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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A portable computer for executing tasks, each identified by a file name,
the portable computer comprising:
display means for displaying a menu screen having a plurality of
task-registered icons for task selection and at least one
user-registration icon for selecting execution of a new task to be
registered by a user;
means for selecting the user-registration icon from the menu screen and for
setting a file name for the new task corresponding to the
user-registration icon;
means for darkening the display of the user-registration icon to indicate
that the new task has been registered;
means for storing display data for the menu screen including display data
for the darkened user-registration icon; and
means for, when the user-registration icon is selected on the menu screen,
initiating execution of the new task.
2. A computer according to claim 1, further comprising:
means for providing a plurality of user-registration icons for selecting
execution of software registered by the user, and for selecting at least
one of the user-registration icons in a predetermined order to be set in a
registered state; and
means for designating the user-registration icon and canceling the
registration thereof.
3. A computer according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying
an operation guide for registration of a user-registration icon and
cancellation thereof on the menu screen on which the user-registration
icon is displayed.
4. A computer according to claim 2, wherein the software registered by the
user includes icon display data, and said computer further includes means
for, when the software is selected through the user-registration icon,
displaying the user-registration icon based on the icon display data of
the software at a display position of the user-registration icon.
5. A portable computer having a function of displaying a menu screen
including a plurality of task-registered icons for task selection and
execution of software corresponding to each task-registered icon,
comprising:
at least one user-registration icon displayed on the menu screen for
selecting execution of software to be registered by a user;
a software-install icon, arranged on the menu screen among the
task-registered icons, for selecting a task for executing an installation
software;
means for displaying a list of a plurality of software available in a
memory of the portable computer which can be installed upon selection of
the software-install icon;
means for selecting one of the plurality of software from the list;
means for reflecting data unique to the selected software in the
user-registration icon on the menu indicate that the selected software has
been registered and corresponds to the user-registration icon;
means for storing display data of the darkened user-registration icon as
part of display data of the menu screen; and
means for, when the user-registration icon is selected on the menu screen,
executing the selected software having a file name corresponding to the
user-registration icon.
6. A computer according to claim 5, further comprising:
means for providing a plurality of user-registration icons for selecting
execution of software registered by the user, and for selecting at least
one of the user-registration icons in a predetermined order to be set in a
registered state; and
means for designating the user-registration icon and canceling the
registration thereof.
7. A computer according to claim 3, further comprising means for displaying
an operation guide for registration of a user-registration icon and
cancellation thereof on the menu screen on which the user-registration is
displayed.
8. A computer according to claim 5, wherein the software registered by the
user includes icon display data, and said computer further includes means
for, when the software is selected through the user-registration icon,
displaying the user-registration icon based on the icon display data of
the software at a display position of the user-registration icon.
9. A portable computer having a function of displaying a menu screen
including a plurality of task-registered icons for task selection,
comprising:
at least one user-registration icon, arranged on the menu screen, for
selecting execution of software registered by a user;
means for setting a file name and attribute data of an icon title, an
execution command, and the description of the command with respect to the
user-registration icon;
means for displaying the user-registration icon on the menu screen after
the file name and the attribute data are set, upon changing a display form
of the user-registration icon to a display form indicating that the
user-registration icon has already been registered, and for displaying the
set attribute data in an area corresponding to the user-registration icon;
means for storing the file name and the attribute data of the
user-registration icon as part of display data of the menu screen; and
means for, when the user-registration icon in the display form indicating
that the user-registration icon has already been registered is selected on
the menu screen, starting software having a file name corresponding to the
user-registration icon.
10. A computer according to claim 9, further comprising:
means for providing a plurality of user-registration icons for selecting
execution of software registered by the user, and for selecting at least
one of the user-registration icons in a predetermined order to be set in a
registered state; and
means for designating the user-registration icon and canceling the
registration thereof.
11. A computer according to claim 4, further comprising means for
displaying an operation guide for registration of a user-registration icon
and cancellation thereof on the menu screen on which the user-registration
icon is displayed.
