Electronic device

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus which enables a fellow passenger during driving to view other than navigation screen display while ensuring safety during driving by disabling the driver to view other than the navigation screen display.SOLUTION: There are provided the housing 20, the display panel 31 capable of displaying an image, the touch panel 30 that includes the touchpad 32 disposed so as to be superimposed on the display panel 31, is held by the housing 20, and can be folded or curved, and the display control unit 40 that performs control to change the display mode of the image to be displayed on the display panel 31 based on whether the touch panel 30 is folded or curved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device. [Background technology]

[0002] Electronic devices mounted on vehicles have configurations such as those shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Patent Document 1 discloses a mobile terminal body (2) configured to have two main body sections (3, 4) that can be folded and unfolded, with each main body section (3, 4) provided with a monochrome LCD panel (6) and a color LCD panel (7). When the device is set in the vehicle, the LCD panels (6, 7) are used as display means for the vehicle's car navigation system.

[0003] Patent document 2 also discloses a configuration that includes a display unit that performs dual view display, which can simultaneously display on a single display screen an image for the driver's seat that can be seen from the driver's seat of the vehicle and an image for the passenger's seat that can be touch-operated and seen from the passenger's seat, and a control unit that, when the driver's operation unit is operated, displays on the display unit an image for the driver's seat that can be operated by the operation unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-296063 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-184546 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose foldable LCD panels (6, 7) and dual-view display on the display unit, but do not disclose anything about whether, from a safety standpoint, the driver can be prevented from viewing AV content other than the navigation screen display while driving, or, conversely, whether a passenger in the front passenger seat can be allowed to view AV content other than the navigation screen display, thereby improving comfort.

[0006] The present invention has been made in light of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an electronic device that prevents the driver from viewing anything other than the navigation screen display, ensuring safety while driving, while allowing passengers to view anything other than the navigation screen display while driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an electronic device comprising: a housing; a display panel capable of displaying an image; and a touchpad arranged superimposed on the display panel; the touch panel being held by the housing and capable of being bent or curved; and a display control unit that controls the display mode of the image displayed on the display panel to differ based on whether the touch panel is bent or curved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, an electronic device can be provided that prevents the driver from viewing anything other than the navigation screen display, thereby ensuring safety while driving, while allowing passengers to view anything other than the navigation screen display while driving. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which a touch panel is unfolded into a flat surface without being bent. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the touch panel of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1 is folded. FIG. [Figure 3]2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the touch panel of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1 is curved. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a driver and the electronic device in the electronic device shown in FIG. 1, for explaining a predetermined threshold value for the bending angle of the touch panel. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An electronic device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The electronic device 10 is, for example, a car navigation device, but the present invention can also be applied to other electronic devices such as a television device or a car audio device that has a touch panel.

[0011] (1. Configuration of the Electronic Device 10) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of electronic device 10 according to the present embodiment, showing a state in which touch panel 30 is unfolded and flat. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which touch panel 30 is bent in electronic device 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which touch panel 30 is curved in electronic device 10 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of electronic device 10 shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] 1 to 3, electronic device 10 includes a housing 20, and a touch panel 30 is held in a bendable or curveable state relative to housing 20. As shown in FIG. 4, electronic device 10 includes, as main components, a display control unit 40, a touchpad control unit 50, a motor control unit 60, a motor 70, a main control unit 80, a panel bending detection unit 90, a navigation unit 100, an AV unit 110, a camera 120, and an image processing unit 130 in addition to touch panel 30.

[0013] The touch panel 30 includes a display panel 31 and a touchpad 32. Here, "touch panel 30" refers to an image display / input panel in which a display panel 31 capable of displaying images, such as a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL display panel, is superimposed on a touchpad 32, which is a pointing device that detects the position (coordinates) touched by a user's finger, a touch pen, or the like. Note that the touch panel 30 is preferably bezel-less or has a thin bezel, so that the edges are almost invisible.

[0014] When the display panel 31 is directly bent or curved, it is preferable to use an organic EL display, but when the display panel 31 is not directly bent or curved, it may be a liquid crystal display panel or other panel. The touchpad 32 is overlaid on the front side of the display panel 31 and is therefore transparent. Note that various types of touchpads, such as pressure-sensitive and capacitive types, can be used as the touchpad 32.

