Patent Document

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/929,605 filed Sep. 15, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,711. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to communication devices and methods and recording mediums which contain a communication program, and more particularly to upgrading functions of software used in the communication device and method by communicating with an external device depending on the status of use of a program stored in the communication device and a user&#39;s skill level of manipulating the program. 
     2. Background Art 
     A user can repeatedly play several games installed in a conventional electronic notebook having a game function. However, the procedures for playing the respective games and the contents of the respective games are unchanged and the procedures for advancing the respective games are predetermined. Thus, once the processes of playing all the respective games are mastered, the results of playing the respective games will be known before the respective games are started or in the course of progress of the respective games. Thus, interest would be lost. 
     That is, once the user masters several functions provided in a conventional electronic device, the user can not obtain new functions, and an interest in the use of such electronic device would be lost. 
     Recently, application software having various functions have been developed one after another and their functions are increasing in number and have become complicated, which is very convenient to a user who has become familiar with those software applications, but bad effects such as an increase unnecessary functions and difficult operations and a reduction in processing speed have been produced on beginners or the users who use only the basic functions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide communication devices and methods and recording mediums which contain a communication program which obtains new functions sequentially by communication with an external device to increase an interest in using such communication devices and methods and the recording medium and to perform processing operations, using functions depending on a user&#39;s manipulative level. 
     In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a communication device which sends a predetermined signal to an external communication device, which when same receives the predetermined signal, sends the first-mentioned communication device a releasing signal to release the first-mentioned communication device from inhibition of fulfillment of at least one function, comprising: 
     function storage means which contains data on at least one function to be fulfilled in the first-mentioned communication device; 
     use status storage means for storing use status data representing the status of use of the first-mentioned communication device; 
     communication executing means for executing communication with the external communication device; 
     sending means responsive to the communication executing means executing communication for sending the external communication device the use status data on the first-mentioned communication device stored in the status storage means; and 
     control means responsive to the releasing signal which the external communication device has sent in response to the use status data sent by the sending means for reading function data stored in the function storage means and for fulfilling a corresponding function. 
     Thus, according to the present invention, the processing is not determined by the functions provided initially in the notebook, but new functions are sequentially obtained to thereby increase an interest in the use of the notebook. Only functions depending on the user&#39;s manipulative level are obtained, so that the inventive communication device is easy to handle. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit of an electronic notebook involved in an embodiment of a communication device and method and a recording medium which contains a communication program, according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the electronic notebook; 
     FIG. 3 shows a send-receive circuit of the electronic notebook and a modem connected to the send-receive circuit; 
     FIG. 4A shows the internal structure of the modem connected to a telephone line in communication with the electric notebook; 
     FIG. 4B is a timing chart of an operation of the modem; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a whole operation of the electronic notebook; 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a my-room mode process performed in the electronic notebook; 
     FIGS. 7A-7E each show the display of a result of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the my-room mode process (part  1 ); 
     FIGS. 8A and 8B each show the display of a result of the operation of the electronic notebook involved in the my-room mode (part  2 ); 
     FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a communication mode process performed in the electronic notebook; 
     FIGS. 10A-10D each show the display of a result of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the communication mode process (part  1 ); 
     FIGS. 11A-11C each show the display of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the communication mode (part  2 ); 
     FIG. 12 shows a displayed state of a my-room part select screen involved in a my-room-mode process upgraded by the communication mode process of the electronic notebook; 
     FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a communication process of a host computer depending on the communication mode process of the electronic notebook; 
     FIG. 14 is a flow chart of a word processor mode process of an electronic notebook as a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 15 shows a displayed state of an initial display screen appearing in the word processor mode process of the electronic notebook; 
     FIG. 16A shows a displayed state of a function selecting display screen involved in the word processor mode process before the electronic notebook is upgraded; and 
     FIG. 16B shows a displayed state of the function selecting display screen involved in the word processor mode process after the electronic notebook is upgraded. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will be described next with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     First Embodiment 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit of an electronic notebook  10  involved in a first embodiment of a communication device and method and a recording medium which contains a communication program, according to the present invention. The electronic notebook  10  is provided with a controller (CPU)  11 , which starts up a system program contained in a ROM  16  in accordance with a key operation signal entered from a key-in unit  12 , or touch position data entered via a position detector  15  from a tablet  14  overlapping with a display screen of a liquid crystal display unit  13  to thereby control the respective operations of the circuit elements. The controller  11  is connected to a RAM  17  and to the liquid crystal display unit  13  via a display driver  18 . 