12. A computer according to claim 4, wherein the software registered by the
user includes icon display data, and said computer further includes means
for, when the software is selected through the user-registration icon,
displaying the user-registration icon based on the icon display data of
the software at a display position of the user-registration icon.
13. A portable computer comprising:
an icon display window opened on a menu screen when a menu icon arrangement
setting mode is selected;
target icon display means for displaying target icons to be rearranged on
the icon display window one by one;
first operation entry means for updating display contents of the icon
display window;
second operation entry means for selecting an icon display position; and
icon setting means for arranging an icon, selected by said first operation
entry means and displayed on the icon display window, at an icon display
position selected by said second operation entry means.
14. A portable computer according to claim 13 further comprising:
storage means for storing default icon display position data;
third operation entry means for designating restoration to a standard icon
set state; and
means for canceling icon display position data set in an icon arrangement
setting mode in accordance with an instruction from said third operation
entry means, and displaying icons in accordance with the icon display
position data set as standard data in accordance with the stored data.
15. A method of selecting a function with an illustration as an icon,
comprising the computer steps of:
a) displaying a first menu screen having, as menu components, a plurality
of icons for selecting tasks to be executed, and a plurality of function
selector display guides including an icon arrangement function selector
when system power is turned on;
b) displaying a second menu screen for opening an icon display window for
deleting each icon on the first menu screen and displaying target icons to
be rearranged one by one and an arrangement number entry window for
designating an arrangement position of an icon displayed on the icon
display window, and for allowing updating of display contents of the icon
display window, and setting of an arrangement number in the arrangement
number entry window when the menu icon rearrangement function selector is
selected while the first menu screen is displayed; and
c) displaying a third menu screen for arranging an icon displayed on the
icon display window at an icon display position corresponding to the set
arrangement number, and displaying a changed registered state of the icon
when an arrangement number is set in the arrangement number entry window
on the second menu screen,
wherein a menu screen having icons rearranged by the second and third menu
screens becomes a first menu screen when the system power is turned on
next.
16. A portable computer comprising:
means for simultaneously displaying a task selection icon screen including
a user-registration icon for selecting at least one application program,
and a plurality of function key definition guidance data arranged in
correspondence with a plurality of function keys to define operations of
the function keys, one of said function keys to define operations of the
function keys, one of said function keys functioning to set a system
environment for a data entry mode, and the function of setting a system
environment for the data entry mode including a function of setting and
displaying an entry practice window on the menu screen in which an
operator performs a keyboard entry practice;
means for selecting one of the task-selection and user-registration icons
on the menu screen; and
means for selecting the function key definition guidance data on the menu
screen by using a corresponding one of said function keys.
17. A portable computer having a predetermined area on a display screen in
which icons are displayed, comprising:
means for displaying the icons in a plurality of predetermined display
areas on the display screen in one-to-one correspondence;
entry means for instructing rearrangement of the icons;
means for displaying target icons to be rearranged on a display window one
by one in response to the instruction of icon rearrangement;
entry means for designating a specific area of the plurality of display
areas on the display screen in which an icon displayed in the display
window is rearranged; and
means for displaying an icon, displayed in the display window, in a display
area designated by data entered by said designating means.
18. A computer according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of icons are
sequentially selected by using cursor keys.
19. A portable computer having a predetermined area on a display screen in
which icons are displayed, comprising:
a keyboard having a plurality of function keys; means for displaying icons
in a plurality of predetermined display areas on the display screen in
one-to-one correspondence, and simultaneously displaying a plurality of
function key definition guidance data arranged in correspondence with the
plurality of function keys to define operations thereof, said function
keys including a function key for selecting a system configuration file;
means for selecting the icons; and
means for selecting the function key definition guidance data by using
corresponding function keys.
