Information processing device for processing information based on a status monitoring program and method therefor Number:7,143,355 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent

Title: Information processing device for processing information based on a status monitoring program and method therefor

Abstract: A jog dial server monitors an operation notification by a jog dial, then decides the operation based on the operation notification, and executes the decided operation as a jog script engine. The jog dial server loads a script file describing status transition of the jog dial in the script language at the time of start-up, then reads the status transition, and operates in accordance with the status transition thus read. Thus, an information processing device is provided which enables extension of the operation with respect to an application incompatible with the jog dial.

Patent Number: 7,143,355 Issued on 11/28/2006 to Yamaguchi,   et al.

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Inventors:	Yamaguchi; Yoshihiro (Tokyo, JP), Noguchi; Shinsuke (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee:	Sony Corporation (Tokyo, JP)
Appl. No.:	10/085,655
Filed:	February 26, 2002

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Foreign Application Priority Data

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Feb 28, 2001 [JP]			2001-055936

Current U.S. Class:	715/733 ; 709/203; 715/810; 717/115
Current International Class:	G06F 3/00 (20060101); G06F 15/16 (20060101); G06F 9/44 (20060101)
Field of Search:	340/825,826,783,902,810,157,163 715/733,810 709/203 717/115

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References Cited [Referenced By]

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U.S. Patent Documents

	4755808		July 1988		Bullock et al.
	5523754		June 1996		Eisen et al.
	5748185		May 1998		Stephan et al.
	5818437		October 1998		Grover et al.
	5856827		January 1999		Sudo
	5999169		December 1999		Lee
	6286003		September 2001		Muta
	6295052		September 2001		Kato et al.
	6317739		November 2001		Hirata et al.
	6453270		September 2002		Durbin
	6636929		October 2003		Frantz et al.

Other References

"Improving PC Ease of Use: A Report from the Ease of Use/PC Quality Roundtable",Prepared by: Ease of Use Roundtable,Intel Corp,Aveo Inc,Compaq Computer Corp,Dell Computer Corp,Gateway/Inc,IBM Corp,Lucent Technologies,Nortel Networks,Visual Networks. Feb. 2000. cited by examine- r.

Primary Examiner: Vu; Kieu D.
Assistant Examiner: Zhou; Ting
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP Frommer; William S. Presson; Thomas F.

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Claims

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What is claimed is:

1. An information processing device for processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for performing a first operation and a second operation, the information processing device comprising: server means for monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein the server means loads, at the time of start-up, a script file describing a status transition of the input device in the script language, the status transition based on hardware that can be supported by changing the script file and the status transition represents how each status shifts in a particular situation, and information relating to incompatible applications that are to be executed, reads the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device, and executes the operation corresponding to the status transition; and execution means for executing a status monitor program for monitoring a difference in quantities of a first counter and a second counter based on polling which indicates a status shift for a particular situation, wherein said status shift corresponds to a first operation pulse and a second operation pulse calculated by the status monitor program.

2. The information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation corresponding to the status transition read from the script file loaded by the server means is a display related to a graphical user interface of the input device.

3. The information processing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display related to the graphical user interface includes a first display status for displaying what processing the information processing device can currently carry out in accordance with the operation using the input device, and a second display status for displaying a list of items which can be executed on the information processing device in accordance with the operation of the input device.

4. The information processing device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first display status is a guide status for guiding the operation of an application program, and the second display status is a list view status for display a list of application programs to be selected.

5. The information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first operation and said second operation are performed by rotating a dial.

6. An information processing method for information processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for performing a first operation and a second operation, the method comprising: a processing execution step of monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein at the processing execution step, a script file describing a status transition of the input device in the script language is loaded at the time of start-up, the status transition based on hardware tat can be supported by changing the script file and the status transition represents how each status shifts in a particular situation, and information relating to incompatible applications that are to be executed, then the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device is read, and the operation corresponding to the status transition is executed; and an execution step for executing a status monitor program for monitoring a difference in quantities of a first counter and a second counter based on polling which indicates a status shift for a particular situation, wherein said status shift corresponds to a first operation pulse and a second operation pulse calculated by the status monitor program.

7. A recording medium having an information processing program recorded thereon, the information processing program being adapted for information processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for performing a first operation and a second operation, the information processing program comprising: a processing execution step of monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein at the processing execution step, a script file describing a status transition of the input device in the script language is loaded at the time of start-up, the status transition based on hardware that can be supported by changing the script file and the status transition represents how each status shifts in a particular situation, and information relating to incompatible applications that are to be executed, then the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device is read, and the operation corresponding to the status transition is executed; and an execution step for executing a status monitor program for monitoring a difference in quantities of a first counter and a second counter based on polling which indicates a status shift for a particular situation, wherein said status shift corresponds to a first operation pulse and a second operation pulse calculated by the status monitor program.

8. A program recorded on a recoding medium related to information processing for information processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for performing a first operation and a second operation, the program comprising: a processing execution step of monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein at the processing execution step, a script file describing a status transition of the input device in the script language is loaded at the time of start-up, the status transition based on hardware that can be supported by changing the script file and the status transition represents how each status shifts in a particular situation, and information relating to incompatible applications that are to be executed, then the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device is read, and the operation corresponding to the status transition is executed; and an executing step for executing a status monitor program for monitoring a difference in quantities of a first counter and a second counter based on polling which indicates a status shift for a particular situation, wherein said status shift corresponds to a first operation pulse and a second operation pulse calculated by the status monitor program.

