Information processing device

An information processing device includes a display unit, a movement detection unit, and a control section. The display unit has two display screens of a first screen and a second screen, the second screen being an opposite side of the first screen. The movement detection unit detects a first movement state of the information processing device moving in a direction that the first screen faces and a second movement state of the information processing device moving in a direction that the second screen faces. When the movement detection unit detects the first movement state, the control section allows the first screen to display first content and allows the second screen to display second content. When the movement detection unit detects the second movement state, the control section allows the second display screen to display the first content and allows the first screen to display the second content.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-238958 filed on Dec. 13, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a portable information processing device that includes a display unit having two display screens of a first screen and a second screen, the second screen being an opposite side of the first screen. The present disclosure particularly relates to a technique of switching display of each of the screens.

There are general display devices that, for example, include display screens disposed at front sides and back sides of the display devices. In such a display device, a control device and an acceleration sensor are provided at a frame of a display panel, and the control device determines of the front side of the display device on the basis of an inclination angle of the display device detected by the acceleration sensor. The control device allows the display panel to display, on the display screen at the front side, an image based on display data and allows the display panel to display, on the display screen at the back side, an image based on inverted display data in which the display data is inverted left and right and black and white.

SUMMARY

A technique improved over the aforementioned technique is proposed as one aspect of the present disclosure.

An information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a display unit, a movement detection, and a control section. The display unit has two display screens of a first screen and a second screen, the second screen being an opposite side of the first screen. The movement detection unit detects a first movement state of the information processing device moving in a direction that the first screen faces and a second movement state of the information processing device moving in a direction that the second screen faces. When the movement detection unit detects the first movement state, the control section allows the first screen to display first content and allows the second screen to display second content. When the movement detection unit detects the second movement state, the control section allows the second display screen to display the first content and allows the first screen to display the second content.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, a description will be given on one embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1Ais a perspective view showing the outer appearance of an information processing device10according to one embodiment of the present disclosure when viewed from a front side.FIG. 1Bis a perspective view showing the outer appearance of the information processing device10when viewed from a back side.FIG. 2is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the information processing device10according to the embodiment.

The information processing device10according to the embodiment is to be used as a substitution for an ID card such as an employee certificate card. The information processing device10includes a first display section11, a second display section12, a storage unit13, a communication unit14, an acceleration sensor15, and a control unit20. Each of these components can mutually transmit and receive data and signals through a bus.

The first display section11and the second display section12are each formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, electronic paper, or the like. The first display section11is disposed at a front side of, and the second display section12is disposed at a back side, of a casing body of the information processing device10, and a screen11A of the first display section11and a screen12A of the second display section12are directed to the opposite side to each other. In other words, when viewing the first display section11and the second display section12as a display unit120, the display unit120has two display screens: a first screen (the first display section11); and a second screen (the second display section12) arranged so as to be the opposite side of the first screen. Here, in place of the first display section11and the second display section12, a single display unit having each screen directed to the opposite side to each other may be used. The display unit120corresponds to a display unit in What is claimed is.

The storage unit13is a non-volatile rewritable memory with large-capacity (for example EEPROM) and stores a control program and plurality of content that are to be displayed on the first display section11and the second display section12.

The communication unit14is a communication interface and performs data communication among external transmitters (beacons), servers, and the like.

The acceleration sensor15is a known, three-axis acceleration sensor and has the function of detecting accelerations in a direction of an X axis and outputting a detection signal XS indicating the acceleration in that direction. The acceleration sensor15is built in the information processing device10so that the acceleration sensor15is capable of detecting the acceleration in the three directions acting on the information processing device10.

The control unit20is formed of a processor, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and so on. The processor is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an MPU, or an ASIC. When a control program stored in the above ROM or the storage section13is executed by the above processor, the control unit20functions as a control section21, a determination section22, and a communication control section23. Alternatively, each component of the control unit20may not be implemented by the operation of the control unit20in accordance with the above control program but may be constituted by a hardware circuit.

The control section21governs the overall operation control but mainly performs display control of the first display section11and the second display section12. The communication control section23has a function of controlling communication operation of the communication unit14.

The determination section22receives the detection signal XS from the acceleration sensor15and determines, based on the detection signal XS, displacement of the information processing device10.

For example, as shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B, the direction that the screen11A of the first display section11faces and the direction that the screen12A of the second display section12faces coincide with the direction of the X axis. Furthermore, the direction that the screen11A of the first display section11faces is the positive direction of the X axis and the direction that the screen12A of the second display section12faces is the negative direction of the X axis.