[0015] Note that, if the touch panel 30 can be bent as shown in Fig. 3, a hinge is not necessary, but if the touch panel 30 is foldable as shown in Fig. 2, it can be configured to be bent via a hinge (not shown). In that case, the touch panel 30 is configured by arranging a plurality of touch panels 30, and each touch panel 30 may be movable so as to face in a different direction, or the touch panel 30 itself may be configured to be foldable.

[0016] The display control unit 40, touchpad control unit 50, motor control unit 60, main control unit 80, and image processing unit 130 are realized by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that includes, for example, a processor (e.g., a CPU: Central Processing Unit) that performs various calculations, a storage device (e.g., a flash memory) that stores various information, and an input / output device (interface) that controls the input and output of data between the inside and outside of each of the above-mentioned control units. The display control unit 40, touchpad control unit 50, motor control unit 60, main control unit 80, and image processing unit 130 may be realized by a single ECU or by multiple ECUs working together. The image processing unit 130 may be a dedicated circuit for image processing, such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0017] Furthermore, the display control unit 40 is a part that performs control to display an image on the display panel 31 based on image data output from the image processing unit 130. Furthermore, when the main control unit 80 determines that the touch panel 30 is in a bending state of a predetermined degree or more, the display control unit 40, based on a command from the main control unit 80, splits the image to be displayed on the display panel 31 into two parts, one for the driver's seat side and one for the passenger's seat side.

[0018] When the main control unit 80 determines that the touch panel 30 is bent to a predetermined degree or more, the touchpad control unit 50 performs control to change the size of the operable area of ​​the touchpad 32 based on a command from the main control unit 80. The touchpad control unit 50 may also perform control to change the location of the operable area of ​​the touchpad 32 based on a command from the main control unit 80. The touchpad control unit 50 corresponds to the operation control unit.

[0019] The motor control unit 60 is a part that controls the operation of a motor 70 that is driven when folding or bending the touch panel 30. The motor 70 is also a part that operates based on commands from the motor control unit 60. The driving force of the motor 70 is transmitted via a driving force transmission mechanism 71 to realize the folding operation of the touch panel 30.

[0020] That is, when the touch panel 30 is foldable, the operation of the motor 70 can cause the touch panel 30 to transition from a flat state as shown in Fig. 1 to a folded state as shown in Fig. 2, or vice versa. The operation of the motor 70 can also cause the touch panel 30 to transition from a flat state as shown in Fig. 1 to a curved state as shown in Fig. 3, or vice versa.

[0021] Here, to satisfactorily achieve the flat state shown in Fig. 1 and the folded state shown in Fig. 2, a motor 70 and a driving force transmission mechanism 71 may be provided on each end of the width direction of the touch panel 30. In this case, a gear mechanism such as a rack and pinion mechanism can be used as the driving force transmission mechanism 71. In this case, it is preferable to use a configuration in which the folded state of the touch panel 30 can be maintained by the gear ratio of one or more gears when the motor 70 transitions to the folding operation of the touch panel 30.

[0022] In addition, even when satisfactorily realizing the flat state as shown in FIG. 1 and the curved state as shown in FIG. 3, it is preferable to use a gear mechanism such as the rack and pinion as described above and to configure the touch panel 30 so that the curved state can be maintained by the above gear ratio.

[0023] Furthermore, the driving force transmission mechanism 71 may be other than a rack and pinion, such as a combination of a belt and pulley, or a cam and cam follower having a long groove. In addition to arranging the motor 70 and driving force transmission mechanism 71 at both ends of the width of the touch panel 30, a configuration may be adopted in which one motor 70 is used and the driving force transmission mechanism 71 is arranged at both ends or one end of the width of the touch panel 30.

[0024] Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the flat state and the folded state of touch panel 30 can be manually achieved. In this case, a configuration in which motor control unit 60 and motor 70 are omitted may be adopted, or motor control unit 60 and motor 70 may be provided. Note that, in order to easily manually switch touch panel 30 between the flat state and the folded state, a lever that is easy to grip by hand may be provided near boundary B1 or at another location.

