FLEXIBLE SCREEN DISPLAY WITH TOUCH SENSOR IN A PORTABLE COMPUTER

• US 20080117184A1
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gettemy, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US12/019,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20080117184A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A user interface for a portable electronic device comprising a flexible display panel and a flexible touch sensor. The flexible touch sensor is operable to register a position where contact is made with a surface of the flexible display panel, such that the position of contact registered is translated into a particular command for controlling the portable electronic device. In the present embodiment, the flexible touch sensor is disposed beneath the flexible display panel. As such, the quality of the display is not diminished. In addition, the combination of the flexible display panel and the flexible touch sensor reduces the thickness of the portable computer system.

Claims

1. A user interface for a portable electronic device, said user interface comprising:

a) a display panel, said display panel forming a first layer of said user interface; and

b) a sensor coupled with said display panel, said sensor forming a second layer of said user interface, wherein said sensor detects a position where contact is made with a surface of said user interface, wherein said position on said user interface corresponds to a particular command for controlling said portable electronic device.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein said sensor is disposed beneath said display panel, wherein a user contact is with said display panel.

4. The user interface of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a fabric.

5. The user interface of claim 4 wherein said fabric is disposed within said display panel, such that said sensor is internal to said display panel.

6. The user interface of claim 4 wherein said fabric comprises conductive fibers, said conductive fibers adapted to conduct electrical impulses responsive to said contact with said user interface.

7. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the technology employed in the fabrication of said display panel is electronic paper technology.

8. The user interface of claim 1 wherein a support shelf structure is disposed beneath said sensor.

9. The user interface of claim 1 wherein said user interface further comprises:

an additional instance of said sensor, said additional sensor disposed beneath a support shelf, said additional sensor coupled to said user interface; and

an additional instance of said display panel, said additional display coupled to said user interface, said additional display panel disposed beneath said additional sensor, whereby two sided viewable display functionality is provided to said user interface.

3. (canceled)

10. A portable computer system comprising:

a) a bus;

b) a memory device coupled with said bus;

c) a processor coupled with said bus;

d) a display panel coupled with said bus, said display panel forming a first layer of a user interface; and

e) a sensor coupled with said display panel, said sensor forming a second layer of a user interface.

11. The portable computer system of claim 10 wherein said sensor detects a position where contact is made with a surface of said display panel, wherein said particular position on said display panel corresponds to a particular command for controlling said portable electronic device.

12. The portable computer system of claim 10 wherein said sensor is disposed beneath said display panel, wherein a user contact is with said display panel.

14. The portable computer system of claim 10 wherein said sensor comprises a fabric.

15. The portable computer system of claim 14 wherein said fabric is disposed within said display panel, such that said sensor is internal to said display panel.

16. The portable computer system of claim 14 wherein said fabric comprises conductive fibers, said conductive fibers adapted to conduct electrical impulses responsive to said contact of said display panel.

17. The portable computer system of claim 10 wherein the technology employed in the fabrication of said display panel is electronic paper technology.

18. The portable computer system of claim 10 wherein a support shelf is disposed beneath said sensor, said support shelf adapted to prevent puncturing of said display panel and said sensor.

19. The portable computer system of claim 10 wherein said portable computer system further comprises;

an additional instance of said sensor, said additional sensor disposed beneath said support shelf, said additional sensor coupled to said portable computer system; and

an additional instance of said display panel, said additional display coupled to said portable computer system, said additional display panel disposed beneath said additional sensor, whereby two sided viewable display functionality is provided to said portable computer system.

13. (canceled)

20. A method for providing a user interface for a portable computer system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) displaying images and characters to a user via a display panel;

b) receiving input via a sensor, said sensor detects a position where contact is made with a surface of said display panel;

c) translating said input into a particular command for controlling said portable electronic device.

21. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said sensor is disposed beneath said display panel, wherein a user contact is with said display panel.

23. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said sensor is disposed within said display panel, such that said sensor is internal to said display panel.

24. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein said sensor comprises a fabric, said fabric comprising conductive fibers adapted to conduct electrical impulses responsive to said contact with said user interface.

25. The method as recited in claim 20 wherein the technology employed in the fabrication of said display panel is electronic paper technology.

22. (canceled)