20. A portable computer having a predetermined area on a display screen in
which icons are displayed, comprising:
keyboard means having a plurality of function keys;
means for respectively displaying icons in a plurality of predetermined
display areas on the display screen, and simultaneously displaying a
plurality of function key definition guidance data arranged in
correspondence with the plurality of function keys to define operations of
the function keys, said function keys including a function key having a
function of setting a system environment for a data entry mode, and
displaying an entry practice window on a menu screen in which an operator
performs a keyboard entry practice;
means for selecting the icons; and
means for selecting the function key definition guidance data by using
corresponding function keys.
21. A portable computer having a predetermined area on a display screen in
which icons are displayed, comprising:
means for storing software;
means for displaying a plurality of areas on the display screen in which
new icons can be displayed, the plurality of display areas being
constituted by rectangular display frames of uniform size;
means for selecting one of the plurality of icon display areas;
means for registering the software in the selected icon display area;
means for canceling registration of the registered software; and
means for changing, from a dark display to a light display, a display of
the display frame of a display area in which an icon corresponding to
deleted software has been displayed. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates a portable computer having a function of
displaying a menu screen on which an operation to be executed is selected
with an icon.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional portable computer such as a laptop computer or a notebook
computer, when tasks based on various types of application software are to
be executed, various types of operations are required, e.g., installation
of an OS (operating system) as basic software for a system operation from
a floppy disk, a hard disk, or the like into the main memory; and entry of
execution commands, prior to the execution of the tasks. For this reason,
especially for unskilled persons, a problem is posed in terms of
operability.
In consideration of operability, some recently developed wordprocessors
have a function of displaying a menu screen having a plurality of icons
for task selection at the time the power is turned on, thereby allowing
the user to arbitrarily select a task on the menu screen.
However, the menu screen of a conventional apparatus of this type is
designed such that a plurality of icons to be selected are fixed to preset
display positions on the menu screen. In addition, an initial icon
selection position is fixed. For this reason, if an icon indicating a task
to be executed is not located at the initial icon selection position, a
selecting operation including an operation of moving the icon selection
position must be performed. More specifically, a cursor indicates an icon
at the uppermost left end on the menu screen at the time the power is
turned on. If, therefore, target software is registered in an icon at the
lowermost right end, the cursor must be moved to the icon to select it. In
addition, the arrangement of icons is often unsuitable for personal use,
and hence it is not easy to use such a portable computer, posing a problem
in terms of operability.
A description of icon rearrangement is given in "Microsoft Windows (TM)
User's Guide", Microsoft in the U.S. (published in 1985). The arrangement
of the program icons can be adjusted in two ways. In one way, the
arrangement icons command on Program Manager's Window menu is selected
each time resizing a group window is finished. In the alternative way, the
auto arrangement command on Program Manager's Options menu is selected
before a group window is resized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable computer
which has a task selection menu allowing easy selection and execution of
arbitrary application software without entering a command.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable
computer which allows arbitrary changes of an icon arrangement, on a menu
screen, designed for selection of a plurality of tasks, in accordance with
the frequency in use of the respective icons, the order of tasks to be
executed, and the like, thereby always displaying a menu screen having a
menu icon arrangement ensuring high operability, and a method of
displaying menu icons.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable
computer which can simultaneously display an icon screen for task
selection, and a plurality of function key definition guidance data
arranged in correspondence with a plurality of function keys to define the
operations thereof.
