Controlling displays for processor-based systems

• US 20040150635A1
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward O. Clapper
• Original Assignee: Edward O. Clapper
• Inventors: Clapper, Edward O.
• Granted Patent: US 7,030,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/204
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/26 for modifying the character dimensions, e.g. double width, double height

Abstract

A processor-based system may include a display and a sensor which detects the orientation of the display with respect to the rest of the system. As the system is displaced, the sensor detects the orientation of the system. The system may automatically alter a characteristic of information displayed on the display in response to the detection of a change in orientation.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information on a processor-based system comprising:

detecting the orientation of a display coupled to said system; and

changing a characteristic of the information displayed on said display in response to the detected orientation of the display.

2. The method of claim 1 further including detecting the angle of the display with respect to the rest of the processor-based system and changing the aspect ratio of characters displayed on the display in response to the detected orientation of the display.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein changing a characteristic includes changing the orientation of information displayed on said display.

4. The method of claim 3 including rotating the information displayed on the display approximately 90°

in response to a displacement of said display of approximately 90°

.

5. The method of claim 3 including rotating the information displayed on said display by a approximately 180°

in response to a displacement of said display of approximately 180°

.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein changing a characteristic includes automatically changing said characteristic in response to the detection of the orientation of said display.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein changing a characteristic includes selecting a program for operation based on the orientation of the display.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein changing a characteristic includes utilizing display orientation as a software input command.

9. An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

detect the orientation of a display coupled to said system; and

change a characteristic of the information displayed on the display in response to the detected orientation of the display.

10. The article of claim 9 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to detect the angle of the display with respect to the rest of the processor-based system and change the aspect ratio of letters displayed on the display in response to detected orientation of the display.

11. The article of claim 9 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to change the orientation of information displayed on the display.

12. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to rotate the information displayed on the display by approximately 90°

in response to a displacement of the display of approximately 90°

.

13. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to rotate the information displayed on the display by approximately 180°

in response to a displacement of the display of approximately 180°

.

14. The article of claim 9 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to automatically change a characteristic in response to the detection of the orientation of the display.

15. The article of claim 9 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to select a program for operation based on the orientation of the display.

16. The article of claim 9 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to use a signal indicative of the orientation of a display as a software input command.

17. A processor-based system comprising:

a processor;

storage coupled to said processor;

a circuit that produces a signal indicative of the orientation of the circuit, said circuit coupled to said processor; and

software stored on said storage to cause information to be displayed in different formats depending on the orientation of said circuit.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said circuit includes an accelerometer.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said accelerometer senses accelerations in at least two transverse axes.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said accelerometer senses accelerations along at least three transverse axes.

21. The system of claim 17 further including a display and a housing including a keyboard, said housing hingedly connected to said display.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said display has a longer and a shorter axis, and said software changes the way information is displayed between a first orientation where information is displayed along the longer axis and a second orientation which information is displayed along the shorter axis.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein information is displayed in one of at least two orientations along the longer axis, each orientation inverted with respect the other.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said software changes the aspect ratio of information displayed on said display based on the angle of said display with respect to said housing.