United States Patent
`
`1191
`
`Sakamoto et al.
`
`[54] DATA PROCESSOR WITH ROTATABLE
`DISPLAY
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Kohichiro Sakamoto, Sakai;
`Yoshiyuki Murashima,
`Yamatotakada; Hiroshi Nishida,
`Tenri; Yukihiro Shibata, Souraku, all
`of Japan
`
`[73] Assignee:
`
`Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka,
`Japan
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 874,980
`
`[22] Filed:
`
`Apr. 22, 1992
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`[30]
`Apr. 26. 1991 [JP]
`Japan ................................ .. 3-097458
`Apr. 26. 1991 [JP]
`Japan ................................ .. 3-097466
`
`[51]
`
`[52] U.S. c1.
`
`Int. Cl.5 ....................... .. G09G 5/00; GO9G 5/32;
`G096 5/38
`................................ .. 345/126; D14/113;
`248/922
`[58] Field of Search .............. .. 340/720, 727; 345/126,
`345/905; 248/920, 922, 923, 917, 919, 921;
`D14/106, 113
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`D. 321.179 10/1991 Oyama ............................. .. D14/113
`D. 343.168
`l/1994 Morisaki et al.
`.
`..
`..... ..
`4,267,555
`5/1981 Boyd et al.
`
`||||||||||||||l||||ll|Illlllllll1|||||l|1||||1||l|||lllllllllllllllllllllll
`USOO5329289A
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`
`5,329,289
`
`[45]
`
`. Date of Patent:
`
`Jul. 12, 1994
`
`4.542.377
`4,83l.368
`5,034.733
`5,134,390
`
`...................... .. 340/727
`9/1985 Hagen et al.
`5/1989 Masimo et al.
`.. 340/727
`
`.. 345/126
`7/1991 Okazawa et al.
`............... .. 345/126
`7/1992 Kishimoto et al.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0351817
`59-62891
`62-173509
`91/00586
`
`1/1990 European Pat. Off.
`4/1984 Japan .
`7/1987 Japan .
`1/1991 PCT lnt‘l Appl.
`
`.......... .. 340/727
`
`............... .. 340/727
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin vol. 24 No. 1 A Jun.
`1981 pp. 186 and 187.
`
`Primary Examiner—Jeffery Brier
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Nixon & Vanderhye
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A data processor with rotatable display includes a dis-
`play unit having a rectangular display surface rotatable
`to either a vertically elongated position or a laterally
`elongated position, and a control unit for setting an
`onscreen display format presented by the display unit to
`either a vertically elongated format or a laterally elon-
`gated format. The control unit stores the onscreen dis-
`play format displayed at the time the data processor is
`turned off. Then when the data processor is later turned
`on, the stored onscreen display format is used.
`
`5 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
`
`SpaceCo
`Exhibit l()()4
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 1 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FlG.1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`- July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 2 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`F1G.2.
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 3 of 17
`
`FlG.3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 4 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG. 4
`
`CPU
`
`10
`
`12
`
`S
`
`Kev -
`
`14
`
`'3
`
`W
`
`15
`
`16
`
`T__
`
`3
`
`Ha
`
`Hb
`
`¢—-9
`
`HARD DISC
`APPARATUS
`
`8
`«—.....—» PRINTER
`CONTROLLER
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`8a
`
`FLOPPY DISC
`
`7
`
`APPARATUS
`
`CONTROLLER
`I
`
`FLOPPY DISC
`
`4--» «—-+ EJ?:::4UNICATI°N
`
`7a
`
`6
`
`DISPLAY
`F‘ CONTROLLER
`
`POWER
`
`9
`
`UNIT
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 5 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG. 5
`
`TURN ON
`
`
`
`
`READ DISPLAY STATUS
`
`
`STORING REGION IN
`
`INITIALIZATION ROUTING
`
`
`
`
`CHECK
`DISPLAY STATUS
`
`S3
`
`VERTICALLY
`
`LATERALLY
`
`ELONGATED SCREEN
`
`ELONGATED SCREEN
`
`
`
`SET A VERTICALLY
`
`ELONGATED
`
`ONSCREEN FORMAT
`
`
`
`SET A LATERALLY
`
`ELONGATED
`
`ONSCREEN FORMAT
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 6 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG.6
`
`« Selection )
`
`I2 l:l:__V"3:l:l l:l
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`‘Sheet 7 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`5.6:
`
`
`
` D
`
`Aco:om_mmv
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 8 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`.
