JPH054413A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide an information processing device whose configuration is miniaturized. [Structure] The liquid crystal display 3 and the printing unit 18 are arranged in the same housing 4. The printing unit 18 is arranged on the side opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display 3, and the thermal head 10 forming the printing unit 18 has a width of one line of the thermal recording paper 7 and extends along the width direction. A plurality of heating resistors are formed in one row or a plurality of rows. Printing by the thermal head 10 is performed based on dot image data used for display control of the liquid crystal display 3. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a new memory for printing control, the electric configuration can be simplified and miniaturized, and a drive mechanism for moving the thermal head 10 in the row direction of the recording paper needs to be provided. It is possible to reduce the size of the structure.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus suitable for use in personal computers, word processors and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, information processing apparatuses such as personal computers and word processors have been required to have a smaller size as well as to have a higher processing capacity and a larger capacity as the diffusion rate thereof has increased. In the information processing device, the display device is indispensable because it is necessary to visually confirm the input information and the processing result immediately. The downsizing of display devices has been realized by the development of liquid crystal display devices and the like.

Further, the information processing apparatus is provided with a printing device for printing input information and processing results on recording paper. Since the printing device is used less frequently than the display device, it is often installed as an accessory device.

[0004]

As described above, in the conventional information processing apparatus, since the display device and the printing device are separate devices, a small information processing device including the printing device is constructed. Is difficult to do. The integral configuration of the display device and the printing device is one of the means for realizing the miniaturization of the configuration.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing device whose structure is miniaturized.

[0006]

According to the present invention, at least an input means for instructing the input of information and execution of a predetermined process for the input information, the input information is stored, and the input information is responsive to the output from the input means. Processing means for performing a predetermined processing, a liquid crystal display device for displaying at least the input information and the processing result by the processing means, and the input information and the processing result by the processing means on a recording paper based on an instruction from the input means. In an information processing device including a printing device for printing, a liquid crystal display device and a printing device are provided in the same housing, the printing device is provided on the side opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device, and the print head is a recording paper. The information processing apparatus is provided with a plurality of dot arrays arranged side by side in the width direction.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the liquid crystal display device and the printing device are provided in the same housing, and the printing device is provided on the side opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device. By making the print head constituting the printing device one line (one line) wide, it is not necessary to move the head in the row direction during the printing operation unlike the print head of a dot printer or a thermal transfer printer, and drive for that purpose. No mechanism is required, and the configuration of the printing device can be simplified. Further, with the recent development of thin film technology, it is possible to make liquid crystal display devices and print heads thinner.

Further, since the information processing apparatus of the present invention prints on the recording paper by the so-called hard copy method using the print head having one line width, one display screen used for driving the display of the liquid crystal display device. It suffices to drive the dot array of the print head based on the minute bit image data, and it is possible to share the drive circuit between the liquid crystal display device and the printing device. Can be planned.

[0009]

1 is a perspective view of an information processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The information processing device 1 is, for example, a word processor or a personal computer. The information processing device 1 includes a keyboard 2 for instructing input of information and execution of various processes, and a liquid crystal display 3 for displaying input information, processing results after information processing, and the like.

The liquid crystal display 3 is arranged in the housing 4. A printing unit 18, which will be described later, is provided on the opposite side of the liquid crystal display 3 from the display surface. A recording paper insertion opening 6 for inserting the recording paper 7 is formed on the upper side surface of the housing 4, and a recording paper release lever 8 and a recording paper insertion lever 9 are provided on the right side surface of the housing 4. The housing 4 is provided by a connecting shaft 5 so as to be angularly displaceable with respect to the main body 1a in the arrow R1 and arrow R2 directions.

When the information processing apparatus 1 is not used, the information processing apparatus 1 is angularly displaced in the direction of arrow R2, and the keyboard 2 and the display surface of the liquid crystal display 3 are in a so-called closed state in which they face each other. When the information processing apparatus 1 is used, the housing 4 is angularly displaced in the direction of arrow R1 and is used in a so-called open state. The installation angle of the housing 4 with respect to the main body 1a can be fixedly set stepwise or continuously within a predetermined range, and can be fixedly used at an installation angle desired by the operator.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the housing 4, FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing 4, and FIG.
5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the printing unit 18. A printing unit 18 is provided on the side opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display 3 and near the recording paper insertion slot 6.
The printing unit 18 is a thermal head 1 that prints on the recording paper 7.
0 and a thermal head 10 that is biased by a biasing means such as a spring (not shown), and includes a print roller 12 that pinches and conveys the recording paper 7, and a pulse motor 13 that rotationally drives the roller 12. Composed of.