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Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an information processing device and an information processing method for carrying out processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for carrying out rotation and press operations, a program based on the information processing method, and a recording medium having the program recorded thereon.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, in order to improve the user-friendliness of a portable information processing device and the user-friendliness of application software, for example, a device having a rotation/press-type operating unit called jog dial provided on a lateral side of the body is commercially available from the present Applicant. The jog dial is provided on one of the left and right lateral sides of the body. The jog dial is rotatable forward and backward around an axial line set in the up-and-down direction and is displaceable by pressing.

One usage of this jog dial is, for example, to select one of a plurality of application software programs displayed on a display screen by a scroll method using forward and backward rotations of the jog dial, and press the jog dial in the state where an application is selected, thus causing execution of the selected application. The mechanical changes resulting from the operation of such a jog dial basically includes three-dimensional elements, that is, rotations in the two directions and displacement by pressing. In addition, the quantity of rotation in each direction, and the rotation speed in each direction of rotation calculated from the quantity of rotation can be provided. Therefore, by associating the changes accompanying the operation of the jog dial with specific functions of the information processing device, or by associating these changes with various functions in application software, the user-friendliness is significantly improved.

For example, in association with the input operation using the jog dial, a graphical user interface including a guide status and a list view status, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is displayed on the display screen of the information processing device.

The status transition between the guide status and the list view status must be prepared on the application side by using a jog dial application interface.

An application tuned by using the jog dial application interface is referred to as jog dial-compatible application, which is discriminated from an untuned application referred to as jog dial-incompatible application.

In the case of a jog dial-incompatible application, the control which is generally considered to be held by all applications as shown in FIG. 3 is emulated from outside and the predominance proper to the jog dial is not utilized sufficiently.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, in the jog dial-incompatible application of the initial state S, a list view status L is displayed. If "scroll" is selected in this list view status L, the status shift to a guide status G related to scroll. If "status back" is selected in the guide status G related to scroll, the status shifts back to the list view status L. On the other hand, if "menu" is selected in the list view status L, the status shifts to a guide status related to menu selection. If "select/back" is selected in the guide status G related to menu selection, the information processing device is caused to execute a selected menu item. If "select/back" is pressed longer, the status shifts back to the list view status L.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing status of the art, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device and an information processing method which enable extension of the operation with respect to an application incompatible with the jog dial. It is another object of the present invention to provide an information processing device and an information processing method which enable various support of the operation of the jog dial by using the script language.

An information processing device according to the present invention is adapted for carrying out processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for carrying out rotation and press operations. The information processing device comprises: server means for monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein the server means loads, at the time of start-up, a script file describing the status transition of the input device in the script language, reads the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device, and executes the operation corresponding to the read status transition thus read.

An information processing method according to the present invention is adapted for carrying out information processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for carrying out rotation and press operations. The information processing method comprises: a processing execution step of monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein at the processing execution step, a script file describing the status transition of the input device in the script language is loaded at the time of start-up, then the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device is read, and the operation corresponding to the status transition thus read is executed.

A recording medium according to the present invention has an information processing program recorded thereon, the information processing program being adapted for carrying out information processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for carrying out rotation and press operations. The information processing program comprises: a processing execution step of monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein at the processing execution step, a script file describing the status transition of the input device in the script language is loaded at the time of start-up, then the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device is read, and the operation corresponding to the status transition thus read is executed.

A program according to the present invention is related to information processing for carrying out information processing based on an input operation by a user using an input device for carrying out rotation and press operations. The program comprises: a processing execution step of monitoring an operation notification by the input device and determining and executing the operation based on the operation notification; wherein at the processing execution step, a script file describing the status transition of the input device in the script language is loaded at the time of start-up, then the status transition corresponding to the operation of the input device is read, and the operation corresponding to the status transition thus read is executed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a prior art view showing a specific example of a guide status.

FIG. 2 is a prior art view showing a specific example of a list view status.

FIG. 3 is a prior art view showing status transition of a jog dial-incompatible application.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of an information processing device as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing a specific example of status transition by jog script.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a specific example of status transition by jog script.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a notebook model personal computer.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view showing essential parts of FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are views for explaining a guide status provided in a specific example of a graphical user interface.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views for explaining a list view status provided in the specific example of the graphical user interface of the present invention.

FIG. 11 shows the principle of a rotation/press-type operating unit.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to a line X4--X4 in FIG. 8, showing a specific example of the operating unit.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to a line X5--X5 in FIG. 14, showing the specific example of the operating unit.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to a line X6--X6 in FIG. 13, showing the specific example of the operating unit.

FIG. 15 is a top view of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a right side view of FIG. 15.

FIG. 17 is a partially cross-sectional side view showing a shaft member constituting a rotating member.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to a line X10--X10 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to a line X11--X11 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is a time chart showing a signal status detected at each output terminal when the operating unit is rotated backward.

FIG. 21 is a time chart showing a signal status detected at each output terminal when the operating unit is rotated forward.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of essential parts corresponding to FIG. 8, showing another specific example of the notebook model personal computer.

