Portable electronic device with display screen along several directions

Translation of description of equivalent WO 9827495 A1

PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH DISPLAY SCREEN AS SEVERAL DIRECTIONS

The invention relates to a portable electronic device comprising a display screen.

The invention applies to any device provided with a display screen and control means of this screen. Include for example calculators but all mobile interactive game devices.

The present invention enables to provide a man-machine interface particularly suited to electronic devices of small size commonly referred laptops.

The invention more particularly relates to a portable electronic device having a display screen and display control means of said screen, characterized in that it comprises means of selecting a display direction amongst several directions predetermined able to provide information depending on the display direction to the display control means to obtain a display according to the selected direction.

The selection means are either automatic or manual.

In the case where the selection means are automatic they comprise a use of the device position sensor.

In the case where the selection means are manual, they comprise a dedicated key for each of the display directions.

According to one embodiment, the device further comprises several groups of keys and combining means for combining each group key to position information thus giving each button a different function.

According to another aspect of the invention, the device comprises a memory containing one or more program (s) of application and the means for selecting an application from all the application programs provided.

According to another aspect, the application selecting means includes the combining means.

In a particular application, the device comprises means for converting a first information input by means of one or both groups of keys and right on the display in the selected display direction, in a second readable information on the screen in the second direction display after selecting this second display direction.

The conversion means may be for example euro-franc conversion means.

The display screen can be realized by a multi-matrix and the number of display direction will be equal to two or greater.

The display can be achieved by a character matrix LCD type and number of display direction will then be equal to two.

According to another aspect of the invention, the electronic device comprises an IC card read-write interface and an insertion slot to the dimensions adapted to those of a card.

The invention applies particularly to the achievement of a euro-franc converter.

The invention applies particularly to the achievement of a card reader. The invention also applies to the production of interactive gaming machines.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the description given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example and with reference to figures in which:

- Figure 1 shows the basic diagram of a device according to the invention.

- Figure 2 represents the diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention,

- Figure 3 represents a top view according to Figure 2,

- Figure 4 represents the diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a key, - Figure 5 shows a dynamic diagram illustrating the manner of use of the device,

- Figure 6 shows a block diagram of combining means,

- Figure 7 shows a diagram of a top view of the device according to the application euro-franc converter

- Figure 8 shows a diagram of a top view of the device according to the card reader chip application.

The display screen 10 can be achieved by a multi-matrix or by an LCD character type array.

Figure 1 shows a multi-point matrix 100 for example.

Known way, the rows and columns of the matrix are respectively connected to a row decoder 110 and a column decoder 120. The decoders 110 and 120 of the screen 10 are connected to control means 20 comprising display control means 200, 210.

The control means are implemented by a microprocessor type control unit implementing the one or more display control program (or driver in English terminology) Registered (s) in the program memory 210.

Is provided according to the invention a display control program for each of the display directions.

Thus, a display control program will allow for the same character, activate the rows and columns that are suitable according to the display will be the direction Dl or D2 or D3 as illustrated in Figure 1.

For example to display the letter A in the direction Dl, are rows and columns to reach Zl pad that will be enabled as to display the same letter the direction D3, are rows and columns to d reaching the Z2 pad will be enabled.

To this end the device further includes a display direction selection means 30. The information-dependent display direction issued by these means is received by the processing unit that initiates the execution of the program display control corresponding to that direction.

The device shown in this figure may also include different applications to be described in the following, a physical interface and logical IT known type of reading and writing of a known smart card will be explained about the application illustrated in Figure 7. The physical interface is shown in phantom in this Figure and is referenced 240, and the logical interface with a referenced program

IL, classic, reading / writing a smart card loaded in the memory 230 or memory 210.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of an electronic device according to one invention.

The circular shape is advantageous for achieving a euro-franc converter.

The look of the converter may be that of a coin with a diameter of about 5cm.

Such a shape may also be suitable in the case of the embodiment of a smart card reader as soon as the diameter of this device and its thickness is sufficient for the insertion of a smart card in a standard format.

