Opening and closing detection device

Abstract

To prevent unintended power consumption due to user's erroneous operation or the like with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: There are provided a housing, an opening / closing object that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing, a magnet provided in one of the housing and the opening / closing object, a magnetic sensor provided in the other of the housing and the opening / closing object in which the magnet is not provided, and a power supply control unit that controls ON / OFF of power supply from a power supply according to an opening / closing state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection of the magnetic sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an open / close detection device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the diversification of work styles has led to an increasing number of opportunities to work outside the office. As a result, portable displays have rapidly become popular for use outside the office. Portable displays can be carried along with laptops and used as extended displays. Furthermore, in recent years, portable displays with built-in batteries have been introduced to the market to accommodate increasingly diverse use cases. Furthermore, in recent years, an increasing number of portable displays have built-in stand mechanisms to improve ease of installation and portability for users.

[0003] Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 5549737) discloses a configuration in which a magnetic sensor and an optical sensor are arranged on a display for the purpose of automatically controlling the power supply depending on whether a device such as a notebook computer is open or closed. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with portable displays with built-in batteries, there are cases where the power button is accidentally pressed while carrying the device, leaving the device in an ON state, or where the device is stored without being turned OFF. In this way, portable displays with built-in batteries have the problem of running out of battery power due to unintended state transitions caused by user errors.

[0005] According to Patent Document 1, the technology is premised on being applied to a configuration in which two device parts are folded, such as a laptop computer, and when applying the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 to a portable display with a built-in stand and battery, it is necessary to separately define detailed design and placement conditions.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and has an object to prevent unintended power consumption due to user operation errors or the like with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the present invention is characterized by comprising a housing, an opening / closing object that can be opened and closed relative to the housing, a magnet provided on either the housing or the opening / closing object, a magnetic sensor provided on the other of the housing or the opening / closing object where the magnet is not provided, and a power supply control unit that controls the ON / OFF of power supply from a power source depending on the open / closed state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The present invention provides an advantage that it is possible to prevent unintended power consumption due to user operation errors or the like with a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing the front side (when installed horizontally) of a display device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the rear side of the display device (when installed horizontally). [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a rear view and a side view of the display device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the opening and closing operations of the stand provided in the display device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display device installed in portrait orientation. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing design requirements for a display device installed in landscape orientation. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing design requirements for a display device installed in portrait orientation. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing design requirements for a display device installed in portrait orientation. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the display device. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a stand provided in the display device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the display device. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a module configuration related to the functions of the control unit of the display device. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the detection of the stand opening / closing by a magnetic sensor and the assistance of the stand retraction by magnetic force. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing threshold values ​​and detection reference ranges for detecting whether the stand is open or closed. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing for detecting when the stand is opened and for power supply control. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of the process of detecting the closure of the stand and controlling the power supply. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an external perspective view showing the rear side of the display device (installed horizontally) according to the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a display device installed in portrait orientation. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing design requirements regarding the installation of a display device. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the configuration of a stand provided in the display device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of an open / close detection device will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, an example in which a display device is used as the open / close detection device will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be applied to other devices or applications that can detect the open / close of an openable / closeable object.

[0011] (First embodiment) (Configuration of display device 100) Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing the front side (when installed horizontally) of a display device 100 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is an external perspective view showing the rear side of the display device 100 (when installed horizontally).

[0012] In the following description, the direction corresponding to the vertical direction (i.e., the short side) of the display 121 is referred to as the up-down direction (Z-axis direction). The direction corresponding to the horizontal direction (i.e., the long side) of the display 121 is referred to as the width direction and left-right direction (Y-axis direction). The direction corresponding to the depth direction of the display 121 is referred to as the front-rear direction (X-axis direction).

[0013] However, the direction to the left (positive Y-axis direction) when viewed from the rear side (negative X-axis side) of the display device 100 is defined as the left direction, and the direction to the right (negative Y-axis direction) when viewed from the rear side (negative X-axis side) of the display device 100 is defined as the right direction.

[0014] The display device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a display surface 121A of a display 121 on its front surface (the surface on the positive side of the X axis). The display device 100 is connected to an external device (for example, a PC, a laptop computer, a smartphone, etc.) or a power source such as an AC adapter via a cable 10. The display device 100 can display various images (moving images, still images, etc.) transmitted from the external device via the cable 10 on the display surface 121A of the display 121. That is, the display device 100 is a thin, portable display device that incorporates a battery 133 (see FIG. 9 ), which will be described later, and is portable and can be used as an extended display for the external device by being connected to the external device when in use.

[0015] 1 and 2, the display device 100 includes a housing 110 that is made of resin and has a hollow structure, and that forms the outer shape of the display device 100. The housing 110 has a thin portion 111 and a thick portion 112.

[0016] The thin portion 111 is a thin plate-shaped portion that constitutes the front side (positive side of the X-axis) of the housing 110. The thin portion 111 has a horizontally long rectangular shape in a plan view from the front (positive direction of the X-axis) or the rear (negative direction of the X-axis). The thin portion 111 is a portion that is relatively thinner in thickness in the depth direction (X-axis direction) than the thick portion 112. The thin portion 111 is provided with a display 121. A rectangular opening 111A is formed in the front surface (positive side of the X-axis) of the thin portion 111, and the display surface 121A of the display 121 is exposed through the opening 111A. Note that, for example, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, a liquid crystal display, or the like is used as the display 121.

[0017] In addition, in the thin portion 111, a touch sensor 122 is provided on a display surface 121A of the display 121. The touch sensor 122 accepts various input operations (for example, a selection operation, a handwriting input operation, etc.). As the touch sensor 122, for example, a capacitive touch panel or the like can be used.