FIG. 23 is a plan view of essential parts corresponding to FIG. 8, showing another specific example of the notebook model personal computer.

FIG. 24 is a plan view of essential parts corresponding to FIG. 8, showing another specific example of the notebook model personal computer.

FIG. 25 is a plan view of essential parts corresponding to FIG. 8, showing another specific example of the notebook model personal computer.

FIG. 26 shows an exemplary electrical structure of the notebook model personal computer.

FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing an example of detecting the direction of rotation and the quantity of rotation of the operating unit.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart for detecting the operation status of the operating unit.

FIGS. 29A to 29C show exemplary displays of the graphical user interface.

FIG. 30 shows an exemplary display based on an application program for displaying a map.

FIG. 31 shows another exemplary display based on the application program for displaying a map.

FIGS. 32A to 32C show the process of hierarchical shift of the graphical user interface.

FIGS. 33D to 33F show the process of hierarchical shift of the graphical user interface.

FIGS. 34G to 34I show the process of hierarchical shift of the graphical user interface.

FIGS. 35J and 35K show the process of hierarchical shift of the graphical user interface.

FIGS. 36A to 36C show exemplary displays of the graphical user interface.

FIG. 37 is a plan view showing a portable information terminal device.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing a portable telephone device.

FIG. 39 is a view showing an exemplary display on the notebook model personal computer NP.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 4, this embodiment applies to an information processing device for carrying out processed based on an input operation by a user using a jog dial 304, which is an input device for carrying out rotation and press operations. When a jog dial-incompatible application is to be executed, a script file describing status transition and the like of the jog dial is loaded from a predetermined storage, for example, via the Internet, so as to read out the status transition and the like described in the script file, and the operation associated with the jog dial is carried out in accordance with the status transition.

In addition to the jog dial 304, this information processing device also has a jog dial server 303 which monitors an operation notification by the jog dial 304, decides the operation based on the operation notification and executes the decided operation as a jog script engine 302. When started up, the jog dial server 303 loads a script file 301 describing status transition of the jog dial 304 in the script language, then reads the status transition, and operates as the jog script engine 302 in accordance with the status transition thus read.

Then, a display corresponding to the operation status of the jog dial 302 is represented on a display screen 305 as a graphical user interface.

In this manner, the jog dial operation exhibiting the predominance of the jog dial 304 can be carried out also in a jog dial-incompatible application 306.

The jog dial server 303 loads the script file 301 and decides the operation and display in accordance with the status transition. The status transition based on the difference in hardware can be supported simply by changing the jog script file 301. Moreover, since setting for each type of jog dial-incompatible application can be made, various support may be possible.

The script file 301 is a file which describes the status transition and the like of the jog dial in the script language and is loaded by the jog dial server 303. In this script file 301, the status transition, the display content of each status, and the operation of each status can be described.

The status transition represents how each status shifts in what situation. The status transition can be caused to correspond to the status transition based on the selection by the user, the activation of the menu, and the shift of the focus.

The display content of each status designates whether the status is a guide status or a list view status, what item column is included in the list view status, what character string is displayed in the guide status, and so on.

The operation of each status can describe the following items when the jog dial is operated in each status: first, keyboard input; second, mouse input; and third, access to an external module. By emulating the keyboard input and the mouse input or allocating these inputs to the up and down keys, selection and execution of a menu item can be supported. Moreover, by reading the external module, more complicated operations can be carried out.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show specific examples of the status transition based on the jog script, in view of the status transition and application-specific support.

First, FIG. 5 shows an example in which the starting status is a guide status for scroll, emphasizing the linkage with a touch pad of a center jog, which will be described later.

When the jog dial is provided between a left click button and a right click button and near a touch pad, as will be described later, it is desired that the initial display of the graphical user interface after the power switch is turned on is the guide status rather than the list view status. This is because the guide status for scroll emphasizing the linkage with the touch pad is desired.

Therefore, the following contents are described in the script file 301. The status transition for shifting to and from the guide status for [scroll], the list view status and the guide status for [select menu] is described as shown in FIG. 5. With the list view status provided at the center, that is, via the list view status, the status shifts between the two guide statuses.

In the guide status, the display of [scroll], Up [scroll up], Down [scroll down] and Push [status back] is designated. In the other guide status, the display of [select menu], Up [menu item up], Down [menu item down] and Push [select/back] is designated. In the list view status, the display of [maximize], [minimize], [end], [scroll], [launcher] and [menu] is designated.

With respect to the operation of each status, for example, what operation [scroll] in the guide status is, or where the status is back to by the operation of [status back], is described. In the case of the list view status, what operations [maximize], [minimize], [end], [scroll], [launcher] and [menu] are, is described.

The script file 301 in which the status transition, the display content of each status, and the operation of each status are described is loaded by the jog dial server 303 when the information processing device shown in FIG. 4 is started up. Then, the jog dial server 303 reads the status transition and the like, and executes the operation corresponding to the status transition and the like thus read, in accordance with the operation status of the jog dial 304.

