Personal digital assistant, and display control method and display control program thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8928552-B2
Application number	US-201113180795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2011
Priority date	Dec 1, 2010
Publication date	Jan 6, 2015
Grant date	Jan 6, 2015

Abstract

An information processing device including a plurality of rectangular-shaped casings each including a first principal surface, and a second principal surface opposing the first principal surface and including a display panel having a predetermined aspect ratio. The information processing device including a connecting portion connecting each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings in a closed state in which each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings are mutually overlaid and a display panel of at least one of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings is externally exposed, and in an open state in which wall portions of mutually adjacent rectangular-shaped casings abut and the display panels of each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings face a similar direction. The information processing device further includes a terminal state detecting unit that detects the closed state and the opened state, and a display control unit that controls display of each of the display panels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing device comprising:
a plurality of rectangular-shaped casings including a first rectangular-shaped casing, a second rectangular-shaped casing and a third-rectangular shaped casing, which are disposed in sequential order and each include
a first principal surface, and
a second principal surface opposing the first principal surface and including a display panel having a predetermined aspect ratio;

a connecting portion connecting each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings in a closed state in which each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings are mutually overlaid and a display panel of at least one of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings is externally exposed, and in an open state in which wall portions of mutually adjacent rectangular-shaped casings abut and the display panels of each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings face a substantially similar direction; and
circuitry configured to
detect the closed state and the opened state; and
control display of each of the display panels, wherein

the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing is externally exposed in the closed state,
the display panels of each of the first rectangular-shaped casing, second rectangular-shaped casing and third rectangular-shaped casing face the substantially similar direction in the open state, and
the circuitry is configured to
control displaying a first map image corresponding to a central geographic location on the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing in the closed state; and
control displaying the first map image corresponding to the central geographic location on the display panel of the second rectangular-shaped casing in the open state.

2. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is configured to rotatably connect each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings.

3. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion is configured to slidably connect each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings.

4. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio obtained by adding each of the plurality display panels in the open state matches the predetermined aspect ratio.

5. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying an image on the display panel of the at least one of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings that is externally exposed in the closed state.

6. The information processing device of claim 5 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control dividing, enlarging and displaying the image across the plurality of the display panels of each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings in the open state.

7. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying second and third map images each corresponding to geographic locations adjacent to the central geographic location on the display panels of the first and third rectangular-shaped casings in the open state.

8. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying the first map image corresponding to the central geographic location on the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing, displaying a photographic aerial view of the central geographic location of on the display panel of the second rectangular-shaped casing, and displaying a photographic street-level view corresponding to the central geographic location of on the display panel of the third rectangular-shaped casing in the open state.

9. The information processing device of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to control displaying an image on the display panel of the third rectangular-shaped casing in the open state.

10. The information processing device of claim 9 , wherein the first principal surface of the third rectangular-shaped casing includes a protruding shape that causes the display panel of the third rectangular-shaped casing to be disposed at an angle relative to the display panels of the first and second rectangular-shaped casings when the information processing device is placed on a flat surface.

11. The information processing device of claim 9 , wherein the circuitry is configured to display a first user interface on the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing and a second user interface on the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing in the open state.

12. The information processing device of claim 11 , wherein the first user interface corresponds to a communication application executed at the information processing device.

13. The information processing device of claim 11 , wherein the second user interface corresponds to a graphical user interface for receiving input commands.

14. An information processing device comprising:
a plurality of rectangular-shaped casings including a first rectangular-shaped casing, a second rectangular-shaped casing and a third-rectangular shaped casing, which are disposed in sequential order and each include
a first principal surface, and
a second principal surface opposing the first principal surface and including a display panel of a predetermined aspect ratio;

means for connecting each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings in a closed state in which each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings are mutually overlaid and a display panel of at least one of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings is externally exposed, and in an open state in which wall portions of mutually adjacent rectangular-shaped casings abut and the display panels of each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings face a substantially same direction;
means for detecting the closed state and the opened state;
means for controlling display of each of the display panels, wherein
the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing is externally exposed in the closed state,
the display panels of each of the first rectangular-shaped casing, second rectangular-shaped casing and third rectangular-shaped casing face the substantially similar direction in the open state, and
means for controlling displaying a first map image corresponding to a central geographic location on the display panel of the first rectangular-shaped casing in the closed state; and
means for controlling displaying the first map image corresponding to the central geographic location on the display panel of the second rectangular-shaped casing in the open state.

15. An information processing device comprising:
a plurality of rectangular-shaped casings including a first rectangular-shaped casing, a second rectangular-shaped casing and a third-rectangular shaped casing, which are disposed in sequential order and each include
a first principal surface, and
a second principal surface opposing the first principal surface and including a display panel having a predetermined aspect ratio;

a connecting portion connecting each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings in a closed state in which each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings are mutually overlaid and a display panel of at least one of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings is externally exposed, and in an open state in which wall portions of mutually adjacent rectangular-shaped casings abut and the display panels of each of the plurality of rectangular-shaped casings face a substantially similar direction; and
circuitry configured to
detect the closed state and the opened state; and
control display of each of the di

Assignees

• Aono Tatsuhito
• Kobayashi Tetsuya
• Fukaya Yuji
• Takanashi Shin
• Sony Corp
• Sony Mobile Comm Inc

Inventors

• Aono Tatsuhito
• Kobayashi Tetsuya
• Fukaya Yuji
• Takanashi Shin

Classifications

• G06F1/1677 Primary

  for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment · CPC title

• G06F1/1641

  the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components (G06F1/1647 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1624

  with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title