[0018] The thick section 112 is a plate-shaped portion that constitutes the rear side (negative side of the X-axis) of the housing 110 and is provided so as to protrude rearward from a lower portion of the rear surface of the thin section 111. The thick section 112 is a portion that is relatively thicker in the depth direction (X-axis direction) than the thin section 111. The thick section 112 has a horizontally long rectangular shape when viewed from the rear (negative direction of the X-axis). However, when viewed from the rear (negative direction of the X-axis), the thick section 112 has vertical and horizontal widths that fit within the area of ​​the thin section 111 so as not to protrude from the thin section 111. The thick section 112 accommodates a main board 131, an operation board 132, a battery 133 (all of which are shown in FIG. 9 ), and the like. An interface section 123 (see FIG. 3 ), to which the connector 11 of the cable 10 is connected, is provided on the rear surface of the thick section 112. A stand 136, which is an openable / closable member that can be opened and closed relative to the housing 110, is provided on the rear surface of the thick section 112.

[0019] As described above, the interface section 123 is provided on the back surface of the thick section 112, not on the side surface of the thick section 112. This allows the cable 10 to be pulled out to either the left or right, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in installation.

[0020] It should be noted that, although it is desirable to provide thin portion 111 in terms of ease of drawing out cable 10 and weight reduction, if it is desirable to make housing 110 uniform in thickness, thin portion 111 may not be provided.

[0021] (Configuration of the rear surface of the display device 100) 3A and 3B are a rear view and a side view of the display device 100. Fig. 3A is a rear view of the display device 100. Fig. 3B is a side view of the display device 100.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, a recess 113 is formed on the back surface of the thick portion 112 of the housing 110. The recess 113 is a portion that is recessed with a certain depth toward the front (positive direction of the X-axis). In the example shown in Fig. 3, the recess 113 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the rear in a plan view, but the shape of the recess 113 is not limited to this. The recess 113 has a plurality of wall portions 113A that extend in the thickness direction of the thick portion 112 and a bottom portion 113C that is parallel to a direction intersecting the wall portions 113A.

[0023] 3, interface unit 123 is provided so as to be exposed within recess 113 of thick portion 112. In particular, in the example shown in FIG. 3, interface unit 123 is provided so as to be exposed within recess 113 from wall portion 113A on the Y-axis positive side of recess 113 of thick portion 112. This allows display device 100 to connect connector 11 provided at one end of cable 10 to interface unit 123 while being placed within recess 113, as shown in FIG.

[0024] That is, in the display device 100, the connector 11 of the cable 10 can be connected to the interface unit 123 without protruding from the side surface of the housing 110. Therefore, the display device 100 and an external device can be arranged side by side. Furthermore, the display device 100 can prevent an unexpected load from being applied to the connector 11 of the cable 10, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the interface unit 123.

[0025] Examples of the cable 10 include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable and an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) (registered trademark) cable. The interface unit 123 has a shape that fits the connector 11 of the cable 10.

[0026] The depth of the recess 113 (depth in the X-axis direction) is greater than the thickness of the connector 11 and the outer diameter of the cable 10. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the interface unit 123 of the display device 100 can connect the cable 10 (including the connector 11) in the recess 113 without the cable 10 protruding outside (toward the negative side of the X-axis) the rear surface of the thick portion 112. As a result, the display device 100 can prevent sudden loads from being applied to the connector 11 of the cable 10 from the rear surface side of the thick portion 112.

[0027] 3, the thick portion 112 has an outlet 113B through which the cable 10 can be drawn from the recess 113 to the upper side of the thick portion 112. Specifically, the outlet 113B has a groove shape that extends upward (in the positive direction of the Z axis) from the upper right corner (positive side of the Z axis and negative side of the Y axis) of the recess 113 and connects to the space above the thick portion 112. The depth (depth in the X axis direction) of the outlet 113B is the same as the depth (depth in the X axis direction) of the recess 113. As a result, according to the display device 100, the cable 10 can be drawn from the recess 113 to the upper side of the thick portion 112 without protruding out beyond the rear surface of the thick portion 112 (negative side of the X axis).

[0028] 3, thick portion 112 has fastener 114 for fastening cable 10 to outlet 113B. Specifically, fastener 114 is configured so that both ends of fastener 114 in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction) can be fixed to thick portion 112 by a fitting method while spanning outlet 113B in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction).

[0029] At least one of both end portions of fastener 114 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from a fitting hole (not shown) formed in thick portion 112. As a result, display device 100 can open outlet 113B and wire cable 10 to outlet 113B by pulling at least one of both end portions of fastener 114 out of the fitting hole formed in thick portion 112. Then, display device 100 can close outlet 113B and fasten cable 10 to outlet 113B by fitting at least one of both end portions of fastener 114 into the fitting hole formed in thick portion 112.

[0030] In this way, according to display device 100, cable 10 can be fastened to outlet 113B by fastener 114 so that cable 10 does not fall out of outlet 113B. Furthermore, according to display device 100 according to the first embodiment, even if a load such as pulling is applied to cable 10, the load can be received by fastener 114, thereby reducing the risk of damage to interface unit 123.

[0031] 3, thick portion 112 can guide the routing path of cable 10 pulled out from outlet 113B along upper end surface 112A of thick portion 112. This allows display device 100 to easily route cable 10 pulled out from outlet 113B along a predetermined routing path.

[0032] 3, thick portion 112 has clamp 115 capable of holding cable 10 whose routing path is guided by upper end surface 112A of thick portion 112. This allows display device 100 to reliably hold cable 10, which has been pulled out from outlet 113B, along a predetermined routing path.