Thus, the information processing device operates in accordance with the status transition shown in FIG. 5. Specifically, after the power switch is turned on, the graphical user interface of the guide status G is displayed on the display screen as the initial status S. It is the guide status for scrolling. If the jog dial is pressed to select [status back], the status shifts to the list view status L. If [scroll] is selected in the list view status, the status shifts back to the guide status G for scroll. If [menu] is selected in the list view status, the status shifts to the guide status G for menu selection. In this guide status G for menu selection, selection of menu items in the up-and-down direction can be carried out in accordance with the rotation operation of the jog dial. If [select/back] is pressed by using the jog dial, the information processing device is caused to execute the selected menu item. If [select/back] is pressed longer by using the jog dial, the status shifts back to the list view status L.

FIG. 6 shows the status transition of the jog dial in the case where the information processing device shown in FIG. 4 executes an Internet web browser, which is a jog dial-incompatible application. In this example, too, the starting status is the guide status for scroll.

In the script file 301, status transition to and from the guide status for [scroll], the list view status and the guide status for [select menu] is described as shown in FIG. 6. With the list view status provided at the center, that is, via the list view status, the status shifts between the two guide statuses.

In the guide status, the display of [scroll], Up [upward arrow key], Down [downward arrow key] and Push [status back] is designated. In the other guide status, the display of [select menu], Up [menu item up], Down [menu item down] and Push [select/back] is designated. In the list view status, the display of [maximize], [minimize], [end], [scroll], [launcher], [menu] as well as [forward] and [next] is designated. In addition, the display of [save] and [select all] may be designated.

With respect to the operation of each status, for example, what operation [scroll] in the guide status is, or where the status is back to by the operation of [status back], is described. In the case of the list view status, what operations [maximize], [minimize], [end], [scroll], [launcher], [menu], [forward] and [next] are, is described.

The script file 301 in which the status transition, the display content of each status, and the operation of each status are described is loaded by the jog dial server 303 when the information processing device shown in FIG. 4 is started up. Then, the jog dial server 303 reads the status transition and the like, and executes the operation corresponding to the status transition and the like thus read, in accordance with the operation status of the jog dial 304.

Thus, the information processing device operates in accordance with the status transition shown in FIG. 6 when executing the Internet web browser. Specifically, after the power switch is turned on, the graphical user interface of the guide status G is displayed on the display screen as the initial status S. It is the guide status for scrolling. If the jog dial is pressed to select [status back], the status shifts to the list view status L. If [scroll] is selected in the list view status, the status shifts back to the guide status G for scroll. If [menu] is selected in the list view status, the status shifts to the guide status G for menu selection. In this guide status G for menu selection, selection of menu items in the up-and-down direction can be carried out in accordance with the rotation operation of the jog dial. If [select/back] is pressed by using the jog dial, the information processing device is caused to execute the selected menu item. If [select/back] is pressed longer by using the jog dial, the status shifts back to the list view status L. Particularly, in the list view status, by selecting [forward] or [next] using the jog dial, the user can easily carry out the operation to shift back to the previous screen or shift to the next screen on the Internet browser.

Therefore, with this information processing device, the predominance proper to the jog dial can be utilized satisfactorily.

Hereinafter, several examples of the information processing device will be described.

First, a first specific example is a notebook model personal computer NP as shown in FIG. 7. A recording medium having a program of the present invention recorded thereon is embedded or loaded to the notebook model personal computer NP, thus carrying out an information processing method of the present invention.

The notebook model personal computer NP has a body 1 and a cover 2 mounted to be freely opened and closed on the body 1. Specifically, the cover 2 is connected to a rear end portion of the body 1 so that the cover 2 can freely swing around an axial line set in the left-and-right direction. The cover 2 is caused to swing on the body 1 as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. 7, thereby selectively taking a closed state in which the cover 2 is superimposed on the body 1 or an open state in which the cover 2 stands up as shown in FIG. 7. In this specification, the front-and-back direction and the left-and-right direction are set as the directions shown in FIG. 7.

A flat display screen 3 made of liquid crystal or the like is provided on the inner surface of the cover 2. On this display screen 3, a graphical user interface is displayed which is used for explaining the operation of an operating unit 10 as an input device, as will be described later, to a user through an image.

FIG. 7 shows the graphical user interface in a guide status 90 (which will be described later). This guide status 90 is a display status for displaying what processing the notebook model personal computer NP of FIG. 7 can currently carry out and for causing the user to select processing. Other than this guide status 90, the graphical user interface also enters a list view status, which will be described later. The list view status is a display status for displaying a list of items which can be executed in the notebook model personal computer and for causing the user to select an item.

In the present invention, when a jog dial-incompatible application is to be executed on the notebook model personal computer NP, the script file 301 in which the status transition to and from the guide status and the list view status, the display content of each status and the operation of each status are described is loaded by the jog dial server 303, as described above. Then, the jog dial server 303 reads the status transition and the like from the script file 301 and executes the operation corresponding to the status transition thus read, in accordance with the operation status of the jog dial 304.

In the case of a jog dial-compatible application, the application side declares to the jog dial server 303 that it is compatible with the jog dial and how the status transition, display and operation are carried out. Therefore, the information processing method of the present invention is not executed as a program on the notebook model personal computer NP.

