Folding Multimedia Display Device

• US 20070285341A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Original Assignee: CFPH LLC (Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P.)
• Inventors: Manning, Gregory P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.300
• 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 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• 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 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

Various configurations of an electronic display, and devices incorporating the display, are provided. The display may have multiple portions connected along one or more axes, lines, points, or other connecting areas. The portions are movable about the connections. In various configurations, the display portions emulate different media and/or communication and computing devices. Two or more of the display devices may be coupled in an array.

Claims

1. An electronic display device, comprising:

a plurality of display portions adapted to display an electronic image, at least two of the portions sharing, and movable about, a first axis.

2. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least two portions share, and are movable about, a second axis.

3. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the at least two portions sharing the first axis are independently movable about the first axis.

4. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis.

5. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

6. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the first axis is angularly offset from the second axis.

7. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least two portions sharing the first axis is the same as one of the at least two portions sharing the second axis.

8. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions sharing the second axis comprises at least a part of one of the portions sharing the first axis.

9. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions sharing the first axis comprises at least two parts independently movable about the first axis.

10. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portions are foldable about their respective axes to form a folded unit having a perimeter substantially equivalent to a perimeter of one of the portions.

11. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portions comprises at least four portions.

12. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portions comprises at least six portions.

13. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portions are foldable about their respective axes to a state in which at least one portion sharing the second axis is at least partially disposed between two of the portions sharing the first axis.

14. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the axes comprises a hinge.

15. The electronic display device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the axes comprises a spine within a flexible material, the spine having a memory characteristic.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor having an electronic output; and

a display electronically coupled to the processor to electronically display information output from the processor, the display having a plurality of display portions adapted to display an electronic image, at least two of the portions sharing, and movable about, a first axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least two portions share, and are movable about, a second axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least two portions sharing the first axis are independently movable about the first axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first axis is angularly offset from the second axis.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the at least two portions sharing the first axis is the same as one of the at least two portions sharing the second axis.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the portions sharing the second axis comprises at least a part of one of the portions sharing the first axis.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the portions sharing the first axis comprises at least two parts independently movable about the first axis.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of portions are foldable about their respective axes to form a folded unit having a perimeter substantially equivalent to a perimeter of one of the portions.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of portions comprises at least four portions.

27. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of portions comprises at least six portions.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of portions are foldable about their respective axes to a state in which at least one portion sharing the second axis is at least partially disposed between two of the portions sharing the first axis.

29. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the axes comprises a hinge.

30. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the axes comprises a spine within a flexible material, the spine having a memory characteristic.

31. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus comprising a personal data assistant.

32. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus comprising a mobile communication device.

33. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus emulating a paper media unit.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, the paper media unit being a book.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, the paper media unit being a newspaper.

36. The apparatus of claim 33, the paper media unit being a magazine.

37. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus comprising an electronic note tablet.

38. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus comprising a computer.

39. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus comprising a video recording device.

40. The apparatus of claim 16, the apparatus comprising a video display device.

41. The apparatus of claim 16, the processor adapted to output at least two information sources, one of the at least two information sources corresponding to a first display on a first one of the plurality of display portions and a second of the at least two information sources corresponding to a second display on a second one of the plurality of display portions.

42. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a display connection unit, the display connection unit electronically coupled to the processor and the display.

43. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a display housing adapted to house the display in a closed state.

44. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electronically displayed information comprises information received wirelessly by the processor.

45. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the electronically displayed information comprises information received wirelessly by the display.

46. An electronic display device, comprising:

a first information source; and

a plurality of display portions adapted to display an electronic image, at least two of the portions sharing, and movable about, a first axis;

wherein information from the first information source is displayed on a first display window comprising at least one of the display portions.

47. The electronic display device of claim 46, wherein the display window comprises at least two of the display portions.

48. The electronic display device of claim 46, further comprising a second information source, and wherein information from the second information source is displayed on a second display window comprising at least one of the display portions.

49. The electronic display device of claim 48, wherein at least one display portion of the first display window is different from at least one display portion of the second display window.

50. The electronic display device of claim 46, further comprising a second information source, and wherein the plurality of display portions are moveable to provide a plurality of display configurations, the information being displayed on one of more of the display portions being determined by the configuration of the display portions.

51. The electronic display device of claim 50, wherein the display portions provide a first display configuration and a second display configuration, and wherein the information displayed on one or more of the display portions shifts from a first information display to a second information display when the configuration of display portions changes from the first configuration to the second configuration.

52. The electronic display device of claim 51, wherein the shift from the first information display to the second information display is automatic.

53. The electronic display device of claim 46, further comprising a control device for controlling the display of information from the first information source.

54. The electronic display device of claim 53, wherein the control device is operable to move a cursor from a first position to a second position.

55. The electronic display device of claim 53, wherein the control device is operable to control a position of the information on the display.

56. The electronic display device of claim 53, wherein the control device is operable to control movement of at least a portion of the displayed information.

57. The electronic display device of claim 53, wherein the control device is operable to control movement of at least a portion of at least one display portion.

58. An electronic display device, comprising:

a first display; and

a second display coupled to the first display, at least one of the first and second displays comprising a plurality of display portions adapted to display an electronic image, at least two of the display portions sharing, and movable about, a first axis.