Information display device and information selecting and displaying method

An information display device includes a main unit that houses a removable semiconductor memory and a display unit that has approximately the same shape as that of the main unit and that displays information read from the semiconductor memory. The main unit and the display unit are interconnected by a connecting portion having a rotating shaft around which the display unit is rotated relative to the main unit on an opposing plane between a main-unit top face and a display-unit principal face, which oppose each other. The main unit includes a semiconductor memory insertion slot in which the semiconductor memory is inserted. The semiconductor memory insertion slot is disposed at an end of the main unit, differing from that at which the connecting portion is disposed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to information display devices and information selecting and displaying methods, and more particularly relates to an information display device for displaying information selected from information managed by an information processing terminal and extracted into a semiconductor memory and an information selecting and displaying method for selecting and displaying such information.

2. Description of the Related Art

As portable information processing terminals including personal digital assistants (PDAs) have become widely used and cellular phones have become more sophisticated, users can easily possess a large amount of information. Since information apparatuses such as portable information processing terminals and cellular phones have a function of connecting to the so-called Internet, an information communication environment has been constructed in which information that used to be available only by personal computers (PC) (many of which are stationary) that can connect to the Internet is now available in a simple manner at any time.

In addition to the above PDAs and cellular phones, compact, large-capacity semiconductor memories have become widely used. Such semiconductor memories can be inserted into, in addition to the above information apparatuses, an increasing number of various electronic apparatuses such as PCs, video cassette recorders, and digital still cameras for recording and playing information. The semiconductor memories can record data simultaneously in plural formats, such as still image data, moving image data, and audio data (music data). With such a recording medium, a user need not use recording media associated with individual electronic apparatuses handling data in different formats. The user may use a single recording medium in these electronic apparatuses. Recently, semiconductor memories have become capable of storing a larger amount of data. Semiconductor memories of 4 MB to 1 GB have been commercially available. Large-capacity semiconductor memories exceeding 1 GB have been developed.

The functionality of the information apparatuses is enhanced in combination with the semiconductor memories. A large amount of data may be exchanged between the information apparatuses via a semiconductor memory even when the information apparatuses have no dedicated interfaces.

Of numerous functions of the information apparatuses, the functions actually needed by users include quickly checking the schedule or up-to-date information and, where necessary, quickly searching for the email address and/or phone number of a person who has sent an email message or has called.

Although the functions and performance of the PDAs and the cellular phones have become more sophisticated, there are cases where a user cannot reach desired information unless the user follows the same procedure as when using a PC, such as booting the machine, starting up the software, and so forth. In terms of efficiency in viewing necessary information, the PDAs and the cellular phones are inconvenient when the user need information as quickly as possible. In terms of user-friendliness of these information processing terminals, the user wanting to view information may not be able to operate the information processing terminal on a crowded train or when only one hand of the user is free.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information display device that efficiently carries the minimum information required and that enables quick viewing of information and an information selecting and displaying method for selecting and obtaining information from a site and efficiently displaying the obtained information.

In order to achieve the foregoing objects, an information display device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a planar main unit including a semiconductor memory insertion slot in which a thin planar semiconductor memory is removably stored; a planar display unit having substantially the same shape as the planar main unit, the planar display unit including display means for displaying content recorded on the semiconductor memory; an operation unit for entering an operation instruction to change the display state of the content on the display means; and a controller changing the display state of the content on the display means, the content being stored on the semiconductor memory, in accordance with the operation instruction entered using the operation unit, and displaying the content. The planar main unit and the planar display unit are interconnected by a connecting portion having a rotating shaft around which a planar-main-unit top face and a planar-display-unit principal face are rotated on an opposing plane between the planar-main-unit top face and the planar-display-unit principal face, which oppose each other.

