Patent Publication Number: US-2006002258-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for ejecting a medium

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a method for ejecting a medium using the same. More particularly, the invention is directed to an electronic apparatus adapted to expose an insertion/ejection port for a medium to the outside by rotating a touch panel and to insert and eject the medium therein and therefrom, and to a method for ejecting the medium using the same.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Vehicle-mounted multimedia apparatus may incorporate navigation, a radio reception, a television reception, a CD reproduction, an MD (mini disk) reproduction, and a DVD reproduction functions. Such a multimedia apparatus needs to be designed to conform to a predetermined size because it has to be accommodated in a small cabin space.  
      Minimizing the space taken up by such a multimedia electronic apparatus is often achieved by sharing a display device among the respective functions, or by incorporating a touch panel into a display device and altering an arrangement and indications of touch switches depending on the function so as to decrease the number of buttons and the like. The multimedia apparatus may be configured to include an insertion/ejection port for media, such as CD, DVD, or MD, with an operation panel including the touch panel, and to slide the front panel when inserting or ejecting the medium so as to expose (open) the medium insertion/ejection port to the outside, thereby inserting or ejecting the medium, as disclosed in JP-A-2002-324386.  
       FIG. 20  is a perspective view showing a multimedia apparatus including such a sliding structure of the panel when the panel is opened and closed. In detail,  FIG. 20 (A) illustrates a state of the closed panel, and  FIG. 20 (B) a state of the opened panel. As shown in  FIG. 20 (A), an operation panel  1  includes a touch panel  2  and various kinds of keys  3   i , and is slidable with respect to an electronic apparatus body  4 . The touch panel  2  consists of a liquid crystal display portion and a transparent touch panel portion integrally formed on the display, and thus has both functions of the display and the touch switch. Pressing the key for opening the panel, for example, a key  3   4 , slides the operation panel from the closed state (A) to the opened state (B).  
      The body  4  is provided with a CD insertion/ejection port  5 , an MD insertion/ejection port  6 , and a DVD insertion/ejection port  7 , as shown in  FIG. 20 (B), which are hidden behind the operation panel  1  not to be viewable when the operation panel  1  is closed. Further, the body is provided with a CD eject key  8 , an MD eject key  9 , and a DVD eject key  10 , which are disposed next to the respective ejection ports for ejecting the medium. To insert a medium, for example, a CD disk, in the electronic apparatus body  4 , the CD may be pushed from the CD insertion/ejection port  5  into the body. In contrast, to eject the medium, for example, the CD disk, from the body, the CD eject key  8  may be operated or pressed. This structure shown in  FIG. 20 , however, needs a great number of keys on the body, leading to disadvantages in its operability and cost.  
      For this reason, a method for decreasing the number of eject keys, such as the eject keys  8  to  10  shown in  FIG. 20 , has been proposed which involves using predetermined areas (inside circles) of the touch panel  2  as a touch switch  11  for ejecting the CD, a touch switch  12  for ejection the DVD, a touch switch  13  for ejecting the MD, and a touch switch  14  for closing the operation panel when opening the operation panel  1  as shown in  FIG. 21 .  
      The method as shown in  FIG. 21 , which involves forming the touch switches for ejection on the touch panel  2 , has an advantage in decreasing the number of keys on the body. However, in this method, the touch panel  2  is faced upward in use as shown in  FIG. 22 , resulting in bad visibility of a liquid crystal display (LCD) portion due to outside light. This makes it difficult to identify areas (circular parts) which serve as the touch switches  11  to  14 , especially during a clear day, disadvantageously failing to smoothly perform an eject operation.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electronic apparatus that enables smooth ejection of a medium even on a crystal liquid display (LCD) with bad visibility.  
      Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic apparatus that can ensure identification of all eject keys for media even when the display on a touch panel surface is difficult to view.  
      The foregoing objects are accomplished according to one aspect of the invention, which provides an electronic apparatus for opening an insertion/ejection port for a medium by rotating a touch panel and for inserting and ejecting the medium. The apparatus comprises a controller for causing the touch panel to serve as a touch switch for ejection of the medium when the medium insertion/ejection port is opened, a touch-switch identification section for detecting a touch panel surface already touched and the touch switch being turned on, and a medium ejection section for ejecting the medium when the touch switch is turned on. The controller causes an entire surface of the touch panel to serve as the touch switch for ejection of the medium, and instructs the medium ejection section to eject the medium when the touch switch is turned on.  