`
`Sheet 9 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`"|'|"E"|"|"
`T I I
`.__ - H _
`- Z
`- -. -
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 10 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`9.05.
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 11 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FlG.11
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 12 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG.12
`
`20
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 13 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG. 13
`
`
`
`TURN ON
`
`S11
`
`
`
`S12
`
`
`
`SENSOR DETECTS THE DIRECTION OF
`
`DISPLAY UNIT
`
`CPU APPLIES DETECTION
`
`SIGNAL FROM SENSOR
`
`S13
`
`CPU EXECUTES LAYOUT
`
`SETTING ROUTINE
`
`
` S14
`
`
`
`DISPLAY IN ONSCREEN FORMAT
`
`
`
`CORRESPONDING TO THE
`DIRECTION OF DISPLAY UNIT
`
`S15
`
`
`
`

`
`US. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 14 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG.I4
`
` APPLY COMMAND OF
`
`S23
`
`IGNAL CORRESPONDS WITH
`
`DETECTION
`
`IRECTIONAL CONTROL
`
`OF DISPLAY REGION
`
`
`
`COMMAND OF DIRECTIONAL
`
`CONTROL ?
`
` CHANGE THE LAYOUT
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 15 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`

`
`U S Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 16 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`F'lG.l6
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`July 12, 1994
`
`Sheet 17 of 17
`
`5,329,289
`
`FIG
`
`.17
`
`25
`
`LAYOUT
`SENSOR
`
`C P U
`
`36
`
`.37..
`38
`
`39
`
`4O
`
`HARD DISC
`
`APPARATUS
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`FLOPPY DISC 34
`
`APPARATUS
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`42
`
`FLOPPY DISC
`
`35
`
`_.._.
`
`K E Y
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`PRINTER
`
`
` CONTROLLER
`
`CONWUNICATION
`
`47
`
`UNIT
`
`DISPLAY
`
`CONTROLLER
`
`33
`
`MAIN
`
`SOURCG
`
`POWER
`
`50
`
`

`
`1
`
`5,329,289
`
`DATA PROCESSOR WITH ROTATABLE DISPLAY
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`invention relates to a data processor
`The present
`which is incorporated in a word processor, a calculating
`machine, etc.
`In general, a conventional data processor incorpo-
`rated in a word processor, a calculating machine, and
`the like includes a display apparatus consisting of a
`CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube), a main controller for con-
`trolling image data which includes characters, figures
`ad the like displayed on the display apparatus, and a key
`board which is operated by the user to input the image
`data. The display apparatus has a display unit which is
`rectangular in shape the orientation of which is fixed,
`that is,
`in either a vertically elongated direction or a
`laterally elongated.
`Having the display unit orientation fixed in either a
`vertically elongated or a laterally elongated direction
`creates a number of, problems.
`For example, if display unit is fixed in the laterally
`elongate direction so as to have a laterally elongated
`screen, a larger number of characters can be displayed
`in the lateral direction documents of A4 size generated
`in the lateral elongation are present as a whole A4 page
`of data at one time.
`However, various other layouts and sizes of docu-
`ments exist, such as A4, B4 and the like with two direc-
`tions for each document that is, a laterally elongated
`direction and a vertically elongated direction. In mak-
`ing a document for example, of size A4 and vertically
`elongated orientation the total number of lines of a page
`which can be displayed by the display unit is not suffi-
`ciently large to display the whole A4 page of data on
`the screen. This leads inefficient document creation.
`In recent years, there has been proposed a data pro-
`cessor including a display apparatus where the display
`unit can be pivoted to either a vertically elongated
`position and a laterally elongated position. In such a
`data processor, however, the user must use the key
`board to set an onscreen format in a vertically or later-
`ally elongated direction, and such an operation of set-
`ting a onscreen format is an annoying task to the user.
`As related art to the present invention, for example,
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,555 discloses a rotatable raster scan
`display which includes a CRT display apparatus which
`can switch a onscreen display between a vertically elon-
`gated layout and a laterally elongated layout. The rota-
`tion of the CRT display apparatus is turned on or off by
`a control switch to selectively control a length of hori-
`zontal scanning lines and a length of a sweep corre-
`sponding to the direction of the CRT display apparatus.
