Information processing apparatus and operation control method

• US 7,847,741 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2007
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Client Solutions CO., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hirota, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; HoangAnh T
• Application Number:
  US11/717,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20070252827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• Field of Search: 343/702, 455/575.1, 455/575.7, 455/557
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3838 Arrangements for reducing RF exposure to the user, e.g. by changing the shape of the transceiver while in use
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0602 using antenna switching H04B7/0686 takes precedence; antenna beam directivity switching H01Q3/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0689 using different transmission schemes, at least one of them being a diversity transmission scheme

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display unit. A display portion is provided in the display unit. Antennas are provided in the display unit. The antennas include a first antenna which serves as a transmitting antenna and a second antenna which serves as a receiving antenna. An antenna switching unit makes, when the display unit is used in a state where the first antenna is located in a side of the display unit which side is closest to a user, the first antenna serve as the receiving antenna, and the second antenna serve as the transmitting antenna.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display unit;

a display portion provided in the display unit; and

antennas provided in the display unit, the antennas including a first antenna which serves as a transmitting antenna and a second antenna which serves as a receiving antenna; and

an antenna switching unit which, when the display unit is used in a state where the first antenna is located in a side of the display unit which side is closest to a user, makes the first antenna serve as a receiving antenna, and makes the second antenna serve as a transmitting antenna.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antennas are provided in different sides of the display unit, and at least one of the antennas serves as the transmitting antenna.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display controlling unit which controls, in accordance with a direction of the display unit, a direction of an image to be displayed on the display portion.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

an acceleration sensor which detects an acceleration of the display unit and outputs a detection signal,

wherein the antenna switching unit makes the antennas serve as one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna based on the detection signal.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display controlling unit controls, based on the detection signal, the direction of the image to be displayed on the display portion.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a tablet surface in the display portion.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

an acceleration sensor configured to detect an acceleration of the display unit and outputs a detection signal,

wherein the antenna switching unit makes the antennas serve as one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna based on the detection signal.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the antenna switching unit selectively makes the antennas serve as one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in accordance with information of a carrier to be accessed via the antennas.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the antenna switching unit is provided between the antennas and wireless modules using the antennas, and switches the wireless modules to be connected to the antennas.

10. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a display unit;

a display portion provided in the display unit; and

antennas provided in the display unit, the antennas including a first antenna which serves as a transmitting antenna and a second antenna which serves as a receiving antenna;

a display controlling unit which controls a direction of an image to be displayed on the display portion in accordance with a direction of the display unit; and

an antenna switching unit which makes the first antenna serve as a receiving antenna, and makes the second antenna serve as a receiving antenna in accordance with controlling of the direction of the image by the display controlling unit.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the antennas are provided in different sides of the display unit, and at least one of the antennas serves as the transmitting antenna.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

wireless modules connected to the antennas,

wherein the display unit includes a tablet surface in the display portion.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

an acceleration sensor which detects an acceleration of the display unit and outputs a detection signal,

wherein the display controlling unit controls, based on the detection signal, the direction of the image to be displayed on the display portion.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the antenna switching unit selectively makes the antennas serve as one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in accordance with information of a carrier to be accessed via the antennas.

15. An operation control method of an apparatus including a display unit provided with a display portion and antennas, the antennas including a first antenna which serves as a transmitting antenna and a second antenna which serves as a receiving antenna, the operation control method comprising:

switching a direction of an image to be displayed on the display portion in accordance with a direction of the display unit; and

making the antennas serve as one of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna in accordance with the switching of the direction of the image.

16. The operation control method according to claim 15, wherein the switching the direction of the image comprises:

providing, in the display unit, a sensor which detects an acceleration of the display unit and outputs a detection signal; and

switching the direction of the image based on the detection signal.