[0025] The main control unit 80 is a part that performs overall control of the electronic device 10, and transmits predetermined commands to the display control unit 40 and the touchpad control unit 50. In particular, when the main control unit 80 determines that the detection signal input from the panel bending detection unit 90 indicates a predetermined bending state, the main control unit 80 transmits commands to the display control unit 40 and the touchpad control unit 50, respectively, to perform operation area control and display area control, as will be described later. The main control unit 80 also transmits predetermined operation signals to the navigation unit 100 and the AV unit 110 based on user operations, etc. Furthermore, the main control unit 80 controls the image processing unit 130 to control the display mode of the image signals of the navigation unit 100 and the AV unit 110.

[0026] The panel bending detection unit 90 is a part that detects whether the touch panel 30 has changed from a flat state as shown in Fig. 1 to a bent state as shown in Fig. 2 or a curved state as shown in Fig. 3. The panel bending detection unit 90 may detect the amount of bending or curvature as information regarding the bent or curved state of the touch panel 30. As such a panel bending detection unit 90, various detection means such as a mechanical switch or a variable resistor can be used.

[0027] When the motor control unit 60 and the motor 70 are provided as described above, it is possible to provide a detection means such as an encoder to detect the amount of sliding of the touch panel 30. It is also possible to use a stepping motor that is driven according to the number of pulses as the motor 70. In such a case, the panel bending detection unit 90 may be omitted, and a configuration may be adopted in which information regarding the bent or curved state of the touch panel 30 is obtained from the motor control unit 60 or the motor 70.

[0028] The navigation unit 100 also receives positioning signals from multiple quasi-zenith satellites, including the Global Navigation Satellite System (GPS), and calculates the current position information of the vehicle. The navigation unit 100 also includes a memory (not shown) in which map data is stored. The navigation unit 100 then transmits information related to the position information and map data to the image processing unit 130. The navigation unit 100 also includes a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, etc.

[0029] AV unit 110 receives television broadcasts and reads information including images from media on which the information is recorded, and transmits this information to image processing unit 130. Camera 120 also includes an imaging element, and outputs imaging information from the imaging element to image processing unit 130.

[0030] In addition, the image processing unit 130 outputs to the display control unit 40 as an image signal based on the position information and map data information from the navigation unit 100, the information transmitted from the AV unit 110, and the imaging information captured by the camera 120.

[0031] (2. Operation of the electronic device 10) The operation of the electronic device 10 having the above configuration will be described below.

[0032] (Detection of bending state of touch panel 30) When the touch panel 30 is bent or curved at the bending boundary B1 as shown in FIG. 2 by user operation, the panel bending detection unit 90 transmits a detection signal relating to the bending state, such as the bending state or amount of bending, or the curved state or amount of curvature, of the touch panel 30 to the main control unit 80.

[0033] (Operation area control by touchpad control unit 50) Based on the detection signal relating to the bending state, the main control unit 80 detects whether the bending angle, such as the folding angle or the curved angle, of the touch panel 30 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, which will be described later.

[0034] If this detection determines that the bending angle does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the operation area control described below is not performed. In this case, it is preferable that when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined operation limit speed at which operation of the touchpad 32 is not accepted, the entire touchpad 32 does not accept operation, but when the speed is below the predetermined operation limit speed, operation is accepted.

[0035] Furthermore, when the main control unit 80 determines that the bending angle has exceeded a predetermined threshold, the touchpad control unit 50 performs the following operation area control in response to a command from the main control unit 80. That is, the touchpad control unit 50 changes the size of the operable area of ​​the touchpad 32 on the touch panel 30. For example, the touchpad control unit 50 sets the area of ​​the touch panel 30 on the passenger seat side of the boundary B1, which is the border between the bent or curved areas, as the operable area 33a. In this operable area 33a, the position touched by the user's finger, touch pen, or the like is detected, enabling the desired operation, even if the vehicle speed is above a predetermined operation limit speed at which operation of the touchpad 32 is not accepted.

[0036] Meanwhile, in addition to setting the above-described operable area 33a, the touchpad control unit 50 sets the area of ​​the touch panel 30 on the driver's seat side of the boundary B1 as an operation invalid area 33b in response to a command from the main control unit 80. In this operation invalid area 33b, when the vehicle speed reaches or exceeds a predetermined operation limit speed at which operation of the touchpad 32 is not accepted, the operation is not accepted.