When the information processing device10starts to move in the positive direction of the X axis that the screen11A of the first display section11faces, the acceleration sensor15outputs a positive (+) detection signal XS as the acceleration of the movement in the positive direction: when the information processing device10starts to move in the negative direction of the X axis that the screen12A of the second display section12faces, the acceleration sensor15outputs a negative (−) detection signal XS as the acceleration of the movement in the negative direction. In other words, on the information processing device10, the acceleration sensor15is disposed at a direction and a position so as to output the + (positive) detection signal XS and the − (negative) detection signal XS.

The determination section22determines, based on the detection signal XS from the acceleration sensor15, a first movement state of the information processing device10moving in the positive direction of the X axis that the screen11A of the first display section11faces and a second movement state of the information processing device10moving in the negative direction of the X axis that the screen12A of the first display section12faces.

For example, as shown inFIG. 3A, when a user starts walking with the screen11A of the first display section11of the information processing device10facing forward, the information processing device10is accelerated in the positive direction of the X axis that the screen11A of the first display section11faces, and the + detection signal XS is outputted from the acceleration sensor15. The determination section22determines whether a level of the + detection signal XS exceeds a preset positive threshold value SH1. In determining that the level of the + detection signal XS exceeds the positive threshold value SH1, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the first moving state.

For another example, as shown inFIG. 3B, when the user starts walking with the screen12A of the second display section12of the information processing device10facing forward, the information processing device10is accelerated in the negative direction of the X axis that the screen12A of the second display section12faces, and the − detection signal XS is outputted from the acceleration sensor15. The determination section22determines whether a level of the − detection signal XS is below a preset negative threshold value SH2. In determining that the level of the − detection signal XS is below the negative threshold value SH2, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the second moving state. As described thus far, the determination section22identifies the first moving state shown inFIG. 3Aand the second moving state shown inFIG. 3B. The acceleration sensor15and the determination section22correspond to the movement detection unit in What is claimed is.

In the information processing device10having the configurations described above, user information (content), such as a face photograph and an affiliation section, and other content are previously stored in the storage unit13, and when the determination section22determines the first moving state, the control section21reads out the user information and other content from the storage unit13and allows the screen11A of the first display section11to display the user information while allowing the screen12A of the second display section12to display other content. Furthermore, when the determination section22determines the second moving state, the control section21reads out the user information and other content from the storage unit13and allows the screen12A of the second display section12to display the user information while allowing the screen11A of the first display section11to display other content.

As shown inFIG. 3A, when for example the user uses the information processing device10by hanging around the user's own neck with a strap ST (an example of an attachment member) and the like in place of the ID card such as the employee certificate card, under the control of the control section21described above, in the first moving state, the screen11A of the first display section11displaying the user information is turned to face forward (i.e., the side facing the other person who is in front of the user). Furthermore, as shown inFIG. 3B, in the second moving state, the user information is displayed on the screen12A of the second display section12, and the screen12A of the second display section12is turned to face forward. Thus, the user information is displayed to be visible to others at all times.

Furthermore, standing still and holding the information processing device10by hand, by turning each of the screen11A of the first display section11and the screen12A of the second display section12to the user's own side, the user can see each of the content displayed on the screen11A and the screen12A.

Next, description will be given to a processing procedure for switching between the first display section11and the second display section12, on which the user information is displayed, in accordance with the first movement state and the second movement state of the information processing device10with reference to a flowchart shown inFIG. 4.

First, assuming that a display flag F initialized to “0” is stored in the RAM of the control unit20(S101). A value of the display flag F is switched to either “0” or “1”: the value “0” of the display flag F corresponds to the first moving state and the value “1” of the display flag F corresponds to the second moving state.

As the value “0” of the initialized display flag F corresponds to the first moving state, the control section21reads out the user information and other content from the storage unit13, allows the screen11A of the first display section11to display the user information, and allows the screen12A of the second display section12to display other content (S102).

Under such display state, the user hangs the strap ST of the information processing device10around the user's own neck so that the information processing device10is suspended, and the user turns the screen11A of the first display section11displaying the user information to face forward: the user information becomes visible to others thereby.

