Information display apparatus and method of scrolling displayed data

Claim 2

An information display apparatus comprising: an input unit for entering a variety of data and for designating a variety of processings; a display unit for displaying input data and processing results, said display unit comprising a screen and a cursor disposed on said screen, said display unit being divided into a plurality of display areas; a processing unit having (i) a scrolling function for scrolling data displayed on said display unit in an individual direction for every displayed data or for every displayed data of each of a plurality of groups according to designation made at said input unit, (ii) a continuous search function for continuously searching, in a predetermined order, data concerned with entered data serving as a clue, (iii) an automatic power-off function for automatically turning the power of said apparatus to OFF if said apparatus remains non-operated for a predetermined period of time, and (iv) processing means for displaying symbols on said display areas, said symbols indicating data records displayed are a part of data to be displayed and a scrolling direction of data records for each display area; and search stop means adapted to automatically stop a continuous search under way when a predetermined plurality of continuous search functions are completed, thereby to make effective said automatic power-off function; said automatic power-off function further responding to said automatic stop of said search stop means.

Claim 3

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the input unit includes an input key group for entering a variety of information, and a cursor key group for moving the screen and the cursor in predetermined directions.

Claim 4

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the input key group includes a mode setting key group for calling and setting a variety of functions of said information display apparatus.

Claim 5

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the mode setting key group includes an English-English dictionary key for setting an English-English dictionary mode, and other keys for respectively setting modes of calender, schedule, calculation, telephone No., memo and the like.

Claim 6

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the cursor key group includes a key for moving the cursor rightward, a key for moving the cursor leftward, a key for moving the cursor upward, and a key for moving the cursor downward.

Claim 7

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the processing unit includes a central processing unit, a read-only memory, a read/write random-access memory and a liquid crystal display device driver.

Claim 8

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising batteries for backing up data temporarily stored in the processing unit, even though the power of said apparatus is turned to OFF.

Claim 9

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said liquid crystal display device driver includes a first display buffer connected to the upper-half portion of the screen of a liquid crystal display device, and a second display buffer connected to the lower-half portion of the screen of said liquid crystal display device.

Claim 10

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the read/write random-access memory includes an index word buffer, an index word buffer address pointer, a meaning buffer, and a meaning buffer address pointer.

Claim 11

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a liquid crystal display device.

Claim 12

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes a display of the dot matrix type.

Claim 13

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of display areas.

Claim 14

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes a first display area corresponding to the upper-half portion of said liquid crystal display device, and a second display area corresponding to the lower-half portion thereof.

Claim 15

An information display apparatus comprising: an input unit for entering a variety of data and for designating a variety of processings; a display unit for displaying input data and processing results; a memory unit for storing input data and a variety of information; a control circuit for controlling all said units; and search stop means adapted to automatically stop a continuous search under way when a predetermined plurality of continuous search functions are completed, thereby to make effective an automatic power-off function which turns the power of said apparatus to OFF if said apparatus remains non-operated for a predetermined period of time; whereby said apparatus is capable of executing a continuous search function for continuously displaying, in a predetermined order, data concerned as selected out of previously stored data with entered data serving as a clue.

Claim 16

An information display apparatus comprising: an input unit for entering a variety of data and for designating a variety of processings; a display unit for displaying input data and processing results; a memory unit for storing input data and a variety of information; a control circuit for controlling all said units; and search stop means adapted to automatically stop a continuous search under way when a predetermined plurality of continuous search functions are completed, thereby to make effective an automatic power-off function which turns the power of said apparatus to OFF if said apparatus remains non-operated for a predetermined period of time; whereby said apparatus is capable of executing a continuous search function for continuously displaying, in a predetermined order, data concerned as selected out of previously stored data with entered data serving as a clue.

Claim 17

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a control unit including: a central processing unit for executing an input/output processing and an arithmetic processing for said apparatus; a liquid crystal display device driver for driving a liquid crystal display device; an input/output port; a read-only memory; a read/write random-access memory; and a real time clock for counting the date.

Claim 18

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the search stop means includes a timer for counting a search time, adapted to stop a continuous search processing when the search time counted by said timer exceeds a predetermined period of time.

Claim 19

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the search stop means includes a search counter for detecting a predetermined amount of continuous search, an automatic power-off counter for detecting a state where said apparatus remains non-operated for a predetermined period of time, carry detector circuits for respectively detecting carries of said counters, and a logic circuit for receiving said carries of said counters from said carry detector circuits to judge an automatic power-off operation.

Claim 20

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein the display unit includes a liquid crystal display device.

