Information processor

• US 5,936,619 A
• Filed: 06/25/1996
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tatsumi, Eisaku, Suzuki, Noriyuki, Nagasaki, Katsuhiko, Sunakawa, Shinichi, Shimada, Kazutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Application Number:
  US08/670,108
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 345/126, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/161, 345/163, 345/167, 345/168, 345/173, 345/112, 345/205, 345/214, 345/204, 345/905, 361/680, 361/686, 361/681, 178/18, 178/19, 364/707, 364/708.1, 364/709.11
• US Class Current: 345/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes

Abstract

An input-output integrated type electronic apparatus is arranged to enable the orientation of a displayed picture to be changed according to the orientation of the apparatus in a used state, whereby the facility with which the apparatus is used is improved. To change the display orientation, the content of a displayed picture is changed on the basis of a detected orientation of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An information processor comprising:

display means for displaying information;

a plurality of connection means for connecting an external apparatus to one of said plurality of connection means which are arranged at different positions on said display means;

detection means for detecting which of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected to; and

display control means for controlling a display form of information displayed on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means, wherein

the external apparatus comprises input means for inputting information, and

each of said connection means is capable of receiving the same external apparatus.

2. An information processor according to claim 1, wherein said input means is a pen-type input means.

3. An information processor according to claim 1, wherein said display control means comprises control means for controlling vertical-horizontal change of the information displayed on said display means.

4. An information processor according to claim 1, wherein said display means is superposed on a digitizer.

5. An information processor according to claim 1, wherein the input means for inputting information is connected to only one of said plurality of connection means.

6. An information processor according to claim 5, wherein said detection means detects which one of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected to.

7. An information processor according to claim 6, wherein said display control means controls a picture display orientation on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means.

8. An information processor comprising:

display means for displaying a picture;

a plurality of connection means for connecting an external apparatus to one of said plurality of connection means which are arranged at different positions on said display means;

detection means for detecting which of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected to; and

display control means for controlling a display form of the picture displayed on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means, wherein

the external apparatus comprises input means for inputting information, and

each of said connection means is capable of receiving the same external apparatus.

9. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein said input means is a pen-type input means.

10. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein said display control means comprises control means for controlling vertical-horizontal change of the information displayed on said display means.

11. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein said display means is superposed on a digitizer.

12. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein the input means for inputting information is connected to only one of said plurality of connection means.

13. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein said detection means detects which one of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected.

14. An information processor according to claim 8, wherein said display control means controls a picture display orientation on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means.

15. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

providing a display with a plurality of connection means arranged at different positions for receiving an external apparatus;

detecting a connection signal indicating that the external apparatus is connected to one of the connection means; and

controlling the display form of information to be displayed in accordance with the result of the detection of the detecting step, wherein

each of the connection means provided is capable of receiving the same external apparatus, and the external apparatus is an input for inputting information to the display.

16. An information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of providing a pen-type input as the input for inputting information to the display.

17. An information processing method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of providing the display with a control for controlling vertical-horizontal change of the information displayed on the display.

18. An information processing method according to claim 15, wherein the display is superposed on a digitizer.

19. An information processor comprising:

display means for displaying information, said display means having length and width dimensions;

a plurality of connection means for connecting an external apparatus to one of said plurality of connection means which are arranged at different positions on said display means;

detection means for detecting which of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected to; and

display control means for controlling a display form of information displayed on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means and the ratio between the length and width of said display means, wherein

the external apparatus comprises input means for inputting information, and

each of said connection means is capable of receiving the same external apparatus.

20. An information processor according to claim 19, wherein said input is a pen-type input means.

21. An information processor according to claim 19, wherein said display control means comprises control means for controlling vertical-horizontal change of the information displayed on said display means.

22. An information processor according to claim 19, wherein said display means is superposed on a digitizer.

23. An information processor according to claim 19, wherein the input means for inputting information is connected to only one of said plurality of connection means.

24. An information processor according to claim 23, wherein said detection means detects which one of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected.

25. An information processor according to claim 24, wherein said display control means controls a picture display orientation on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means.

26. An information processing method comprising the steps of:

providing a display with a plurality of connection means arranged at different positions for receiving an external apparatus, with the display having length and width dimensions;

detecting a connection signal indicating that the external apparatus is connected to one of the connection means; and

controlling the display form of information to be displayed in accordance with the result of the detection of the detecting step and the ratio between the length and width of the display, wherein

each of the connection means provided is capable of receiving the same external apparatus, and the external apparatus is an input for inputting information to the display.

27. An information processing method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of providing a pen-type input as the input for inputting information to the display.

28. An information processing method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of providing the display with a control for controlling vertical-horizontal change of the information displayed on the display.

29. An information processing method according to claim 26, wherein the display is superposed on a digitizer.

30. An information processor comprising:

display means for displaying information, said display means having length and width dimensions;

a plurality of connection means for connecting an external apparatus to one of said plurality of connection means which are arranged at different positions on said display means;

detection means for detecting which of said plurality of connection means the external apparatus is connected to; and

display control means for controlling a display form of information displayed on said display means in accordance with the result of the detection of said detection means and the ratio between the length and width of said display means, wherein

each of said connection means is capable of receiving the same external apparatus.