`U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,377 also discloses a rotatable display
`work station which includes a CRT display apparatus
`which can switch a onscreen display between a verti-
`cally elongated layout and a laterally elongated layout
`and in which two kinds of character generators are
`provided. Character display begins with characters at
`the upper left portion of a CRT screen in a lateral (hori-
`zontal) mode.
`Additionally, there are several similar apparatus dis-
`closed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications
`SHO/59-62891 and SHO/62-173509. The former is an
`apparatus having a picture display which is rectangular
`in shape and which can be displaced from a vertically
`elongated position to a laterally elongated position, and
`vice versa. Either the vertically elongated position or
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`2
`the laterally elongated position of the picture display is
`detected, _and accordingly, the picture display presents a
`vertically or laterally elongated picture. The latter pub-
`lication discloses an apparatus having a display unit and
`a rotary mechanism for turning the display unit itself, in
`which turning of the display unit is detected to produce
`a detection signal, and the contents stored in an image
`memory is turned and rewritten in accordance with the
`detection signal. However, the contents remain in their
`current display position if the turning brings about a
`disallowable display.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention provides a data processor with
`a rotatable display comprising display means which has
`a rectangular display surface and which can be turned
`either a vertically elongated position or a laterally elon-
`gated position, and control means for setting an on-
`screen display presented by the display means to either
`a vertically elongated format or a laterally elongated
`format under its control. The control means stores an
`onscreen display which is being presented when the
`data processor is turned off. That onscreen display
`stored is presented by the display means when the data
`processor is turned on again.
`In the above structure, preferably, the display means
`further provides detecting means for detecting a verti-
`cally or laterally elongated position of the display
`means. The control means controls the display means to
`display either a vertically elongated onscreen layout or
`a laterally elongated onscreen layout
`in accordance
`with a detected result by the detecting means.
`In the above structure, preferably, the data processor
`further comprises switch means for outputting a change
`command to change a display region which can display
`data on the display surface into a vertically elongated
`onscreen layout or a laterally elongated onscreen lay-
`out,
`the display means includes detecting means for
`detecting a vertically or laterally elongated position of
`the display means. The control means changes the dis-
`play region into the vertically or the laterally elongated
`onscreen layout in accordance with the change com-
`mand. The control means also includes identification
`
`means for comparing a detected result by the detecting
`means with the change command and for changing the
`direction of the display region only when a direction of
`the display means is the same as the direction of the
`display region designated in accordance with the
`change command.
`In another aspect of the present invention, the present
`invention provides a data processor with a rotatable
`display comprising display means which has a rectangu-
`lar display surface and which can be turned to either a
`vertically elongated position or a laterally elongated
`position, and control means for setting an onscreen
`display presented by the display means to either a verti-
`cally elongated format or a laterally elongated format
`under its control. The display means includes detecting
`means for detecting a vertically or laterally elongated
`position of the display means. The control means con-
`trols the display means to display either a vertically
`elongated onscreen layout or a laterally elongated on-
`screen layout in accordance with a detected result by
`the detecting means.
`
`

`
`3
`
`5,329,289
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment 1 of a
`data processor according to the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the data pro-
`cessor comprised of a base, a post, and a display unit;
`FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the base, pier and
`display unit;
`FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control unit in
`the data processor;
`FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a process of displaying
`a picture in the data processor;
`FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a vertically elongated
`selection screen presented by the display unit;
`FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a laterally elongated
`selection screen presented by the display unit;
`FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a vertically elongated
`document mode screen presented by the display unit;
`FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a vertically elongated
`image mode screen presented by the display unit;
`FIG. 10 is a laterally elongated document mode
`screen presented by the display unit;
`FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a laterally elongated
`image mode screen presented by the display unit;
`FIG. 12 is an elevational view showing a display unit
`with a sensor of an embodiment 2 according to the
`present invention;
`FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing a process of display-
`ing a picture in the data processor of the embodiment 2
`according to the present invention;
`FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a procedure of set-
`ting an onscreen layout corresponding to the direction
`of the display unit;
`FIG. 15 is an elevational view showing an appear-
`ance of an embodiment 3 of the data processor;
`FIG. 16 is a left side view of FIG. 15; and
`FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a control unit of
`the data processor of FIGS. 15 and 16.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`As a detecting unit incorporated in the present inven-
`tion for detecting vertical and lateral display unit direc-
`tions, various position sensors well-known in the art can
`be utilized. A good example of such a sensor is one with
`simple configuration, where a micro-push-switch is
`provided at a part of the bottom ofa display unit, so that
`it can be recognized that a side of the display coming in
`contact with a bottom support surface is a “bottom
`side“.
