WO2004046944A2

WO2004046944A2 - Portable electronic device for use as an electronic book

Info

Publication number: WO2004046944A2
Application number: PCT/EP2003/013023
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barbara Kauch
Original assignee: Barbara Kauch
Priority date: 2002-11-21
Filing date: 2003-11-20
Publication date: 2004-06-03
Also published as: AU2003292054A1; DE20218069U1; WO2004046944A3; AU2003292054A8

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable electronic device (1), particularly for use as an electronic book, comprising at least one part (2b), which has an electronic display device (4b) and which serves to display data that corresponds to the data presented on a page of a conventional book.

Description

Portable electronic device, in particular for use as an electronic book

The invention relates to a portable electronic device, in particular for use as an electronic book.

Conventional books generally have a variety of printed, written (or blank), e.g. sheets made from paper.

The individual sheets are combined to form a whole by means of appropriate tacking, adhesive and / or glue-binding processes, and can - additionally - be bound in a corresponding book cover (book cover).

Books have remained an important medium for intellectual communication, the exchange of ideas and information, etc., despite the advent of radio, television, and the Internet.

A disadvantage of conventional books, for example, is that their individual sheets are described or printed with texts, pictures, etc. which have been defined beforehand and cannot be changed afterwards.

People who - in different places - want to read a lot or a lot of different things are therefore forced to carry a large number of different books, each with a relatively high weight (e.g. when traveling, on the way to work, etc.). ). The object of the invention is to provide a new type of portable electronic device, in particular for use as an electronic book, in particular a new type of electronic book with which the above-mentioned disadvantages and / or further disadvantages of conventional books can be avoided.

The invention achieves this and other objects by the subject matter of claim 1.

Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

According to a basic idea of the invention, a portable electronic device, in particular for use as an electronic book, is provided with at least one part having an electronic display device for displaying data which corresponds to the data shown on a sheet of a conventional book (claim 1). ,

The data displayed in each case, and - corresponding to the data shown on the other sheets of the conventional book - further data can be stored on a storage medium, e.g. a CD-ROM which can be inserted into the electronic device (possibly together with additional data which correspond to the data shown on the sheets of one or more other conventional books).

People who want to read a lot or a lot of different things in different places then only have to carry the portable electronic device according to the invention with them instead of a large number of books (as well as the above-mentioned storage medium - possibly inserted into the device).

In the device according to the invention, which is used as an electronic book, this leads to a handling which is significantly simplified compared to conventional books.

In addition to the above-mentioned (first) part, the electronic device advantageously also has a further part which is pivotably mounted relative to the first part of the portable electronic device (claim 2). The further part preferably has a further electronic display device for displaying further data which correspond to the data shown on a further sheet of the conventional book.

Due to the design of the electronic device with two electronic display devices, a larger amount of data (in the same size) can be displayed than with a design with only one electronic display device, or - compared to a design with only one display device - a corresponding amount of data can be displayed are displayed in an enlarged manner, which simplifies the reading of the data.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the further part in a swiveled-in state hides the electronic display device of the first part (and exposes it in a swiveled-out state), or the first part hides the further electronic display device in the swiveled-in state of the further part (and exposes this in the swung-out state of the further part).

This means that if the electronic book is not used, i.e. the further part with the further display device is in the pivoted-in state - the display devices are protected from damage.

In the following the invention with reference to an embodiment and the attached

Drawing explained in more detail. The drawing shows:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a plan view of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention, with the swung-out state of the first or the further device part.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1 when the further device part is pivoted in; FIG. and Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of the electronic shown in Figures 1 and 2

Device when the first or further device part is swiveled in.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a top view of a portable electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.

The portable electronic device 1, as will be explained in more detail below, is used as an “electronic book” and has a first part 2b and a further part 2a.

Each of the parts 2a, 2b has - e.g. made of plastic or light metal - housing 3a, 3b, on each of which an electronic display device 4a, 4b, e.g. a screen or a display, or alternatively e.g. a touchscreen is installed (see e.g. Figure 2). The resolution of the corresponding screens or displays is e.g. more than 300 dpi, especially more than 500 dpi.

The two parts 2a, 2b have essentially identical dimensions. Such as. illustrated in Figure 2, the first and the further part 2a, 2b are pivotally connected to each other. The pivot axis a (cf. FIG. 1) lies approximately on the edge 6b of the first part 2b which is located on the top left in the illustration according to FIG. 2 (or on the corresponding edge 6a which is located on the bottom right in the illustration according to FIG. 2) further part 2a).