     The controller  11  is connected to a speaker  20  via an amplifier  19 ; to an external modem  22  via a send-receive circuit  21 ; and to a host computer (not shown) via a telephone line for communicating purposes. 
     The key-in unit  12  is provided with an ON key  12   a  operated to turn on a power supply of the electronic notebook  10  and an OFF key  12   b  operated to turn off the power supply. 
     The tablet  14  is made of a transparent panel overlapping on the display screen of the liquid crystal display unit  13  and outputs a voltage signal representing a position touched, for example, with a pen E. In accordance with the voltage signal outputted from the tablet  14  depending on the position touched with the pen E, the position detector  15  detects the coordinates of the position touched with the pen E in an X-Y coordinate system corresponding to a displayed area of the liquid crystal display unit  13  and delivers data indicative of the position coordinates to the controller  11 . 
     The controller  11  determines the coordinate data corresponding to the touched position on the liquid crystal display unit  13  and the contents of data (for example, an icon) displayed at the touched position. 
     In addition to the system program, the ROM  16  contains subprograms corresponding to various operational modes such as a notebook mode and a my-room mode. The ROM  16  further contains a my-room-part subROM  16   a  which contains images of different pieces of furniture, articles attached to the furniture, and animals/plants, as room parts. (In FIGS.  1 ( 16   a ),  7 D and  12 , “DRAWINGS” stands for “A CHEST OF DRAWERS”.) 
     The RAM  17  is provided with a display register  17   a  in which data to be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit  13  stored as bit map data; a my-room register  17   b  in which the kinds of part images selected as components of a room image from the my-room-part subROM  16   a  and information on a specified display positions are stored in a set my-room mode; a use frequency register P in which data representing a use frequency of the electronic notebook  10  is set, the data being incremented one when the notebook  10  is used once (each time a cleaning process ends in the my-room mode, or each time the communication mode ends); an upgrade data register  17   c  to and in which when the use frequency data set in the use frequency data register P reaches a predetermined level, for example, of “5” or “10”, the use frequency data is transferred and stored as upgrade data; an upgrade status register t where an upgrade level is set as 0, 1 or 2 depending on the upgrade data “0”, “5”or “10”stored in the upgrade data register  17   c  as an upgraded-menu item is selected in the communication mode; a notebook data register  17   e  where, for example, schedule data inputted in the set notebook mode is stored and entered; and a program register  17   d  which stores a program installed externally. 
     In a second embodiment of the present invention to be described later, program register  17   d  contains a word processor program read from a recording medium. A register R indicates a total accumulated time in which the word processor mode is used. 
     The speaker  20  produces an electronic sound depending on a sound generating command signal from the controller  11 . For example, it generates a confirming sound “pi” each time a pen touch operation is performed on the tablet  14  or an alarm sound “pi:” each time a misoperation is performed. 
     The send-receive circuit  21  sends/receives data to/from the host computer (not shown) via the modem  22  and telephone line in a state where the electronic notebook  10  is set in the communication mode. For example, when an upgraded menu is selected in the communication mode, the send-receive circuit  21  sends upgrade data stored in the upgraded data register  17   c  to the host computer, and receives an upgrade limitation releasing signal by return from the host computer. 
     In this case, if the upgrade data is “5”, the send-receive circuit  21  receives a first-stage limitation releasing signal, so that the upgrade level is increased from “0” to “1”. If the upgrade data is “10”, the send-receive circuit  21  receives a second-stage limitation releasing signal, so that the upgrade level is increased from “1” to “2”. 
     When a room part image is selected and read from the my-room-part subROM  16   a  in the my-room mode, the kinds of selectable room part images vary depending on the upgrade level set in the upgrade status register t. For example, in this embodiment, when the upgrade level is 0, only five different pieces of furniture images are selectable; when the upgrade level is 1, all pieces of furniture images are selectable; and when the upgrade level is 2, all pieces of furniture images and animal and plant images are selectable. 