It is till another object of the present invention to provide a portable
computer which has a function of setting an entry mode (system
environment) upon operation of a function key, which mode includes a
function of displaying an entry practice window on a menu screen when the
entry mode is set.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable
computer which has a software install program for installing an
application program which a user wants to register, which software install
program can display installation procedures when the user installs the
application program.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a portable
computer which can display an install operation from an external storage
device as guidance data when an application program corresponding to a
selected icon is not installed from an internal storage device.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
portable computer comprising display means for displaying a menu screen
having at least one user registration icon for selecting and executing
arbitrary software of one piece or plurality of software supplied from a
floppy disk and the like and stored in a computer main body (a hard RAM, a
hard disk, or the like), means for setting a file name (or file name and
attribute data) with respect to the selected user registration icon, means
for displaying the selected user registration icon upon changing a display
form thereof to a display form indicating that the icon has already been
registered (e.g., emphasized display), means for storing display data of
the user registration icon, whose display form has been changed to the
display form indicating that the icon has already been registered, as part
of display data of the menu screen, and means for, when the user
registration icon in the display form indicating that the icon has already
been registered is selected, starting software having the corresponding
file name.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a portable computer comprising a ROM for storing a menu screen display
processing program started in initialization processing when system power
is turned on, and menu components including a plurality of menu icons used
to access the program, a nonvolatile memory portion, constituted by, e.g.,
a hard RAM or a hard disk in a computer main body, for storing menu
display management data including display position and selection position
data of the menu icons, processing means based on the program for
displaying the plurality of menu icons (shown in, e.g., FIG. 4) on a
display screen in accordance with data in the memory portion, operation
entry means (e.g., operation entry means using function keys and display
selectors) for designating a rearrangement setting mode for changing the
positions of the respective icons displayed by the processing means,
processing means based on the program for updating the data in the memory
portion in accordance with data set in the rearrangement setting mode, and
re-displaying a menu screen having menu icons having menu icons based on
the updated data on the display screen, processing means based on the
program for emphatically displaying a menu icon, on the menu screen, which
corresponds to a previously executed task, as an icon in an initial
selection state in accordance with the selection position data of the menu
icons, and operation entry means for selecting an arbitrary menu icon on
the menu screen, wherein a task corresponding to a menu icon selected on
the menu screen is instantaneously executed.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
method of selecting a function with an illustration as an icon, comprising
the computer steps of: a) displaying a first menu screen having, as menu
components, a plurality of icons for selecting tasks to be executed, and a
plurality of function selector display guides including an icon
rearrangement function selector when system power is turned on; b)
displaying a second menu screen for opening an icon display window for
deleting each icon on the first menu screen and displaying target icons to
be rearranged one by one and an arrangement number entry window for
designating an arrangement position of an icon displayed on the icon
display window, and for allowing updating of display contents of the icon
display window, and setting of an arrangement number in the arrangement
number entry window when the menu icon rearrangement function selector is
selected while the first menu screen is displayed; and c) displaying a
third menu screen for arranging an icon displayed on the icon display
window at an icon display position corresponding to the set arrangement
number, and displaying a changed registered stated of the icon when an
arrangement number is set in the arrangement number entry window on the
second menu screen, wherein a menu screen having icons rearranged by the
second and third menu screens becomes a first menu screen when the system
power is turned on next.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a portable computer comprising means for simultaneously displaying a task
selection icon screen including an icon for selecting at least one
application program, and a plurality of function key definition guidance
data arranged in correspondence with a plurality of function keys to
define operations of the function keys, means for selecting one of the
icons on the menu screen by using cursor keys, and means for selecting the
function key definition guidance data on the menu screen by using a
corresponding one of the function keys, wherein the function keys have
functions of setting a system environment.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
portable computer comprising means for simultaneously displaying a task
selection icon screen including an icon for selecting at least one
application program, and a plurality of function key definition guidance
data arranged in correspondence with a plurality of function keys to
define operations of the function keys, means for selecting one of the
icons on the menu screen by using cursor keys, and means for selecting the
function key definition guidance data on the menu screen by using a
corresponding one of the function keys, and a function, set in one of the
function keys, for setting a system environment for an entry mode, wherein
the function of setting a system environment for an entry mode includes a
function of setting and displaying an entry practice window on the menu
screen.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
portable computer comprising means for displaying a plurality of icons
including an icon for selecting at least one existing application program,
and an icon for software installation, an internal storage device for
storing the existing application program and a software install program
for installing an application program which a user wants to register, and
means for selecting one of the icons by using cursor keys, wherein the
software install program has a function of displaying installation
procedures on a screen when the user installs an application program.
According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a portable computer comprising means for displaying a plurality of icons
including an icon for selecting at least one application program, an
internal storage device for storing the application program, means for
selecting one of the icons by using cursor keys, and means for displaying
an install operation from an external storage device as guidance data when
the application program corresponding to the selected icon is not
installed in the internal storage device.