The pivotable connection of the two parts 2a, 2b is achieved in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by means of a hinge 5 - arranged or attached to the above-mentioned edges 6a, 6b of the parts 2a, 2b (in the case of alternative embodiments not shown here instead, a pivotable connection of the parts 2a, 2b can also be achieved in any other way, for example by means of a piano tape, a flexible device cover, etc.). As can be seen, for example, from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, when the further part 2a from the first, pivoted-out, end stop state shown in FIG. 1 (in which the two parts 2a, 2b or the two display devices 4a, 4b lie directly next to each other, and the tops of the two parts 2a, 2b or the electronic display devices 4a, 4b lie essentially on the same plane (or alternatively include an obtuse angle)) - for example along an arrow shown in FIG B - in the second, pivoted-in, end stop state shown in FIG. 3 (in which the two parts 2a, 2b or the two display devices 4a, 4b (or their respective upper sides) lie directly one above the other) the electronic display device 4b of the first part 2b covered by the further part 2a (or the electronic display device 4a of the further part 2a by the first part 2b).

As a result, if the portable electronic device 1 is not used (ie the further part 2a with the further display device 4a or the first part 2b with the first display device 4b is in the pivoted-in state), the display devices 4a, 4b are protected from damage become.

If the further part 2a is pivoted (back) from the pivoted-in end stop state shown in FIG. 3 to the pivoted-out end stop state shown in FIG. 1 illustrates - for a person using the electronic device 1, the impression of an "open book".

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electronic display devices 4a, 4b extend entirely or almost entirely to the above. Edges 6a, 6b of the device parts 2a, 2b (ie the electronic display device 4b extends completely or almost completely to the edge 6b of the first part 2b lying on the left in the illustration according to FIG. 1), and the electronic display device 4a extends completely or almost completely to the edge 6a of the further part 2a), which is on the right in the illustration according to FIG. 1.

The portable electronic device 1 has essentially identical dimensions to a conventional book, in particular a paperback. When the device parts 2a, 2b (see FIG. 3) are pivoted in, the portable electronic device 1 can have, for example, a (total) thickness d between, for example, 0.5 cm and 4 cm, in particular, for example, less than 3 cm or 2 cm, a width b between, for example, 7 cm and 20 cm, in particular, for example, less than 18 cm, and - according to FIG. 1 - a length 1 between, for example, 10 cm and 30 cm, in particular, for example, less than 25 cm.

As illustrated in Figure 2, a - e.g. Opening 7 on device 1, provided laterally on first part 2b, is a special data carrier 8, e.g. a CD-ROM (or - in alternative embodiments - e.g. a floppy disk, a DVD, a mini disc, etc., etc.) can be inserted into a corresponding device drive.

The data stored on the data carrier 8 are automatically read out by a data reading device of the drive after the data carrier 8 has been inserted into the device 1, whereupon - e.g. under the control of a corresponding microprocessor 9 (or a software program used by this) - the data corresponding to the read data - as shown in FIG. 1 - (automatically) in each case correspondingly to the above-mentioned electronic display devices 4a, 4b are displayed (the data being forwarded to the corresponding display device 4a, 4b via corresponding lines, some of which are also routed between the first and the further part 2a, 2b).

The data can be stored on the data carrier 8 e.g. stored in PDF format, with the relevant data - e.g. based or corresponding to the layout or setting data of a conventional book - e.g. by means of a corresponding, further software program, e.g. Quark Xpress (automatic or semi-automatic) into the above PDF format may have been converted (or vice versa, the corresponding PDF format data into corresponding layout or setting data used for printing a conventional book). The for the above Control of the data output used software program (e.g. the Acrobat Reader) can e.g. be stored on a memory device 10 which is permanently installed in the device 1 and is connected to the microprocessor 9.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the data are stored on the data carrier 8 in such a way that - automatically - (or under automatic control of the above-mentioned software) Program) are displayed on the first electronic display device 4b data which correspond to the data shown on a sheet (or on a corresponding page) of a conventional book, and on the further electronic display device 4a data which corresponds to the data on a further sheet (in particular one the above-mentioned page) of the corresponding, conventional book data.

The corresponding page numbers (here: “1” and “2”) corresponding to the pages displayed in each case (in particular in each case successive) can be displayed in corresponding fields 11a, 11b shown on the display devices 4a, 4b.