      The foregoing objects are accomplished according to another aspect of the invention, which provides an electronic apparatus for opening a plurality of insertion/ejection ports for media by rotating a touch panel and for inserting and ejecting a predetermined medium in and from the corresponding port. The apparatus comprises a controller for dividing a surface of the touch panel into areas and allocating each of the divisional areas to a touch switch for ejection of a corresponding predetermined medium when the medium insertion/ejection ports are opened, a touch-switch identification section for detecting which one of the touch switches is turned on when the touch panel surface is touched, and a medium ejection section for ejecting the medium corresponding to the touch switch already turned on. The controller divides the touch panel surface into the at least n areas when the number of the medium insertion/ejection ports is n (n being an integer number of not less than two), and allocates each of the divisional areas to the touch switch for ejection of the medium from the corresponding predetermined medium insertion/ejection port. One divisional area is allocated to a close switch for closing the medium insertion/ejection port. If the medium is being reproduced when the medium insertion/ejection port is opened, the controller causes the entire surface of the touch panel to serve as the touch switch for ejection of the medium. If only one type of medium is inserted in the apparatus when the medium insertion/ejection port is opened, the controller causes the entire surface of the touch panel to serve as the touch switch for ejection of the medium.  
      The foregoing objects are accomplished according to a further aspect of the invention, which provides a method for ejecting a medium in an electronic apparatus which opens an insertion/ejection port for the medium by rotating a touch panel to insert and eject the medium. The method comprises the steps of rotating the touch panel by manipulating an open key to open the medium insertion/ejection port, switching the touch panel to a touch switch for ejection of the medium when the port is opened, and ejecting the medium when the touch panel surface is touched to turn on the touch switch.  
      The foregoing objects are accomplished according to a still further aspect of the invention, which provides a method for ejecting a medium in an electronic apparatus which opens a plurality of insertion/ejection ports for media by rotating a touch panel to insert and eject a predetermined medium in and from the corresponding port. The method comprises the steps of rotating the touch panel by manipulating an open key to open the medium insertion/ejection port, dividing a surface of the touch panel into areas to allocate each of the divisional areas to a touch switch for ejection of a corresponding predetermined medium when the medium insertion/ejection port is opened, detecting which one of the touch switches is turned on when the touch panel surface is touched, and ejecting the medium corresponding to the touch switch already turned on.  
      According to the embodiments described above, the entire surface of the touch panel may be used as an eject key(s), thereby surely identifying which type of medium corresponds to the eject key, even on a crystal liquid display (LCD) with bad visibility, thus resulting in a smooth eject operation of the medium. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1 (A) is a diagram for explaining a first preferred embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 1 (B) is another diagram for explaining the first preferred embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a front view of an operation panel;  
       FIG. 3  is a diagram for explaining medium insertion/ejection when the panel is open;  
       FIG. 4  shows an example of division of a touch panel surface, and of allocation of touch switches for ejection;  
       FIG. 5  shows another example of division of a touch panel surface, and of allocation of touch switches for ejection;  
       FIG. 6  shows still another example of division of a touch panel surface, and of allocation of touch switches for ejection;  
       FIG. 7  shows a further example of division of a touch panel surface, and of allocation of touch switches for ejection;  
       FIG. 8  shows a still further example of division of a touch panel surface, and of allocation of touch switches for ejection;  
       FIG. 9  shows a yet further example of division of a touch panel surface, and of allocation of touch switches for ejection;  
       FIG. 10  is a diagram showing the configuration of a part of the electronic apparatus associated with the medium insertion/ejection;  
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing a medium ejection process;  
       FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing a medium insertion process;  
       FIG. 13  is another flowchart showing another medium ejection process;  
       FIG. 14  shows an example of a CD eject key on a screen;  
       FIG. 15  is a further flowchart showing a further medium ejection process;  
       FIG. 16  is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of the electronic apparatus in a case where a frequency of insertion/ejection of a medium is taken into consideration, and the size of a divisional area corresponding to the medium with the low frequency is reduced;  
       FIG. 17  is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of the electronic apparatus in a case where allocation of the divisional areas is switched based on whether a vehicle has a right- or left-hand steering wheel;  
       FIG. 18  is a diagram showing the configuration of the second preferred embodiment;  
       FIG. 19  is a flowchart showing a medium ejection process in the second embodiment;  
