SUCCESSIVELY LAYERED MODULAR CONSTRUCTION FOR A PORTABLE COMPUTER SYSTEM

• US 20080211772A1
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Loucks, Jeffry Harlow
• Granted Patent: US 8,385,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• 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 1/1656 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1635 Stackable modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A modular portable computer system is described. A top modular layer with a coupled display interface and adapted to be interconnected with other modular layers. A second modular layer is interconnected with the top modular layer and other modular layers, for providing a power source to supply operating power to said top modular layer and to those other modular layers present and is disposed beneath the top modular layer. A third modular layer is interconnected with the top modular layer and the second modular layer for providing baseline logic electronics and communication components to the modular portable computer system and is disposed beneath the top modular layer. A universal interconnect for providing electronic and communicative interconnection of each modular layer is disposed at least once on each modular layer.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing;

a display physically coupled with said housing and for displaying graphical objects; and

a component disposed within said housing and for automatically reorienting a display of said graphical objects by said display in response to a change in orientation of said housing.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said component comprises a display orientation controller, and wherein said component is further operable to automatically place said display of said graphical objects in a portrait mode responsive to said housing being oriented vertically, and wherein said component is further operable to automatically place said display of said graphical objects in a landscape mode responsive to said housing being oriented horizontally.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a touch screen operable to detect interactions by a user, and wherein said processor is further operable to manipulate said display of said graphical objects in response to detected user interaction with said touch screen.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said touch screen implements a handwriting recognition pad for detecting an alphanumeric user input.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein said touch screen implements an on-screen cursor control.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication interface for coupling said processor with a cradle, said cradle operable to physically interface with said housing.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a communication component disposed within said housing and for enabling communication over a network selected from a group consisting of a telephone network and a wireless data network.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a display controller disposed within said housing and for presenting content stored in said memory.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a camera physically coupled with said housing and for capturing graphical data for access by said processor.

10. A method for interacting with a user of a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

displaying graphical objects in a first orientation on a display of said portable electronic device;

detecting a reorientation of said portable electronic device; and

in response to said reorientation, displaying said graphical objects in a second orientation on said display of said portable electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

detecting a user interaction with said portable electronic device using a touch screen of said portable electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said user interaction comprises alphanumeric user inputs.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said user interaction comprises an input for controlling an on-screen cursor.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

communicating with a cradle using a communication interface of said portable electronic device, said cradle operable to physically interface with said portable electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said portable electronic device comprises a mobile phone, and further comprising:

communicating over a telephone network using said portable electronic device.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting data over a wireless network using said portable electronic device; and

receiving data over said wireless network using said portable electronic device.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

communicating, using said portable electronic device, with at least one other computer system over the Internet.

18. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing;

a display controller disposed within said housing and for presenting content stored within said memory;

a camera for capturing graphical data for access by said processor;

a touch screen operable to detect interactions by a user;

a display physically coupled with said housing and for displaying graphical objects; and

a component disposed within said housing and for automatically reorienting a display of said graphical objects by said display in response to a change in orientation of said housing.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said component comprises a display orientation controller, and wherein said component is further operable to automatically place said display of said graphical objects in a portrait mode responsive to said housing being oriented vertically, and wherein said component is further operable to automatically place said display of said graphical objects in a landscape mode responsive to said housing being oriented horizontally.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said processor is further operable to manipulate said display of said graphical objects in response to said detected user interaction.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said touch screen implements a handwriting recognition pad for detecting an alphanumeric user input.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said touch screen implements an on-screen cursor control.

23. The portable electronic device of claim 18 further comprising:

a communication interface for coupling said processor with a cradle, said cradle operable to physically interface with said housing.

24. The portable electronic device of claim 18 further comprising:

a communication component disposed within said housing and for enabling communication over a network selected from a group consisting of a telephone network and a wireless data network.