The respective data can be displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b, for example in black and white, or (preferably) in color.

As can further be seen from FIG. 1, the housing 3a, 3b of the two parts 2a, 2b of the electronic device 1 are located on the edges (or alternatively, for example, on the edges lying on the outside in the illustration according to FIG. 1) - A large number of function keys 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12g, 12h - menu bars 3a, 3b attached.

If a touchscreen is used as the display device 4a, 4b instead of a conventional screen, the function of the above-mentioned. Menu bars 3a, 3b (more precisely: the above-mentioned function keys 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12g, 12h (or a part of the menu bar or the function keys)) also from corresponding touch buttons that can be actuated with a touchscreen pen. Screen function fields are fulfilled.

If a first function key 12a is actuated, for example a “page forward” is effected (instead of the two pages “1” and “2” initially displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b, the two subsequent pages “3 are then displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b, for example "and" 4 "are displayed (or, for example, the page" 2 "previously displayed on the display device 4b then on the display device 4a, and on the display device 4b the page" 3 "following the page" 2 "previously displayed there)) * Conversely, when a second function key 12b is pressed, for example, a "page back" is effected (instead of the two pages initially displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b, the two previous pages are then displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b (or, for example, those previously displayed on the display device 4a then displayed on the display device 4b, and on the display device 4a the page preceding the page previously displayed there))).

The function keys 12a, 12b can thus be used to “leaf through” the “electronic book” simulated by the electronic device 1, similarly to conventional books.

By pressing a further, third function key 12c ("memo function key"), e.g. by means of corresponding data stored on the transmitter device 10 (e.g. the corresponding page numbers) - notes which pages are currently being displayed by the display devices 12a, 12b or were last displayed.

If the display of the - on the sheets or pages of the above Data corresponding to conventional books - initiates data (for example, by switching the electronic device 1 off with the aid of a fourth function key 12d, or putting it into a stand-by mode, or, for example, by displaying - on the sheets or pages of a corresponding to other data shown in conventional books - data is initiated on the display devices 12a, 12b (corresponding to further data stored on the above-mentioned data carrier 8 or another data carrier)), and then later - again - a display of the - on the leaves or pages of the above data (corresponding to (first) book) - data initiated (e.g. by switching the electronic device 1 on again by e.g. pressing the fourth function key 12d again), then - automatically - a display of the above. - lastly - displayed data (e.g. corresponding to the data stored in the storage device 10, in particular page numbers) on the display devices 12a, 12b.

By pressing a further, fifth function key 12e (“memory key”), previously, similarly to conventional laptops, for example, using a corresponding marked with the corresponding mouse button - text points displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b are stored on the memory device 10 (and the corresponding text data are later transferred, for example, to a PC (or laptop, etc.) connected to the electronic device 1) ,

Furthermore, e.g. by pressing a sixth function key 12f the font size of the text displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b - step wdse - can be increased (or correspondingly also the size of images displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b), or by pressing a seventh function key 12g The font size of the text displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b can be reduced step by step (or correspondingly also the size of images displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b).

With the help of further function keys e.g. the image sharpness, the brightness, and the contrast can be adjusted.

Furthermore, e.g. by pressing an eighth function key 12h, the entire text (ie all the displayable pages) that can be displayed by means of the electronic device 1 (or by means of the “electronic book” provided by it) according to specific words, numbers, letters (follow) or digits (follow) are searched (which have previously been entered into the electronic device 1, for example by means of corresponding keyboard keys).

On the above Data carriers 8 can also be stored - in addition - sound sequences.

These can - read out by another software program - be read out by the data reading device of the drive, and then - for example under the control of the above-mentioned microprocessor 9 (or the above-mentioned further software program) - to one in the electronic device 1 provided loudspeaker (or a headphone connectable to the electronic device 1) are forwarded. The electronic device 1 can then also be used as an “audio book playback device”; the respective volume can be increased (or decreased) step by step with the aid of further function keys 12i, 12j. In addition, for example, lighting of the display devices 4a, 4b can also be provided (the respective illuminance can be increased (or reduced) step by step with the aid of further function keys).

On the display devices 4a, 4b, e.g. the date and / or the time are also displayed in each case, and / or the title of the respectively displayed book, and / or the title of the respectively displayed book chapter.

The portable electronic device 1 can be operated with the aid of an appropriate rechargeable battery or a battery, and alternatively can be connected to the mains (mains operation); solar operation is also conceivable.