The thermal head 10 has a width corresponding to one line of the recording paper 7, and one or more rows of heating resistors are formed along the width direction. Roller 1 of thermal head 10
The contact and separation with respect to 2 are controlled by the recording paper release lever 8 described above. The rotational force of the pulse motor 13 is transmitted to the rotary shaft 17 of the print roller 12 via the gears 15 and 16.

On the lower side of the thermal head 10 in FIG. 4, a recording paper guide plate 11 is arranged along the liquid crystal display 3. A control circuit board 14 is disposed at a position facing the recording paper guide plate 11 with the recording paper 7 interposed therebetween. Control circuit board 1
A display control circuit of the liquid crystal display 3 and a print control circuit of the printing unit 18 are provided at 4. Recording paper guide plate 1
1 is a recording paper support plate 1 for adjusting the end position of the recording paper 7.
9 is slidably provided and slides in conjunction with the recording paper insertion lever 9 described above.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the information processing apparatus 1. The information processing device 1 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 21, to which a keyboard 2, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 3 and a printing unit 18 are connected. The CPU 21 controls the LCD 3 and the printing unit 18 based on the input from the keyboard 2. A memory 22 is connected to the CPU 21.

The memory 22 is composed of a RAM (random access memory) and a ROM (read only memory). The RAM includes an image memory in which bit image data for one display screen of the LCD 3 is stored. Based on the data in the image memory, the printing unit 18 prints on the thermal recording paper 7 by the thermal head 10 by a so-called hard copy method. The ROM stores programs and various parameters for controlling the entire information processing apparatus 1.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining the basic operation of the information processing device 1. In step a1, it is judged whether or not the information is input. When the information is input, the input information is displayed on the liquid crystal display 3 in step a2. At this time, the bit image data required for display is stored in the image memory in the memory 22.

At step a3, it is determined whether or not a processing instruction has been input. When a processing command is input, it is determined in step a4 whether the input command is a print command. If the command is a print command, the process proceeds to step a5, and the display unit prints out the display screen on the recording paper 7. The printing operation is performed based on the bit image data stored in the image memory.

At step a6, it is judged whether or not the process is to be completed. If not completed, the process returns to step a1 to wait for the input of next information. When ending, the processing is ended by, for example, turning off the power of the information processing device 1.

If the input command is not the print command in step a4, the process corresponding to the input command is executed in step a7, and then the process proceeds to step a6.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by disposing the liquid crystal display 3 and the printing section 18 in the same housing 4, it is possible to realize a relatively small information processing apparatus 1. The thermal head 10 that constitutes the printing unit 18 has a width corresponding to one line of the thermal recording paper 7, and a plurality of heating resistors are provided along the width direction, so that the thermal head 10 is moved in the line direction. It is not necessary to provide a drive mechanism for this, and it is possible to achieve a more compact structure. Further, with the recent development of thin film technology, it is possible to sufficiently thin the liquid crystal display 3 and the thermal head.

Further, since the thermal head 10 prints on the thermal recording paper 7 by a so-called hard copy method based on the bit image data stored in the image memory, a new memory is provided for print control. There is no need, and the configuration can be simplified and miniaturized in terms of electrical configuration.

Further, the printing method is not limited to the printing method on the thermal recording paper 7 by the thermal head 10, but may be another printing method, for example, the printing section for printing on the chemical printing paper by the chemical head.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the display device and the printing device are integrally configured in the information processing device,
And it becomes possible to miniaturize the structure.

Further, in the information processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to share the drive circuit between the liquid crystal display device and the printing device, and in this respect as well, the structure can be downsized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an information processing apparatus 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a housing 4 of the information processing device 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a housing 4.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a housing 4.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a printing unit 18 arranged in the housing 4.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the information processing device 1.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a basic operation of the information processing device 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Information Processing Device 1a Main Body 2 Keyboard 3 Liquid Crystal Display 4 Housing 10 Thermal Head 11 Recording Paper Guide Plate 12 Roller 13 Pulse Motor 14 Control Circuit Board 18 Printing Section 19 Recording Paper Support Plate 21 CPU 22 Memory

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G06F 15/02 301 J 9194-5L 320 A 9194-5L G09F 9/35 307 7926-5G

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. Input means for instructing at least input of information and execution of a predetermined process for input information; and input information, storing the input information, responding to an output from the input means, and inputting information in advance. Processing means for performing a predetermined process, a liquid crystal display device for displaying at least input information and a processing result by the processing means, and based on an instruction from the input means, the input information and the processing result by the processing means are printed on a recording paper. In an information processing device including a printing device, the liquid crystal display device and the printing device are provided in the same housing, the printing device is provided on the side opposite to the display surface of the liquid crystal display device, and the print head is the width of the recording paper. An information processing apparatus comprising a plurality of dot arrays arranged side by side along a direction length.