     The recording medium reader  30  reads data in various replaceable recording mediums  31  such as ROM/RAM cards or ROM/RAM disks. The data recorded in the various recording mediums  31  read by the recording medium reader  30  are data of programs similar to those stored in ROM  16 . The controller  11  is capable of performing various processes in the electronic notebook  10  on the basis of program data read by the recording medium reader  30 . 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the electronic notebook  10  which has a housing of such a size that the user can hold the housing sufficiently by one hand. The housing has at its center a touch panel TP composed of the liquid crystal display unit  13  and the tablet  14  overlapping with the display unit  13 ; power supply keys  12   a ,  12   b  provided on the right side of the touch panel TA; and a speaker  20  provided on the left side of the touch panel. 
     The input display screen of the touch panel TA is separated into a key operation area  13   a  provided in a lower portion of the input display screen, and a data display area  13   b  of the input display screen above the key operation area  13   a . Displayed and disposed in the key operation area  13   a  are “clear” key  13   a   1 , cursor keys  13   a   2  (,+,←,→,Δ,∇), “menu” key  13   a   3 , and “OK” key  12   a   4 . 
     The data display area  13   b  of the touch panel TA of the FIG. 2 notebook  10  shows a displayed menu display screen. When, for example, a “door” is selected in a pen-touching operation, the my-room mode is set; when a “personal computer” is selected, the communication mode is set; when a “calendar” is selected, the schedule mode is set; and when a “book” is selected, a dictionary mode is set. 
     FIG. 3 shows the modem  22  connected to a telephone set  23  and the send-receive circuit  21  of the electronic notebook  10 . The modem  22  is provided on one side with a 3-pin terminal  22   a  to which a communication cable extending from the send-receive circuit  21  of the notebook is connected, and a modular terminal  22   b  to which a communication cable extending from the telephone set  23  is connected. The modem  22  is also provided at its front with a “communication” switch  22   c  and a “telephone” switch  22   d  for selecting a communication mode for the electronic notebook  10  and a telephone mode for the telephone set  23 , respectively, whereby communication based on the connection of the electronic notebook  10  to the telephone line  24  and telephonic communication based on the connection of the telephone  23  to the telephone line  24  are respectively had. 
     FIG. 4A shows the internal structure of the modem  22 . FIG. 4B is a timing chart of the modem  22  operation. 
     The modem  22  is provided with the above-mentioned 3-pin terminal  22   a  which is composed of a send data line connector pin  22   a   1 , a receive data line connector pin  22   a   2 , and a GND line connection pin  22   a   3 ; a modem IC  25 ; a communication circuit  26 ; and a monostable multivibrator  27 . 
     The output Q of the monostable multivibrator  27  becomes low with a falling edge of a send signal A input from connector pin  22   a   1 , and becomes high a given time T which is a CR time constant after the send signal A disappears. 
     The modem IC  25  is set in a send mode when its MODE terminal is low while the modem IC  25  is set in the receive mode when the MODE terminal is high. In the send mode where an edge of the send signal A falls, the send data input to a TRNS terminal is modulated by the communication circuit  26  and the resulting data is outputted to the telephone line  24 . In the receipt mode the given time T after disappearance of the send signal A, the receive data input from the telephone line  24  is demodulated by the communication circuit  26 , and the resulting data is outputted as digital data from a RCV terminal to the 3-pin connector terminal  22   a   2 . 
     A dummy signal is added to the send signal A from the electronic notebook  10  immediately before a main data of the send data of the send signal A is sent. The dummy signal sets the output Q of the monostable multivibrator  27  at low level to thereby set the modem IC  25  in the send mode. 
     The modem  22  is automatically switched to the send mode in accordance with the output of the send data from the notebook  10 . When the output of the send data disappears, the modem  22  is automatically switched to the receive mode the given time T after the disappearance of the send data. Therefore, a control system which switches between the send and receive modes and a control line therefor are not required to be provided for the electronic notebook  10 , and hence the electronic notebook itself is reduced in size and cost. 
     The operation of the electronic notebook will be described next. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a whole process performed by the electrode notebook. FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a my-room mode process of the electronic notebook. FIGS. 7A-7E each show the display of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the my-room mode process (part  1 ). FIGS. 8A and 8B each show the display of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the my-room mode (part  2 ). 