[0033] 3, thick section 112 has two clamps 115 on the arrangement path of cable 10 to the right of outlet 113B (negative side of the Y axis) and on the arrangement path of cable 10 to the left of outlet 113B (positive side of the Y axis). As a result, display device 100 can reliably hold cable 10 on the arrangement path by the two clamps 115, regardless of whether the direction in which cable 10 is drawn from outlet 113B is to the left (positive direction of the Y axis) or to the right (negative direction of the Y axis).

[0034] 3, on the back surface of thick section 112, interface section 123 is provided to the left (positive side of the Y axis) of the center in the left-right direction (Y axis direction), while outlet 113B is provided in the center in the left-right direction (Y axis direction). This allows display device 100 to easily bend cable 10 connected to interface section 123 and extract it from outlet 113B (i.e., the center in the left-right direction (Y axis direction)) to the upper side of thick section 112.

[0035] Furthermore, in display device 100, cable 10 can be drawn out from outlet 113B either to the left (positive direction of the Y axis) or to the right (negative direction of the Y axis).

[0036] Here, because display device 100 has outlet 113B provided at the center in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), the length of the portion of cable 10 guided along upper end surface 112A of thick portion 112 can be made equal when cable 10 is drawn from outlet 113B to the left (positive direction of the Y-axis) and when cable 10 is drawn to the right (negative direction of the Y-axis). That is, display device 100 can make the length of the portion of cable 10 drawn out from housing 110 equal. Therefore, display device 100 can make the required length of cable 10 a constant length regardless of whether the external device to be connected is placed on the left or right side.

[0037] 3, two interface units 123 are provided side by side in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) on wall 113A on the Y-axis positive side of recess 113 of thick section 112. This allows display device 100 to connect two cables 10 within recess 113, and allows connection to two external devices via the two cables 10. Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 3, outlet 113B has a lateral width greater than (outer diameter of cable 10×2) so that two cables 10 can be drawn out side by side.

[0038] 3(a), switches 134 and 135 are provided on the left side (positive side of the Y axis) of the thick portion 112. The switches 134 and 135 are, for example, a power button, a selection button, a confirmation button, a back button, etc.

[0039] 3, the display device 100 is provided with a stand 136 that can be stored in the thick portion 112. As shown in FIG. 3, the stand 136 has a rotation axis 136X at the upper end, and is provided so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis 136X. The stand 136 is an openable / closable member that can be opened and closed relative to the housing 110.

[0040] Moreover, stand 136 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. Specifically, stand 136 has a pair of left and right short frame portions 136A and a long frame portion 136B that connects the lower ends of the pair of left and right short frame portions 136A, and is formed in a rectangular frame shape (so-called U-shape) with an open upper portion (the portion between the upper ends of the pair of left and right short frame portions 136A).

[0041] On the other hand, a storage groove 112B having the same shape as the stand 136 is formed in the thick portion 112. Therefore, the display device 100 can store the stand 136 in the storage groove 112B without the stand 136 protruding from the rear surface of the thick portion 112.

[0042] (Installation example of display device 100) Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the opening and closing operation of the stand 136 provided in the display device 100. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the display device 100 installed in portrait orientation.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4, stand 136 can be opened and closed by rotating about a rotation axis 136X provided at the upper end. By opening and closing stand 136, the open angle can be set to any angle. Fig. 4 shows stand 136 in a state where the open angle is 90°, as an example.

[0044] However, the stand 136 can be opened at any angle equal to or greater than 90°, and can be opened at a maximum angle of 180°. Also, by setting the open angle of the stand 136 to 0°, the stand 136 can be stored in the storage groove 112B formed in the thick portion 112.

[0045] Furthermore, the display device 100 can be installed either horizontally or vertically on the installation surface, and the stand 136 can support the display device 100 in either the horizontal or vertical orientation.

[0046] 1 and 2, by rotating stand 136 from a stored state to an open state, display device 100 can allow housing 110 to stand on its own on the installation surface in a landscape orientation (a state in which the long side of housing 110 faces downward in the direction of gravity). In this case, display device 100 can adjust the inclination of housing 110 with respect to the installation surface by adjusting the open angle of stand 136.

[0047] In particular, the display device 100 has a stand 136 whose opening angle can be adjusted continuously, so that the tilt of the housing 110 relative to the installation surface can be adjusted continuously, thereby improving the degree of freedom when installing the display device 100 in a landscape orientation.

[0048] A known load applying means (not shown) applies a certain load to the display device 100 during opening and closing operations. This allows the display device 100 to manually and continuously adjust the opening angle of the stand 136, while preventing the stand 136 from opening or closing unintentionally (i.e., preventing the installation angle of the display device 100 from changing) when the display device 100 is supported by the stand 136.

[0049] 5, by rotating stand 136 from a stored state to an open state, display device 100 can allow housing 110 to stand upright on the installation surface in a vertical orientation (a state in which the short side of housing 110 faces downward in the direction of gravity). In this case, by setting the opening angle of stand 136 to 90°, display device 100 can stably support housing 110 by stand 136 at the center of the short side of housing 110.

[0050] Note that display device 100 may be configured to detect the orientation of housing 110 using a sensor and automatically rotate the orientation of the display screen displayed on display 121 to match the orientation of housing 110. Alternatively, display device 100 may be configured to rotate the orientation of the display screen displayed on display 121 by having the user manually set it.

[0051] 3, the rotation axis 136X of the stand 136 is provided below the upper end surface 112A of the thick portion 112. Therefore, in the display device 100, the opening and closing operation of the stand 136 does not interfere with the cable 10 arranged along the upper end surface 112A of the thick portion 112.