Here, when the user moves, the acceleration sensor15outputs either the + or the − detection signal XS (S103). At this point, the determination section22receives the detection signal XS from the acceleration sensor15. In determining that the detection signal XS is + and that the level of the + detection signal XS exceeds the positive threshold value SH1, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the first moving state. Also, in determining that the detection signal XS is − and that the level of the − detection signal XS is below the negative threshold value SH2, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the second moving state. Furthermore, if the level of the + detection signal XS does not exceed the positive threshold value SH1and the level of the − detection signal XS is not below the negative threshold value SH2, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in a non-moving state in which the information processing device10is not moving in the direction of the X axis (S104).

For example, under a circumstance where the user dose not move or hardly moves, even if the acceleration sensor15detects acceleration (S103), variation in the level of the detection signal XS from the acceleration sensor15is small. Therefore, the level of the + detection signal XS does not exceed the positive threshold value SH1and the level of the − detection signal XS does not become below the negative threshold value SH2. In this case, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the non-moving state (NON-MOVING STATE in S104) and the value “0” of the display flag F (S105) is maintained. The process between S103and S105is repeatedly performed under this case and the control section21allows the displaying of the user information by the screen11A of the first display section11and the displaying of other content by the screen12A of the second display section12to be maintained.

When the user states to walk forward with the first display section11displaying the user information facing forward, the acceleration sensor15outputs the + detection signal XS (S103), the level of the + detection signal XS exceeds the positive threshold value SH1, and the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the first moving state (FIRST MOVING STATE in S104). When the determination section22determines the first moving state, the control section21sets the value “0” of the display flag F (S106), thereby maintaining the value “0” of the display flag F, and in accordance with the value “0” of the display flag F, the control section21allows the displaying of the user information by the screen11A of the first display section11and the displaying of other content by the screen12A of the second display section12to be maintained (S107). Then the process goes back to step S103.

If the front and back sides of the information processing device10is accidentally reversed while the information processing device10is being hanged around the user's neck with the strap ST, the user becomes in the state of walking forward with the screen12A of the second display section12, on which other content is displayed, is facing forward. At this time, the acceleration sensor15outputs the − detection signal XS (S103) as the acceleration in the negative direction of the X axis acts on the information processing device10, and when the level of the − detection signal XS becomes below the negative threshold value SH2, the determination section22determines that the information processing device10is in the second moving state (SECOND MOVING STATE in S104). When the determination section22determines the second moving state, the control section21switches the value of the display flag F from “0” to “1” (S108), allows, in accordance with the value “1” of the display flag F, the screen12A of the second display section12to display the user information and allows the screen11A of the first display section11to display other content (S109). The process goes back to step S103.

When the user stops moving or hardly moves, even if the acceleration sensor15detects acceleration (S103), the variation in the level of the detection signal XS from the acceleration sensor15is small. Therefore, the level of the − detection signal XS does not become below the negative threshold value SH2and the level of the + detection signal XS does not exceed the positive threshold value SH1. In this case, the determination section22determines the non-moving state (NON-MOVING STATE in S104), so that the value “0” of the display flag F is maintained (S105). When the process between S103and S105is repeatedly performed thereafter, the displaying of the user information by the screen12A of the second display section12and the displaying of other content by the screen11A of the first display section11are maintained.

If the front and back sides of the information processing device10is reversed again, while the information processing device10is being hanged around the user's neck with the strap ST, the user becomes in the state of walking forward with the screen11A of the first display section11, on which other content is displayed, is facing forward. At this time, the acceleration sensor15outputs the + detection signal XS (S103) as the acceleration in the positive direction of the X axis acts on the information processing device10. When the level of the + detection signal XS exceeds the positive threshold value SH1, the determination section22determines the first moving state (FIRST MOVING STATE in S104). When the determination section22determines the first moving state, the control section21switches the value of the display flag F from “1” to “0” (S106), allows, in accordance with the value “0” of the display flag F, the screen11A of the first display section11to display the user information and allows the screen12A of the second display section12to display other content (S109). The process goes back to step S103.

Thereafter, if the front and back sides of the information processing device10are reversed and the user walks forward, acceleration acts on the information processing device10and the first moving state or the second moving state is determined. If the first moving state is determined, the user information is displayed on the screen11A of the first display section11and other content is displayed on the screen12A of the second display section12: if the second moving state is determined, the user information is displayed on the screen12A of the second display section12and other content is displayed on the screen11A of the first display section11.