[0037] In this way, the touchpad control unit 50 divides the touchpad 32 into an operable area 33a and an invalid operation area 33b at the boundary B1. The operable area 33a is in a state where a desired operation by the user is accepted even if the operation speed is above a predetermined operation speed limit, but the invalid operation area 33b is in a state where a desired speed by the user is not accepted if the operation speed is above the predetermined operation speed limit.

[0038] When the vehicle speed is below a predetermined operation speed limit, it is preferable to detect the position touched by the user's finger, touch pen, etc., even in the operation invalid area 33b, and enable the desired operation.

[0039] Furthermore, particularly when the touch panel 30 is bendable, as shown in FIG. 3, the boundary B1 may be a fixed position on the touch panel 30, or may be a position with a large curvature, or the position of the boundary B1 may be set as appropriate.

[0040] (Display area control by display control unit 40) If the main control unit 80 determines based on the detection signal regarding the bending state that the bending angle of the touch panel 30 does not exceed a predetermined threshold, it does not perform the display area control described below. In this case, if the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined viewing speed limit for preventing distracted driving, the entire display panel 31 is set to a viewing restricted state described below, but if the speed is below the predetermined viewing speed limit, it is preferable that the entire display panel 31 is set to an viewing unrestricted state.

[0041] Furthermore, when the main control unit 80 determines that the bending angle has exceeded a predetermined threshold, the display control unit 40, in response to a command from the main control unit 80, changes the display mode of the image displayed on the display panel 31. For example, the display control unit 40 designates an area of ​​the display panel 31 that is closer to the passenger seat than the boundary B1 as a first display area 34a. In this first display area 34a, no viewing restriction is imposed even if the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined viewing speed restriction.

[0042] In other words, in the first display area 34a, which has no speed-based viewing restrictions, not only the navigation screen display but also the AV screen display, which allows viewing of AV content, can be selected in response to a user's operation. Here, the navigation screen display refers to a screen display that reflects the vehicle's position in the map data display, which is image-processed by the image processing unit 130 based on the position information and map data transmitted from the navigation unit 100. Also, the AV screen display refers to a screen display transmitted from the AV unit 110 for displaying various content. Here, typical examples of various content include, but are not limited to, various information including images and videos received via the Internet, images and videos loaded from a DVD or non-volatile memory, information transmitted from an external information terminal via wireless or wired connections, and television broadcasts.

[0043] Meanwhile, in addition to setting the first display area 34a, the display control unit 40, in response to a command from the main control unit 80, sets the area of ​​the display panel 31 on the driver's seat side of the boundary B1 as the second display area 34b. In this second display area 34b, a viewing restriction state is imposed such that the AV screen cannot be displayed when the vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined viewing speed limit. Therefore, in the second display area 34b, when the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed, the AV screen cannot be displayed but the navigation screen can be displayed.

[0044] In this way, the display control unit 40 divides the display panel 31 into the first display area 34a and the second display area 34b along the boundary B1. In the first display area 34a, there are no speed-based viewing restrictions, and the user can view not only the navigation screen display but also the AV screen display. On the other hand, in the second display area 34b, when the speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined viewing speed limit, AV viewing is restricted, but the navigation screen display is possible.

[0045] The predetermined operation speed limit and the predetermined viewing speed limit may be the same or different.

[0046] (for a given threshold of bending angle) The predetermined threshold value of the bending angle may be any value determined in advance as an initial value, but is preferably set to the angle at the boundary between a state in which the second display area 34b is visible and a state in which it is not visible when the driver views the touch panel 30. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, consider a line L1 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the electronic device 10 (touch panel 30) (the width direction of the vehicle in FIG. 5). Also consider a line L2 extending from a position P1, which is assumed to be the viewpoint of the driver seated in the driver's seat S1, toward the second display area 34b. In this case, if the angle θ formed by the line L1 and the line L2 corresponds to an angle outside the range of the viewing angle of the second display area 34b, the driver will not be able to view the second display area 34b.

