ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF USAGE THEREOF

• US 20070146333A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Koyama, Jun, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Osada, Mai
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/170
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22

Abstract

The number of operation keys is normally on the order of 12 to 20, corresponding to numeral keys and specialized keys, even for a portable telephone device capable of sending signals to, and receiving signals from, the Internet. In order to input Japanese language characters, including kanji, and specialized characters as data, a complex operation is necessary for switching the input mode. With the present invention, display devices are formed in operation keys for inputting information to electronic devices such as portable information terminals, typically portable telephone devices, and information terminals, typically personal computer or stationary telephone devices. A user is able to recognize the operation keys by characters, symbols, and numerals displayed in the operation keys by the display devices. The user is able to recognize the operation keys even in a dark location in accordance with the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising a plurality of operation keys, each of the operation keys comprising:

a transparent button;

a pixel portion formed below the button; and

a driver circuit for controlling the pixel portion;

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit are formed over the same substrate,

wherein a signal to be input as information to the electronic device by the operation keys is displayed in the pixel portion, and

wherein the direction of the signal displayed in the pixel portion switches.

11. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising EL elements.

17. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the EL elements contain triplet excitation compounds.

23. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising liquid crystal elements.

29. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the signal includes characters, numerals, or symbols.

2. An electronic device which functions as a telephone, comprising a plurality of operation keys, each of the operation keys comprising:

a transparent button;

a pixel portion formed below the button; and

a driver circuit for controlling the pixel portion;

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit are formed over the same substrate,

wherein a signal to be input as information to the electronic device by the operation keys is displayed in the pixel portion, and

wherein the direction of the signal displayed in the pixel portion switches.

12. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising EL elements.

18. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the EL elements contain triplet excitation compounds.

24. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising liquid crystal elements.

30. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the signal includes characters, numerals, or symbols.

3. An electronic device comprising:

a first panel comprising a display portion; and

a second panel comprising a plurality of operation keys;

wherein the first panel and the second panel are connected,

wherein each of the operation keys comprises a transparent button, a pixel portion formed below the button, and a driver circuit for controlling the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit portion are formed on the same substrate,

wherein a signal to be input as information to the electronic device by the operation keys is displayed in the pixel portion, and

wherein the direction of the signal displayed in the pixel portion switches.

13. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising EL elements.

19. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the EL elements contain triplet excitation compounds.

25. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising liquid crystal elements.

31. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the signal includes characters, numerals, or symbols.

4. An electronic device functioning as a telephone, comprising:

a first panel comprising a display portion; and

a second panel comprising a plurality of operation keys;

wherein the first panel and the second panel are connected,

wherein each of the operation keys comprises a transparent button, a pixel portion formed below the button, and a driver circuit for controlling the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit portion are formed on the same substrate,

wherein a signal to be input as information to the electronic device by the operation keys is displayed in the pixel portion, and

wherein the direction of the signal displayed in the pixel portion switches.

14. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising EL elements.

20. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the EL elements contain triplet excitation compounds.

26. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising liquid crystal elements.

32. The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the signal includes characters, numerals, or symbols.

5. An electronic device comprising a plurality of operation keys, a controller, and a memory,

wherein each of the plurality of operation keys comprises a transparent button, a pixel portion formed below the button, and a driver circuit for controlling the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit are formed over the same substrate,

image information of a signal input to the electronic device by the operation keys is read out from the memory in accordance with the controller, and the signal is displayed in the pixel portions, and

wherein the direction of the signal displayed in the pixel portion switches.

7. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the controller and the memory are formed over the same substrate.

9. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the memory is one of a flash memory and a mask ROM.

15. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising EL elements.

21. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the EL elements contain triplet excitation compounds.

27. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising liquid crystal elements.

33. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the signal includes characters, numerals, or symbols.

6. An electronic device comprising a plurality of operation keys, a controller, and a memory,

wherein each of the plurality of operation keys comprises a transparent button, a pixel portion formed below the button, and a driver circuit for controlling the pixel portion,

wherein the pixel portion and the driver circuit are formed over the same substrate,

wherein a signal to be input as information to the electronic device by the operation keys is displayed in the pixel portion;

wherein two types of image information, in which the direction of the signal differs, are stored in the memory; and

wherein the direction of the signal displayed in the pixel portion switches by reading out the two types of image information from the memory in accordance with the controller.

8. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the controller and the memory are formed over the same substrate.

10. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the memory is one of a flash memory and a mask ROM.

16. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising EL elements.

22. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the EL elements contain triplet excitation compounds.

28. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the pixel portion comprises a plurality of pixels comprising liquid crystal elements.

34. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the signal includes characters, numerals, or symbols.