Optical: systems and elements – Optical modulator – Light wave temporal modulation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-02
2003-12-09
Mack, Ricky (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Optical modulator
Light wave temporal modulation
C345S107000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06661564
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, such as a notebook type personal computer, for example, and an electronic apparatus information display method, and relates in particular to an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that provides improved information display for the user.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of electrophoretic displays as displays for electronic apparatuses such as electronic books and cards, and the like, is widely known (examples: Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 1999-502950 specification and Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-285219 specification). Also, in a notebook type personal computer such as an electronic apparatus, the use of an electrophoretic display instead of a liquid crystal display is also widely known (Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-137250 specification).
The advantages of an electrophoretic display are as follows:
(a) can be made extremely thin: approximately 100 &mgr;m, for example;
(b) can be applied without problems to curved surfaces and in constricted places;
(c) has a memorizing capability, and it is sufficient to apply a drive voltage only in display switching and not apply a drive voltage after a predetermined display has been achieved, thereby greatly reducing power consumption.
In the case of a notebook type personal computer, for example, there is an on status and an off status with regard to the power supply, and a suspended status and non-suspended status with regard to the CPU, and with conventional notebook type personal computers, these electrical status are indicated to the user by illumination or non-illumination of a small light emitting device such as an LED (light emitting diode).
However, light emitting devices used for electrical status displays heretofore have been small and difficult for the user to see. In addition, shortcomings of current electrophoretic displays are as follows:
(a) the operation speed is greatly influenced by the applied voltage, making a high drive voltage necessary in order to achieve a fast response;
(b) when using low-voltage drive, as on battery power, the response speed is slow—on the order of several seconds.
Moreover, the character input keys of a conventional computer keyboard have the characters that can be input in a plurality of modes pre-printed on their top surfaces. Also, function keys can be assigned a variety of functions by various applications, and it is difficult to mark all of these beforehand on the top surfaces of the keys. This requires the user to rely on his or her memory when operating the function keys in different applications or modes.
A conventional electrophoretic display provided in an electronic apparatus is located where it is most easily seen by the user, and displays various kinds of information in common. However, such information is not always displayed in the vicinity of a member, such as a key or push button, to be operated. It would be difficult for a user to quickly access the member in response to the displayed information.
As a result of having all characters that can be input in a plurality of modes marked on the top surfaces of character input keys on a conventional computer keyboard, it is difficult for the user to identify the character to be input by current operation of a character input key. Also, since function keys are not marked with the function that can be processed by current operation, these keys are difficult to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that makes it possible to present an inexperienced user with information concerning a member to be operated at the present time in an easily understood form.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that makes the various electrical status of an electronic apparatus easy to understand for a user by means of a sufficiently large surface display.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus and electronic apparatus information display method that makes it easy for a user to understand which input, etc., is currently assigned to a member to which a plurality of inputs, functions, and the like, are assigned.
These and other purposes of the present invention will become more apparent after referring to the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purposes and advantages of the present invention have been achieved by providing according to a first aspect of the present invention an electronic apparatus comprising the following items:
a housing that accommodates an electronic element internally;
an electrophoretic display arranged on all or part of the surface of the housing;
a display controller for displaying on the electrophoretic display an operation guide for a user.
A brief message for instructing a user to operate a member, such as key, button or switch, is one of an example of an operation guide. Also, it may be an illustration such as icon representing a specific operation or function of an apparatus. Further, it may be an illustration, pattern or icon which is disposed on a surface of a member to be operated by a user.
The concept of electronic apparatus includes portable electronic apparatus such as notebook type personal computers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), and mobile phones, and also non-portable electronic apparatus such as desktop computers, fixed-line phones, and home electrical appliances. An electrophoretic display typically comprises cells, and a dispersion medium and suspended substance injected into those cells. The substance generally consists of charged particles, an example of charged particles being positively or negatively charged titanium oxide powder.
A noteworthy feature of the first aspect of the present invention is that an electrophoretic display is arranged on the surface of the electronic apparatus housing. That is to say, there is a housing that accommodates various elements of the electronic apparatus, and an electrophoretic display is arranged on the surface of that housing. With current technology, it is possible for an electrophoretic display to have a thickness of approximately 100 &mgr;m, and to be installed on any surface of the housing. With a conventional notebook type personal computer, for example, a liquid crystal display is not mounted on the housing surface, but an aperture is formed in the housing, and the liquid crystal display is mounted in that aperture so as to be exposed from that aperture. Also, with a conventional notebook type personal computer, light emitting devices such as LEDs are used to indicate information such as the power supply on/off status, and since these light emitting devices are markedly thicker than an electrophoretic display, they are not mounted on the surface of the housing, but installed in holes made in the housing.
Electrophoretic display mounting methods include, for example, (i) a method whereby film formation of an underside electrode on the housing surface, painting of electrophoretic cells on the surface of the underside electrode, and film formation of a top-side electrode on the electrophoretic cell surfaces, are executed in that order, and (ii) a method whereby a film-type electrophoretic display comprising three layers (underside electrode, electrophoretic cells, and top-side electrode) is affixed to the housing surface.
In the first aspect of the present invention, information displayed on the display is preferably an operation guide for a user, and as the number of characters, symbols, etc., for a typical operation guide is small, and it is not changed frequently, an electrophoretic display can display information exhibiting its advantages while its shortcomings are not a problem. A
Miwa Koichi
Suzuki Hiroshi
Tsujimura Takatoshi
Cioffi James J.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Mack Ricky
Thomas Brandi N
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