Patent ID: 7499029

Claim:
An information processing apparatus having a double-sided operable keyboard, comprising: a display apparatus, a keyboard apparatus, and a keyboard position detecting part detecting a relative position of the keyboard apparatus with respect to the display apparatus, thereby switching operatively effective keys between keys on an upper surface of the keyboard apparatus and keys on a bottom surface of the keyboard apparatus, in accordance with a selectable position of the keyboard apparatus relatively to a display region of the display apparatus, wherein: the information processing apparatus is a personal computer of a wall-hung type or a desktop type, the keyboard apparatus is moveable between a folded position relatively to and covering a lower portion of the display region and an opened position, uncovering the lower portion of the display region, the bottom surface of the keyboard apparatus is provided with at least one function key assigned an arbitrary function, and the information processing apparatus further comprises a display control part, which is responsive to the keyboard position detecting part detecting the folded position of the keyboard apparatus to display a respective function for one of said at least one function key in a pre-assigned function assignment display region of the display region not covered by the keyboard apparatus in the folded position thereof relatively to and covering the lower portion of the display region and is responsive to the keyboard position detecting part detecting the opened position of the keyboard to display a respective function for one of said at least one function key in a pre-assigned function assignment display region of the lower portion of the display region.