The description of the notebook model personal computer NP will be continued now. A keyboard 4 is provided on the upper surface of the body 1. This keyboard 4 includes multiple keys such as alphabetic keys, ten keys, and various function keys. The keyboard 4 is elongated in the left-and-right direction as a whole and is situated on the rear portion of the upper surface of the body 1. The portion before the keyboard 4, of the upper surface of the body 1, is a palm rest 5 having a large area.

On the palm rest 5, which is on the upper surface of the body 1 and more specifically before the keyboard 4, a touch pad 6, a left click button 7 and a right click button 8 are provided. As shown in detail in FIG. 8, the touch pad 6 is substantially square and is arranged at a position which is substantially middle in the left-and-right direction of the body 1 and closer to the keyboard 4. More specifically, the back line part of the touch pad 6 extending along the front line part of the keyboard 4 is situated near a space key 4a of the keyboard 4, which is used very frequently. The left and right click buttons 7, 8 are arranged before the touch pad 6 and near the touch pad 6 so that these click buttons are situated substantially in the middle of the left-and-right direction of the body 1. The touch pad 6 is a kind of so-called pointing device, as is already known.

The left click button 7 and the right click button 8 are arranged at a small spacing from each other in the left-and-right direction and a rotation/press-type operating unit 10 is provided in the spacing between the left and right click buttons 7, 8. In this manner, the left click button 7, the operating unit 10 and the right click button 8 are arranged in series in the left-and-right direction of the body 1. The operating unit 10 is situated very close to the left and right click buttons 7, 8 and very close to the touch pad 6.

A specific example of the operating unit 10 will be described later. The operating unit 10 has a rotating member 11. This rotating member 11 is formed to be elongated and extended in the left-and-right direction of the body 1, and a part of the rotating member 11 protrudes slightly upward from the palm rest 5. The rotating member 11 is to be rotated forward and backward around an axial line which is set in the left-and-right direction of the body 1 and substantially parallel to the upper surface of the body 1. The rotating member 11 can also be pressed downward. In FIG. 8, members indicated by chain-dotted lines and denoted by 10-1 and 10-2 are associated with another specific example of the operating unit 10 and these members will be described later.

The rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10 basically has three-dimensional displacement elements such as forward rotation, backward rotation, and press displacement. In addition to these displacement elements, the quantity of rotation in each direction of rotation and the rotation speed based on the calculation of the quantity of rotation can also be provided. In short, a number of different types of operation status of the rotating member 11 are provided and various functions are allocated in accordance with the different types of operation status, thus significantly improving the user-friendliness of the notebook model personal computer NP.

When the user carries out various inputs by using the keyboard 4 with his/her wrists or nearby parts supported on the palm rest 5, the touch pad 6 and the left and right click buttons 7, 8 are operated by the user's fingertip. Since the rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10 is near the touch pad 6 and also near the left and right click buttons 7, 8, the user need not largely move his/her hand during the input operation using the keyboard 4 and can rotate and press the rotating member 11, for example, with the tip of his/her forefinger or thumb. Thus, the operability of the rotating member 11 is improved. Moreover, since the rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10 is situated substantially in the middle of the left-and-right direction of the body 1, the operator can operate the rotating member 11 constantly with his/her dominant hand whether the operator is right-handed or left-handed. Therefore, the operability of the rotating member 11 is further improved.

Particularly, in this notebook model personal computer NP, the graphical user interface is displayed in accordance with the operation of the operating unit 10. Processing or an item list is selected on the graphical user interface.

The guide status and the list view status of the graphical user interface are displayed in accordance with the contents described in the script file, not only when the notebook model personal computer NP executes a jog dial-compatible application but also when the notebook model personal computer NP executes a jog dial-incompatible application.

For example, if the rotating member 11 is operated in the direction of a backward arrow in FIG. 7, the graphical user interface (in the guide status 90 in FIG. 7) works so that a band-shaped display area 90d wound on a roll-shaped object 90c as shown in FIG. 9A looks like being extended upward in visually the same direction as the direction of rotation of the rotating member 11, from the roll-shaped object 90c, as shown in FIG. 9B. In this case, left and right ends 90a and 90b of the roll-shaped object 90c move to look like rotating. When the band-shaped display area 90d is fully extended, the left and right ends 90a and 90b stop rotating.

In the guide status 90 shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, what processing the notebook model personal computer NP of FIG. 7 can currently carry out is displayed on the basis of the operation status of the operating unit 10, and the user is allowed to select processing.

In short, in the guide status 90, it is displayed how the notebook model personal computer NP operates if the operating unit 10 is operated at present. The guide status 90 is effective for displaying while shifting items for designating the functions/operations of the operating system such as scroll and selection of a menu item.

FIG. 9B shows the state in which the graphical user interface displays characters of "scroll down direction" and an inverted triangle as a set in the band-shaped display area 90d, in visual association with the direction of rotation of the rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10. Thus, when the rotating member 11 is rotated in the direction of an arrow indicating the front side shown in FIG. 7, the graphical user interface can explain to the user that the display in the active window can be scrolled down.

The graphical user interface also displays characters of "scroll up direction" and an upright triangle as a set in the band-shaped display area 90d. Thus, when the rotating member 11 is rotated in the direction of an arrow indicating the rear side shown in FIG. 7, the graphical user interface can explain to the user that the display in the active window can be scrolled up.