       FIG. 20 (A) is a perspective view showing a conventional complex electronic apparatus including a panel sliding structure when the panel is close;  
       FIG. 20 (B) is a perspective view showing the conventional complex electronic apparatus including the panel sliding structure when the panel is open;  
       FIG. 21  is a diagram for explaining a conventional example in which predetermined areas of a touch panel serve as touch switches for medium ejection; and  
       FIG. 22  is a diagram for explaining a problem in the conventional example shown in  FIG. 21 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagram for explaining one preferred embodiment of the invention. When a predetermined medium (CD, DVD, or MD) is inserted into or ejected from an electronic apparatus, an operation panel  51  including a touch panel  50  is slid to open a plurality of medium insertion/ejection ports (a CD insertion/ejection port  61 , a DVD insertion/ejection port  62 , and an MD insertion/ejection port  63 ) provided in an electronic apparatus body  60 . When the medium insertion/ejection ports are opened, the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided into areas. These divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the predetermined media (CD, DVD, and MD). When the touch panel surface is touched, it is detected which touch switch is turned on, and then the medium corresponding to the touch switch already tuned on is ejected from a corresponding one of the medium insertion/ejection ports  61  to  63 . That is, when the number of the medium insertion/ejection ports is n (n being an integer number of not less than two, e.g. n=3 in  FIG. 1 ), the touch panel surface is divided into at least n areas, and the divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  serve as the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD.  
     First Preferred Embodiment  
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the operation panel  51 , which is composed of the touch panel  50 , and key portions  52  and  53  disposed on both sides thereof. The touch panel  50  consists of a liquid crystal display portion and a transparent touch panel portion attached on the display portion. On the liquid crystal display portion, are displayed a navigation map, operation screens for an audio, a television, a-DVD, and the like, characteristic information on FM teletext multiplex broadcasting, and the like. The key portions  52  and  53  are provided with various types of keys K 01  to K 14 , which serve to input commands needed for power-up, mode switching, volume change, station selection, opening of the operation panel, and the like.  
      The key K 14  is an open key for opening the operation panel  51 . Pressing the key opens the operation panel  51  from a closed state shown in  FIG. 1A  to an opened state shown in  FIG. 1B , so that the CD insertion/ejection port  61 , the DVD insertion/ejection port  62 , and the MD insertion/ejection port  63  are exposed to the outside.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , when inserting a medium, a CD into the electronic apparatus when the panel is open, inserting and pressing the CD into the CD insertion/ejection port  61  is detected by a controller (not shown), so that the CD insertion/ejection mechanism is controlled to automatically pull the CD therein, and then to set it in the playing position. When the operation panel  51  is opened, the controller divides the entire surface of the touch panel  50  into areas, and allocates the areas obtained by the division, namely, the divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3 , to the respective touch switches (eject keys) EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD. Thus, each of the divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3 , in short, one third of the touch panel serves as each of the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD.  
      When the touch panel surface is divided laterally into the areas, an arrangement order of the medium insertion/ejection ports from the above (CD DVD MD) is related to an arrangement order of the divisional areas from a left side (SAR 1  SAR 2  SAR 3 ), thereby providing the touch switch EJK 1  for ejection of the CD, the touch switch EJK 2  for ejection of the DVD, and the touch switch EJK 3  for ejection of the MD, in this order from the left divisional area. This allocation of the respective divisional areas to the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD allows an operator to easily get a sense of the relationship between the medium insertion/ejection ports and the touch switches for the medium ejection. Further, if the CD, DVD, or MD is inserted when the operation panel  51  is opened, the corresponding one of the marks MK 1  to MK 3  indicative of “inserted” is displayed on the panel.  
      In order to eject a predetermined medium, the divisional area corresponding to the medium has only to be touched to turn on the corresponding one of the touch switches for ejection of the medium EJK 1  to EJK 3 . When the touch panel surface is touched, the controller detects which one of the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  is turned on, and drives the medium insertion/ejection mechanism corresponding to the touch switch turned on to eject the medium from the corresponding one of the medium insertion/ejection ports  61  to  63 .  
      As mentioned above, one third of the touch panel serves as one of the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, thus surely allowing a user to get a sense of the areas corresponding to the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, even if the visibility of the liquid crystal display is deteriorated. This can eject the desired medium smoothly. The sense of the relationship between the medium insertion/ejection port and the touch switch for the medium ejection is easily gained, thereby enabling improvement in operational performance.  