[0052] Here, display device 100 is configured so that connector 11 of cable 10 can be connected to interface section 123 within recess 113 formed on the back surface of thick section 112, and further so that connector 11 and a portion of cable 10 can be stored within recess 113. This prevents connector 11 from protruding outside housing 110 when display device 100 is viewed from the front side, whether display device 100 is installed horizontally or vertically. In other words, connector 11 can be made invisible.

[0053] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, when the display device 100 is installed horizontally, the cable 10 can be pulled out from the outlet 113B to the outside of the thick portion 112 (positive side of the Z axis) and wired along the upper end surface 112A of the thick portion 112.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, when the display device 100 is installed vertically, the cable 10 can be pulled out from the outlet 113B to the outside of the thick portion 112 (positive side of the Z axis) and wired so that it hangs down along the upper end surface 112A of the thick portion 112, and further can be wired so that it passes through the triangular gap A (see Figure 5) between the short frame portion 136A of the stand 136 and the installation surface.

[0055] In this way, the display device 100 can be arranged so that the cable 10 is aligned along the exterior of the device, whether the display device 100 is installed horizontally or vertically, and therefore the cable 10 can be easily routed.

[0056] Furthermore, since the stand 136 of the display device 100 is formed in a rectangular frame shape that surrounds the recess 113, it does not interfere with the work of connecting the connector 11 to the interface section 123 in the recess 113 and wiring it, and the user can easily connect and wire the cable 10.

[0057] Furthermore, the display device 100 has a stand 136 that has elastic members 137 at both the left and right corners on the lower side (examples of "contact portions with the installation surface"). Elastic members 137 may be made of, for example, rubber or silicone. This increases the grip of stand 136 on the installation surface when the display device 100 is installed in either a horizontal or vertical orientation, thereby improving installation stability.

[0058] The elastic member 137 may be installed on the stand 136 in any manner, such as by covering the stand 136, by fixing to the surface of the stand 136, or by fitting into a notch in the stand 136. The shape of the elastic member 137 may be any shape, such as a tube, a block (for example, a cube, a ball, or the like), or a plate.

[0059] Additionally, display device 100 has magnet 141 disposed on stand 136. Display device 100 also has magnetic sensor 142 disposed at a position in thick portion 112 corresponding to magnet 141 on stand 136 in the stored state. Magnet 141 and magnetic sensor 142 are used to detect whether stand 136 is open or closed.

[0060] Furthermore, in display device 100, magnetic body 143 is arranged on the side of thick portion 112 facing magnet 141 in stand 136 in the stored state, separate from magnetic sensor 142. Magnetic body 143 can be attracted to thick portion 112 by magnetic force when stand 136 is stored, thereby improving usability when stored.

[0061] In the display device 100 of the present embodiment, the magnet 141 is arranged on the stand 136, and the magnetic sensor 142 and the magnetic material 143 are arranged on the thick portion 112 of the housing 110, but this is not limiting. For example, the display device 100 may be arranged such that the magnetic sensor 142 and the magnetic material 143 are arranged on the stand 136, and the magnet 141 is arranged on the thick portion 112 of the housing 110. That is, the magnet 141 may be arranged on either the housing 110 or the stand 136, and the magnetic sensor 142 and the magnetic material 143 may be arranged on the other of the housing 110 and the stand 136 where the magnet 141 is not provided.

[0062] The adhesion between the stand 136 and the thick portion 112 can also be achieved by the hinge design of the stand 136. However, if this is achieved by the hinge design of the stand 136, the hinge design may become more complex and the number of parts may increase, which may result in an increase in the size of the device.

[0063] On the other hand, in the display device 100 of this embodiment, the magnet 141 for the magnetic sensor 142 is reused, and the stand 136 and the thick part 112 are attracted to each other by magnetic force, so that the usability of the stand 136 when stored can be improved with a simple configuration.

[0064] (Design requirements for the display device 100 when installed horizontally) FIG. 6 is a diagram showing design requirements for the display device 100 when installed horizontally.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 6, the display device 100 has a stand 136 with a rotation axis 136X at the center in the short side direction of the housing 110 (Z-axis direction).

[0066] This allows the display device 100 to have improved installation stability when installed horizontally as shown in FIGS.

[0067] Furthermore, this allows the stand 136 to be positioned in the center of the short side of the housing 110 even when the display device 100 is installed vertically as shown in Figure 5, so that the stand 136 can support the housing 110 in a balanced and stable manner.

[0068] In addition, in the display device 100, the width h of the stand 136 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) is 0.5 times the width H of the housing 110 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction).

[0069] This allows the display device 100 to be grounded with the long frame portion 136B of the stand 136 as far back (negative X-axis direction) as possible from the housing 110, thereby further improving the installation stability when installed horizontally as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0070] However, if the width h of the stand 136 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) of the display device 100 cannot be set to 0.5 times the width H of the housing 110 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) due to interference with other components, etc., then sufficient installation stability can be ensured when installed horizontally by setting the width h of the stand 136 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) to at least 0.4 times the width H of the housing 110 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction).

[0071] Therefore, in the display device 100, the width h of the stand 136 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) is preferably 0.4 to 0.5 times the width H of the housing 110 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction).

[0072] (Design requirements for the display device 100 when installed in portrait orientation) 7 and 8 are diagrams showing design requirements for the display device 100 when installed in portrait orientation.

[0073] 8, the left-right width W2 of the stand 136 is narrower than the left-right width W1 of the housing 110. As a result, as shown in Fig. 8, the display device 100 has a distance X between the ends of the housing 110 and the ends of the stand 136 on both the left and right outer sides of the stand 136.