Moreover, as it is displayed that characters of "maximize window" are surrounded by a rectangular frame, the graphical user interface can explain to the user that the active window can be expanded to the maximum size when the rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10 is pressed.

Furthermore, when the user selects one of the above-described operations by using the operating unit 10 via the guide statues 90, the graphical user interface causes a control unit, which will be described later, of the notebook model personal computer NP to carry out the selected operation.

Other than the guide status 90, the graphical user interface takes a list view status 91 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. In the list view status 91, a list of items which can be executed in the notebook model personal computer NP is displayed on the basis of the operation status of the operating unit 10, and the user is allowed to select an item. In short, in the list view status 91, an item list of application programs provided in the notebook model personal computer NP is displayed.

In this list view status 91, too, the graphical user interface works so that a band-shaped display area 91d wound on a roll-shaped object 91c as shown in FIG. 10A looks like being extended upward in visually the same direction as the direction of rotation of the rotating member 11, from the roll-shaped object 91c, as shown in FIG. 10B. In this case, left and right ends 91a and 91b of the roll-shaped object 91c move to look like rotating. When the band-shaped display area 91d is fully extended, the left and right ends 91a and 91b stop rotating.

FIG. 10B shows the state in which a list of items "set volume," "adjust luminance," and "select application" is displayed in the band-shaped display area 91d, in visual association with the direction of rotation of the rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10. As the rotating member 11 is rotated in the direction of the forward or backward arrow shown in FIG. 7, "set volume," "adjust luminance," "select application" or another item is displayed and items which can be executed in the notebook model personal computer NP can be explained to the user. Moreover, the user is allowed to select a desired item by entering the desired item into a rectangular frame at the center. In this case, only the item in the rectangular frame at the center may be displayed with appropriate luminance, while the other items may be displayed with lower luminance than the appropriate luminance or displayed in such a manner as to be clearly distinguished from the item in the rectangular frame.

If no operation of the operating unit 10 is made by the user for a predetermined time period after the band-shaped display areas 90d and 91d of the guide status 90 and the list view status 91 are fully extended upward in visually the same direction as the direction of rotation of the rotating member 11, from the roll-shaped objects 90c and 91c, respectively, the graphical user interface takes up the band-shaped display areas 90d and 91d as if they were rolled up on the roll-shaped objects 90c and 91c, and then erases the band-shaped display areas 90d and 91d. In this case, the left and right ends 90a and 90b of the roll-shaped object 90c move to look like rotating, and after a while, they stop rotating. The graphical user interface will be described further in detail later.

The operating unit 10, with its operation on the notebook model personal computer NP explained by the graphical user interface to the user through an image, will now be described further in detail with reference to FIGS. 11 to 21. First, FIG. 11 shows an exemplary basic structure of the operating unit 10. A numeral 21 represents a board fixed to the body 1. A numeral 22 represents a holding bracket. The holding bracket 22 is mounted on the board 21 so that the holding bracket 22 can freely swing around a fulcrum 23. The rotating member 11 is held by the bracket 22 so that the rotating member 11 is rotatable forward and backward as indicated by an arrow a and the center of rotation is indicated by. The rotating member 11 constitutes a rotary encoder. As will be later described in detail in a specific example, when the rotating member 11 is rotated as indicated by the arrow a, the direction of rotation and the quantity of rotation can be detected.

A contact 24, which is turned ON when pressed, is mounted on the board 21. The holding bracket 22 has a press portion 22a formed thereon right above the contact 24. A movable contact terminal 24a to be an upper contact terminal of the contact 24 is made of a lead spring or the like, and normally, the contact 24 is set to be OFF. As the rotating member 11 is pressed as indicated by an arrow b against the spring force of the movable contact terminal 24a, the movable contact terminal 24a is pressed downward by the press portion 22a, thus turning the contact 24 ON.

A specific example of the operating unit 10 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 21. The same constituent elements as those described in FIG. 11 are denoted by the same numerals. The board 21 has a pair of left and right attachment holes 31 (FIG. 10) and is fixed by using screws 33 to attachment boss portions 32 formed in the body 1 (FIG. 12).

The holding bracket 22 has an aperture 22b having a substantially rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the rotating member 11 (FIG. 12). One lateral edge portion of the holding bracket 22 is held between a plurality of holding pawls 34 provided in series on the board 21. An axial line connecting the plurality of holding pawls constitutes the swing fulcrum 23 of FIG. 11. The holding bracket 22 is slightly stroke-displaceable substantially straight in the up-and-down direction with respect to the holding pawls 34. The holding bracket 22 has a pair of left and right protruding shaft portions 22c on its other lateral edge portion, which is opposite to the side where the holding pawls 34 are situated. The shaft portions 22c are fitted into a pair of left and right holding holes 35 formed in the board 21 in such a manner that the shaft portions 22c are slightly displaceable in the up-and-down direction (FIGS. 15 and 16). Thus, the holding bracket 22 is held by the board 21 in such a manner that the holding bracket 22 can freely swing around the axial line and is slightly displaceable in the up-and-down direction.

