Image information display device

• US 6,512,497 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Takashi, Nanba, Katsuyuki, Tsuji, Sadafusa, Hayami, Isao, Hotomi, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar, Vijay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Nitin
• Application Number:
  US09/537,456
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/2.2, 345/2.3, 345/3.3, 345/3.4, 345/169, 345/173, 345/174, 345/176, 178/78-1-, 178/18.1, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/342 using several illumination sources separately controlled corresponding to different display panel areas, e.g. along one dimension such as lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

An image information display device, such as an electronic book, that displays contents stored in a recording medium on a first screen and a second screen in which liquid crystal is used. The device includes means for paging through image information and means for screen selection. The means for screen selection is used to select a two-screen mode in which the contents are displayed on both the first and second screens or a one-screen mode in which an image is displayed on either of the screens. By selecting the one-screen mode, energy consumption may be reduced.

Claims

1. An image information display device comprising:

a first display to display an image;

a second display to display an image;

a selector that is adapted to select between at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation; and

a controller, coupled to the selector, the first display, and the second display, to control a display of images in the first display and the second display in accordance with a selected mode of operation,

wherein in the first mode of operation, image information including one page of a plurality of pages is displayed on one of the first display and the second display and subsequent pages of said image information selected by the user are displayed on said one of the first display and the second display, and in the second mode of operation, image information is displayed on both the first display and the second display.

2. An image information display device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first display is movably joined to the second display, and when in an open state, the first display and the second display are adjacent and concurrently observable.

3. An image information display device in accordance with claim 2, wherein in a fully closed state, at least one of the first display and the second display is readily observable.

4. An image information display device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a cover member, movably coupled to one of the first display and the second display, to selectively cover at least one of the first display and the second display.

5. An image information display device in accordance with claim 1, wherein in the first mode of operation, the controller disables one of the first display and the second display.

6. An image information display device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the controller disables one of the first display and the second display through at least extinguishing a means of illumination for the one of the first display and the second display.

7. An image information display device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the selector is further adapted to select a third mode of operation, and

wherein in the third mode of operation, image information is displayed on one of the first display and the second display not otherwise utilized for the first mode of operation.

8. An image information display device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the image information display device is an electronic book.

9. An image information display device comprising:

a first display;

a second display;

a selector that is adapted to select between at least a first display mode and a second display mode; and

a controller, coupled to the selector, the first display, and the second display, to control a display of images in the first display and the second display in accordance with a selected display mode,

wherein in the first display mode, image information including one page of a plurality of pages is displayed in one of the first display and the second display and subsequent pages of said image information selected by the user are displayed on said one of the first display and the second display, and in the second display mode, image information is displayed in both the first display and the second display, and

wherein in the first display mode, the controller disables operations of one of the first display and the second display.

10. An image information display device in accordance with claim 9, wherein the image information display device is an electronic book.

11. A method of displaying image information using an electronic device having a plurality of displays to selectively display images, wherein the electronic device can function in at least two display modes:

a first display mode in which image information is presented using at least one display and a second display mode in which image information is presented using a number of displays greater than that utilized for display operations in the first display mode, the steps comprising;

identifying a display mode of the electronic device;

controlling a presentation of image information, the image information being formed from a plurality of units, including stepping through at least individual units of the plurality of units in either a forward direction or a rearward direction relative to the plurality of units; and

displaying at least a portion of image information on at least one display in accordance with an identified display mode and in a manner responsive to the step of controlling.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein in the first display mode, image information is displayed on one display, and in the second display mode, image information is displayed on two displays.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein the electronic device can function in at least a third display mode, and

wherein in the third display mode, image information is displayed on one display, and the one display of the third display mode is different than the one display of the first display mode.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of selecting a display mode,

wherein to facilitate the step of selecting a display mode, display modes can repeatably cycle among the first display mode, the second display mode, and the third display mode.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of selecting a display mode,

wherein to facilitate the step of selecting a display mode, display modes can repeatably cycle among the first display mode, the second display mode, and the third display mode.

16. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein in the second display mode, image information displayed on the two displays is related but dissimilar.

17. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein when in the first display mode, the step of displaying includes updating only one display during stepping through the image information in either the forward direction or the rearward direction.

18. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein when in the second display mode, the step of displaying includes updating both displays during stepping through the image information in either the forward direction or the rearward direction.

19. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising the step of setting a display mode.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein when the electronic device is in a display mode other than the first display mode and the step of setting a display mode effects a setting of the first display mode, the step of controlling further includes terminating driving of displays not supported by the first display mode.

21. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein when the electronic device is in a display mode other than the first display mode and the step of setting a display mode sets the first display mode, the step of controlling further includes disabling means of illumination for displays not supported by the first display mode.

22. A method of displaying image information using an electronic device adapted to receive removable storage medium and having a plurality of displays to selectively display images, wherein the electronic device can function in at least two display modes:

a first display mode in which image information is presented using at least one display and a second display mode in which image information is presented using a number of displays greater than that utilized for display operations in the first display mode, the steps comprising;

detecting an identity of a received removable storage medium;

identifying a display mode of the electronic device;

controlling a presentation of image information for purposes of displaying the image information by the plurality of displays; and

in accordance with a detected identity of a received removable storage medium, displaying at least a portion of image information on at least one display in accordance with an identified display mode and in a manner responsive to the step of controlling.

23. An image information display device comprising:

a first display to display an image;

a second display to display an image;

a selector that is adapted to select between at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation;

an image controller, coupled to the first display and the second display, to supply image data to the first display and the second display;

a display controller, coupled to a power source, the first display, the second display, and the image controller,

wherein in the first mode of operation, image information including one page of a plurality of pages is displayed on one of the first display and the second display and subsequent pages of said image information selected by the user are displayed on said one of the first display and the second display, and in the second mode of operation, image information is displayed on both the first display and the second display, and

wherein in the first mode of operation, the display controller is adapted to effect at least one of the following functions;

(i) inhibit a supply of image data to one of the first display and the second display and (ii) interrupt a supply of power from the power source to the one of the first display and the second display.

24. An image information display device in accordance with claim 23, wherein the image information display device is an electronic book.

25. An image information display device comprising:

a first display to display an image;

a second display to display an image; and

a controller to operatively and to selectively deliver image information to at least one of the first display and the second display,

wherein the first display is movably coupled to the second display, and when in an open state, the first display and the second display are adjacent and concurrently observable, and

wherein in a fully closed state, at least one of the first display and the second display is readily observable.

26. An image information display device in accordance with claim 25, wherein the image information display device is an electronic book.

27. An image information display device in accordance with claim 25, further comprising a cover member, movably coupled to one of the first display and the second display, to selectively cover at least one of the first display and the second display otherwise readily observable in the fully closed state.

28. An image information display device in accordance with claim 25, wherein the characteristic of the first display is similar to that of the second display.

29. A method of displaying image information using an electronic book having a first display and a second display, wherein the electronic book can function in at least a first mode and a second mode, the steps comprising:

selecting a display mode;

controlling a supply of image information for purposes of displaying the image information using at least one of the first display and the second display based on a selected display mode; and

displaying at least a portion of image information on at least one display in accordance with the selected display mode and in a manner responsive to the step of controlling,

wherein without regard to specific image information being displayed, presentation of image information in the first mode consumes less power than presentation of image information in the second mode.