     When the “menu” key  13   a   3  on the touch panel TP is touched, a menu select display screen for selecting the respective operational modes in a pen-touching operation is displayed on the display unit  13 , as shown in FIG. 7A (step S 1 →S 2 ). 
     When any one of mode icons “door”, “personal computer”, “calendar”, etc., is selected in a pen touching operation on the displayed menu select display screen, the corresponding selected operational mode is set and the corresponding control program is started up, and an initial display screen in the set operational mode is displayed on the display unit  13  (steps S 3 →S 4 , S 5 , S 6 ). 
     When the “door” of the menu select display picture is pen-touched in the mode selecting and setting process (steps S 1 -S 6 ) to thereby set the my-room mode, a my-room display picture which is composed of combined room part images stored in the my-room register  17   b  of PAM  17  (initially, no room part images are entered) is displayed as an initial display picture on the display unit  13 , and the my-room mode process for creating and displaying a desired room image is started up (step S 7 →SA). 
     When upgrade data has been stored in the upgrade data register  17   c  of RAM  17 , the display unit displays a part image which represents a letter inserted into a drop in the door is displayed, which represents that room part images are upgradable (that is, the number of room part images is increasable) (FIG.  8 A). 
     When the “personal computer” of the menu select display picture is pen-touched in the mode selecting and setting process (steps S 1 -S 6 ) to thereby.set the communication mode, a message display picture for communication guidance is displayed as an initial display picture on the display unit  13 , as shown in FIG. 10B, to thereby start up a communication mode process for desired data communication (step S 8 →SB). 
     When one of other notebook modes (schedule mode, memorandum mode, clock mode) is selected and set, a corresponding operational mode process is started up (step S 8 →another process). 
     When the “door” displayed on the my-room display picture which is the initial display picture where the my-room mode is set is touched with the pen, a my-room menu display picture for selecting “clean” or “furniture”is displayed on the display unit  13 , as shown in FIG. 7C (step A 1 →A 2 ). 
     When the “clean” is pen touched on the displayed my-room menu display picture, an image of a scene where a person is cleaning a room is displayed on the my-room display picture which is, in turn, displayed on the display unit  13  (step A 3 →A 4 ). 
     In response to this operation, the use frequency data in the use frequency register P of the RAM  17  is incremented by one, and it is determined whether the use frequency data has reached “5” or “10” (step A 5 , A 6 ). 
     When it is determined that the use frequency data is not “5” or “10”, the my-room menu display picture of FIG. 7C is restored a predetermined time later. If it is determined that the use frequency data is “5” or “10”, the use frequency data “5” or “10” is stored in the upgrade data register  17   c  of RAM  17 , and the my-room menu display picture of FIG. 7C is then restored (steps A 6 →A 7 ). 
     When the “furniture” is pen touched in the displayed my-room menu display picture of FIG. 7C, it is determined whether the upgrade level set in the upgrade status register t of RAM  17  is “0” for a regular state or “1” for a first upgrade state or “2” for a second upgrade state (step A 8 →A 9  or A 10 ). 
     If it is determined that the upgrade level set in the upgrade status register t is “0” for the regular state, data on only five pieces of furniture images are read out from the my-room-part subROM  16   a , and a my-room furniture select picture for selecting any one of five pieces of furniture images corresponding to the data on five-pieces of furniture is displayed on the display unit  13  (step A 9 →A 11 , A 12 ). 
     If it is determined that the upgrade level set in the upgrade status register t is “1” for the first upgrade state, data on all pieces of furniture images are read out from the my-room-part subROM  16   a , and a my-room furniture select picture for selecting any one of all pieces of furniture images corresponding to the data on all pieces of furniture images is displayed on the display unit  13  (step A 10 →A 16 , A 17 ). 
     If it is determined that the upgrade level set in the upgrade status register t is “2” for the second upgrade state, data on all pieces of furniture, animal and plant images are read out from the my-room-part subROM  16   a , and a my-room-part select picture for selecting any one of all pieces of furniture images, animal images and plant images corresponding the data on all pieces of furniture, animal and plant images is displayed on the display unit  13  (step A 10 →A 18 , A 19 , A 20 ). 