The contact 24 is formed on the board 21 (FIGS. 13 and 14), and the press portion 22a on the lower surface of the holding bracket 22 is formed to be situated immediately above the movable contact terminal 24a having the spring property, as described above (FIG. 14). As the rotating member 11 is pressed, the contact 24 is turned ON. The contact 24 and the press portion 22a are arranged substantially at the middle part in the axial direction of the rotating member 11, and therefore are not to be shown in FIG. 13. However, in order to clarify the relation between the contact 24 and the press portion 22a, in FIG. 14, the positions of the contact 24 and the press portion 22a are slightly shifted in the axial direction of the rotating member 11 from their original positions.

The rotating member 11 has a shaft member 36 and a crust member 37 which is fitted and integrated with the outer circumference of the shaft member 36 (FIGS. 13 and 14). The shaft member 36 constitutes the rotation axis line and its left and right end portions are held by the holding bracket 22 so as to be rotatable forward and backward. Since the crust member 37 is directly touched by the operator, the crust member 37 is made of a soft synthetic resin or the like to restrain slip, and recesses and protrusions are provided at equal spacings in the circumferential direction on the outer circumference of the crust member 37 so as to prevent slip. A part of the crust member 37 is slightly projected above the holding bracket 22 through the aperture 22b of the holding bracket 22. Although not described in detail, the holding bracket 22 has a divided structure consisting of left and right parts in order to facilitate the assembly of the rotating member 11.

Each end portion of the shaft member 36 is not covered by the crust member 37 but is exposed (FIG. 13). While the shaft member 36 itself is made of a synthetic resin or the like to have insulation, a conductive coating 38 is applied on the outer circumference surface of the shaft member 36, as shown in FIGS. 17 to 20. In FIGS. 18 and 19, the conductive coating 38 is represented to be thicker than the actual one in order to clarify its existence.

The conductive coating 38 is set to exist over the whole circumferential length of the shaft member 36 at one end portion of the shaft member 36. This first portion existing over the whole circumferential length is denoted by 38a. At the other end portion of the shaft member 36, the conductive coating 38 is cut off at equal spacings in the circumferential direction of the shaft member 36. This second portion cut off at equal spacings is denoted by 38b.

An elongate input terminal 39 made of a conductive spring material is provided on the board 21, and this input terminal 39 is constantly in contact with the first portion 38a (FIG. 18). Moreover, elongate output terminals 40, 41 made of a conductive spring material are provided on the board 21, and the output terminals 40, 41 are energized toward the second portion 38b of the conductive member 38 (FIG. 19). The two output terminals 40, 41 are spaced away from each other in the axial direction of the shaft member 36 and are slightly deviated from each other in the circumferential direction of the shaft member 36.

With a predetermined voltage applied from the input terminal 39, pulse-like voltage signals as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 are detected from the output terminals 40, 41 in response to the rotation of the rotating member 11. The detected voltage from the output terminal 40 is represented as a signal A and the detected voltage from the output terminal 41 is represented as a signal B. The signal A and the signal B have a time difference in detection point such as a rise point or a fall point of the pulse. As the detection point of the signal A and the detection point of the signal B are compared with each other and which signal is detected first is determined, the direction of rotation of the rotating member 11 is identified. Moreover, by counting the number of detected pulses, it is possible to detect the quantity of rotation of the rotating member 11. By calculating the quantity of rotation per unit time, it is possible to detect the rotation speed of the rotating member 11.

A numeral 42 in FIG. 12 represents an ornamental plate, and a numeral 43 in FIG. 13 represents a leaf spring which provides appropriate rotational resistance to the rotating member 11.

FIGS. 22 to 25 show other specific examples of the operating unit 10, similarly to the numerals 10-1, 10-2 indicated by chain-dotted lines in FIG. 8. These specific examples correspond to FIG. 8. Hereinafter, these other specific examples of the operating unit 10 will be sequentially described. First, in the operating unit 10 shown in FIG. 22, compared with the case of FIG. 8, the shape of the touch pad 6 is changed in terms of design so that the left and right lateral edge portions are rounded, and the length in the left-and-right direction of the left click button 7, which is used more frequently, is made longer than the length in the left-and-right direction of the right click button 8, which is used less frequently. The operating unit 10 is arranged between the keyboard 4 and the touch pad 6 in the front-and-back direction. In this specific example, the rotating member 11 of the operating unit 10 is operated only by the user's forefinger.

FIG. 23 shows the case where a stick-type pointing device is employed. Specifically, a stick 45 extended in the up-and-down direction is provided near the space key 4a of the keyboard 4, and this stick 45 is operated to swing by the user's fingertip. The arrangement of the left and right click buttons 7, 8 and the operating unit 10 is similar to that of FIG. 8. The operating unit 10 is provided between the left click button 7 and the right click button 8 in the left-and-right direction. Since the touch pad 6 does not exist, the left and right click buttons 7, 8 and the operating unit 10 are situated near the keyboard 4 as a whole.

FIG. 24 shows the case where a stick-type pointing device is employed similarly to the case of FIG. 23. However, the spacing between the left click button 7 and the right click button 8 in the left-and-right direction is smaller than the spacing in FIG. 23. The operating unit 10, as an example indicated by a solid line, is arranged between the left and right click buttons 7, 8 and the keyboard 4. The operating unit 10, as an example indicated by a chain-dotted line, is arranged before the left and right click buttons 7, 8.