`
`The present invention will now be described in detail
`based upon embodiment 1, 2 and 3 which are shown in
`the accompanying drawings.
`With reference to FIGS. 1 to 11, an embodiment 1 of
`the present invention will be described below.
`As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a data processor of the
`embodiment l includes a base 1 rests on a desk or the
`like, a post 2 fixed upright on the base 1, a display unit
`3 which is rotatably attached on a front side of the post
`2 facing to the operator that it can turn in an A1-A2
`direction, a fixing element 4 by which the display unit 3
`is so fixed to the post 4 that it can rotate, and a key
`board 5 with which the operator inputs picture data
`such as characters, figures, etc..
`A floppy disc apparatus 7 is mounted at a part of the
`front of the base 1, which performs, as shown in FIG. 4,
`recording/reproducing of picture data in floppy discs 6
`under the control of a controller 7a of a control unit
`
`5
`
`10
`
`I5
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`4
`mentioned later. The floppy disc apparatus 7 has its
`opposite sides formed in curved surface la in order to
`prevent any physical interference between the display
`unit 3 and the base 1.
`
`As shown in FIG. 4, the post 2 houses the control unit
`consisting of a CPU (Central Processing unit) 10, a
`ROM (Read Only Memory) lla which stores programs
`including, for example, a onscreen layout setting routine
`for setting a vertically elongated or laterally elongated
`onscreen format, a RAM (Random Access Memory)
`llb which includes a scroll start position storing region,
`a picture data storing region, a display data storing
`region, etc., a key controller 12 connected to a key
`board 5, a printer controller 14 connected to a printer
`13, a communication unit 15 which enables a communi-
`cation with other data processors and the like, and a
`display controller 16 connected to the display unit 3,
`and its also includes a hard disc apparatus 8 which can
`record/reproduce picture data through a controller 80
`similar to the above-mentioned floppy disc apparatus 7,
`and a power source unit 9 for supplying power to the
`control unit, hard disc apparatus 8 and the like.
`The display unit 3 has a rectangular liquid crystal
`display panel 3a. The liquid crystal display panel 30
`includes a first panel frame 3b surrounding its circum-
`ference and a second panel frame 3c for covering its rear
`surface, and the first and second panel frames 3b, 3c
`have their respective parts cut off in order to prevent
`any interference between the display unit 3 and the base
`1 while the display unit 3 is turning. The display unit 3
`turns in the A1—A2 direction and settles itself in either a
`vertically elongated position or a laterally elongated
`position (two-dot-and-dash line in FIG. 2).
`In the data processor according to the present inven-
`tion, also, the RAM 11b in the control unit has a display
`status storing region, and the ROM lla stores an initial-
`ization routine. The above-mentioned display status
`storing region stores data on a vertically elongated or
`laterally elongated onscreen display presented when the
`data processor is turned off. In the initialization routine,
`read through the CPU 10 onto an onscreen display are
`data stored in the display status storing region which
`are presented when the data processor is turned There-
`after, a command is sent through the CPU to the display
`controller 16 corresponding to set a vertically elon-
`gated or laterally elongated onscreen layout to the dis-
`play unit 3.
`A process of displaying a picture in the data proces-
`sor as previously described will be explained in con-
`junction with a flow chart shown in FIG. 5.
`First, turning on the data processor (S1), data on an
`onscreen display stored in the display status storing
`region in the RAM 11b is read through the CPU 10 in
`the initialization routine stored in the ROM lla (S2).