[0047] When an initial value is set in advance as the predetermined threshold value of the bending angle, it is preferable that the setting be changeable by the user. Alternatively, when an initial value is set in advance as the predetermined threshold value of the bending angle, it is more preferable that the initial value be set for each vehicle based on a predetermined position where the electronic device 10 should be installed in the vehicle and the standard position of the driver's seat. The threshold value of the bending angle may be adjusted based on the position of the driver's head by acquiring information from the vehicle, such as the longitudinal position of the driver's seat and the tilt angle of the seatback. The threshold value of the bending angle may also be adjusted based on the result of calculating the position of the user's head based on information from a driver monitor system, etc. In this case, the predetermined position where the electronic device 10 should be installed in the vehicle is, for example, the console of the vehicle.

[0048] It is preferable that the straight line L2 and the second display region 34b are parallel to each other, because the second display region 34b is not visible even when the viewing angle is 180 degrees.

[0049] (3. Supplementary Note) The contents described in the above-described embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows. [1] That is, the electronic device 10 comprises a housing 20, a display panel 31 capable of displaying images, and a touchpad 32 superimposed on the display panel 31, the touchpanel 30 being held by the housing 20 and capable of being bent or curved, and a touchpad control unit 50 (operation control unit) capable of changing the size of the area in which the touchpad 32 accepts operations based on whether the touchpanel 30 is bent or curved.

[0050] Therefore, through control by the touchpad control unit 50 (operation control unit), the size of the area in which the touchpad 32 accepts operations can be changed based on whether the touch panel 30 is folded. Therefore, since the size of the area in which the touchpad 32 accepts operations can be changed, the area in which operations are accepted can be limited to, for example, the operable area 33a located on the passenger seat side of the boundary B1, and conversely, the area in which operations are not accepted can be set as, for example, the invalid operation area 33b located on the driver's seat side of the boundary B1. The operable area 33a and the invalid operation area 33b may be determined independently of the boundary B1, or may be determined to include any area including the vicinity of the boundary B1.

[0051] In this way, due to the existence of the operation invalid area 33b, for example, the driver cannot operate the operation even if he / she touches the operation invalid area 33b while driving, so it is possible to ensure safety while driving. On the other hand, due to the existence of the operation possible area 33a, for example, it is possible for a passenger to operate the operation possible area 33a while driving.

[0052] [2] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in addition to the contents described in [1] above, the touchpad 32 can be divided into a plurality of areas for operation, and when the touchpad 32 is bent beyond a predetermined threshold, the bent point can be used as a boundary B1 to form an operable area 33a on one side of the touchpad 32 and an invalid operation area 33b on the other side, and external touch operations can be enabled in the operable area 33a and disabled in the invalid operation area 33b.

[0053] When controlled in this manner, the touchpad 32 is divided so that when the touchpad 32 is bent, an operable area 33a is formed on one side of the boundary B1 and an invalid operation area 33b is formed on the other side of the boundary B1. Therefore, for example, the operable area 33a can be located on the passenger seat side, and the invalid operation area 33b can be located on the driver's seat side. This ensures safety while driving, for example, because the driver cannot operate the invalid operation area 33b even if he or she touches it while driving. On the other hand, the existence of the operable area 33a makes it possible for a passenger to operate the operable area 33a while driving, for example.

[0054] [3] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in addition to the contents described in [1] above, the touchpad 32 can be divided into a plurality of areas for operation, and when the touchpad 32 is curved more than a predetermined threshold, a predetermined curved portion can be used as a boundary B1 to form an operable area 33a on one side of the touchpad 32 and an invalid operation area 33b on the other side, and control can be performed to enable external touch operations in the operable area 33a and to disable external touch operations in the invalid operation area 33b.

[0055] When controlled in this manner, the touchpad 32 is divided so that, when the touchpad 32 is bent, an operable area 33a is formed on one side of the boundary B1 and an invalid operation area 33b is formed on the other side of the boundary B1. Therefore, for example, the operable area 33a can be located on the passenger seat side, and conversely, an area that does not accept operations can be located on the driver's seat side. This ensures safety while driving, for example, because even if the driver touches the invalid operation area 33b while driving, the driver cannot operate it. Meanwhile, the existence of the operable area 33a allows, for example, a passenger to operate the screen by operating the operable area 33a while driving.

[0056] [4] In addition to the above-mentioned embodiments, in addition to any one of the above-mentioned [1] to [3] or a combination thereof, the electronic device 10 may be mounted on a vehicle, and the threshold value may be determined based on a straight line L2 connecting a predetermined position of the electronic device 10 and the driver's seat of the vehicle.