In the above-described arrangement, one user registration icon is selected
on the menu screen by operating cursor keys, and the file name (or the
file name and attribute data) of software stored in the computer main body
is set in the selected user registration icon. The set contents are then
reflected in the selected user registration icon so that the user
registration icon is displayed in a display form, e.g.,
emphasized-display, indicating that the icon has already been registered.
By selecting this emphatically displayed user registration icon, a command
corresponding to the icon is issued, and software having the corresponding
file name is executed.
By registering arbitrary software in a user registration icon in this
manner, arbitrary software can be easily executed on the menu screen.
According to the present invention, an icon screen for task selection,
which includes an icon for selecting at least one application program, and
a plurality of function key definition guidance data arranged in
correspondence with a plurality of function keys to define the operations
thereof can be simultaneously displayed on the menu screen. With this
operation, a selecting operation using an icon and an operation of a
function key can be performed on the same screen.
In addition, according to the present invention, the function of setting a
system environment of each entry mode is set in one of the function keys.
With the function of this entry mode, the entry practice window can be set
on the menu screen, and keyboard entry practice can be performed in this
window.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, the portable computer
includes a software install program for installing an application program
which the user wants to register. With this software install program,
installation procedures can be displayed when the user installs the
application program.
Moreover, according to the present invention, if an application program
corresponding to a selected icon is not installed in the internal storage
device, installation procedure data from an external storage device can be
displayed as guidance data.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the
description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the
description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects
and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of
the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part
of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the
invention, and together with the general description given above and the
detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to
explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a portable
computer according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view showing the memory map of the portable computer according
to the first embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a hardware arrangement for inter-ROM
bank switching in the first embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a view showing the arrangement of an initial menu screen in the
first embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a sequence of starting display of a menu
screen in the first embodiment;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a sequence of performing menu processing in
step A4 in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a sequence of performing user registration
when "USER REGISTRATION" is selected by operating a function key F7 on the
menu screen shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a sequence of performing software install
processing when a software install icon a6 is selected on the menu screen
shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a sequence of performing user registration
processing in step S23 in FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a view showing a user registration screen in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 11 is a view showing a user registration screen in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 12 is a view showing a user registration screen in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 13 is a view showing a user registration screen in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 14 is a view showing a user registration screen in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 15 is a view showing a software install screen in the first
embodiment;
FIG. 16 is a view showing the arrangement of a menu screen displayed when a
"MENU REARRANGEMENT" function is selected on the initial menu screen shown
in FIG. 14;
FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing a sequence of an icon rearrangement setting
process to be performed when a "MENU REARRANGEMENT" function is selected
on the initial menu screen shown in FIG. 14;
FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing a sequence of a setting process in step C4
in FIG. 17;
FIG. 19 is a flow chart showing a sequence of up and down cursor key
process in step D3 in FIG. 18;
FIG. 20 is a flow chart showing a sequence of a numeric entry process in
step D4 in FIG. 18;
FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing a sequence of a standard setting process in
step D5 in FIG. 18;
FIG. 22 a flow chart showing a sequence of a cancel process in step D6 in
FIG. 18;
FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing a sequence of an entry mode process;
FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing a sequence of checking whether application
software is installed in an H-RAM;
FIG. 25 is a view showing screen displaying selection of an entry mode;
FIG. 26 is a view showing screen displaying entry practice according to an
input mode; and
FIG. 27 is a view showing a screen for displaying guidance data in a case
wherein no application software is installed in the H-RAM.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with
reference to the accompanying drawings. This embodiment exemplifies the
portable computer having two user registration icons on a menu screen,
which icons are used to select the execution of software arbitrarily
stored in the computer main body by the user.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the portable
computer according to the embodiment.
Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a CPU for controlling the
overall system. When basic software for the system operation, e.g., the
MS-DOS (registered trademark), stored in a ROM (DOS ROM 21) in the
computer is installed, the CPU 11 starts a menu display processing program
(P MENU) 21a stored in the DOS ROM 21 in initialization processing, and
executes processing routines associated with menu display, such as the
ones shown in the flow charts in FIGS. 5 through 8, and FIGS. 17 through
24. More specifically, when the system power is turned on, and the MS-DOS
is installed from the built-in DOS ROM 21 located in a memory space in
which the banks of the computer main body can be accessed, instead of
installing the MS-DOS from a floppy disk drive (FDD) 31 or a hard disk
(HDD (option)) 30, the menu display processing program (P MENU) 21a stored
in the DOS ROM 21 is executed by the DOS, thus executing processing
routines, associated with menu display, including setting of user
registration icons and execution of icon display, such as the ones shown
in FIGS. 5 through 9 and FIGS. 17 through 24.
Reference numeral 11A denotes a bus controller for performing bus access
control, bus cycle control, and the like of various system components such
as I/O units. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, enable signals E1 and E2
output from the bus controller 11A are used for bank switching between the
kanji ROM 19, the dictionary ROM 20, the DOS ROM 21, the application ROM
22, and the expansion application ROM 36.
Reference numerals 12 through 29 denote system components connected to the
CPU 11 through a system bus 10 and the bus controller 11A.
More specifically, the system component 12 is a main memory used as a
storage area for an executable program (to be executed), a work area, and
the like. In this case, the main memory 12 has a capacity of 2 MB. Part of
the area of the main memory 12 except for the system program area (640 KB)
shown in FIG. 2 can be set as a hard RAM (H-RAM). For example, this hard
RAM (H-RAM) can be used as an area for storing commercially available
application software loaded from the floppy disk drive 31. In this case,
if a user registration icon is set with respect to the software, the
software corresponding to the registered icon can be executed by only
selecting the user registration icon (a4 or a5) in a registered state
indicated by, e.g., emphasized display, on the menu screen shown in FIG. 4
by performing a cursor key operation.
In the embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned hard RAM is
set instead of mounting the hard disk (HDD pack) 30. The following
description is based on the assumption that a file containing menu display
management data including the display location data of menu icons is set
in the hard RAM.
The system component 13 is a system ROM for storing control programs
including an IRT processing routine. In this case, the control programs
include a processing routine for automatically installing the DOS ROM 21
incorporated, as a standard unit, in the computer, when it is confirmed
that the MS-DOS is not supplied from the floppy disk drive 31, the hard
disk (HDD) 30, or the like, in initialization processing to start the
system. Note that the DOS ROM 21 stores the menu display processing
program (P MENU) 21a having the processing functions shown in FIGS. 5
through 9, and FIGS. 17 through 24. The DOS stored in the DOS ROM 21
treats the menu display processing program (P MENU) 21a as one execution
file.
The system component 14 is a DMA controller (DMAC: Direct Memory Access
Controller) for performing direct data transfer by directly performing
access control with respect to the main memory 12; 15, a programmable
interrupt controller (PIC) 15 for controlling interruption in accordance
with a set program; 16, a timer (Programmable Interval Timer) for
executing a timer count operation in accordance with a set program; 17, a
real-time clock (RTC) as a timepiece module having a CMOS memory for
storing data and used, for example, to store setup data; and 18, a backup
RAM backed up by a battery and used, for example, to store system
configuration data set by the user.
The system component 19 is a kanji ROM for storing various kanji fonts; and
20, a dictionary ROM used as a kana/kanji conversion table. The kanji ROM
19 and the dictionary ROM 20 are mapped in the same 64-Kbyte address space
together with the DOS ROM 21 and the application ROM 22 (both will be
described later), as shown in FIG. 2, and are selectively read-accessed by
bank switching, as shown in FIG. 3.
The system component 21 is a DOS ROM for storing the MS-DOS as basic
software for the system operation of this computer system, and the menu
display processing program (P MENU) 21a driven by the DOS and having the
processing functions shown in FIGS. 5 through 9 and FIGS. 17 through 24.
