JP2003228358A - Electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To mount a plurality of display units on a compact electronic device. <P>SOLUTION: A supply part 52 combines images to be displayed respectively on a first display part 58a and a display part 58b to integrated image data and outputs the integrated image data to a controller 54. The controller 54 outputs an integrated control signal for performing display based on the integrated image data. A conversion part 70 converts the integrated control signal into a first control signal for the first display part 58a and a second control signal for the second display part 58b. As a result, an electronic device performs display on a plurality of display parts with a single controller 54. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to electronic devices. The invention particularly relates to an electronic device having a display unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 shows two LCDs (liquid crystal).
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an electronic device 10 having a display) panel. The supply unit 12 has a CPU, a VRAM, and the like, and supplies image data and the like to the first controller 14a and the second controller 14b. The first controller 14a generates a control signal to be output to the first driver 16a based on the vertical synchronization signal _Vsyn , the horizontal synchronization signal _Hsyn , the data transfer clock DCK, etc. sent from the supply unit 12. The first driver 16a applies a voltage to the liquid crystal pixels of the first LCD panel 18a arranged in a matrix, based on the control signal. As a result, the image is displayed on the first display unit 18a. First drive unit 16a and second drive unit 16b
Is a so-called LCD driver, which is formed integrally with the first LCD panel 18a and the second LCD panel 18b. The second controller 14b and the second drive unit 16b have the same functions as the first controller 14a and the first drive unit 16a, and display on the second LCD panel 18b.

[0003]

As described above, a plurality of L's are formed.
In order to display on the CD panel, each LCD panel is provided with a controller for driving the panel. PDA (personal digital assistant)
There is a demand to provide an LCD panel in addition to the main LCD panel in a small electronic device such as the above, but it is difficult to secure a space for mounting a plurality of controllers on a substrate of an electronic device which is becoming smaller. It has become. Even if a plurality of controllers can be mounted, it is necessary to mount a CPU having high processing capacity for controlling them. Therefore, mounting a plurality of controllers leads to an increase in cost and an increase in design period. The present inventor has made the present invention paying attention to such a current situation, and an object thereof is to provide a control technique for a plurality of display units.

[0004]

One embodiment of the present invention is an electronic device, which collects images to be displayed on the first display section and the second display section respectively, and generates and outputs one integrated image data. And a controller that outputs an integrated control signal for displaying based on the integrated image data and is designed assuming a display area wider than the display areas of the first display section and the second display section. A conversion unit for converting the integrated control signal into a first control signal for the first display unit and a second control signal for the second display unit;
A first driving unit that drives the first display unit based on a control signal and a second driving unit that drives the second display unit based on the second control signal are provided. As a result, this device can display on a plurality of display units using one controller.

The conversion unit detects the horizontal synchronization signal included in the integrated control signal, and the integrated control signal based on the number of detections of the horizontal synchronization signal.
It may have a separation part which separates a control signal and the 2nd control signal. The conversion unit may output the first control signal and the second control signal in a cycle longer than a data transfer cycle performed by the integrated control signal.

Another aspect of the present invention is also an electronic device. This device has a first display unit having pixels in a matrix of m / 2 rows and n columns and a pixel in a matrix of m / 2 rows and n columns, and is controlled independently of the first display unit. A second display unit, a supply unit that collects images to be displayed on the first display unit and the second display unit, and generates and outputs an integrated image composed of pixels of m rows and n columns; A controller for a display unit having pixels in a matrix of rows and n columns generates an integrated control signal generated based on the integrated image as a first control signal for the first display unit and a first control signal for the second display unit. A conversion unit that converts the control signal into two control signals; a first drive unit that drives the first display unit based on the first control signal; and a first drive unit that drives the second display unit based on the second control signal. And two drive units.

It should be noted that any combination of the above constituent elements, and the expression of the present invention converted between the apparatus and the method are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

[0008]

2 is a block diagram of an electronic device 50 according to an embodiment. The supply unit 52 is a CPU, VRA
M and the like, the first display portion 58a and the second display portion 58
The image to be displayed on b is supplied to the controller 54. First
The images displayed on the display unit 58a and the second display unit 58b are integrated into one and supplied as an integrated image. The controller 54 includes a first display portion 58a and a second display portion 58a.
A controller for a display unit having a display area wider than the display area of the display section 58b, and generates an integrated control signal based on the integrated image from the supply section 52. In the present embodiment, the first display portion 58a and the second display portion 5
8b has a matrix-shaped display area of m / 2 rows and n columns. The supply unit 52 includes a first display unit 58a and a second display unit 5
The image to be displayed on 8b is supplied to the controller 54 as an image composed of pixels of m rows and n columns.

The converter 70 separates the integrated control signal at a predetermined timing and converts it into a first control signal and a second control signal. The first drive unit 56a drives the first display unit 58a based on the first control signal. Similarly, the second drive unit 56b causes the second display unit 58 to operate based on the second control signal.
drive b. For example, the first row to the 240th row of the integrated image composed of 320 × 480 pixels includes the image to be displayed on the first display unit 58a, and the 241st row to the 4th row.
When the image to be displayed on the second display unit 58b is included up to the 80th line, the conversion unit 70 separates the integrated control signal from the first line to the 240th line and converts the integrated control signal into the first control signal, and then the 24th line.
Separate the integrated control signal from line 1 to line 480 to the second line
Convert to control signal. The timing of this separation is determined by how the images on the respective display units are included in the integrated image. For example, the first display unit 5
When the images displayed on the 8a and the second display unit 58b are alternately included in the integrated image for each row, the conversion unit 70 alternately separates the integrated control signal.

As described above, the electronic device 50 separates the integrated control signal generated by using the controller for the display unit having a wider display area from the display area of the display unit for actual display, so that one controller can be used. Multiple display units can be controlled.