The controller may change the direction of the content being displayed on the display means in accordance with the angle of rotation of the planar display unit relative to the planar main unit. The content may include information managed by predetermined software on an information processing terminal to which the semiconductor memory is connectable. Alternatively, the content may be content that is obtained via a network by an information processing terminal to which the semiconductor memory is connectable, selected by the information processing terminal, and stored on the semiconductor memory. The content may be obtained at a specified time, from a specified uniform resource locator (URL), both of which are specified by the information processing terminal.

The content may particularly be text content.

In order to achieve the foregoing objects, an information selecting and displaying method according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for selecting information by an information processing terminal to which a semiconductor memory is connectable, extracting the information, and displaying the information by an information display device. The information selecting and displaying method includes a content selecting step of selecting at least part of content by the information processing terminal; a content extracting step of extracting the selected content in a format that can be viewed on the information display device; and a display step of displaying, by the information display device, the content extracted into the semiconductor memory in the content extracting step.

The content selected in the content selecting step may include information managed by predetermined software on the information processing terminal. Alternatively, the information selecting and displaying method may further include a content obtaining step of obtaining content via a network. In the content selecting step, at least part of the content obtained via the network may be selected, and, in the content extracting step, the selected part of the content may be extracted into the semiconductor memory.

In the content obtaining step, content may be obtained at a specified time, from a specified uniform resource locator (URL), both of which are specified by the information processing terminal.

The content may be particularly text content.

According to the present invention, a user may store necessary information on a semiconductor memory and easily carry the semiconductor memory placed in an information display device. Accordingly, the user may easily view the information. By changing the direction of content being displayed on a display unit in accordance with the angle of rotation of a planar display unit relative to a planar main unit, the information display device becomes more convenient and user-friendlier.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is an information display device that can efficiently carry the minimum information required and that enables quick viewing of information. Compared with high-performance stationary PCs, known portable information processing terminals such as PDAs and mobile PCs are mainly used to manage schedules and email exchanges of individuals. Such purposes are very narrow in view of functions available for the stationary PCs. An information display device1, which will be described in a specific example, is a device having an improved “information viewing function”, which is the minimum function required by an information processing terminal. By limiting the amount of information that can be displayed, reading the minimum information required from a memory, and displaying the information, the information display device1becomes more portable, user-friendlier, and more convenient. The information display device1need only be provided with a function of receiving information data from a semiconductor memory and displaying the information data.

With reference to the drawings, the specific example of the present invention will now be described in detail.

Referring toFIG. 1, the information display device1, which serves as the specific example of the present invention, includes a main unit2that houses a removable semiconductor memory5and a display unit3that has substantially the same shape as that of the main unit2and that displays information read from the semiconductor memory5. The main unit2and the display unit3are interconnected by a connecting portion with a rotating shaft around which the display unit3turns relative to the main unit2on opposing plane A between a main-unit top face2aand a display-unit principal face3a, which oppose each other.

In this specific example, the semiconductor memory5is a rectangular sheet having the appearance shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B. The details of the semiconductor memory5will be described later. The main unit2has a semiconductor memory insertion slot21into which the semiconductor memory5can be inserted. The semiconductor memory insertion slot21is disposed at one end of the main unit2, which differs from that at which the connecting portion is disposed.

The semiconductor memory insertion slot21is a recess disposed at one end of the main unit2, which differs from that at which the connecting portion is disposed. This recess has substantially the same dimensions as the length, width, and thickness of the semiconductor memory5. A connection terminal for making a connection with a semiconductor memory is disposed on the base of the recess. Upon insertion of the semiconductor memory5into the semiconductor memory insertion slot21, the semiconductor memory insertion slot21is electrically connected with the semiconductor memory5. The external shape of the main unit2has, as shown inFIG. 1, dimensions slightly larger than those of the semiconductor memory5.

