Display device, electronic appliance and camera

• US 7,218,315 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sato, Yuji, Takeuchi, Tsuneo, Maeyama, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US10/366,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20030151600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204, 345/205, 345/206, 345/211, 345/1.1, 345/2.1
• US Class Current: 345/204
• 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 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00538 Modular devices, i.e. allowing combinations of separate components, removal or replacement of components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device

Abstract

A display device, which defines an attached state or a removed state with respect to an electronic appliance, includes a display section, a driver for driving the display section, a transceiver for transmitting or receiving a signal to/from the electronic appliance, and a system controller for controlling the driver and the transceiver. At least portion of the transceiver and at least portion of the system controller are integrated together with the display section and the driver on the same substrate.

Claims

1. A display device which defines an attached state or a removed state with respect to an electronic appliance, the display device comprising:

a display section;

a driver for driving the display section;

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a signal to/from the electronic appliance;

a system controller for controlling the driver and the transceiver; and

a power supply;

wherein the display device has the ability to conduct a display operation by itself even when the display devices is in the removed state with respect to the electronic appliance,

wherein at least portion of the transceiver and at least portion of the system controller are integrated together with the display section and the driver on the same substrate.

2. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device is substantially in the shape of a rectangle in a plan view, and a portion of the display device, including one side of the rectangle, is inserted into a member of the electronic appliance that receives the display device in a removable state.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the power supply is attachable to, and removable from, the display device.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the power supply includes a solar battery.

5. The display device of claim 1, wherein the power supply includes a fuel battery.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein power is supplied to the power supply by electromagnetic induction while the display device is in the attached state with respect to the electronic appliance.

7. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a memory.

8. The display device of claim 7, wherein the memory is attachable to, and removable from, the display device.

9. The display device of claim 1, further comprising an imager.

10. The display device of claim 1, further comprising an input circuit, which generates an instruction signal in response to user'"'"'s operation.

11. The display device of claim 10, further comprising an input section, through which a command is input by user'"'"'s manipulation.

12. The display device of claim 11, wherein the input section is provided either on a surface of the display device so as to face a screen of the display section or on a side surface of the display device so as to cross the screen.

13. The display device of claim 11, wherein the input section includes a jog dial.

14. The display device of claim 1, further comprising at least one circuit that is selected from the group consisting of a memory, an input circuit, and an imager, wherein a portion of the at least one circuit is integrated together with the other circuits on the substrate.

15. The display device of claim 1, wherein the at least portion of the transceiver and the at least portion of the system controller each include a circuit component that is made of the same film as a circuit component of the display section or the driver.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the same film is a continuous grain silicon film.

17. The display device of claim 1, wherein in the attached state, the display device transmits or receives the signal to/from the electronic appliance by a non-contact method.

18. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device transmits or receives the signal to/from the electronic appliance by a radio communication technique.

19. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device transmits or receives the signal to/from the electronic appliance by an optical communication technique.

20. The display device of claim 19, wherein the optical communication is carried out by an element that is provided on the substrate so as to propagate an optical signal vertically to the substrate.

24. The display device of claim 1, wherein the display device has the ability to transmit a signal that controls some functions of the electronic appliance.

21. A display device which defines an attached state or a removed state with respect to an electronic appliance, the display device comprising:

a display section;

a driver for driving the display section;

a transceiver for transmitting or receiving a signal to/from the electronic appliance; and

a system controller for controlling the driver and the transceiver,

wherein at least portion of the transceiver and at least portion of the system controller are integrated together with the display section and the driver on the same substrate, wherein the display device has the ability to switch communications modes of transmitting or receiving the signal to/from the electronic appliance depending on whether the display device defines the attached state or the removed state with respect to the electronic appliance.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein switching of the communication modes include switching between an optical communication mode and a radio communication mode.

23. The display device of claim 21, wherein switching of the communication modes includes changing output levels of the signal to be exchanged.