`Then, in accordance with the data on the onscreen
`display, a display status is determined, a vertically elon-
`gated screen or a laterally elongated screen (S3). If it is
`recognized as the vertically elongated screen, a com-
`mand is accordingly sent through the CPU 10 to the
`display controller 16 to set a vertically elongated on-
`screen format to the display unit 3 (S4), and a vertically
`elongated selection screen as shown in FIG. 6 is dis-
`played on the liquid crystal display panel 30. On the
`contrary, if recognized as the laterally elongated screen,
`a command is accordingly sent through the CPU 10 to
`the display controller 16 to set a laterally elongated
`onscreen format to the display unit 3 (SS), and a later-
`
`

`
`5,329,289
`
`5
`ally elongated selection screen as shown in FIG. 7 is
`displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 30.
`After that, the user pushes selection keys on the key
`board 5 to display a document mode screen shown in
`FIG. 8, an image mode screen shown in FIG. 9, etc. in
`the case of the vertically elongated screen shown in
`FIG. 6 or to display a document mode screen shown in
`FIG. 10, an image mode screen shown in FIG. 11, etc.
`in the case of the laterally elongated screen shown in
`FIG. 7.
`
`As has been described, in the data processor accord-
`ing to the present invention,
`the control unit which
`makes the display unit present picture data, such as
`characters, figures and the like,
`input from the key
`board 5 under its control
`includes the ROM 11a in
`which the initialization routine is stored and the RAM
`11b in which the display status storing region. In this
`way, when the display unit 3 is fixed in either a verti-
`cally elongated direction or a laterally elongated direc-
`tion in practical use, data on an onscreen display in a
`vertically elongated format or a laterally elongated
`format presented when the data processor is turned off
`is stored in the display status storing region of the RAM
`11b, and in the next use of the data processor, after
`turning on it, the onscreen display previously used is
`automatically set by virtue of the initialization routine in
`the ROM Ila.
`Switching of the onscreen display from a vertically
`elongated layout to a laterally elongated layout, and
`vice versa, is carried out by the operation on the key
`board 5 or by utilizing a mechanical switch in the dis-
`play unit 3 as a trigger and applying a command from
`the CPU 10 to the display controller 16 to change the
`onscreen display, the display controller 16 controls the
`display unit 3 thereafter in accordance with a switching
`command, and the CPU 10 makes the display status
`storing region in the RAM 11b store either a current
`vertically or laterally elongated onscreen display on the
`display unit 3.
`A preferred embodiment 2 according to the present
`invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 12
`and 13.
`The data processor according to the present inven-
`tion is provided in a part of the bottom of the display
`unit 3 with a sensor 20 serving as a unit for detecting a
`directional status of the display unit 3, namely, a verti-
`cally elongated direction or a laterally elongated direc-
`tion. The sensor 20 is provided with a micro-push-
`switch to detect that the side affected by pressure is a
`bottom side. A detection signal from the sensor 20 is
`applied through an interface not shown to an input of
`the CPU 10 (see FIG. 4), and the CPU 10 executes an
`onscreen layout setting routine in the ROM 11:: in ac-
`cordance with the detection signal input thereto. Other
`components and systems of the data processor in this
`embodiment are similar to those of the preferred em-
`bodiment ] (see FIGS. 1 to 4), and the description about
`them is omitted.
`
`A process of displaying a picture in the data proces-
`sor of this embodiment will be described in conjunction
`with a flow chart shown in FIG. 13.
`
`First, turning on the data processor (511), a direc-
`tional status, namely, a vertically elongated direction or
`a laterally elongated direction, of the display unit 3 is
`detected by the sensor 20 (S12). Then, a detection signal
`about the directional status of the display unit 3 is ap-
`plied from the sensor 20 through the interface to the
`input of the CPU 10 (S13). Then, the CPU 10 which has
`
`6
`received the detection signal executes the onscreen
`layout setting routine in the ROM 11a in accordance
`with the detection signal ($14). In this way. the display
`unit 3 presents either a vertically elongated onscreen
`display or a laterally elongated onscreen display in
`accordance with the directional status, namely, a verti-
`cally elongated direction or a laterally elongated direc-
`tion, of the display unit 3 (S15).
`As has been described, in the data processor of this
`embodiment, the sensor 20 for detecting a directional
`status of the display unit 3, namely, a vertically or later-
`ally elongated direction,
`is mounted in a part of the
`bottom of the display unit 3. Thus, in accordance with
`the detection signal from the sensor 20, an onscreen
`display presented on the liquid crystal display panel 3a
`of the display unit 3 is automatically set in a vertically
`elongated onscreen format or a laterally elongated on-
`screen format in accordance with the directional status
`of the display unit 3.