In the case of battery or battery operation, the respective battery or battery level can advantageously also be displayed on the electronic device 1.

In a further, alternative embodiment of the electronic device 1, the display of the data, in particular text data, can be displayed on display devices, which are designed as alternatives to the display devices 4a, 4b, instead of in a conventional font, e.g. also be done in Braille, especially in Braille.

For the flexible display of the respective Braille characters, in particular Braille characters, the display devices 4a, 4b can e.g. Corresponding knobs designed to be flexibly lowerable or erectable (controlled by the microprocessor 9 or a software program stored on the memory device 10) are provided.

As a result, the electronic device 1 can also be used by blind people.

For the input and / or output of data (for example the above-mentioned type (for example the above-mentioned data stored on a data carrier, sound sequences, etc., etc.), and / or any other data), the device 1 can alternatively also have one Have infrared interface. In a further, alternative exemplary embodiment, data which are assigned to two different or corresponding texts or books (which can be stored, for example, on one and the same data carrier 8, or on the data carrier 8, and a further data carrier) can be stored (and for example via the above-mentioned data -Reading device of the drive, and / or the infrared interface can be transmitted to the electronic device 1)) are simultaneously displayed on the display devices 4a, 4b of the electronic device 1 (for example - after pressing the corresponding function keys - in an automated manner under the control of the above Software program) - for example, data on the first electronic display device 4b which corresponds to the data or text sections contained on a first sheet (or on a corresponding page) of a first conventional text, and data on the further electronic display device 4a , which the on a - corresponding - sheet (i n particularly correspond to the data or text sections contained on the corresponding page) of the corresponding further text.

As a result, the two different or corresponding texts can be compared with one another in a simple manner (the first text can be written in a first language, for example, and the further text can be the translation of the first text into another language, for example - and thus - in a simple way - the correctness of the translation can be checked).

Furthermore, an external keyboard device (e.g. a PC keyboard breathing device) can be provided, which e.g. about the above Infrared interface, or any other e.g. wired interface can be connected to the electronic device 1.

This makes it e.g. possible - by pressing the corresponding keys on the keyboard device - which corresponds to the above To edit or correct data associated with texts or books, which is displayed by the electronic device 1.

Claims

Expectations

1. Portable electronic device (1), in particular for use as an electronic book, with at least one electronic display device (4b)

Part (2b) for displaying data corresponding to the data displayed on a sheet of a conventional book.

2. Portable electronic device (1) according to claim 1, with a further part (2a) which is pivotably mounted relative to the first part (2b) of the portable electronic device (1) which has the electronic display device (4b).

3. Portable electronic device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the further part (2a) has a further electronic display device (4a) for displaying further data which correspond to the data shown on a further sheet of the conventional book.

4. Portable electronic device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the further part (2a) in a swiveled-in state covers the electronic display device (4b) of the first part (2b) and exposes in a swiveled-out state.

5. Portable electronic device (1) according to claim 4, in which the first part (2b) in the pivoted-in state of the further part (2a) hides its electronic display device (4a), and exposes in the pivoted-out state of the further part (2a) ,

6. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, in which the data displayed on the electronic display device (4b) contain text data, and the further data displayed on the further electronic display device (4a) contain further text data, the text data and the further text data belong together logically, in particular form a coherent text or section of a text together.

7. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, bd which the data displayed on the electronic display device (4b) contain text data, in particular predominantly or exclusively text data, and the further electronic display device (4a) displayed further Data Image data, in particular predominantly or exclusively image data, and in particular the

Text data and the image data belong together logically.

8. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which essentially the dimensions of a conventional book, in particular a paperback.

9. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a length between 10 cm and 30 cm, in particular less than 25 cm.

10. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a width between 7 cm and 20 cm, in particular less than 18 cm.

11. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has a thickness between 0.5 cm and 4 cm, in particular less than 3 cm or 2 cm.

12. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has an actuating device (12a, 12b) for scrolling forward and / or back, so that additional data are then displayed on the display device (4b), which on an additional Data sheet of the conventional book correspond to data.

13. A portable electronic device (1) according to claim 12, wherein the additional data displayed after scrolling on the display device (4b) corresponds to the further data that were displayed on the further display device (4a) before scrolling.

14. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has an actuating device (12e) for marking and / or separate storage of parts of text data displayed on the display device (4b).

15. Portable electronic device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which has an acoustic output device, in particular for outputting acoustic signals corresponding to text data displayed on the display device (4b).