[0074] Generally, it is considered preferable that the installation angle of the display of a notebook computer or the like relative to the installation surface be within the range of 60° to 75°.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 7, when the display device 100 is installed vertically, the installation angle with respect to the installation surface 20 is θ B Let X be the distance from the end of housing 110 to the end of stand 136 in the long side direction (Y-axis direction) of housing 110, and let h be the width of stand 136 in the short side direction, then the following equations (1) and (2) hold.

[0076]

number

[0077]

number

[0078] Here, the width h of the stand 136 in the short side direction is expressed by the following formula (3).

[0079]

number

[0080] Therefore, when the display device 100 is installed vertically, the installation angle θ B In order to set the angle to within the range of 60° to 75°, as shown in FIG. 8, the distance X from the end of the housing 110 to the end of the stand 136 in the long side direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 110 may be set so as to satisfy the following formula (4):

[0081]

number

[0082] That is, in the display device 100, it is preferable that the distance X from the end of the housing 110 to the end of the stand 136 in the long side direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 110 is 0.1072 times or more and 0.2887 times or less the width H in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 110.

[0083] This allows the display device 100 to be installed at an angle relative to the installation surface 20 within the range of 60° to 75°, which is an installation angle that is easy for the user to use, whether the display device 100 is installed horizontally or vertically.

[0084] Therefore, the ease of installation and usability for the user can be improved according to display device 100. Furthermore, according to display device 100, stand 136 is built into housing 110, and it is not necessary to carry a stand separately from housing 110, so portability for the user can be improved.

[0085] (An example of the internal configuration of the display device 100) FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the display device 100. As shown in FIG.

[0086] 9, display device 100 has outlet 113B provided in the center in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction). As a result, display device 100 can set the length of the portion of cable 10 guided along upper end surface 112A of thick portion 112 to W1 / 2 (where W1 is the left-right width of housing 110) in both cases where the direction in which cable 10 is drawn from outlet 113B is to the left (positive direction of the Y-axis) and to the right (negative direction of the Y-axis).

[0087] As shown in FIG. 9, the display device 100 has a main board 131, an operation board 132, and a battery 133 inside the thick part 112.

[0088] The main board 131 is connected to the interface unit 123, and functions as a control circuit that controls the entire display device 100 by mounting various electronic components thereon.

[0089] The operation board 132 is connected to the switches 134 and 135 provided on the left side (positive side of the Y axis) of the thick portion 112, and by mounting various electronic components thereon, it functions as a control circuit that controls the operation of the switches 134 and 135.

[0090] The battery 133 stores power for driving the display device 100. Various types of rechargeable secondary batteries (for example, lithium ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, etc.) are used for the battery 133. The display device 100 is configured to be able to charge the battery 133 by receiving power from an external device via the cable 10 and the interface unit 123.

[0091] Here, as shown in FIG. 9, the display device 100 has a stand 136 and a storage groove 112B provided in the thick portion 112, so that three mutually separated internal regions 116A, 116B, and 116C are formed inside the thick portion 112.

[0092] Internal area 116A is an internal area to the left (positive side of the Y axis) of stand 136. Operation board 132 is disposed in internal area 116A, and internal area 116A is therefore used effectively.

[0093] Internal area 116B is an internal area between a pair of left and right short frame portions 136A of stand 136. Main board 131 and battery 133 are arranged in internal area 116B with recess 113 sandwiched therebetween, thereby making effective use of internal area 116B.

[0094] The internal area 116C is an internal area to the right (negative side of the Y axis) of the stand 136. No components are arranged in the internal area 116C, but the internal area 116C may be effectively utilized by arranging some components therein.

[0095] 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of stand 136 included in display device 100. As shown in Fig. 10, stand 136 includes magnet 141. Display device 100 has magnetic sensor 142 and magnetic material 143 arranged on the side of thick portion 112 facing magnet 141 of stand 136.

[0096] In the example shown in FIG. 10, three pairs of magnets 141 and magnetic bodies 143 are arranged for attracting the main body, but this is not limited to this, and the number of pairs may be changed depending on the constraints of the housing, the strength of the required attracting force, etc.

[0097] Next, the hardware configuration of the display device 100 will be described.

[0098] 11 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the display device 100. As shown in FIG. 11, the display device 100 includes a control unit 150 including a main board 131 and an operation board 132.

[0099] The control unit 150 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. on the main board 131 and the operation board 132. The ROM stores firmware (programs) that cause the CPU to execute hardware control of the display device 100.

[0100] The program executed by the control unit 150 of the display device 100 of this embodiment is provided as a file in an installable or executable format recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc).

[0101] The program executed by the control unit 150 of the display device 100 of this embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The program executed by the control unit 150 of the display device 100 of this embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0102] The program executed by the control unit 150 of the display device 100 of this embodiment may be provided by being pre-installed in a ROM or the like.

[0103] The control unit 150 connects the above-mentioned display 121, touch sensor 122, UI (User Interface) 151 such as switch 134 and switch 135, magnetic sensor 142, and two interface units 123.

[0104] The display device 100 also includes a communication I / F 152 and a power supply circuit 153.

[0105] The communication I / F 152 is connected to the control unit 150. The communication I / F 152 receives various images (moving images, still images, etc.) from an external device (such as a PC) wirelessly connected to the communication I / F 152.

[0106] The power supply circuit 153 is connected to the battery 133. The power supply circuit 153 charges the battery 133 with power supplied from an external device (such as a PC) connected to the interface unit 123 or a power source (such as an AC adapter).

