Display device, portable information processing apparatus, information storage medium, and electronic apparatus

• US 6,597,378 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shiraishi, Atsushi, Nakashima, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/487,819
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 345/764, 345/810, 345/835, 345/839, 345/963, 345/864, 345/778, 345/751, 345/752, 345/775, 345/733, 345/841, 345/779, 345/727, 345/728
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

A display device including a display unit for displaying, on a menu screen, a plurality of types of information including first through N-th information having different attributes; a storage unit for storing first through N-th background screen character data for presenting first through N-th background display areas that respectively display icon information corresponding to the first through N-th information, and first through N-th icon information corresponding to the first and N-th information; and a control unit for performing control to create the first through N-th background display areas on the menu screen on an area by area basis, based on the first through N-th background screen character data, and to display the icon information on an area by area basis.

Claims

1. A display device comprising display means for displaying, on a display screen, a plurality of types of information having different attributes, including at least communications information and schedule information;

storage means for storing first through third background screen character data which respectively present a first background display area for displaying icon information corresponding to said communications information, a second background display area for displaying said icon information corresponding to said schedule information, a third background display area for arranging and displaying said icon information that is used to retrieve said plurality of types of information enjoyed in each of said first and second background display areas and for storing said icon information;

control means for performing control to create said first through third background display areas on said display screen on an area by area basis, based on said first through third background screen character data, and to display said icon information on an area by area basis.

2. A display device according to claim 1, further comprising operating means for inputting said plurality of types of information on said display screen, wherein said control means comprises a mode control unit that performs control to switch, in response to an input through said operating means, between a first mode in which said first through third background display areas are presented and a second mode in which one of said first through third background display areas is enlarged and presented.

3. A display device according to claim 2, wherein said storage means holds fourth background screen character data to present a fourth background display area for displaying icon information corresponding to input and output information that is input and output, and

wherein said control means performs control to create each of said first through fourth background display areas on said display screen on an area by area basis, based on said first through fourth background screen character data and to display said icon information on an area by area basis.

4. A display device according to claim 3, wherein said control means performs control to synthesize and display said icon information on one of said first, second and fourth background display areas, in accordance with an input through said operating means.

5. A display device according to claim 3, wherein said storage means holds screen data for forming a background screen of a localized area where said input and output information is displayed, and font data for displaying said input and output information in a hand-written character and,

wherein said control means performs control to create and display said font data on said screen data, in a layer beneath said icon information, in accordance with the input through said operating means.

6. A display device according to claim 5, further comprising a pen input information processing unit for forming said input and output information,

wherein said control means performs control to display said input and output information on said display means, in accordance with external input information input through said pen input information processing unit.

7. A display device according to claim 2, wherein said control means performs control to synthesize and display information having an attribute responsive to the operation of said operating means executed for said icon information, out of said plurality of types of information, on a display screen different from said menu screen.

8. A display device according to claim 2, further comprising timing means for counting time,

wherein said control means performs control to display said icon information in a chronological order, in accordance with time information of said timing means.

9. A display device according to claim 8, wherein said communications information comprises electronic mail information transmitted and received, and reception time information about the reception time of the electronic mail information, and

wherein control means performs control to display said icon information on said first background display area in the order of reception, in accordance with said reception time information.

10. A display device according to claim 8, wherein said icon information comprises third icon information that is created and displayed as a single character when the number of pieces of said electronic mail information exceeds a predetermined number, and

wherein said control means performs control to display said third icon information on said first background display area when the number of pieces of said electronic mail information exceeds said predetermined number.

11. A display device according to claim 10, wherein said communications information comprises identification information for identifying and classifying the function of said electronic mail according to the content of said electronic mail;

said third icon information comprises a plurality of pieces of function-based icon information that are classified by function with a view to the content of said electronic mail; and

said control means performs control to display said function-based icon information that matches the content of said electronic mail, on said first background display area, in accordance with said identification information.

12. A display device according to claim 8, wherein said display means comprises a fifth background display area for hiding said display screen when the input operation through said operating means is not carried out for a predetermined duration of time;

and

said control means performs control to enlarge and present said fifth background display area in succession to said duration.