Claim 21

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes a display of the dot matrix type.

Claim 22

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein the display unit includes a first display area corresponding to the upper-half portion of the liquid crystal display device, and a second display area corresponding to the lower-half portion thereof.

Claim 23

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 15, further comprising batteries for backing up data temporarily stored in the control unit, even though the power of said apparatus is turned to OFF.

Claim 24

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the liquid crystal display device driver includes a display buffer for temporarily storing displayed data.

Claim 25

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein the read/write random-access memory includes an index word buffer, an index word buffer address pointer, a meaning buffer, and a meaning buffer address pointer.

Claim 26

An information display apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein the liquid crystal display device includes a first display area corresponding to the upper-half portion of said liquid crystal display apparatus, and a second display area corresponding to the lower-half portion thereof.

Claim 27

An information display apparatus comprising: data input means for entering a variety of data; memory means for predeterminately storing a group of data; search designation input means for designating search data associated with data entered by said data input means to be searched among said group of data stored in said memory means; processing means for executing a searching operation among said group of data stored in said memory means according to the designation of said search designation input means; a first counter for counting the number of consecutive search operations designated by the search designation input means; first detecting means for releasing a first signal when said first counter reaches a predetermined plurality of counts; and first controlling means for receiving said first signal from said first detecting means and stopping said searching operation by said processing means upon receipt of said first signal.

Claim 28

An information display apparatus comprising: data input means for entering a variety of data; memory means for predeterminately storing a group of data; search designation input means for designating search data associated with data entered by said data input means to be searched among said group of data stored in said memory means; processing means for executing a searching operation among said group of data stored in said memory means according to the designation of said search designation input means; a first counter for counting the number of consecutive search operations designated by the search designation input means; first detecting means for releasing a first signal when said first counter reaches a predetermined plurality of counts; and first controlling means for receiving said first signal from said first detecting means and stopping said searching operation by said processing means upon receipt of said first signal.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising: a second counter for measuring a period of non-operation time of the search designation input means; second detecting means for releasing a second signal when said second counter reaches a predetermined value; and second controlling means for receiving said first and second signals and automatically switching off said apparatus upon receipt of said first and second signals.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising: a second counter for measuring a period of operation time of the search designation input means when said search designation input means is consecutively operated; second detecting means for releasing a second signal when said second counter reaches a predetermined plurality of counts; and second controlling means for receiving said first and second signals and automatically switching off said apparatus upon receipt of said first and second signals.

Claim 31

An information display apparatus for displaying data stored in discrete records comprising: data input means for entering a variety of data; memory means for predeterminately storing a group of data in discrete records; display means including a plurality of display areas which are divided depending on contents of display data records, each display area having a predetermined different scrolling direction from each other; a plurality of scrolling direction designating means, wherein each designating means designates a scrolling direction of data records displayed on said display areas, and further wherein each designating means corresponds in an operative relationship to one of said display areas; first processing means for receiving scrolling directions designated by said designating means and scrolling the data record displayed in the display area corresponding in an operative relationship to each said designating means in each designated scrolling direction; search designation input means for designating search data associated with data entered by said data input means to be searched among said group of data stored in said memory means; second processing means for executing a searching operation among said group of data stored in said memory means upon the designation of said search designation input means; a first counter for counting the number of consecutive search operations designated through the search designation input means; first detecting means for releasing a first signal when said first counter reaches a predetermined plurality of counts; and first controlling means for receiving said first signal from said first detecting means and stopping said searching operation by said processing means upon receipt of said first signal.

Claim 32

An information display apparatus for displaying data stored in discrete records comprising: data input means for entering a variety of data; memory means for predeterminately storing a group of data in discrete records; display means including a plurality of display areas which are divided depending on contents of display data records, each display area having a predetermined different scrolling direction from each other; a plurality of scrolling direction designating means, wherein each designating means designates a scrolling direction of data records displayed on said display areas, and further wherein each designating means corresponds in an operative relationship to one of said display areas; first processing means for receiving scrolling directions designated by said designating means and scrolling the data record displayed in the display area corresponding in an operative relationship to each said designating means in each designated scrolling direction; search designation input means for designating search data associated with data entered by said data input means to be searched among said group of data stored in said memory means; second processing means for executing a searching operation among said group of data stored in said memory means upon the designation of said search designation input means; a first counter for counting the number of consecutive search operations designated through the search designation input means; first detecting means for releasing a first signal when said first counter reaches a predetermined plurality of counts; and first controlling means for receiving said first signal from said first detecting means and stopping said searching operation by said processing means upon receipt of said first signal.