      FIGS.  4  to  9  each show an example of division of the touch panel surface, and of allocation of the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example in which the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided laterally into three areas, each with the same size, and these divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, respectively, as in the case of  FIG. 3 . Note that no mark indicative of “inserted” is displayed in  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates an example in which the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided longitudinally into three areas, each with the same size, and these divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, respectively. In  FIG. 5 , when the touch panel surface is divided longitudinally into the areas, an arrangement order of the medium insertion/ejection ports from an upper side (CD DVD MD) is related to an arrangement order of the divisional areas from an upper side (SAR 1 →SAR 2 →SAR 3 ), thus providing the touch switch EJK 1  for ejection of the CD, the touch switch EJK 2  for ejection of the DVD, and the touch switch EJK 3  for ejection of the MD, in this order from the upper divisional area. This allocation of the respective divisional areas to the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD allows an operator to easily get a sense of the relationship between the medium insertion/ejection ports and the touch switches for the medium ejection.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates an example in which the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided laterally into three areas, each differing in size, and these divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, respectively. In  FIG. 6 , taking into consideration a frequency of insertion/ejection of the medium, the size of the divisional area is adjusted in such a manner that the size of the divisional area corresponding to the medium with the low frequency is reduced. For example, for an electronic apparatus in which a DVD disk installed is only a DVD for navigation maps, the frequency of insertion/ejection of the DVD is very low. Thus, the size of the divisional area for the DVD is reduced, while the sizes of the divisional areas for the CD and MD are increased or widen. This surely allows the user to get a sense of the areas corresponding to the touch switches for ejection of the CD and MD, even if the visibility of the liquid crystal display is deteriorated, thus resulting in smooth ejection of the desired medium.  
       FIG. 7  illustrates an example in which the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided laterally into three areas, each with the same size, and these divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to the touch switches EJK 3  to EJK 1  for ejection of the MD, DVD, and CD, respectively. That is, the allocation of the switches is opposite in direction to that shown in  FIG. 4 . In  FIG. 4 , assuming that the vehicle has a right-hand steering wheel, the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD are allocated in this order from the left divisional area. On the other hand, assuming that the vehicle has a left-hand steering wheel, taking its operability into consideration, the divisional areas SAR 3  to SAR 1  are preferably allocated to the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, respectively, in order to easily gain a sense of the relationship therebetween, thus resulting in improving the operational performance.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates an example in which the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided laterally into four areas, each with the same size, while these divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, respectively, and the remaining divisional area SAR 4  to a touch switch for close (close switch) CLK. This can eliminate a key for switching of the operation panel from an opened state to a closed state on the apparatus body, and can exhibit the same effect as that in the above case of the three divisional areas.  
       FIG. 9  illustrates an example in which the entire surface of the touch panel  50  is divided into four areas in a “Ta” shape of kanji character (or into a matrix), each with the same size, while these divisional areas SAR 1  to SAR 3  are allocated to the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, respectively, and the remaining divisional area SAR 4  is allocated to the touch switch for close (close switch) CLK. The touch panel surface is recessed with each divisional area having a recessed edge. This surely allows the user to get a sense of the areas corresponding to the touch switches for ejection of the CD, DVD, and MD, even if the visibility of the liquid crystal display is deteriorated, thus resulting in smooth ejection of the desired medium. Note that the divisional area is not necessarily allocated to the close switch.  
       FIG. 10  is a diagram showing a main configuration of the electronic apparatus associated with the medium insertion/ejection process. The touch panel  50  consists of a liquid crystal display portion  50   b  and a transparent touch panel portion  50   a  attached thereto. On the liquid crystal display portion  50   b , are displayed the navigation map, the operation screens for an audio, a television, a DVD, and the like, the characteristic information on FM teletext multiplex broadcasting, the eject-key screen (see FIGS.  3  to  9 ), and the like, under control of a display controller  71 . A panel operation section  72  is provided with the keys K 01  to K 14  as explained in  FIG. 2 , from which predetermined commands are entered into a controller  73 . A touch-switch identification section  74  identifies or determines which touch switch is turned on based on a touched position of the touch panel and a screen displayed on the display to enter the result into the controller  73 . The controller  73  switches among the screens to be displayed on the liquid crystal display portion  50   b , based on the inputs from the panel operation section  72  and the touch-switch identification section  74 , and on the state of every component. And the controller  73  controls opening/closing of the operation panel, and insertion/ejection of the medium.  