FIG. 3 is an internal block diagram of the conversion unit 70.
The horizontal synchronization signal detector 72 detects the horizontal synchronization signal _Hsyn . The vertical sync signal detector 74 detects the vertical sync signal V.
Detect _syn . The separation unit 76 controls the vertical synchronization signal V
The control signal for driving the first driving unit 56a and the second driving unit 56b is separated based on the _syn and the horizontal synchronizing signal _Hsyn . The horizontal synchronization signal _Hsyn is output for each row, and the vertical synchronization signal _Vsyn is output before transmitting the data of the first row. Thus, the horizontal synchronizing signal _{H sy n}
The integrated control signal can be separated based on the number of times the vertical synchronization signal _Vsyn is detected.

The frame period of the LCD panel is generally L
It is constant regardless of the size of the CD panel. For example, 1 /
Drawing is performed once in 30 seconds. Therefore, the data transfer cycle of the control signal output by the controller differs depending on the size of the LCD panel. For panels with more pixels,
Its cycle becomes shorter, and vice versa.

The integrated control signal from the controller 54, which is designed assuming a wider area than the display areas of the first display section 58a and the second display section 58b, is simply distributed to the first drive section 56a and the second drive section. When supplied to the portion 56b, while one of the first driving portion 56a and the second driving portion 56b is operating, the other is in a non-operating state. This can cause screen flicker. Therefore, the conversion unit 70
Further has a configuration for timing-adjusting and outputting the first control signal and the second control signal. Briefly, the operation cycle of the integrated control signal, that is, the data transfer cycle is reduced to 1/2, and instead, the first drive section 56a and the second drive section 5 are replaced.
6b is always in the active state and eliminates periods of inactivity. Therefore, the conversion unit 70 may perform the first cycle in a cycle longer than the data transfer cycle performed by the integrated control signal.
The control signal and the second control signal will be output.

The frequency division unit 86 divides the data transfer clock CLK of the controller 54 so that the first drive unit 56a and the second drive unit 56b can receive the data transfer clock C.
LK 'is generated. In the present embodiment, the first display unit 58
a and the size of the second display portion 58b are the same as those of the controller 5
Since 4 is half the size of the LCD panel that can supply the control signal, the conversion unit 70 needs to output the first control signal and the second control signal at the frequency of half the data transfer clock CLK. Therefore, the frequency divider 86 generates the transfer clock CLK ′ having a frequency that is ½ of the clock CLK.

The first generator 80 generates a first control signal based on the integrated control signal separated by the separator 76 and the transfer clock CLK ', and outputs it to the first driver 56a. Since the timing at which the separated integrated control signal is supplied from the separating unit 76 is earlier than the timing at which the first generation unit 80 outputs the first control signal, the first integrated unit temporarily holds the separated integrated control signal. A storage unit 78 is provided. In the present embodiment, the first generation unit 80 uses the controller 54
Since the first control signal is output at a frequency half the data transfer frequency of, the first storage unit 78 is preferably capable of storing at least two rows of integrated control signals. This allows
You can prevent unexpected screen flicker. Second generator 82
The second storage section 84 and the second storage section 84 have the same functions as the first generation section 80 and the first storage section 78, respectively, and output the second control signal.

The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments are exemplifications, that various modifications can be made to combinations of respective constituent elements and respective processing processes, and that such modifications are within the scope of the present invention. .

[0017]

According to the present invention, a plurality of display units can be controlled by one controller.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a conventional electronic device having two screens.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an electronic device having two screens according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of the separation unit of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

50 electronic device, 52 supply unit, 54 controller, 70 conversion unit, 72 horizontal synchronization signal detection unit, 7
4 Vertical Sync Signal Detector, 76 Separator, 78 1st
Storage unit, 80 first generation unit, 82 second generation unit,
84 Second storage section, 86 Frequency division section.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2H093 NA00 NC11 NC13 NC49 NC50                       NC52 ND42 ND49 ND50 ND54                       NE07 NG01 NG03 NG05                 5C006 BB11 BC16 FA41                 5C080 AA10 BB05 DD22 JJ02                 5C082 AA34 BD06 CA54 DA76 MM04

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A supply unit that collects images to be respectively displayed on the first display unit and the second display unit and generates and outputs one piece of integrated image data, and performs display based on the integrated image data. A controller designed to assume a display area wider than the display areas of the first display unit and the second display unit, which outputs an integrated control signal for the first display unit, and the integrated control signal for the first display unit. A first control signal and a conversion section for converting the second control signal for the second display section, a first drive section for driving the first display section based on the first control signal, and the second A second drive unit that drives the second display unit based on a control signal, and an electronic device. 2. The conversion unit detects the horizontal synchronization signal included in the integrated control signal, and the integrated control signal based on the number of detections of the horizontal synchronization signal. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a separation unit that separates the second control signal. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the conversion unit outputs the first control signal and the second control signal in a cycle longer than a data transfer cycle performed by the integrated control signal. apparatus. 4. A first display portion having pixels in a matrix of m / 2 rows and n columns, and a pixel having pixels in a matrix of m / 2 rows and n columns, which are controlled independently of the first display portion. A second display unit, and a supply unit that collects images to be displayed on the first display unit and the second display unit and generates and outputs an integrated image including pixels of m rows and n columns. A controller for a display unit having pixels in a matrix of m rows and n columns generates an integrated control signal generated based on the integrated image as a first control signal for the first display unit and for the second display unit. A conversion unit for converting into a second control signal, a first drive unit for driving the first display unit based on the first control signal, and a drive unit for driving the second display unit based on the second control signal. An electronic device comprising: a second drive unit.