     When any one of the part images is selected in the pen touching operation in a state where the my-room part select display picture is displayed at any one of the steps A 12 , A 17  and A 20 , data on the selected part image is stored as one which composes a part of the my-room image in the my- room register  17   b , the room part image corresponding to the selected and stored part image is read out from the my-room-part subROM  16   a . When, for example, a “chest of drawers” is selected, a chest of drawers image as a part image is combined with and displayed along with my-room display screen, as shown in FIG. 7E (step A 13 →A 14 , A 15 ). 
     Thus, the user can select any room part images, compose a desired my room image, and then display it. 
     As described above with reference to FIG. 8A, when a my-room display picture which includes a part image in which a letter is inserted into a drop in the door is displayed, which represent that room part images are “upgradable” (that is, the number of part images is increasable) in a state where upgrade data is stored in the upgrade data register  17   c  of RAM  17 , a guide message representing that the part images are “upgradable” is displayed on the display unit  13  when the letter on the my-room display picture is pen touched, as shown in FIG. 8B (step A 21 →A 22 ). 
     FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a communication mode process performed by the electronic notebook. FIGS.  10 A- 1 OD each show the display of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the communication mode process performed by the electronic notebook (part  1 ). FIGS. 11A-11C each show the display of an operation of the electronic notebook involved in the communication mode process performed by the electronic notebook (part  2 ). 
     FIG. 12 shows a displayed state of a my-room part select picture involved in a my-room-mode process performed after the “upgrading” of room part images by the communication mode process of the electronic notebook. 
     When the “personal computer” is pen touched on a menu select display picture displayed on the display unit  13  to set the communication mode, as shown in FIG. 10A, in the mode selecting and setting process (steps S 1 -S 6 ), a message display picture for communication guidance to urge the user to connect the electronic notebook  10  and the modem  22  is displayed as an initial display picture on the display unit  13 , as shown in FIG. 10B, and the communication mode process of FIG. 9 is started up. 
     When the electronic notebook  10  is connected to the modem  22 , and “communication” switch  22   c  is depressed, and “OK” key  13   a   4  displayed in the key operation area  13   a  of the display unit  13  is pen touched, as shown in FIG. 3, a dummy signal is sent to the host computer (not shown) from the send-receive circuit  21  via the modem  22  (FIG. 4) and the telephone line  24  to start the communication process and to perform a communication starting process such as an ID number checking operation and then to display a communication menu select display picture, as shown in FIG. 10C (steps B 1 , B 2 ). 
     When a communication menu “upgrade” is pen touched and selected on the displayed communication menu select display picture, upgrade data is detected from the upgrade data register  17   c  of RAM  17 , and it is determined whether there is upgrade data “5” or “10” (step B 3 →B 4 →B 5 , B 6 ). 
     If it is determined that no upgrade data is detected from the upgrade data register  17   c  and that there is no upgrade data, a message that upgrading is impossible is displayed on the display unit  13  (step B 6 →B 7 ). 
     If, for example, upgrade data “10” is detected from the upgrade data register  17   c  and that it is determined that there is upgrade data, the upgrade data “10” stored in the upgrade data register  17   c  is sent along with a head dummy signal from the sent-receive circuit  21  to the modem  22 , and as shown in FIG. 10D, message data “under upgrading” is displayed on the display unit  13  (step B 6 →B 8 , B 9 ). 
     The notebook  10  then receives from the host computer the second-stage limitation releasing signal to release the notebook from the limitation on “upgrading ” that is, an increase in the number of my-room part images to be selected, in correspondence to the upgrade data “10” sent to the host computer  24 , and upgrade level “2” corresponding to the second-stage limitation releasing signal is set in the upgrade status register t of RAM  17  (steps B 1 O, Bll). 
     As shown in FIG. 11A, in response to this operation, a guidance message to inform the user that the number of my-room part images have been “upgraded” is displayed and the upgrade data “10” stored in the upgrade data register  17   b  is cleared to “0” (steps B 12 , B 13 ). 
     When “OK” key  13   a   4  displayed on the key operation area  13   a  of the display unit  13  is pen touched in a state where the message “upgrading is impossible” is displayed at step B 7  or the message “already upgraded” is displayed at step B 12 , the communication menu select display picture is again displayed on the display unit  13 , as shown in FIG. 11B (step B 14 →B 2 ). 