`In this embodiment, while applying the detection
`signal from the sensor 20 to the input of the CPU 10, the
`onscreen layout of the display unit 3 is initializingly set
`when the processor is turned on, applying the detection
`signal from the sensor 20 to an interrupt input of the
`CPU 10 allows the onscreen layout to be set corre-
`sponding to the directional status of the display unit 3
`even if the user switches the directional status of the
`display unit from a vertically elongated direction to a
`laterally elongated direction, and vice versa, during a
`use of the data processor.
`As mentioned in the foregoing, the data processor
`according to the present invention includes a display
`unit which can turn between a vertically elongated
`position and a laterally elongated position, and a control
`unit which sets an onscreen display presented on the
`display unit to a vertically elongated onscreen layout or
`a laterally elongated onscreen layout under its control.
`The control unit stores an onscreen display presented
`when the processor is turned on to present the onscreen
`display stored on the display unit when the processor is
`turned on again.
`In this way, when the display unit is fixed in a direc-
`tional status, namely,
`in either a vertically elongated
`direction or a laterally elongated direction in use, an
`onscreen display can be automatically set to that of the
`previous use. Thus, the user may not perform an annoy-
`ing operation of newly setting an onscreen layout, and
`consequently, work efficiency of the user is enhanced.
`Also,
`the data processor according to the present
`invention includes a display unit which can turn be-
`tween a vertically elongated position. A laterally elon-
`gated position, and a control unit sets an onscreen dis-
`play presented on the display unit to a vertically elon-
`gated onscreen layout or a laterally elongated onscreen
`layout under its control. The directional status of the
`display unit, namely, either a vertically elongated direc-
`tion or a laterally elongated direction, is detected by a
`directional status detecting unit. An onscreen display of
`a vertically elongated onscreen layout of a laterally
`elongated onscreen layout can be accordingly presented
`on the display unit under the control of the control unit.
`In this way, an onscreen layout can be automatically
`set corresponding to the directional status of the display
`unit, either a vertically elongated direction or a laterally
`elongated direction, and consequently, a data processor
`effective in that an onscreen display of a vertically elon-
`gated layout or a laterally elongated layout can be auto-
`matically set can be provided.
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`7.
`A preferred embodiment 3 which is an application of
`the present invention to a data processor will be de-
`scribed with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17.
`As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, a data processor ofthe
`embodiment 3 includes a base 31 which make the whole
`of the data processor rest on a desk or the like, a main
`unit 32 standing upright on the base 31, a display unit 33
`which is held on a front side of the main unit 32 facing
`to the operator.
`The base 31 has its front side projected from the main
`unit 32, and a floppy disc apparatus 34 for recording/re-
`producing document data and the like in and from a
`floppy disc 35 (see FIG. 17) in the right end of the from
`of the base 31. An inner side portion of the floppy disc
`apparatus 34 includes a curved and inclined surface 31::
`extending from the top of the floppy disc apparatus 34
`to the top of the base 31.
`The main unit 32 includes a control unit for control-
`ling the operation of the data processor and the like
`within it, and also includes a pivotally fixing element 21
`in its front. The pivotally fixing element 21 supports a
`display unit 33 so that it can turn in an A- or B- direc-
`tion. The display unit 33 includes a liquid crystal display
`panel 22 serving a displaying surface and a panel frame
`23 holding the liquid crystal display panel 22, and the
`display unit 33 has a Corner 230 of the panel frame 23
`partially cut away close to the floppy disc apparatus 34.
`Such a partially cut-away corner 23a together with the
`curved and inclined surface 31a is for preventing the
`display unit 33 from bumping against the base 31 while
`the display unit 33 is turning.
`The liquid crystal panel 22 has a rectangular display
`region which is somewhat smaller than its outer dimen-
`sions, where a picture is displayed. The panel frame 23
`is provided at corners at opposite ends of a diagonal line
`passing a center of the liquid crystal display panel 22
`with a pair of power switches 24. One of the power
`switches 24 is positioned at the lower left when the
`display unit 33 is set in a vertically elongated direction
`as shown by a-dot-dash line in FIG. 15 while the other
`is positioned at the lower right when the display unit 33
`is set
`in a laterally elongated direction as shown by
`a-dot-dash line in FIG. 15.