13. A display device according to claim 12, further comprising battery remaining power detector means for detecting a level in a battery,

wherein said control means performs control to display the battery level on said fifth background display area, in accordance with the detection result provided by said battery remaining power detector means.

14. A display device according to claim 12, wherein said control means performs control to hide part of said display screen with said fifth background display area while displaying said icon information only, in the remaining area of said display screen.

15. A display device according to claim 2, further comprising voice input means for inputting voice information included in said plurality of types of information and,

voice input control means for controlling the input of said voice information in accordance with the input through said operating means.

16. A display device according to claim 15, wherein said voice information comprises voice input information having a schedule input in voice, and designated time information at which a user designates a scheduled execution time of said voice input information, and

wherein said control means performs control to display said icon information in the order of creation, in accordance with said designated time information.

17. A display device according to claim 16, wherein said voice information comprises voice size information relating to the size of said voice schedule information;

said icon information comprises a plurality of pieces of eighth icon information having different configurations corresponding to said voice schedule information; and

said control means performs control to selectively display said plurality of pieces of eighth icon information having the different configurations, in accordance with said voice size information.

18. A display device according to claim 2, further comprising voice output means for outputting said voice information included in said plurality of types of information, and

voice output control means for controlling the output of said voice information in accordance with the input through said operating means.

19. A display device according to claim 18, wherein said voice information comprises voice communications information transmitted and received, and voice size information relating to the size of said voice communications information;

said icon information comprises a plurality of pieces of sixth icon information having different configurations corresponding to said voice communications information; and

said control means performs control to selectively display said sixth icon information having the different configurations, in accordance with said voice size information.

20. A display device according to claim 2, further comprising battery remaining power detector means for detecting a level in a battery,

wherein said control means performs control to display the battery level on said display screen, in accordance with the detection result provided by said battery remaining power detector means.

21. A display device according to claim 2, wherein said control means comprises a background screen control unit which presents in high-contrast presentation the background display area that is enlarged and displayed when said second mode is use, while presenting in low-contrast presentation the remaining background display area.

22. A display device according to claim 2, wherein said storage means comprises database display information for arranging and displaying retrieval selection character information that is used to retrieve said plurality of types of information according to alphabets, and a retrieval program for retrieving said plurality of types of information using at least a first alphabetical letter of a word, as a keyword for retrieval, and

wherein said control means performs low-hierarchical layer display control by designating said keyword for retrieval according to said retrieval selection character information in accordance with an input through said operating means, retrieving said plurality of types of information using said retrieval program, and outputting retrieval result information.

23. A display device according to claim 1, wherein said first background display area is formed on the upper portion of said display screen in which a sky is presented as a background screen by making said first background screen character data a sky metaphor;

said second background display area is formed on the middle portion of said display screen in which a ground is presented as a background screen by making said second background screen character data a ground metaphor; and

said third background display area is formed on the lower portion of said display screen in which an underground is presented as a background screen by making said third background screen character data an underground metaphor.

24. A portable information processing apparatus comprising a display device according to one of claims 1 through 22.

25. A portable information processing apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a wrist attachment which is arranged on said display device and fastens about the wrist of a user.

26. An information storage medium at least for storing information for forming a display image, said storage medium comprising:

first through third background screen character data which respectively present a first background display area for arranging and displaying icon information corresponding to communications information, a second background display area for arranging and displaying said icon information corresponding to schedule information, a third background display area for arranging and displaying said icon information that is used to retrieve a plurality of types of information enjoyed in each of said first and second display areas;

information for storing said icon information; and

information for performing control to create said first through third background display areas on a display screen on an area by area basis, based on said first through third background character data, and to display said icon information on an area by area basis.

27. An information storage medium according to claim 26, comprising a retrieval program for retrieving said plurality of types of information using at least a first alphabetical letter of a word, as a keyword for retrieval, and

information for designating said keyword for retrieval according to retrieval selection character information in accordance with an input through operating means, for retrieving said plurality of types of information using said retrieval program, and for outputting retrieval result information.

28. An electronic apparatus comprising an information storage medium according to one of claims 26 and 27.