     When an “end” key displayed also on the communication menu select display picture is pen touched because the upgrade communication process or another communication process such as “mail”, “news” or “contest” has ended based on a corresponding other communication menu element, a communication end signal is sent to the host computer to terminate the series of the communication processes to increment by one the use frequency data in the use frequency register P and it is then determined whether the use frequency data has reached “5” or “10” (step B 15 →Bl 6 , B 17 , B 18 ). 
     If it is determined that the use frequency data is not “5” or “10”, the my-room menu display picture is restored, as shown in FIG.  11 C. If it is determined that the use frequency data is “5” or “10”, this use frequency data is stored in the upgrade register  17   c  and the my-room menu display picture is restored in a manner similar to that mentioned above (step B 18 →B 20  or B 19 , B 20 ). 
     When “furniture” is pen touched in the displayed my-room menu display picture (FIG. 7C) in the my-room mode process in a state where the upgrade level in the upgrade status register t is increased to the second upgrade status “2” after the communication process “upgrade” of the communication mode process, all pieces of furniture image data and animal/plant image data are read out from the my-room part subROM  16   a , and a my-room part selecting display picture in which any part image is selected from all pieces of furniture, animal, and plant images corresponding to the all pieces of furniture and animal and plant image data is displayed on the display unit  13  (step A 2 →A 8 →A 10 →A 18 , A 19 , A 20 ). 
     More specifically, each time each of the “clean” process in the my-room mode process and the communication mode process ends, the use frequency data is incremented. When the use frequency data becomes “5” or “10”, it is set as upgrade data in the upgrade data register  17   c . When the upgrading process in the communication mode is performed between the notebook and the host computer in a state where the upgrade data “5” or “10” is set in the upgrade data register  17   c , the first or second stage limitation releasing signal corresponding to the upgrade data “5” or “10” is sent back to the notebook  10  and the upgrade level is incremented from “0”for the normal state to “1” for the first stage upgrade level or “2” for the second upgrade level. Thus, the number of my- room part images to be selected in the my-room mode process is “upgraded” or increased to thereby produce and display my room image in a manner free from getting tired. 
     FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a communication process performed by the host computer in correspondence to the communication mode process of the notebook. 
     When the computer receives data from the notebook  10  via the modem  22  and the telephone line  24 , it starts a communication process, for example, by checking an ID number of the notebook  10  (step C 1 →C 2 ). 
     When the computer determines that the notebook  10  is set in the upgrade mode on the basis of the data received from the notebook  10 , the computer is placed in a state where it waits for incoming upgrade data (step C 3 →C 4 ). 
     When the computer receives, for example, upgrade data “10” from the notebook  10 , it sends the second stage limitation releasing signal to the notebook  10  (step C 4 →C 5 ). 
     When the notebook  10  is set in a communication mode other than the upgrade mode, the host computer performs a communication process with the notebook depending on the set mode (step C 8 ). 
     When the computer receives a communication end signal from the notebook  10 , the communication process with the notebook ends (step C 6 →C 7 ). 
     In summary, according to the notebook  10  and the host computer, each time each of the “clean” process in the my-room mode process or the communication mode process ends, the use frequency data is incremented by one. When the use frequency data becomes “5” or “10”, it is set as upgrade data in the upgrade data register. When the upgrading process is performed in the communication mode between the notebook and the computer in the state where the upgrade data is set in the upgrade data register, the first or second stage limitation releasing signal corresponding to the upgrade data “5” or “10” is sent back from the computer to the notebook. Thus, the upgrade level increases from “0” for the normal upgrade level to “1” for the first stage upgrade level or to “2” for the second stage upgrade level. Therefore, the number of my-room parts to be selected in the my-room mode process is “upgraded” or increased depending on the use frequency of the notebook  10  to thereby produce and display a my room in a manner free getting tired. 
     The modem  22  which connects the notebook  10  to the telephone line  24  is automatically switched to a send mode in accordance with send data from the notebook  10 . When the send data disappears, the modem is automatically switched to a receive mode a predetermined time T later, so that no control system and lines for switching the send or receive mode of the notebook  10  are required to thereby reduce the size and cost of the notebook itself. 