As described above, the information processing device10according to the present embodiment determines whether the information processing device10is in the first moving state or the second moving state (i.e., determines which one of the screen11A of the first display section11and the screen12A of the second display section12is facing forward), and allows the screen of the display unit which is facing forward to display the user information. Thus, the information processing device10is capable of displaying the user information so as to be seen by others at all times. Furthermore, holding the information processing device10by hand, the user can see each of the content displayed on the screen11A of the first display section11and the screen12A of the second display section12.

The case where the information processing device described in the above BACKGROUND is used in place of ID cards such as the employee certificate cards is conceivable. ID card is usually used by being hanged around a user's neck by a strap and the like, and because it is necessary to show user information (content) such as a face photograph and an affiliation section to the other person who is in front of the user, the user information such as a face photograph and an affiliation section is required to be displayed at all times on a display unit when using the information processing device in place of the ID card. Under a circumstance of using the information processing device as the ID card by hanging around the user's neck by the strap, however, the front and back sides of the information processing device may be accidentally reversed, so that the display surface on which the user information is displayed may become unseeable.

For this reason, when the information processing device described in the above BACKGROUND is used as the ID card, it is conceivable to display the user information on each of both sides of the display screens. It cannot be said, however, that each of both sides of the display screens are effectively used in the information processing device described in the above BACKGROUND because the same content are always displayed on both sides of the display screens.

According to the present embodiment, in contrast, when the display device having two display screens of the first screen and the second screen that is disposed on the opposite side of the first screen is used by being hanging around the user's neck by a strap in place of the ID card such as the employee certificate card, it is capable of displaying a preset content on the screen that is the side facing the other person who is in front of the user and displaying other content on the other screen that is on the opposite side.

In the present embodiment a plurality of content stored in advance is switched and displayed. The information processing device10may be arranged so that the communication unit14receives the content transmitted from an external transmitter (for example a beacon), the control section21allows the storage unit13to store the received content, and allows the screen11A of the first display section11or the screen12A of the second display section12to display the received content.

For example, when information (content) on a dining room and a conference room is transmitted from a transmitter installed in the dining room or the conference room to the information processing device10, in the information processing device10, the communication unit14receives the content. The control section21allows the storage unit13to store the received content, allows either the screen11A of the first display section11or the screen12A of the second display section12to display the user information, and allows the other screen, on which the user information is not displayed, to display the received content.

For another example, the control section21may be arranged so as to receive content from an external server through the communication control section23and the communication unit14, allow the storage unit13to store the content, read out the content from the storage unit13in accordance with a determination result by the determination section22, and allow either the screen11A of the first display section11or the screen12A of the second display section12to display the content.

In another embodiment, the storage unit13may store various content in association with a swing in a direction of a Y axis (vertical direction) and its number of times and a swing in a direction of a Z axis (horizontal direction) and its number of times, the determination section22may determine the swing in the direction of the Y axis and its number of times and the swing in the direction of the Z axis and its number of times in the information processing device10based on a detection signal YS (signal representing the swing in the direction of the Y axis) and a detection signal ZS (signal representing the swing in the direction of the Z axis) outputted from the acceleration sensor15, the control section21may read out the content being in association with the swing in the determined direction and its number of times from the storage unit13, and may allow either the first display section11or the second display section12on which the user information is not displayed to display the content. In this case, holding the information processing device10by hand, by swinging the information processing device10in the direction of the Y axis or the Z axis (as a specific direction), the user can have the various content be displayed on the screen of the display unit on which the user information is not displayed, and can see the displayed content.

In the above described another embodiment, the acceleration sensor15capable of outputting each of the detection signal YS (signal representing the swing in the direction of the Y axis) and the detection signal ZS (signal representing the swing in the direction of the Z axis) is used.

Furthermore, the control section21may be arranged so as to allow the second display section12to display exhaustion of a battery, just before the voltage of the battery of the information processing device10is reduced and also before the switching and displaying of the content by the first display section11and the second display section12becomes difficult to be performed. For example, the control section21may compare the voltage of the battery with a preset threshold value, and when the voltage of the battery is reduced to the threshold value, allows at least one of the first display section11and the second display section12to display a message reporting exhaustion.

In addition, an IC chip similar to a general IC card may be built in the information processing device10or a bar code or magnetic stripe indicating identification information may be provided on the outside of the casing body of the information processing device10.

The structure and configuration described in the above embodiment with reference toFIGS. 1A to 4are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to them.