Computer having integral type hand writing input/display device and keyboard

• US 5,202,844 A
• Filed: 05/21/1991
• Issued: 04/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation (Kioxia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Fumitaka, Murayama, Masayoshi, Kamio, Shizuo, Kunii, Shimpei
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LONG
• Application Number:
  US07/702,810
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708, 364/709.11, 364/709.10, 364/709.12, 364/709.01
• US Class Current: 708/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a hinge mechanism for rotating an integral type hand writing input/display device and a keyboard from a position, in which the display surface of the integral type hand writing input/display device and the surface of the keyboard face each other, to a position of a desired opening angle. The input/display device is provided on a top portion of a processing apparatus body, is constituted by integrally superposing a tablet device for coordinate input on a display surface of a display device, and inputs coordinate data representing a location indicated voluntarily on the tablet device. The hinge mechanism can retain the desired opening angle. There are further provided an attitude sensor for detecting which of the integral type hand write input/display device and the keyboard is situated substantially horizontally, and a changing circuit for changing the display contents of the integral type hand write input/display device and coordinate data detection location, in accordance with the ON/OFF state of the attitude sensor.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body;

an integral type hand writing input/display device, having a tablet device for coordinate input integrally superimposed on a display device, for inputting coordinate data representing a location indicated on the tablet device;

a keyboard;

a rotary support mechanism, provided on a top portion of the apparatus body, for rotating said integral type hand writing input/display device and said keyboard from a position, in which a display input surface of the integral type hand writing input/display device and a surface of the keyboard face each other, to a position of a desired opening angle, and for keeping the opening angle;

attitude detecting means for detecting an attitude of the apparatus body, in accordance with an installation state of the apparatus body; and

changing means for changing the display contents and coordinate data detection location of the integral type hand writing input/display device in accordance with the detection result of the attitude detecting means.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said attitude detecting means includes a switching leg provided on a bottom portion of the apparatus body, means for detecting the attitude in accordance with an ON/OFF state of the switching leg turned on when the weight of the apparatus body is applied to said switching leg.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said attitude detecting means is formed by sealing mercury in a container having therein at least two electrodes, and said attitude detecting means detects the attitude of the apparatus body, depending on whether the mercury, which moves relative to the electrodes in the container in accordance with the installation state of the processing apparatus body, electrically connects the electrodes.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said attitude detecting means detects the attitude upon application of the weight of the apparatus body to the attitude detecting means.

5. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an integral type hand writing input/display device, having a tablet device for coordinate input integrally superimposed on a display device, for inputting coordinate data representing a location indicated on the tablet device;

a keyboard;

a rotary support mechanism for rotating said integral type hand writing input/display device and said keyboard from a position, in which a display input surface o the integral type hand writing input/display device and a surface of the keyboard face each other, to a position of a desired opening angle;

an opening angle detecting means for detecting the opening angle of the rotary support mechanism; and

changing means for changing the display contents of the display device and coordinate data detection location of the integral type hand writing input/display device in accordance with a detection result of the opening angle detecting means.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said rotary support mechanism is capable of holding the integral type hand writing input/display device and the keyboard at a desired opening angle.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said rotary support mechanism includes a hinge mechanism comprising a center shaft and a receiving portion, and said opening angle detecting means includes electrical conductors provided on the center shaft and the receiving portion of the hinge mechanism and means for detecting the opening angle in accordance with a conducting state of the conductor.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said rotary support mechanism includes a hinge mechanism comprising a center shaft and a receiving portion, and said opening angle detecting means includes a variable capacitor formed by the center shaft and the receiving portion and means for detecting the opening angle in accordance with a voltage change of the variable capacitor.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an integral type hand writing input/display device, having a tablet device for coordinate input integrally superimposed on a display device, for inputting coordinate data representing a location indicated on the tablet device;

a keyboard;

a rotary support mechanism for rotating said integral type hand writing input/display device and said keyboard from a position, in which a display input surface of the integral type hand writing input/display device and a surface of the keyboard face each other, to a position of a desired opening angle;

commanding means for commanding a change of a display contents of the display device and coordinate data detection location in the integral type hand writing input/display device; and

changing means for changing the display contents of the display device and coordinate data detection location, in response to a command from the commanding means.

10. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an integral type hand writing input/display device, having a tablet device for coordinate input integrally superimposed on a display device, for inputting coordinate data representing a location indicated on the tablet device;

a keyboard;

a rotary support mechanism for rotating said integral type hand writing input/display device and said keyboard from a position, in which a display input surface of the integral type hand writing input/display device and a surface of the keyboard face each other, to a position of a desired opening angle;

attitude detecting means for detecting an attitude of an apparatus body, in accordance with an installation state of the apparatus body;

commanding means for commanding a change of a display contents of the display device and coordinate data detection location in the integral type hand writing input/display device; and

direction determining means for determining a direction of the display contents of the integral type hand writing input/display device and coordinate data detection location, in accordance with a detection result obtained by the attitude detecting means.