Portable computer with multiple display configurations

• US 10,289,154 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Inventors: Behar, Yves, Morenstein, Joshua, Hibmacronan, Christopher, Edahiro, Naoya, Day, Matthew David
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US15/896,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20180307271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A portable computer that is configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode (in which the portable computer has a conventional laptop appearance) and an easel mode in which the base of the computer and its display component stand vertically forming an inverted “V.” The portable computer includes a hinge assembly that couples the display component to the base of the computer, and allows the display component to be rotated about an axis along an interface between the display component and the base to configure the portable computer between a closed position, the laptop mode and the easel mode.

Claims

1. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes comprising a first mode and a second mode, the portable computer comprising:

a display component comprising a display screen;

a base comprising a keyboard and a touchpad;

hinge assembly that rotatably couples the base to the display component, the hinge assembly being configured to permit the display component to rotate relative to the base up to at least 270 degrees from a closed position where the display screen faces the keyboard;

an orientation sensor configured to generate orientation information indicative of an orientation of at least part of the portable computer; and

a display manager configured to detect a current display mode from among the plurality of display modes based at least in part on the orientation information and enlarge at least some computer content displayed on the display screen when the current display mode transitions from the first mode to the second mode;

wherein the display component is in a first position relative to the base in the first mode; and

wherein the display component is in a second position relative to the base that is different from the first position in the second mode.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the display component in the first position is rotated relative to the base no more than 180 degrees from the closed position and wherein the display component in the second position is rotated relative to the base beyond 180 degrees from the closed position.

3. The portable computer of claim 2, wherein the display manager is configured to display content in a first orientation when the current display mode is the first mode and display content in a second orientation that is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first orientation when the current display mode is the second mode.

4. The portable computer of claim 3, wherein the first mode is a laptop mode and the second mode is an easel mode, wherein the plurality of display modes comprises a frame mode, and wherein the display manager is configured to display content in the first orientation when the current display mode is the frame mode.

5. The portable computer of claim 4, wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

6. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the at least some computer content includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an icon, a menu, an image, and a video.

7. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the portable computer is configured to disable the keyboard when the current display mode is the second mode.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising at least one navigation element that is accessible in the first and second modes.

9. The portable computer of claim 8, wherein the display manager is configured to transition to a home screen when the navigation element is activated.

10. The portable computer of claim 9, wherein the navigation element comprises a navigation button disposed on a side of the base.

11. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes comprising a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, the portable computer comprising:

a display component comprising a surface;

a display screen disposed in the surface of the display component;

a camera disposed in the surface of the display component;

a base comprising a first surface and a second surface;

a keyboard disposed in the first surface of the base;

a touchpad disposed in the first surface of the base;

a power button disposed in the second surface of the base;

a central processing unit disposed in the base;

hinge assembly that rotatably couples the base to the display component, the hinge assembly being configured to permit the display component to rotate relative to the base up to at least 270 degrees from a closed position where the surface of the display component faces the first surface of the base;

an orientation sensor configured to generate orientation information indicative of an orientation of at least part of the portable computer; and

a display manager configured to detect a current display mode from among the plurality of display modes based at least in part on the orientation information, display content in a first orientation when the current display mode is the first mode or the third mode, display content in a second orientation that is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first orientation when the current display mode is the second mode, and enlarge at least some computer content displayed on the display screen when the current display mode transitions from the first mode to the second mode.

12. The portable computer of claim 11, wherein the first mode is a laptop mode, the second mode is easel mode, and the third mode is frame mode.

13. The portable computer of claim 12, wherein the orientation sensor comprises an accelerometer.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the portable computer is configured to disable the keyboard when the current display mode is the third mode.

15. The portable computer of claim 11, wherein the computer content includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

an icon, a menu, an image, and a video.

16. The portable computer of claim 11, further comprising at least one navigation element disposed in the second surface of the base.

17. The portable computer of claim 16, wherein the display manager is configured to transition to a first home screen when the navigation element is activated and the current display mode is the first mode.

18. The portable computer of claim 17, wherein the display manager is configured to transition to a second home screen when the navigation element is activated and the current display mode is the second mode, wherein the first home screen is different from the second home screen.

19. The portable computer of claim 16, further comprising a speaker disposed in the base and a volume control button disposed in the second surface of the base.

20. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes comprising a laptop mode, an easel mode, and a frame mode, the portable computer comprising:

a display component comprising a surface;

a display screen disposed in the surface of the display component;

a camera disposed in the surface of the display component;

a base comprising a top surface, a bottom surface that is opposite the top surface, and a lateral surface that is between the top surface and the bottom surface;

a keyboard disposed in the top surface of the base;

a touchpad disposed in the top surface of the base;

a power button disposed in the lateral surface of the base;

a central processing unit disposed in the base;

a speaker disposed in the base;

a volume control button disposed in the lateral surface of the base;

hinge assembly that rotatably couples the base to the display component and comprises a multi-axis hinge, the hinge assembly being configured to permit the display component to rotate relative to the base up to at least 270 degrees from a closed position where the surface of the display component faces the top surface of the base;

an accelerometer configured to generate orientation information indicative of an orientation of at least part of the portable computer; and

a display manager configured to detect a current display mode from among the plurality of display modes based at least in part on the orientation information, display content in a first orientation when the current display mode is the laptop mode or the frame mode, display content in a second orientation that is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first orientation when the current display mode is the easel mode, and enlarge at least some computer content displayed on the display screen when the current display mode transitions from the laptop mode to the easel mode; and

wherein the at least some computer content includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of;

an image and a video.