[0057] When set in this way, the operable area 33a can be set at an angle that is difficult for the driver to see, for example, with respect to the straight line L2. Therefore, since it is difficult to see when operating, it is possible to further ensure safety while driving.

[0058] [5] The electronic device 10 also includes a housing 20, a display panel 31 capable of displaying an image, and a touchpad 32 superimposed on the display panel 31. The touch panel 30 is held by the housing 20 and is bendable or curveable, and a display control unit 40 that controls the display mode of the image displayed on the display panel 31 to vary depending on whether the touch panel 30 is bent or curved.

[0059] Therefore, the display mode of the image displayed on the display panel 31 can be changed based on whether the touch panel 30 is folded or not, under the control of the display control unit 40. For example, the screen on the passenger seat side (first display area 34a) can display not only the navigation screen but also entertainment-oriented AV content, improving passenger comfort. On the other hand, for example, the screen on the driver's seat side (second display area 34b) can prevent entertainment-oriented AV content from being displayed, while allowing the navigation screen to be displayed, thereby ensuring safety while driving. The first display area 34a and the second display area 34b may be determined independently of the boundary B1, and may include any area including the vicinity of the boundary B1.

[0060] [6] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in addition to the contents described in [5] above, when the display panel 31 is bent or curved more than a predetermined threshold, the display control unit 40 performs display area control to form a first display area 34a on one side of the display panel 31 and a second display area 34b on the other side, with the bent or curved point as the boundary B1, and may not perform display area control when the bending or curving of the display panel 31 does not exceed the predetermined threshold.

[0061] When controlled in this manner, the display panel 31 is divided so that when the display panel 31 is bent or curved, a first display area 34a is formed on one side of the boundary B1 and a second display area 34b is formed on the other side of the boundary B1. Therefore, for example, the first display area 34a can be placed on the passenger seat side, and the second display area 34b can be placed on the driver's seat side. This prevents the driver from viewing entertaining AV content while driving, ensuring safety while driving. On the other hand, the presence of the first display area 34a allows passengers to view entertaining AV content in addition to the navigation screen display while driving, improving passenger comfort.

[0062] [7] In addition to the above-described embodiment, in addition to the contents described in [6] above, the electronic device 10 is mounted on a vehicle, and the display control unit 40 may set the first display area 34a to a state without viewing restrictions, in which the navigation screen display and the AV screen display on which AV content can be viewed can be selected, and the second display area 34b to a state with viewing restrictions, in which the navigation screen display can be viewed but the AV screen display cannot be viewed.

[0063] When controlled in this manner, in the first display area 34a, for example, a passenger can view not only the navigation screen display but also entertaining AV content while driving, improving passenger comfort. On the other hand, in the second display area 34b, for example, the driver cannot view entertaining AV content while driving, ensuring safety while driving.

[0064] [8] In addition to the above-described embodiment, in addition to the contents described in either [6] or [7] above or a combination thereof, the electronic device 10 may be mounted on a vehicle, and the display control unit 40 may display a navigation screen in the first display area 34a and the second display area 34b, with the navigation screen display being displayed at different scales in the first display area 34a and the second display area 34b.

[0065] When controlled in this manner, for example, a detailed map of the area around the vehicle's current location can be displayed on the driver's side to provide information about upcoming driving such as turning right or left, while a wide-area map including the vehicle's destination can be displayed on the passenger's side, allowing the passenger in the passenger's seat to grasp an outline of the route to the destination and traffic information along the route, thereby improving user convenience.

[0066] [9] In addition to the above-mentioned embodiments, in addition to any of the above-mentioned items [5] to [8] or a combination thereof, the electronic device 10 may be mounted on a vehicle, and the threshold value may be determined based on a straight line L2 connecting a predetermined position of the electronic device 10 and the driver's seat of the vehicle.

[0067] In this case, the first display area 34a can be set at an angle that is difficult for the driver to see, for example, with respect to the line L2. This prevents the driver from viewing entertaining AV content while driving, further ensuring safety while driving.

