Laptop computer including a touch-sensitive display and method of driving the laptop computer

• US 20050114825A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Leung, Ying Tat, Levanoni, Menachem
• Application Number:
  US10/718,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• 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 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

The laptop computer includes a first display, and a second display attachable to the first display. The second display is a touch-sensitive display.

Claims

1. A laptop computer comprising:

a first display; and

a second display attachable to the first display, wherein the second display comprises a touch-sensitive display.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the second display is rotatably attachable to the first display.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the second display displays a user-interface.

4. The computer of claim 3, wherein the user-interface comprises a keyboard.

5. The computer of claim 3, wherein the user-interface comprises a pointing device.

6. The computer of claim 3, wherein the user-interface is reconfigurable in accordance with instruction from a software application being executed on the laptop computer.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein the first display comprises a touch-sensitive display.

8. A method of driving a laptop computer having a first display attachable to a second display that is touch-sensitive, the method comprising:

displaying a user-interface on the second display; and

receiving an input from the user-interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first display is rotatably attachable to the second display.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user-interface comprises a keyboard.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising reconfiguring the user-interface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the user-interface comprises reconfiguring the user-interface in response to an application state.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the user-interface comprises reconfiguring the user-interface in response to a user preference.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the user-interface comprises reconfiguring the user-interface in response to a user instruction.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein reconfiguring the user-interface comprises one of changing the size of the user-interface, changing the location of the user-interface, moving a key within the user-interface, removing a key from the user-interface, changing a label on a key on the user-interface, and changing a color of a key on the user-interface.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying a hot key that triggers the execution of a plurality of instructions in accordance with a state of the laptop computer.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying an application result.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying an application result comprises displaying a first page of an electronic book on one of the first display and the second display.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the displaying of the application result further comprises displaying a second page of an electronic book on the other one of the first display and the second display.

20. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying a drop-down menu on the second display.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the keyboard comprises displaying a color-coded keyboard.

22. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processor for driving a laptop computer having a first display attachable to a second display that is touch-sensitive apparatus, the program comprising:

instructions for displaying a user-interface on the second display; and

instructions for receiving an input from the user-interface.

23. A laptop computer comprising:

a first display;

a second display that is touch sensitive and attached to the first display;

means for displaying a user-interface on the second display, and

means for receiving an input from the user-interface

24. A method of providing a display for a laptop computer, the method comprising:

providing a first display; and

providing a second display attachable to the first display, wherein the second display comprises a touch-sensitive display.

25. A laptop computer comprising:

a first display; and

a second display attachable to the first display, wherein the second display comprises a customizable user-interface.