[0107] Next, functions that are realized by the CPU of the control unit 150 of the display device 100 executing a program will be described.

[0108] 12 is a block diagram showing a module configuration related to the functions of the control unit 150 of the display device 100. As shown in Fig. 12, the program executed by the CPU of the control unit 150 of the display device 100 has a modular configuration including each unit (display control unit 1501, power supply control unit 1502), and in actual hardware, the CPU reads and executes the program from the ROM, whereby the above-mentioned each unit is loaded onto the RAM, and the display control unit 1501 and power supply control unit 1502 are generated on the RAM.

[0109] The display control unit 1501 displays various images (moving images, still images, etc.) received from an external device connected to the interface unit 123 on the display 121. Note that the display control unit 1501 may also display various images (moving images, still images, etc.) received from an external device wirelessly connected to the communication I / F 152 on the display 121.

[0110] The display control unit 1501 detects the part of the touch sensor 122 that the user touches. The display control unit 1501 acquires position information of the part of the touch sensor 122 that the user touches, and displays it on the display 121.

[0111] A display control unit 1501 controls the UI 151 such as the switch 134 and the switch 135, and performs power ON / OFF operations for the display 121, and settings such as brightness and contrast of the display 121.

[0112] The power control unit 1502 controls the power states of the display 121 and the touch sensor 122 in accordance with the detection result of the magnetic sensor 142 .

[0113] The power supply control unit 1502 drives the display 121 and charges the battery 133 using power supplied from an external device or power source connected to the interface unit 123 .

[0114] When the power supply from the interface unit 123 is insufficient or there is no power supply from the interface unit 123, the power supply control unit 1502 drives the display 121 with power supplied from the battery 133.

[0115] Here, Fig. 13 is a diagram showing detection of stand open / closed state by the magnetic sensor 142 and assistance in retracting the stand by magnetic force. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 13, the power supply control unit 1502 detects the open / closed state of the stand 136 using the detection result of the magnetic sensor 142 provided in the thick portion 112 of the magnet 141 provided in the stand 136. As shown in Fig. 13(b), when the power supply control unit 1502 detects that the stand 136 has changed from a closed state to an open state (open detection), it automatically turns on the power of the display 121. Also, as shown in Fig. 13(c), when the power supply control unit 1502 detects that the stand 136 has changed from an open state to a closed state (close detection), it automatically turns off the power of the display 121.

[0116] In this way, by controlling the power ON / OFF of the display 121 depending on whether the stand 136 is open or closed, it is possible to prevent the battery 133 from being unintentionally consumed due to the user forgetting to turn off the power or accidentally pressing the power button.

[0117] Next, the flow of processing performed by the power supply control unit 1502 to detect whether the stand 136 is open or closed and to control the power supply will be described.

[0118] Here, Figure 14 is a diagram showing the threshold value and detection standard range for detecting the opening and closing of stand 136, Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the processing flow for detecting the opening and power supply control of stand 136, and Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the processing flow for detecting the closing and power supply control of stand 136.

[0119] First, as shown in FIG. 15, the power supply control unit 1502 determines whether the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 is within the reference range A (step S1).

[0120] 14, the power supply control unit 1502 detects whether the stand 136 is open or closed by comparing a threshold value, which is an output value of the magnetic detection of the magnetic sensor 142 when the stand 136 is opened by a predetermined angle, with an output value of the magnetic detection of the magnetic sensor 142 in a reference range (reference range A to reference range B) of opening and closing of the stand 136 based on the predetermined angle for detecting the threshold value. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, the threshold value is the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 when the stand 136 is opened by a predetermined angle (e.g., 30 degrees) from a state in which the stand 136 is housed in the storage groove 112B. Also, as shown in FIG. 14, the reference range A of opening and closing of the stand 136 is the range from a state in which the stand 136 is opened by a predetermined angle (e.g., 20 degrees) from a state in which the stand 136 is housed in the storage groove 112B to the position of the stand 136 for which the threshold value is determined. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14, a reference range B for opening and closing the stand 136 is set to a range from the position of the stand 136 where the threshold value is determined to a state where the stand 136 is further opened by a predetermined angle (for example, 10 degrees).

[0121] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15, when the power supply control unit 1502 detects that the stand 136 is within the reference range A based on the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 (Yes in step S1), it waits for a predetermined time (step S2) and then determines whether the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 has become equal to or lower than the threshold value (step S3).

[0122] If the power supply control unit 1502 determines that the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 has become equal to or lower than the threshold value (Yes in step S3), it determines that the stand 136 has changed from a closed state to an open state (step S4), cancels the power saving state of the display 121 and the touch sensor 122 (step S5), and terminates the processing.

[0123] If the power supply control unit 1502 does not detect that the stand 136 is within the reference range A based on the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 (No in step S1), or if it determines that the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 is not below the threshold value (No in step S3), it maintains the power saving state of the display 121 and the touch sensor 122 (step S6) and returns to step S1.

[0124] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16, when the power supply control unit 1502 detects that the stand 136 is within the reference range B based on the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 (Yes in step S11), it waits for a predetermined time (step S12) and then determines whether the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 has become equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S13).

[0125] If the power supply control unit 1502 determines that the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 has reached or exceeded the threshold value (Yes in step S13), it determines that the stand 136 has changed from an open state to a closed state (step S14), transitions the display 121 and the touch sensor 122 to a power saving state (step S15), and terminates the processing.

[0126] If the power supply control unit 1502 does not detect that the stand 136 is within the reference range B based on the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 (No in step S11), or if it determines that the output value of the magnetic sensor 142 is not equal to or greater than the threshold value (No in step S13), it maintains that the power saving state of the display 121 and the touch sensor 122 is canceled (step S16) and returns to step S11.