[0068] (4. Other Embodiment 1) The above-described embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention, and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the electronic device 10 is used as an in-vehicle device, with the aim of providing an electronic device that allows a passenger to operate the screen while ensuring safety during driving. In other embodiments, for example, the electronic device 10 may be an electronic device that is carried or held by a user. In this case, the electronic device 10 aims to prevent a user from accidentally touching the touch panel and causing a malfunction. The electronic device 10 may also be an electrical appliance installed indoors, for example. In this case, the electronic device 10 aims to prevent, for example, a small child or a person other than an authorized person from accidentally touching the touch panel and causing an unintended operation or performing a malicious operation.

[0070] (5. Other Embodiment 2) In the above-described embodiment, the electronic device 10 is used as an in-vehicle device, with the aim of providing an electronic device that allows passengers to view things other than the navigation screen display while driving, while ensuring safety by disabling the driver from viewing anything other than the navigation screen display. In other embodiments, for example, the electronic device 10 may be an electronic device that is carried or held by a user. The electronic device 10 may also be an electrical appliance installed indoors, etc. In these cases, the electronic device 10 aims to enable multiple users to individually view desired videos and information, and to enable multiple users to control the scale and page turn when displaying information in a preferred manner.

[0071] (6. Modifications) Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be modified in various other ways, which will be described below.

[0072] In the above-described embodiment, a single navigation screen may be displayed in the first display area 34a and the second display area 34b when the speed is above a predetermined viewing limit speed, but the scale of the map data displayed on this navigation screen may be different between the first display area 34a and the second display area 34b.

[0073] 2 and 3, the touch panel 30 is divided into two screens, with the operable area 33a and the first display area 34a located on the passenger seat side and the invalid operation area 33b and the second display area 34b located on the driver's seat side, each of which is a vertically long screen. However, for example, the touch panel 30 may be divided into three or more screens. For example, if the touch panel 30 is divided into four screens, the operable area 33a and the first display area 34a, and the invalid operation area 33b and the second display area 34b, each of which is horizontally long, may be displayed in this manner.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above, the boundary B1 of the touch panel 30 is along the vertical direction, but the boundary B1 may also be along the horizontal direction (the width direction of the vehicle), in which case the touch panel 30 may be bent or curved so that it is divided into upper and lower parts.

[0075] Furthermore, when the touch panel 30 is divided, the screen size of each of the operable area 33a and the first display area 34a, and the inoperable area 33b and the second display area 34b may be settable for each vehicle or each model, for example, a light vehicle, a regular car, or a truck. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10...electronic device, 20...housing, 30...touch panel, 31...display panel, 32...touchpad, 33a...operable area, 33b...inoperable area, 34a...first display area, 34b...second display area, 40...display control unit, 50...touchpad control unit (corresponding to operation control unit), 60...motor control unit, 70...motor, 71...driving force transmission mechanism, 80...main control unit, 90...panel bending detection unit, 100...navigation unit, 110...AV unit, 120...camera, 130...image processing unit, L1, L2...straight line, P1...position, S1...driver's seat

Claims

1. The housing and a touch panel that includes a display panel capable of displaying an image and a touch pad that is superimposed on the display panel, the touch panel being held by the housing and being bendable or curveable; a display control unit that performs control to change a display mode of the image to be displayed on the display panel based on whether the touch panel is bent or curved; An electronic device comprising:

2. 10. The electronic device according to claim 1, The display control unit When the display panel is bent or curved by a predetermined threshold or more, a display area control is performed to form a first display area on one side of the display panel and a second display area on the other side of the display panel, with the bent or curved area as a boundary; If the bending or curvature of the display panel does not exceed a predetermined threshold, the display area control is not performed. An electronic device characterized by:

3. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, The electronic device is mounted on a vehicle, The display control unit In the first display area, a navigation screen display and an AV screen display on which AV content can be viewed can be selected, and there is no viewing restriction. In the second display area, the navigation screen display is made viewable, but the AV screen display is made unviewable, thereby imposing a viewing restriction. An electronic device characterized by:

4. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, The electronic device is mounted on a vehicle, The display control unit A navigation screen is displayed in the first display area and the second display area, The navigation screen display is displayed in different scales in the first display area and the second display area. An electronic device characterized by:

5. 5. The electronic device according to claim 2, The electronic device is mounted on a vehicle, The threshold value is determined based on a line connecting a predetermined position of the electronic device and a driver's seat of the vehicle. An electronic device characterized by:

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