The display unit3has substantially the same shape as that of the main unit2. The display unit3has substantially the same dimensions as the length and width of the main unit2. A back face (3b) of the display-unit principal face3aopposing the main-unit top face2ahas a display screen31. From this point onward, the face3bhaving the display screen31and the main-unit top face2aserve as front faces (or faces in use). In view of low-power consumption, compact size, and light weight, the display screen31of the display unit3is a black-and-white liquid crystal display (LCD) panel capable of displaying four to five lines of text data.

An operation input unit41for operating the information display device1is disposed on the connecting portion interconnecting the main unit2and the display unit3. The operation input unit41is circular in accordance with the rotating shaft shown inFIG. 1. At the center of the operation input unit41, a pressing button42that detects pressing of the pressing button42is disposed. A direction button43including a top portion43a, a bottom portion43b, a left portion43c, and a right portion43d, all of which detect pressing of the direction button43in cruciform formation, surrounds the pressing button42.

Referring toFIG. 1, the arrows R1, R2, R3, and R4represent rotation of the display unit3relative to the main unit2of the information display device1. A reference state (or an unused state) of the display unit3is the display unit3being laid on top of the main unit2. The display unit3is rotatable in the directions represented by the arrows R1and R4. In the reference state, the information display device1has a so-called “media-size” of the semiconductor memory5. The information display device1having this structure can be held and used in one hand by sliding the main unit2and the display unit3away from each other in a fan-fold manner. As shown inFIG. 1, the information display device1may have a strap6, thereby becoming more portable and convenient.

Referring toFIG. 2, the internal structure of the information display device1will now be described.

The main unit2of the information display device1includes an interface22that receives content data from the semiconductor memory5serving as an external storage unit placed in the semiconductor memory insertion slot21, an internal memory23that temporarily stores the received data, and a central processing unit (CPU)24that controls the operation of the information display device1. These components are interconnected by an internal bus25. The information display device1is provided with the operation input unit41including the pressing button42and the direction button43for receiving instructions from a user. The operation input unit41and the main unit2are also connected to the internal bus25.

The internal memory23is a temporary storage area for temporarily storing data received from the semiconductor memory5via the interface22and is used as a work area for the CPU24.

The CPU24selects and reads content data from the semiconductor memory5in response to an instruction given from a user using the operation input unit41, displays the read content data on the display screen31, and changes the display format of the content data displayed on the display screen31.

For example, the display format of the content may be changed by the CPU24to display the content on the display screen31in a longitudinal or transverse format in accordance with the angle of rotation of the display unit3relative to the main unit2.

More specifically, when the display unit3is moved relative to the main unit2from the reference state shown inFIG. 1in the direction represented by the arrow R1by 90° and is at the position P1, the content is displayed in the transverse format in which the “row” is the long side of the display screen31. When the display unit3is further moved from the position P1in the direction represented by the arrow R2by 90° and is at the position P2, the content is displayed in the longitudinal format in which the “row” is the long side of the display screen31. When the display unit3is at the position P3, as in the position P1, the content is displayed in the transverse format in which the “row” is the long side of the display screen31.

Upon rotation of the display unit3, the direction of the content being displayed is rotated by the same angle as the angle of rotation of the display unit3in a direction opposite to the rotation of the display unit3. For example, when the display unit3is rotated clockwise by 45°, the content displayed on the display unit3is rotated 45° in counterclockwise direction. As a result, the direction of display relative to the user remains unchanged even when the display unit3is rotated.

In accordance with differences in the display format, the CPU24changes the selection allocation of the direction button43. Specifically, when the display unit3is rotated relative to the main unit2from the reference position shown inFIG. 1in the direction represented by the arrow R1and is at the position P1, pressing of the bottom portion43bof the direction button43of the operation input unit41moves a cursor or scrolls the displayed content in the short-side direction of the display screen31(longitudinal direction in this display state). Pressing of the right portion43dof the direction button43moves the cursor or scrolls the displayed content in the long-side direction of the display screen31(transverse direction in this display state).

