DISPLAYS FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20060194619A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E Ink Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilcox, Russell J., Anderson, Pehr C., Goldfarb, Gregory L., Gates, Holly G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,064,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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: G09F 9/301 flexible foldable or roll-able electronic displays, e.g. thin LCD, OLED
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

A portable electronic device, for example a cellular telephone or a personal digital assistant, has an internal screen for the display of information, the electronic device also having an external screen arranged to receive information from the electronic device and being capable of displaying this information on an electro-optic medium. There is also provided a cellular telephone having a visual indicator comprising an electro-optic medium having at least two different display states, the electro-optic medium being arranged to change its display state when a call is received by the telephone.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device having an internal screen for the display of information, the electronic device also having a flexible external screen arranged to receive information from the electronic device and being capable of displaying said information on a bistable electro-optic medium, the device further comprising a housing, the external screen being movable between a retracted position, in which less than the full display area of the external screen is displayed, and an extended position, in which substantially the full display area of the external screen is displayed, the external screen extending a greater distance from the housing in its extended position that in its retracted position, the device further comprising an end support member and two side support members which, when the external screen is in its extended position, serve to hold the external screen substantially flat.

2. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 comprising a cellular telephone.

3. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 comprising a personal digital assistant.

4. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the external screen has a larger number of pixels than the internal screen in both dimensions.

5. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the external screen is from about 2 to about 14 inches in size, measured diagonally.

6. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein, in its retracted position, the external screen has the form of a scroll wound around a rotatable member.

7. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein, in its retracted position, the external screen has a folded or serpentine configuration.

8. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the side support members are movable between an extended position, in which they are arranged to support the external screen in its extended position, and a retracted position in which they lie closer to the housing than in their extended positions.

9. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the external screen is arranged to draw power from a battery located within the portable electronic device.

10. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the external screen is provided with at least one manually-operable data input means.

11. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the external screen is detachable from the portable electronic device.

12. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises an electrophoretic medium.

13. A portable electronic device according to claim 12 wherein the electrophoretic medium is an encapsulated electrophoretic medium.

14. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises a rotating bichromal member medium.

15. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises an electrochromic medium.

27. A portable electronic device according to claim 1 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises an electrochromic medium.

16. A portable electronic device having a flexible external screen arranged to receive information from the electronic device and being capable of displaying said information on a bistable electro-optic medium, the device further comprising a housing, the external screen being movable between a retracted position, in which less than the full display area of the external screen is displayed, and an extended position, in which substantially the full display area of the external screen is displayed, the external screen extending a greater distance from the housing in its extended position that in its retracted position, the device further comprising an end support member and two side support members which, when the external screen is in its extended position, serve to hold the external screen substantially flat.

17. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 comprising a cellular telephone.

18. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 comprising a personal digital assistant.

19. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the external screen has a larger number of pixels than the internal screen in both dimensions.

20. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein, in its retracted position, the external screen has the form of a scroll wound around a rotatable member.

21. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein, in its retracted position, the external screen has a folded or serpentine configuration.

22. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the side support members are movable between an extended position, in which they are arranged to support the external screen in its extended position, and a retracted position in which they lie closer to the housing than in their extended positions.

23. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the external screen is provided with at least one manually-operable data input means.

24. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises an electrophoretic medium.

25. A portable electronic device according to claim 24 wherein the electrophoretic medium is an encapsulated electrophoretic medium.

26. A portable electronic device according to claim 16 wherein the electro-optic medium comprises a rotating bichromal member medium.