The device may not contain any key. The user will in this case that the possibility of reading distinct messages according to the display direction selected by the adopted position of use. This position is in this case automatically detected by a position sensor consisting for example of a mercury lamp. advantageous to use such a device for reading maps electronic wallet.

Is shown in Figure 2 a device comprising the contrary three groups Gl keys,

G2, G3. The group concept is introduced to illustrate the distribution of keys on the device, the whole forming a single man-machine interface.

For example each group has four buttons, shown in Figures 3 and 4. A symbol (alphanumeric character or function) will be represented on each facet of each key.

The combination key and dependent information display management permits as will be detailed in the following have different functions to each key (multifunction keys) and also to appeal to different application programs (FI, F2, F3).

Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

In this example, the device comprises three groups of keys Gl, G2, G3, each comprising a dedicated key to selecting the display direction respectively referenced SI, S2, S3. In a first position of use selected by the ID button, the device will implement a first example application program the phonebook.

For this non-volatile memory 230 has the numbers to display in response to the support of each key. Gl group Til button selects the number of the house, the T14 Selects the doctor's number, key T31 group G3 selects Pierre number. When the operator changes the position of use of the device by rotation as symbolized in the figure, it can select the display direction S2 key.

The device will then implement a second application program such consultation played the lottery numbers.

Til the key Gl group selects the display of the character I. T31 Selects the display of the grid E. The operator can even rotate the device in a third position of use. The operator can then select the display direction by the S3 button. The device will then implement a third example application program: reading a smart card and banking transactions (or reading a phone card).

Til the key Gl group selects the display of the first transaction (Trans 1).

The T31 key group G3 selects the display of character "8".

therefore we see that the device has a man-machine interface with a limited number of keys but combined with the information "display direction" (or use position) gives it a range of possible functions.

It was described for this example the use of three key groups each comprising a selection key. Of course, it may be provided to replace the manual selection function (selection buttons) by an automatic function (position detector) without changing the principle of operation has been described. The diagram of Figure 6 illustrates the combination function that has just been described. It is represented by an OR gate followed by an AND logic that provide access to the LAN or F2 or internet application according to the SI key (or PI position) or the S2 key (or position P2) or the S3 key (or position P3) has been selected.

So practice this function will be provided by the processing unit that receives decoding circuits 110 and 120 of the signals generated by the contacts Tl keys .. Tj groups Gl ... Gi and the signal from the selection or the position detector.

Figure 7 illustrates the smart card reader application of such a device.

In this application the device further comprises as was said a physical interface at a time and card reading logic chip.

The interface is of the type known and commonly used in existing players.

The smart card reader thus achieved will allow to display information stored in the card. In case such a player does not touch it for accessing different applications, it can be used for reading electronic purse cards.

Such a device will of course help ensure any previously described function independent of the card, such as the euro-franc conversion function shown in Figure 8.

However, it may establish groups of keys as just described about Figure 5 to access different applications. The course of the reading and / or writing to these applications is done to the reader processor and associated application programs it contains nonvolatile memory.

In all cases the display, it is intended for playing digital characters from an LCD screen, a visual indicator 130 gives the reading direction.

Figure 8, illustrates a device according to the invention adapted to implement a function for converting a first next readable information a first direction and a second information (the first conversion) readable in a second direction.

The conversion function will be preferentially converted to the euro-franc.

A conversion program is provided for this purpose in the nonvolatile memory device and the execution of this program will be launched automatically to the operating program in ROM of the processing unit.

The device comprises in this case two groups of keys Gl, G2.

The amount in euros will be returned from the keys that fit the group Gl and G2 and displayed on the screen 10 of the indicator 130.

The euro area indicated in the figure may correspond to a display direction selection key in the absence of position sensor.

To get the converted value in franc operator will only have to return the device

(Press franc selection key if this key is present) and read the converted amount on the screen.

In all cases presented in the description, the order change selecting a display direction may come from the operator but also of course be provided by the application program.