      When the open key K 14  is manipulated or pressed (see  FIG. 2 ), a panel opening/closing driver  75  slides the operation panel  51  according to an instruction from the controller  73  to switch it from the closed state to the opened state as shown in  FIG. 1 . Further, when a close key (not shown), or the touch switch CLK as shown in  FIG. 8  is turned on, the operation panel  51  is slid from the opened state to the closed state according to another instruction from the controller  73 .  
      When a predetermined one of the touch switches EJK 1  to EJK 3  for ejection disposed on the touch panel is turned on, a corresponding one of the medium insertion/ejection drivers  76   a  to  76   c  for the CD, DVD, and MD drives one of medium insertion/ejection mechanisms  77   a  to  77   c  for the CD, DVD, and MD corresponding to the touch switch for ejection turned on according to the instruction from the controller  73  so as to eject the medium. When the medium (CD, DVD, or MD) is pushed into a corresponding one of the medium insertion/ejection ports  61  to  63 , a corresponding one of the medium insertion/ejection drivers  76   a  to  76   c  drives one of the medium insertion/ejection mechanisms  77   a  to  77   c  according to the instruction from the controller  73 , so that the medium is pulled therein and set in the reproduction position.  
      A medium presence/absence detecting section  78  detects whether the medium (CD, DVD, or MD) has been already set in the reproduction position or not, and then inputs medium presence/absence detection signals CDDT, DVDDT, and MDDT to the controller  73 . The controller  73  appropriately displays the presence or absence of the medium on the touch panel based on the medium presence/absence detection signals CDDT, DVDDT, and MDDT. For example, marks MK 1  to MK 3  shown in  FIG. 3  are displayed.  
      A medium insertion detecting section  79  detects the media (CD, DVD, and MD) being pushed in the apparatus from the medium insertion/ejection ports  61  to  63  to input the respective insertion detection signals CDIS, DVDIS, and MDIS to the controller  73 . The controller  73  instructs each of the medium insertion/ejection drivers  76   a  to  76   c  to insert the corresponding medium therein based on the corresponding one of the insertion detection signals CDIS, DVDIS, and MDIS.  
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart showing a medium ejection process performed by the controller  73 .  
      The controller  73  monitors whether the open switch K 14  is operated or not (act  101 ). When the key is operated to provide an instruction to open the panel, the controller  73  controls the panel opening/closing driver  75  to slide the operation panel  51  from the closed state to the opened state as shown in  FIG. 1  (act  102 ). When the open operation of the operation panel  51  is completed (act  103 ), the controller  73  switches the display of the touch panel  50  to a screen including a plurality of eject keys for the media, for example, a screen shown in  FIG. 8  (act  104 ). Then, it is checked whether the touch panel is touched (act  105 ). If so, it is identified which one of the touch switches (eject keys) EJK 1  to EJK 3  is turned on (act  106 ). One of the medium insertion/ejection drivers  76   a  to  76   c  corresponding to the identified touch switch is controlled to eject the medium from the corresponding one of the medium insertion/ejection ports  61  to  63  (act  107 ).  
       FIG. 12  is a flowchart showing a medium insertion process performed by the controller  73 .  
      The controller  73  monitors whether a predetermined medium (CD, DVD, or MD) is pushed in the apparatus based on a signal inputted from the medium insertion detecting section  79  (act  201 ). If the medium is inserted in, the medium insertion/ejection driver  76   a ,  76   b , or  76   c  corresponding to the medium is controlled such that the medium is set in the reproduction position, whereby reproduction of the medium is started (act  202 ). Then, it is monitored whether a touch key for close (close key) CLK on the touch panel is turned on (act  203 ). If it is turned on, the panel opening/closing driver  75  is controlled to slide the operation panel  51  into the closed state (act  204 ). Thereafter, the controller  73  switches the display of the crystal liquid display portion  50   b  to a screen corresponding to a predetermined mode, for example, to an operation screen of audio, a navigation map screen, or the like (act  205 ).  
       FIG. 13  is a flowchart showing another medium ejection process performed by the controller  73 , wherein the acts  101  to  107  are the same as those in the flowchart of  FIG. 11 . If the opening of the operation panel is completed (act  103 ), it is checked whether the medium is being played when given the instruction to open the panel (act  301 ). If not, that is, if the medium has not been being reproduced, the same acts as those in  FIG. 1  are carried out. If yes, that is, if the medium has been being reproduced, since the medium which has been being reproduced has the most possibility to be displaced, the display of the touch panel is switched to a screen having an eject key for the medium having been reproduced, for example, a CD eject-key screen as shown in  FIG. 14  (act  302 ). Thereafter, when the touch panel is touched, the CD is ejected. As mentioned above, the entire surface of the touch panel serves as the touch switch for ejection of the CD, so that the CD can be surely ejected even on the liquid crystal display with bad visibility.  