     The processes described with reference to the embodiment, more specifically, the whole process performed by the notebook shown in the FIG. 5 flowchart, the my-room mode process shown in the FIG. 6 flowchart, the communication mode process shown in the FIG. 9 flowchart, and the host computer process shown in the FIG. 13 flowchart can be stored and delivered as a program executed by a computer in a recording medium such as a memory card (ROM or RAM card), a magnetic disk (such as a floppy or a hard disk), an optical disk (such as a CD-ROM or DVD) or a semiconductor memory. The computer reads a program recorded in such a recording medium and its operation is controlled by the program to fulfil the respective functions described with reference to the above-described embodiment and perform various processing operations in the manner mentioned above. 
     Second Embodiment 
     A second embodiment of the present invention will be described, using a word processor mode provided by the notebook  10 . A word processor mode program is a program having only basic functions for the beginner read by a recording medium reader  30  and stored in a program register  17   d  of RAM  17  of FIG.  1 . The register R of RAM  17  is used to count an accumulated time for which the user used the word processor mode. 
     FIG. 14 mainly shows various word processor functions to be fulfilled in the word processor mode. 
     First, when an icon on a sheet of paper on a desk image is touched with the pen E on a displayed menu of FIG. 2, the word processor mode is started up to display an initial display picture as shown in FIG. 15 (FIG. 5, steps S 1 -S 6 ). 
     When the user sequentially depicts loci, for example, of characters with the pen E on the tablet  14 , the loci of the pen touch are depicted on the display  13 . In response to this operation, the depicted loci are recognized and hence corresponding characters are entered (NO at step D 1 →NO at step D 3 →step D 4 ). 
     When any one of items of a tool bar T 1  such as “File”, “Edit”, . . ., is selected to fulfil a corresponding function of the word processor to edit the input characters and others, control passes to step D 1  to D 2  to thereby display a menu of the selected item (FIG.  16 A). 
     When any one choice of the menu of an item “help” is selected in the tool bar T 1 , control passes from step D 1  to D 3  where YES is determined. Then, at step D 5  the selected one menu choice of the item “help” is detected. 
     It is then determined whether a function corresponding to the detected menu choice of the item “help” is already “upgraded” or added and installed (step D 6 ). If so, at step D 9  the function selected at step D 6  is fulfilled. 
     If not at step D 6 , control passes to step D 7 , which determines whether the register R=10 or whether the accumulated time spent for the word processor mode has exceeded 10 hours (step D 10 ). The register R counts the accumulated time in which the user has used the notebook in the word processor mode at step D 10 . When step D 7  determines that R is more than 10 hours, the detected menu choice of the item “help” is stored as upgrade data in the upgrade data register  17   c  (step D 8 ). 
     Thereafter, as in the first embodiment (FIG.  9 ), the notebook sends “upgrade” data to the host computer for upgrading the word processor functions. The host computer receives the sent upgrade data from the notebook  10 , sends a program having functions corresponding to the upgrade data back to the notebook  10 . The notebook  10  receives and stores the program to install new functions to thereby increase the number of functions usable in the word processor mode. While the notebook  10  receives the releasing signal from the host computer at step B 10  of FIG. 9 in the first embodiment, the notebook receives the program having the new functions from the host computer in the second embodiment. At step B 13  the notebook  10  clears the upgrade data and resets the register R to “0”. Thereafter, the notebook starts again to count ten hours. 
     FIGS. 16A and 16B show display pictures which represent the upgraded and unupgraded states in the word processor mode, respectively. 
     For example, as shown in FIG. 16A, when a menu of an item “Insert” is displayed before “upgrading”, the menu indicates that functions  1 - 4  are usable. Thereafter, when the user refers to the explanation about a choice “function  5 ” of a menu of the item “Insert” in the item “help”, and it is detected that the menu choice represents an unupgraded function and that the time of use of the word processor mode is more than 10 hours, “upgrading” is possible. When the user then communicates with the host computer for upgrading purposes, the new “function  5 ” is installed in the notebook. When a menu of the item “Insert” is displayed again in the word processor mode, as shown in FIG. 16B, the new “function  5 ” is selectable and fulfillable. 
     Thus, according to the present invention, the processing is not determined by the functions provided initially in the notebook, but a new function is additionally obtained to thereby increase an interest in the use of the notebook.

Technology Category: g