When the display unit3is further rotated relative to the main unit2from the position P1shown inFIG. 1in the direction represented by the arrow R2and is at the position P2, pressing the bottom portion43bof the direction button43of the operation input unit41moves the cursor or scrolls the displayed content in the long-side direction of the display screen31(longitudinal direction in this display state). When the display unit3is in the same state relative to the main unit2, pressing the right portion43dof the direction button43moves the cursor or scrolls the displayed content in the short-side direction of the display screen31(rightward direction in this state).

As described above, the display screen31of the display unit3is controlled by the CPU24, and content data (information) such as text data or image data read from the semiconductor memory5is subjected to display processing by a display processing circuit (not shown) and is displayed.

According to the above-described information display device1, the user may store necessary information on the semiconductor memory5and easily carry the information by placing the semiconductor memory5in the information display device1. This provides easy viewing of the information. Compared with known PDAs, the display screen31of the information display device1displays a limited amount of information and has the above-described external structure. Therefore, content to be displayed can be selected by one push of the button. The information stored on the semiconductor memory5can be viewed with simple operation.

Content that can be displayed by the information display device1is part of content obtained by or information managed by an information processing terminal, such as a PC, to which the semiconductor memory5is connectable, the part being selected and extracted by the information processing terminal.

One method of efficiently viewing content by the information display device1is to execute, by utility software activated on a PC into which the semiconductor memory5can be inserted, a process of selecting and extracting content and storing the content on the semiconductor memory5.

Referring toFIG. 3, the process, which is performed by a PC, of selecting and extracting content and storing the content on the semiconductor memory5will now be described. This process can be executed by utility software activated on the PC. For example, a clip folder is located on a desktop. A program of extracting content into the semiconductor memory5serving as utility software is activated at all times. In the following description, the operating system of the PC is Windows®.

FIG. 3shows a website window101displayed on a monitor100of the PC. A mouse pointer102on the monitor100is moved by a user. Mouse operation specifies area S as a selected area, and mouse clicking displays a tool button bar103.

Upon selection of “Extract into memory (button103c)” from among graphical user interface (GUI) buttons such as “Cut (button103a)” and “Copy (button103b)” displayed in the tool button bar103, text data in the area S on the window101is extracted into the semiconductor memory5. In many cases, extracted content is text content. However, when the selected area contains image data such as a map file or photograph in joint photographic coding export group (JPEG) format, the image data is converted into a binary image and is extracted into the semiconductor memory5.

Content to be extracted may be selected by, as described above, the user by operating the mouse on the PC, or may be automatically extracted by various software settings. For example, a main or beginning portion of text content may be selected and extracted from a website of interest using a font-filter utility.

Content may be extracted at a specified time from a specified URL, both of which are specified by the PC. By this function and font filter together, text content satisfying a specified condition is extracted at a specified time, from a specified URL.

In addition to content selected on a web page, information may be selected from email and schedule information managed by the PC. For example, in operative association with mailer software and schedule management software activated on the PC, text data from unopened email of received email may be extracted into the semiconductor memory5, or address information of individuals under management may be extracted. When a new event is added by the schedule management software, this information may be extracted.

In addition to extracting, by the PC, content to be stored on the semiconductor memory5, dedicated content for viewing by the information display device1may be provided in advance by a website. Clicking an icon on the website by the PC causes the dedicated content to be downloaded into the semiconductor memory5in a format that can be viewed by the information display device1. The dedicated content includes, for example, learning content that can be used as a vocabulary workbook in which English words and Japanese translations are displayed alternately by each operation by the information display device1, a novel, or a news article.

By selecting and extracting content and storing the content on the semiconductor memory5in this manner, the content displayed on the information display device1may be prepared in advance, thereby enabling efficient viewing of the content by the information display device1.

