Portable computer to which different types of flat display panels can be attached

Claim 2

A data processing apparatus with a flat panel display unit comprising: input means (11, 311) for inputting data and com­mands; data processing means (301) for executing data pro­cessing on the basis of the data and commands input by said input means (11, 311); display driving means (313, 317), controlled by said data processing means (301), for outputting a drive signal to drive said flat panel display unit; main power supply means (319) for generating a power supply voltage to drive said data processing means (301), said display driving means (313, 317), and said flat panel display unit; a case unit (3) in which said data processing means (301), said display driving means (313, 317), said input means (11, 311), and said main power supply means (319) are arranged; and first connector means (17), arranged on said case unit (3), for outputting the drive signal from said display driving means (313, 317) and the power supply voltage from said main power supply means (319) to the outside of said case unit (3); characterized by further comprising: a first flat panel display unit (5, 7, 9) which is prepared as a unit which constitutes said flat panel display unit, has second connector means (501) detachable from said first connector means (17), and a detachable mechanism (13, 53) detachable from said case unit (3), and displays data output from said data pro­cessing means (301) in accordance with the drive signal and the power supply voltage supplied through the set first and second connector means (17, 501); and a second flat panel display unit (7, 9) which is prepared as a unit which constitutes said flat panel display unit has said second connector means (701, 901), (8, 8a), said detachable mechanism (13, 53), and con­verting means (503, 903) for converting the power supply voltage into a power supply voltage required to perform a display operation for displaying the data output from said data processing means (301), and executes the display operation in accordance with the drive signal and the power supply voltage from said converting means (503, 903) to serve as a replacement unit with respect to said first flat panel display unit (5, 7, 9).

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said second flat panel display unit has a transmission type liquid crystal display unit (51), and back-light means (505) required for a display opera­tion of said transmission type liquid crystal display unit (51), and drives said back-light means (505) by a power supply voltage generated from said converting means (503), and drives said transmission type liquid crystal display unit (51) in accordance with the drive signal and the power supply voltage supplied through said first and second connector means (17, 501).

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said first flat panel display unit has a reflection type liquid crystal display unit (71).

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, charac­terized in that said converting means (503, 903) has a DC - DC converter for converting the power supp|y voltage generated from said main power supply means (319), into a power supply voltage having a predeter­mined level.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 2, charac­terized in that said back-light means (505) comprises a fluorescent lamp.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 2, charac­terized in that said converting means (503, 903) compri­ses a DC - DC converter for converting the power supply voltage generated from said main power supply means (319) into a power supply voltage having a predeter­mined level required to drive said back-light means (505).

Claim 8

A data processing apparatus with a flat panel display unit comprising: input means (11, 311) for inputting data and commands; data processing means (301) for executing data processing on the basis of the data and commands input by said input means (11, 311); display driving means (313, 317), controlled by said data processing means (301), for outputting a drive signal to drive said flat panel display unit; main power supply means (319) for generating a power supply voltage to drive said data processing means (301), said display driving means (313, 317), and said flat panel display unit; a case unit (3) in which said data processing means (301), said display driving means (313, 317), said input means (11, 311), and said main power supply means (319) are arranged; and first connector means (17), arranged on said case unit (3), for outputting the drive signal from said display driving means (313, 317) and the power supply voltage from said main power supply means (319) to the outside of said case unit (3); characterized by further comprising: a first flat panel display unit (9) which is prepared as a unit which constitutes said flat panel display unit has second connector means (901) detachable from said first connector means (17), and a detachable mechanism (13, 53) detachable from said case unit (3), and displays data output from said data processing means (301) in accordance with the drive signal and the power supply voltage supplied through the set first and second connector means (17, 901); and a second flat panel display unit (7) which is prepared as a unit which constitutes said flat panel display unit has said second connector means (701), said detachable mechanism (13, 53), voltage converting means for converting the power supply voltage into a power supply voltage required to perform a display operation for displaying the data output from said data processing means (301), and signal converting means (707) for con­verting the drive signal into a drive signal required to perform a display operation for displaying the data out­put from said data processing means (301), and executes a monochrome display operation in accordance with the power supply voltage from said voltage converting means and the drive signal from said signal converting means (707) to serve as a replacement unit with respect to said first flat panel display unit (9).

Claim 9

A data processing apparatus with a flat panel display unit comprising: input means (11, 311) for inputting data and commands; data processing means (301) for executing data processing on the basis of the data and commands input by said input means (11, 311); display driving means (313, 317), controlled by said data processing means (301), for outputting a drive signal to drive said flat panel display unit; main power supply means (319) for generating a power supply voltage to drive said data processing means (301), said display driving means (313, 317), and said flat panel display unit; a case unit (3) in which said data processing means (301), said display driving means (313, 317), said input means (11, 311), and said main power supply means (319) are arranged; and first connector means (17), arranged on said case unit (3), for outputting the drive signal from said display driving means (313, 317) and the power supply voltage from said main power supply means (319) to the outside of said case unit (3); characterized by further comprising: a first flat panel display unit (9) which is prepared as a unit which constitutes said flat panel display unit has second connector means (901) detachable from said first connector means (17), and a detachable mechanism (13, 53) detachable from said case unit (3), and displays data output from said data processing means (301) in accordance with the drive signal and the power supply voltage supplied through the set first and second connector means (17, 901); and a second flat panel display unit (7) which is prepared as a unit which constitutes said flat panel display unit has said second connector means (701), said detachable mechanism (13, 53), voltage converting means for converting the power supply voltage into a power supply voltage required to perform a display operation for displaying the data output from said data processing means (301), and signal converting means (707) for con­verting the drive signal into a drive signal required to perform a display operation for displaying the data out­put from said data processing means (301), and executes a monochrome display operation in accordance with the power supply voltage from said voltage converting means and the drive signal from said signal converting means (707) to serve as a replacement unit with respect to said first flat panel display unit (9).

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7, charac­terized in that said first flat panel display unit has a color liquid crystal display unit (73).

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, charac­terized in that said second flat panel display unit has a monochrome liquid crystal display unit (71).

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 7, charac­terized in that said voltage converting means comprises a DC - DC converter for converting a power supply voltage generated from said main power supply means (319) into a power supply voltage having a predetermined level required to drive said second flat panel display unit (7).

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 7, charac­terized in that said signal converting means (707) comprises a circuit for eliminating a color display control signal required to perform a color display operation of said first flat panel display unit (9) from the drive signal from said display driving means (313, 317), and for converting the obtained signal into a drive signal required to perform a monochrome display opera­tion of said second flat panel display unit (7).