`In the panel frame 23, a direction sensor 25 is attached
`close to the corner 23:: in on the bottom of the display
`unit 33 when set in the vertically elongated direction.
`The direction sensor 25 serving as a unit for detecting a
`direction of the display unit 33, namely, a vertically
`elongated direction or a laterally elongated direction, is
`a micro-push-switch, which detects that a side affected
`by pressure is a bottom side to confirm a directional
`status of the display unit 33, namely, a vertically elon-
`gated direction or a laterally elongated direction. As
`such a detection unit, elements other than the micro
`switch may be used.
`Components built in the main unit 32, such as a con-
`trol unit and the like, will be described.
`As shown in FIG. 17, the control unit consists of a
`CPU (Central processing Unit) 36, a ROM (Read Only
`Memory) 37, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 38,
`controllers 40, 42, a keyboard controller (key controller
`in the drawings) 43, a printer controller 45, a communi-
`cation unit 47, and a display controller 48.
`When a command to change a direction of the display
`region on the liquid crystal display panel 22 is input
`through a keyboard 44, the CPU 36 serving as a switch-
`ing control unit compares the change command with a
`detection signal which is a result of the detection by the
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`direction sensor 25 to give a command to the display
`controller 48 to change a direction of the display region
`in accordance with the above-mentioned change com-
`mand only when deciding that the direction of the dis-
`play region designated according to the change com-
`mand and the direction of the display unit 33 identified
`according to the detection signal are the same. Thus, the
`CPU 36 has a function of making a decision in the case
`of an accord of two factors.
`The change command is applied by an operation of
`switch keys (not shown) on the keyboard 44; for exam-
`ple, "1” corresponds to a vertically elongated direction
`while “0" corresponds to a laterally elongated direc-
`tion. Thus, assuming that the detection signal corre-
`sponding to the vertically elongated direction of the
`display unit 33 is designated by “I” while the one corre-
`sponding to the laterally elongated direction of the
`display unit 33 is designated by “O”,
`the CPU 36
`switches the display region into a vertically elongated
`onscreen layout when both the change command and
`the detection signal are identified with “1” while it
`switches the display region into a laterally elongated
`onscreen layout when both of them are identified with
`"O”.
`
`The controllers 40 and 42 controls the hard disc appa-
`ratus 39 and the floppy disc apparatus 34 through a
`communication with the CPU 36. The keyboard con-
`troller 43 is connected to the keyboard (KEY in the
`drawings) to convert an input from the keyboard 44
`into data which can be processed in the CPU 36. The
`keyboard 44 is provided with ten functions keys (not
`shown) each of which has three different functions, and
`switching of functions of each function key enables the
`user to utilize a variety of processing functions.
`The ROM 37 is a read-only memory which stores
`programs and data for control, such as a program for
`executing the above-mentioned operation of the CPU
`36 as well as a control program for each control unit
`and various data. On the other hand, the RAM 38 is a
`memory which can write/read upon occasion and
`which has a function to temporarily store input data, an
`operation result of the CPU 36, and the like.
`The printer controller 45 is connected to the printer
`46 and controls a printing operation of the printer 46
`based upon a command of the CPU 36. The communi-
`cation unit 47 is an apparatus for communicating with
`other data processors and the like, which includes a
`modem, for example. The display controller 48 con-
`verts display data into a video signal to transmit the
`display unit 33, and controls a display operation of the
`display unit 33 in accordance with a command of the
`CPU 36.
`
`The main unit 32 houses a hard disc apparatus 39 and
`a main power source 50 other than the above-mentioned
`control unit. The hard disc apparatus 39 can record or
`reproduce document data and the like similar to the
`floppy disc apparatus 34, including a hard disc (not
`shown) as a recording medium. The main power source
`50 supplies power to the hard disc apparatus 39 and the
`like.
`
`A procedure of setting an onscreen layout corre-
`sponding to the direction of the display unit 33 in the
`above-mentioned data processor will be described in
`conjunction with a flow chart in FIG. 14.
`First, the direction sensor 25 detects a current direc-
`tion of the display unit 33 (S21), and an operation of the
`keyboard 44 allows a change command of changing a
`direction of the display region to be input (S22). Then,
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`screen display format on the display when the data
`processor is later activated, and
`a base for supporting the display with the top surface
`of the ba