For example, the memory having the appearance shown inFIGS. 4A and 4Bis applicable as the semiconductor memory5for use in this specific example. This semiconductor memory5has a casing201with, for example, a length of 50 mm, a width of 21.5 mm, and a thickness of 2.8 mm. The semiconductor memory5further includes a 10-pin terminal202for inputting/outputting a bus state indicating the state of a serial bus when being placed in an external electronic apparatus, various data, clock, etc. The semiconductor memory5further includes a mis-deletion prevention switch203for preventing mis-deletion of data stored on the semiconductor memory5.

Referring toFIG. 5, for example, the semiconductor memory5has a flash memory204that has a storage capacity of several mega bytes to dozens of mega bytes for storing various types of data imported from an electronic apparatus in which the semiconductor memory5is placed, a memory controller205that manages the contents of the flash memory204, and an interface206that is connectable to the electronic apparatus and that inputs/outputs various types of data.

Using only a 3-pin terminal (for data, clock, and bus state) of the 10-pin terminal202, the semiconductor memory5described as above transfers the data, clock, and bus state with the electronic apparatus. The clock and bus state are supplied from the electronic apparatus, whereas the data is transferred between the semiconductor memory5and the electronic apparatus by bidirectional half duplex transmission. To transfer a control packet serving as the data with the electronic apparatus, the semiconductor memory5adds, for example, an error check code in units of 512 bytes at a maximum clock frequency of 20 MHz and transfers the data.

Under the control of the memory controller205, the semiconductor memory5performs processing in compliance with a serial interface protocol and controls the flash memory204.

Specifically, for example, when the flash memory204consists of a plurality of flash memories, the semiconductor memory5under the control of the memory controller205controls each of the flash memories. When the flash memory204consists of a plurality of flash memories of different types, the semiconductor memory5under the control of the memory controller205absorbs differences in characteristics of these various types of flash memories, controls each of the flash memories, and performs error correction in accordance with error characteristics of the various types of flash memories. Under the control of the memory controller205, the semiconductor memory5converts parallel data into serial data.

Under the control of the memory controller205, the semiconductor memory5performs processing in compliance with the serial interface protocol. Accordingly, the semiconductor memory5may control any type of flash memory that exist now or may exist in the future.

To manage files on the flash memory204, the semiconductor memory5uses, for example, a hierarchical file system based on a file allocation table (FAT), which is normally maintained on a PC. On the basis of the hierarchical file system based on the FAT, the semiconductor memory5stores data in plural formats such as, for example, still image data, moving image data, audio data (music data), voice data, and the like on the flash memory204and, under the memory controller205, controls the contents of the flash memory204. In each format of the data, the semiconductor memory5defines in advance a file format and directory management when recording data on the flash memory204. In accordance with the defined rule, the semiconductor memory5manages data recorded on the flash memory204.

Specifically, referring toFIG. 6, a root directory of the flash memory204includes “MEM*****.ind” which is a file indicating the type of the semiconductor memory5, “DCIM” which is a directory storing still image files, “HIFI” which is a directory storing audio files, “VOICE” which is a directory storing voice files, “CONTROL” which is a directory storing additional information files such as control information files, and “MS******” which is a directory storing information unique to each vender.

The semiconductor memory5adopts, as the format of still image data, a design rule for camera file system (DCF) standardized by the Japan Electronic Industry Development Association (JEIDA) and, as the format of audio data, adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM) of the ITU-T (ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector) Recommendations G.726.

Using the semiconductor memory5described above as an external storage unit, the user using this single semiconductor memory5need not use a connection interface common to a plurality of electronic apparatuses handling data in different formats.

The present invention is not limited to the foregoing specific example, and various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the information display device1may have the display screen31disposed on the display-unit principal face3aopposing the main-unit top face2a. Accordingly, the display screen31may be protected when the main unit2and the display unit3are top on each other (unused state). The information display device1may be provided with a light emitting diode (LED) indicating power ON/OFF, battery strength, etc. and an alarm indicating the operation state or giving an error warning.