       FIG. 15  is a flowchart showing a further medium ejection process performed by the controller  73 , wherein the acts  101  to  107  are the same as those in the flowchart of  FIG. 11 . If the opening of the operation panel is completed (act  103 ), then it is checked whether only one medium is set in the playing position (act  401 ). If not, that is, if only one medium is not set in the position, the same steps as those in  FIG. 11  are carried out. If yes, that is, if only one medium is set in the position, since the set medium is just to be ejected, the display of the touch panel is switched to the eject-key screen for the medium, for example, the CD eject-key screen as shown in  FIG. 14  (act  402 ). Thereafter, when the touch panel is touched, the set CD is ejected. As mentioned above, the entire surface of the touch panel serves as the touch switch for ejection of the CD, so that the CD can be surely ejected even on the liquid crystal display with poor visibility.  
       FIG. 16  is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of the electronic apparatus in a case where a frequency of insertion/ejection of the medium is taken into consideration, and the size of a divisional area corresponding to the medium with the low frequency is reduced (see  FIG. 6 ). The controller  73  determines the size of each divisional area on the eject-key screen based on information on the ejection frequency, which has been inputted from an ejection-frequency information input section  81  before shipment, and then displays each area on the eject-key screen in the size determined. Note that the size has been fixed since then.  
       FIG. 17  is a diagram showing an exemplary configuration of the electronic apparatus in a case where allocation of the divisional areas is switched based on the right- or left-hand steering wheel (see  FIGS. 4 and 7 ). The controller  73  determines the allocation of the divisional areas on the eject-key screen, based on handle information inputted from a right/left-hand steering wheel information input section  82  before shipment, and then displays the eject screen based on the determined allocation. Note that  FIG. 4  illustrates the case of the vehicle with the right-hand steering wheel, while  FIG. 7  the case of the vehicle with the left-hand steering wheel.  
      The electronic apparatus handling a plurality of types of media is exemplified in the previous embodiments, while an electronic apparatus handling one type of medium (for example, CD) is exemplified in this embodiment. In such a case, the entire or most of the touch panel surface serves as the touch switch for the CD ejection.  FIG. 18  is a diagram showing the configuration of the second preferred embodiment, wherein elements that are in common to the first embodiment in  FIG. 10  are given the same reference numerals. The difference from the first embodiment is that there are provided only one medium insertion/ejection driver  76  and only one medium insertion/ejection mechanism  77 .  
       FIG. 19  is a flowchart showing a medium ejection process this second embodiment.  
      The controller  73  monitors whether the open switch K 14  is operated or not (act  501 ). When the key is operated to provide an instruction to open the panel, the controller  73  controls the panel opening/closing driver  75  to slide the operation panel  51  from the closed state to the opened state (act  502 ). When the open operation of the operation panel  51  is completed (act  503 ), the controller  73  switches the display of the touch panel  50  to the eject-key screen (see  FIG. 14 ) only for one medium (e.g. CD) (act  504 ). Then, it is checked whether the touch panel is touched (act  505 ). If yes, that is, if it is touched, the medium insertion/ejection driver  76  is controlled to eject the medium from the medium insertion/ejection port (act  506 ).  
      It should be noted that although, in the preferred embodiments as mentioned above, the media are the CD, DVD, and MD, the invention is not limited to such types and number of the media. The invention may be applied to any medium, such as a semiconductor recording medium or a cassette tape. Further, although the arrangement order of the medium insertion/ejection ports is CD→DVD→MD from the above in this order in the embodiments, the arrangement order is not limited thereto.  
      Moreover, although the above embodiments which involve sliding the touch panel have been explained above, the invention is not limited to such a sliding mechanism. The invention may take various types of configurations, including a configuration in which only an angle of the touch panel is changed without sliding the touch panel, more specifically, a configuration in which the touch panel is rotated around a predetermined rotation axis, or a configuration in which the panel surface is moved forward and then rotated.  
      It is to be understood that a wide range of changes and modifications to the embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are contemplated. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative, rather than limiting, and that it be understood that it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of the invention.