[0127] By controlling the power ON / OFF depending on whether the stand 136 is open or closed in this way, it is possible to prevent unintentional battery consumption due to the user forgetting to turn off the power or accidentally pressing the power button.

[0128] As described above, according to this embodiment, by arranging the magnet 141 on the stand 136 and the magnetic sensor 142 on the opposing thick portion 112, it is possible to automatically control the ON / OFF of the power supply depending on the open / closed state of the stand 136. Therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent unintentional consumption of the battery 133 due to user operation errors, etc.

[0129] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by arranging a magnetic body 143 separately from the magnetic sensor 142 on the side of the thick part 112 facing the magnet 141 in the stand 136, the stand 136 can be attracted to the main body by magnetic force when stored, thereby improving usability when stored.

[0130] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described.

[0131] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment, which uses a rectangular frame-shaped (so-called U-shaped) stand, in that the second embodiment uses a flat stand. In the following description of the second embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be omitted, and only the differences from the first embodiment will be described.

[0132] Here, Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the rear side of a display device 100-2 (installed horizontally) according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 18 is a diagram showing an example of installation of the display device 100-2 in the vertical direction.

[0133] The display device 100-2 differs from the display device 100 according to the first embodiment in that it includes a stand 136-2, which is an openable / closable member that can be opened and closed relative to the housing 110, instead of the stand 136.

[0134] The stand 136-2 is a so-called kickstand, and differs from the stand 136 in that it has a flat plate shape and a rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0135] However, the external size of stand 136-2 is the same as that of stand 136. Furthermore, like stand 136, stand 136-2 has a rotation shaft 136X at its upper end, and is provided so as to be rotatable about rotation shaft 136X.

[0136] As a result, the stand 136-2, like the stand 136, can support the display device 100 whether the display device 100 is installed horizontally or vertically.

[0137] Furthermore, because stand 136-2 has a flat plate shape, it overlaps the back surface of thick portion 112 when stored and can cover recess 113, thereby contributing to improving the design of the back surface of thick portion 112, etc.

[0138] (Design requirements for installation of display device 100-2) FIG. 19 is a diagram showing design requirements regarding the installation of the display device 100-2.

[0139] The design requirements for the display device 100-2 when installed in landscape orientation and the design requirements for the display device 100 when installed in portrait orientation are the same as those for the display device 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0140] For example, as shown in FIG. 19, a display device 100-2 has a stand 136-2 with a rotation axis 136X at the center in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 110.

[0141] This allows the display device 100-2 to have improved installation stability when installed horizontally as shown in FIG.

[0142] In addition, in the display device 100-2, the width h of the stand 136-2 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) is 0.5 times the width H of the housing 110 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction).

[0143] Preferably, in the display device 100-2, the width h of the stand 136-2 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) is 0.4 to 0.5 times the width H of the housing 110 in the short side direction (Z-axis direction).

[0144] This allows the display device 100-2 to be grounded with the long side portion (contact portion with the installation surface) of the lower side (negative side of the Z axis) of the stand 136 as far back (negative direction of the X axis) as possible from the housing 110, thereby further improving the installation stability when installed horizontally as shown in Figure 17.

[0145] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 19, in the display device 100-2, the distance X from the end of the housing 110 to the end of the stand 136-2 in the long side direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 110 may be set so as to satisfy the above formula (4).

[0146] That is, in the display device 100-2, it is preferable that the distance X from the end of the housing 110 to the end of the stand 136-2 in the long side direction (Y-axis direction) of the housing 110 is 0.1072 times or more and 0.2887 times or less the width H in the short side direction (Z-axis direction) of the housing 110.

[0147] This allows the display device 100-2 to be installed at an angle relative to the installation surface 20 within the range of 60° to 75°, which is an installation angle that is easy for the user to use, whether the display device 100-2 is installed horizontally or vertically.

[0148] Therefore, display device 100-2 can improve the ease of installation and usability for the user. Furthermore, display device 100-2 has stand 136-2 built into housing 110, which eliminates the need to carry a stand separately from housing 110, thereby improving portability for the user.

[0149] Furthermore, the display device 100-2 has a stand 136-2 that has elastic members 137 at both the left and right corners on the lower side (examples of "contact portions with the installation surface"). The elastic members 137 may be made of, for example, rubber or silicone. This increases the grip of the stand 136-2 on the installation surface when the display device 100-2 is installed in either a landscape or portrait orientation, thereby improving installation stability.

[0150] 20 is a diagram showing the configuration of stand 136-2 included in display device 100-2. As shown in Fig. 20, stand 136-2 includes magnet 141. Display device 100 has magnetic sensor 142 and magnetic material 143 arranged on the side of thick portion 112 facing magnet 141 of stand 136-2.

[0151] In the example shown in FIG. 20, three pairs of magnets 141 and magnetic bodies 143 are arranged for attracting the main body, but this is not limited to this, and the number of pairs may be changed depending on the constraints of the housing, the strength of the required attracting force, etc.

[0152] As described above, according to this embodiment, by placing a magnet 141 on the stand 136-2 and placing a magnetic sensor 142 on the opposing thick portion 112, it is possible to automatically control the ON / OFF of the power supply depending on the open / closed state of the stand 136-2, and therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent unintentional consumption of the battery 133 due to user operation errors, etc.

[0153] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by arranging a magnetic body 143 separate from the magnetic sensor 142 on the side of the thick portion 112 facing the magnet 141 in the stand 136-2, the stand 136-2 can be attracted to the main body by magnetic force when stored, thereby improving usability when stored.

