means is depicted on a substrate; and

a display window in which information displayed by said display means and auxiliary information shown in said auxiliary information display means are displayed simultaneously and positioned in a superimposed state,

wherein said auxiliary information display means is configured so that said substrate is slidable on the display means so as to select a desired content of said auxiliary information displayed on said display window.

2. Electronic equipment as described in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary information display means is attached so as to be freely detachable from the electronic equipment.

3. Electronic equipment as described in claim 1, wherein

said substrate of said auxiliary information display means is a strip-shaped flexible sheet on which there are depicted auxiliary information corresponding to said multiple display windows, and has an auxiliary information change means that changes the auxiliary information that is displayed in said display window by moving said substrate in the longitudinal direction.

4. Electronic equipment as described in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary information display is one formed of an optically transparent panel or a flexible sheet on which auxiliary information is depicted.

5. Electronic equipment as described in claim 1, wherein said substrate is attached to one of the front and the back of said display means.

6. An auxiliary information display device comprising:

an auxiliary information display layer that is positioned in a display window of an electronic equipment; and

a substrate on which auxiliary information of the information that is displayed in a display means of the electronic equipment is depicted on a substrate;

wherein said substrate is laterally moved so as to select a desired content of said auxiliary information to be displayed in the display window.

7. An auxiliary information display device as described in claim 6, wherein said auxiliary information display layer is attached to the electronic equipment so as to be freely detachable therefrom.

8. An auxiliary information display device as described in claim 6, wherein

said auxiliary information display layer is a strip-shaped flexible sheet, and auxiliary information corresponding to multiple display windows of the electronic equipment is depicted on said substrate, and

there is provided an auxiliary information change means that changes the auxiliary information that is displayed in said display window by moving said auxiliary information display layer in the longitudinal direction.

9. An auxiliary information display device as described in claim 6, wherein said auxiliary information display layer is one formed of an optically transparent panel or flexible sheet on which said auxiliary information is depicted.

10. An auxiliary information display device as described in claim 6, wherein said auxiliary information display layer is positioned to the front or back of said electronic equipment.

11. A portable game machine having display means that displays the game comprising:

auxiliary information display means provided on one of the front, back, and both the front and back of said display means;

wherein an image on said display means and a display content of said auxiliary information display means are combined, and

wherein said auxiliary information display means is slidable on the display means so as to select a desired display content from the display content of said auxiliary information display means.

12. A portable game machine as described in claim 11, wherein said display means is a reflective liquid crystal panel.

13. A portable game machine as described in claim 11, wherein

said display means displays mainly characters, and

said auxiliary information display means displays one of menus, icons, and background scenes.

14. A portable game machine as described in claim 11, wherein said auxiliary information display means is such that auxiliary information is depicted on optically transparent members positioned in front of said display means.

15. A portable game machine as described in claim 14, wherein said auxiliary information display means is a rigid, optically transparent member and is replaceably assembled into the front of said display means.

16. A portable game machine as described in claim 14, wherein said auxiliary information display means consists of an optically transparent rigid member and a flexible sheet positioned on the front or back of said rigid member, and auxiliary information is depicted on one of said rigid member and said flexible sheet and both said rigid member and said flexible sheet.

17. A portable game machine as described in claim 15, wherein said flexible sheet is removable.

18. A portable game machine as described in claim 15, wherein said flexible sheet is movable and has a film shape on which multiple types of auxiliary information is depicted.

19. A portable game machine as described in claim 11, wherein said auxiliary information display means is a base panel that is positioned in back of said display means and has an optically reflective function, and auxiliary information is depicted on said base panel.

20. A portable game machine as described in claim 19, wherein said reflection panel is movable.