FIG. 25 shows the case where a trackball-type pointing device is employed. Specifically, a trackball 46 is rotatably arranged before the keyboard 4, and this trackball 46 is operated to rotate by the user's fingertip. The left and right click buttons 7, 8 and the operating unit 10 area arranged before the trackball 46. The operating unit 10 may also be arranged before the left and right click buttons 7, 8, or may be arranged between the trackball 46 and the keyboard 4.

In another specific example indicated by chain-dotted lines in FIG. 8, there are two operating units 10-1 and 10-2 equivalent to the operating unit 10. The one operating unit 10-1 is provided on the right lateral side of the touch pad 6 and the other operating unit 10-2 is provided on the left lateral side of the touch pad 6. However, the one operating unit 10-1 is rotated in the front-and-back direction around the axial line in the left-and-right direction similarly to the operating unit 10 indicated by a solid line in FIG. 8, whereas the other operating unit 10-2 is rotated in the left-and-right direction as its rotation axis line is set to extend in the front-and-back direction. With respect to the one operating unit 10-1, the graphical user interface shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10 explains the operation on the notebook model personal computer NP.

An exemplary electrical structure of the notebook model personal computer NP which displays the graphical user interface on the display screen 3 will now be described with reference to FIG. 26. In the following description, the operating unit 10 is rotated in the front-and-back direction as in the example indicated by a solid line in FIG. 8. Alternatively, the operating unit 10 is expressed as a jog dial.

A central processing unit (CPU) 51 is constituted by, for example, a Pentium (trademark) processor by Intel Corporation, and is connected to a host bus 52. Moreover, a north bridge 53 is connected to the host bus 52, and the north bridge 53 is also connected to a PCI bus 56. The north bridge 53 is constituted by, for example, 400BX by Intel Corporation, and controls the CPU 51 and the periphery of a main memory 54. The north bridge 53 and a south bridge 58, which will be described later, constitute a so-called chip set.

The north bridge 53 is further connected with the main memory 54 and a cache memory 55. The cache memory 55 is to cache data used by the CPU 51. Although not shown, a primary cache memory is built within the CPU 51, too.

The main memory 54 is constituted by, for example, a DRAM (dynamic random access memory), and stores programs to be executed by the CPU 51 and data necessary for the operation of the CPU 51. Specifically, on completion of the start-up, for example, an e-mail program 54A, an autopilot program 54B, a jog dial status monitor program 54C, a jog dial driver 54D, an operating program (OS) 54E, and other application programs 54F1 to 54Fn are transferred to and stored in the main memory 54 from an HDD 67.

The e-mail program 54A is a program for transmitting and receiving communication texts through a network from a communication channel such as a telephone line 76 via a modem 75, which will be described later. The e-mail program 54A has a received mail acquisition function as a specific function. This received mail acquisition function is to access a mail server 78 of a provider 77 to confirm whether a mail addressed to the user is received in a mailbox 79 or not, and execute processing to acquire a mail addressed to the user if there is such a mail.

The autopilot program 54B is a program for sequentially starting and carrying out a plurality of preset processing or programs in a preset order.

The OS (operating system software) 54E is a program for controlling the basic operation of the computer, such as the so-called Windows 95 and Windows 98 (both of which are trademarks) by Microsoft Corporation and the so-called Mac OS (trademark) by Apple Computer, Inc.

The jog dial status monitor program 54C is a program for receiving a notification from each application as to whether the application is compatible with the jog dial or not, and for operating to display what operation can be carried out by operating the jog dial, that is, the operating unit 10, if the application is compatible with the jog dial. Normally, the jog dial monitor program 54C is waiting for an event from the operating unit 10 and also has a list for receiving a notification from an application. The jog dial driver 54D carries out various functions in accordance with the operation of the operating unit 10.

As the jog dial status monitor program 54C is executed by the CPU 51, it operates as the jog dial server 303. Specifically, when a jog dial-incompatible application is started up, the jog dial status monitor program 54C is executed by the CPU 51 and operates as the jog dial server 303. Thus, the jog dial server 303 loads the script file 301 from a predetermined storage, for example, via the Internet, and executes the operation (as the jog script engine 302) corresponding to the operation of the jog dial based on the status transition described in the script file 301.

A video controller 57 is connected to the PCI bus 56 and controls the display on the display screen 3 on the basis of data supplied via the PCI bus 56.

A sound controller 64 is connected to the PCI bus 56 and takes an input from a microphone 66 or supplies an audio signal to a speaker 65. Moreover, a modem 75 is connected to the PCI bus 56. The modem 75 can be connected to a communication network 80 such as the Internet and the mail server 78 via the telephone line 76 and the Internet service provider 77.

Also a south bridge 58 is connected to the PCI bus 56. The south bridge 58 is constituted by, for example, PIIX4E by Intel Corporation, and controls various I/Os (inputs/outputs). Specifically, the south bridge 58 is constituted by an IDE (integrated device electronics) controller/configuration register 59, a timer circuit 60, an IDE interface 61 and the like, and controls the devices connected to the IDE bus 62 and the devices connected thereto via an ISA/EIO (industry standard architecture/extended input/output) bus 63 and an embedded controller 68.

The IDE controller/configuration register 59 is constituted by two IDE controllers, that is, so-called primary IDE controller and secondary IDE controller, and a configuration register (not shown).

The primary IDE controller is connected to a connector (not shown) via