[0154] The flat-plate-shaped stand 136-2 of this embodiment is larger in volume than the rectangular frame-shaped (so-called U-shaped) stand 136 of the first embodiment, and is disadvantageous in terms of weight and thickness. However, the flat-plate-shaped stand 136-2 of this embodiment can hide the two interface units 123 in order to improve the design of the back surface of the housing 110.

[0155] Furthermore, each function of each of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to execute each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, as well as devices such as an ASIC, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and conventional circuit modules designed to execute each of the above-described functions.

[0156] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

[0157] For example, as described in the embodiments, the present invention is suitably applicable to display devices whose housing has thin and thick parts, but is not limited to this and can also be applied to display devices whose housing does not have thin and thick parts (i.e., has a constant thickness overall).

[0158] Furthermore, for example, as described in the embodiment, the present invention is suitably applicable to display devices having a recess and an interface portion in the thick portion of the housing, but is not limited to this and can also be applied to display devices that do not have a recess and an interface portion in the thick portion of the housing.

[0159] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> The housing and an opening / closing object that can be opened and closed relative to the housing; a magnet provided on either the housing or the opening / closing object; a magnetic sensor provided on the other of the housing and the opening / closing object on which the magnet is not provided; a power supply control unit that controls ON / OFF of power supply from a power supply depending on the open / close state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor; An opening / closing detection device comprising: <2> The other of the housing and the opening / closing object on which the magnet is not provided is provided with a magnetic body at a position corresponding to the magnet. Characterized by <1> The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1. <3> The opening and closing object is a rectangular frame-shaped stand whose opening and closing angle is variable. Characterized by <1> or <2> The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1. <4> The opening and closing object is a flat stand whose opening and closing angle is variable. Characterized by <1> or <2> The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1. <5> The power supply control unit detects whether the openable / closable object is open or closed by comparing a threshold value, which is an output value of the magnetic sensor when the openable / closable object is opened by a predetermined angle, with an output value of the magnetic sensor when the openable / closable object is opened within a reference range of opening and closing of the openable / closable object, based on the predetermined angle for detecting the threshold value. Characterized by <1> Or <4> The opening and closing detection device according to any one of the preceding items. <6> The housing has a recess, The opening / closing object covers the recess when closed relative to the housing. Characterized by <5> The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1. <7> a display having a display surface exposed from the front surface of the housing; a battery provided in the housing as the power source for supplying power to the display; Equipped with the opening / closing member is provided on the opposite side of the housing from the side on which the display is disposed, the power supply control unit controls ON / OFF of the power supply from the battery to the display depending on the open / close state of the opening / closing object determined based on the magnetic detection of the magnetic sensor. Characterized by <1> Or <6> The opening and closing detection device according to any one of the preceding items. <8> a touch sensor provided on a display surface of the display for receiving various input operations; The power supply control unit controls ON / OFF of power supply from the battery to the touch sensor depending on the open / close state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor. Characterized by <7> The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1. <9> an interface unit provided on the side of the housing opposite to the side where the display is disposed, to which a connector of a cable for connecting to an external device is connected; The opening / closing object covers the interface unit when closed relative to the housing. Characterized by <7> or <8> The opening / closing detection device according to claim 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0160] 100, 100-1 Open / close detector 110 Case 113 Recess 121 Display 122 Touch Sensor 123 Interface section 133 Battery 136, 136-2 Openable items 141 Magnet 142 Magnetic Sensor 143 Magnetic material 1502 Power supply control unit [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0161] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5549737

Claims

1. The housing and an opening / closing object that can be opened and closed relative to the housing; a magnet provided on either the housing or the opening / closing object; a magnetic sensor provided on the other of the housing and the opening / closing object on which the magnet is not provided; a power supply control unit that controls ON / OFF of power supply from a power supply depending on the open / close state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor; An opening / closing detection device comprising:

2. The other of the housing and the opening / closing object on which the magnet is not provided is provided with a magnetic body at a position corresponding to the magnet. The open / close detection device according to claim 1 .

3. The opening and closing object is a rectangular frame-shaped stand whose opening and closing angle is variable. The open / close detection device according to claim 1 .

4. The opening and closing object is a flat stand whose opening and closing angle is variable. The open / close detection device according to claim 1 .

5. The power supply control unit detects whether the openable / closable object is open or closed by comparing a threshold value, which is an output value of the magnetic sensor when the openable / closable object is opened by a predetermined angle, with an output value of the magnetic sensor when the openable / closable object is opened within a reference range of opening and closing of the openable / closable object, based on the predetermined angle for detecting the threshold value. The open / close detection device according to claim 1 .

6. The housing has a recess, The opening / closing object covers the recess when closed relative to the housing. The open / close detection device according to claim 5 .

7. a display having a display surface exposed from the front surface of the housing; a battery provided in the housing as the power source for supplying power to the display; Equipped with the opening / closing member is provided on the opposite side of the housing from the side on which the display is disposed, the power supply control unit controls ON / OFF of power supply from the battery to the display depending on the open / close state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor. The open / close detection device according to claim 1 .

8. a touch sensor provided on a display surface of the display for receiving various input operations; the power supply control unit controls ON / OFF of power supply from the battery to the touch sensor depending on the open / close state of the opening / closing object determined based on magnetic detection by the magnetic sensor. The open / close detection device according to claim 7 .

9. an interface unit provided on the side of the housing opposite to the side where the display is disposed, to which a connector of a cable for connecting to an external device is connected; The opening / closing object covers the interface unit when closed relative to the housing. The open / close detection device according to claim 7 .

Images