In this case, the DOS ROM 21 consists of 512 Kbytes (64 Kbytes.times.8
pages). As shown in FIG. 2, the DOS ROM 21 is mapped in the same memory
space, in which bank access can be performed, together with the kanji ROM
19, the dictionary ROM 20, the application ROM 22, and the expansion
application ROM 36. The DOS ROM 21 is selectively accessed by the bank
switching circuit shown in FIG. 3.
With the DOS ROM 21, the system can be automatically started without
installing the MS-DOS from the floppy disk drive (FDD) 31, the hard disk
(HDD pack) 30, or the like upon turning on the system power. In this case,
a menu for task selection, such as the one shown in FIG. 4, is
automatically displayed when the menu display processing program (P MENU)
21a is started. On this menu, the user selects and executes application
programs stored in the application ROM 22, software registered in user
registration icons (a1, a2), and the like.
The system component 22 is an application ROM for storing application
software. In this case, Japanese word processor application software and
spreadsheet application software are stored in the application ROM 22.
Similar to the above-described DOS ROM 21, the application ROM 22 is mapped
in the same memory space, in which bank access can be performed, together
with the kanji ROM 19, the dictionary ROM 20, and the like, and is
selectively accessed by the bank switching circuit. According to the
system of this embodiment, therefore, when the system power is turned on,
and "WORD PROCESSOR" or "SPREADSHEET" is selected from the displayed menu
for task selection, the selected task can be immediately executed without
installing the MS-DOS, application software, and the like from the floppy
disk drive 31, the hard disk (HDD pack) 30, or the like.
The system component 23 is an option expansion memory connected to the
computer to expand the memory area as needed.
Of the above-described ROMs, the kanji ROM 19, the dictionary ROM 20, the
DOS ROM 21, and the application ROM 22 are constituted by mask ROMs,
respectively, but the expansion memory 23 is constituted by a one-time
PROM (OTP).
The system component 24 is an FDD controller for controlling the floppy
disk drive (FDD) 31 for driving a 3.5-inch floppy disk (FD); 25, a printer
controller for controlling a printer 32 connected optionally; and 26, an
RS-232C controller for controlling the RS-232C connected optionally.
The system component 27 is a keyboard controller for controlling a keyboard
33, a mouse, and the like. 2-bit signals (P36 and P37) output from I/O
ports of the keyboard controller 27 are used for bank switching between
the kanji ROM 19, the dictionary ROM 20, the DOS ROM 21, the application
ROM 22, and the expansion application ROM 36.
The system component 28 is a display controller for performing read/write
control with respect to a video RAM (VRAM) 29, and drives/controls a
liquid crystal display 34 having a resolution of 640.times.400 dots.
Reference numeral 35 denotes a power supply controller having a special
microprocessor for ON/OFF-controlling the system power. The power supply
controller 35 generates various kinds of power including backup power
required for the system by using power from an AC adaptor, a built-in
battery, and the like, and controls charging of the built-in battery.
FIG. 2 shows the memory map of the portable computer in the above-described
embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the kanji ROM 19, the dictionary ROM 20, the DOS ROM
21, the application ROM 22, the expansion application ROM 36, a hard RAM
window, and the like are commonly allocated to a 64-Kbyte area from
address "0E0000H" through address "0F0000H".
For this reason, exclusive control is required for access to the kanji ROM
19, the dictionary ROM 20, the DOS ROM 21, the application ROM 22, the
expansion application ROM 36, the hard RAM, and the like.
This exclusive control can be realized by an inter-ROM bank switching
method in which hardware control is performed to set one ROM in an enable
state while setting the remaining ROMs in a disabled state.
This inter-ROM bank switching method is performed by hardware using the
signals (E1 and E2) output from the bus controller 11A and the signals
(P36 and P37) output from the I/O ports of the keyboard controller 27. The
detailed arrangement of this hardware will be described later with
reference to FIG. 3.
Bank switching in a ROM selected by the inter-ROM bank switching method is
executed in units of pages. Assume that the 1-MB kanji ROM 19 is selected.
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