SWITCHING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR A PORTABLE DISPLAY PRODUCT

• US 20090021478A1
• Filed: 01/21/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quanta Storage Incorporated (AUO Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Quanta Storage Incorporated (AUO Corp.)
• Inventors: Lo, Chen-Hsuan, Lin, Wen-Jing
• Application Number:
  US12/017,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20090021478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode

Abstract

A switching device and method for a portable display product includes a screen inserted on a body. A thicker handle is formed on one side of the body. Close to the center of one side of the screen, the handle disposes a main key, which is used most frequently. The side end of the handle is divided into an upper part and a lower part centered around the main key. Each part disposes a key unit, and the upper key unit is used more frequently. A control system disposed inside the body switches a display direction of the screen and function locations of the two key units for the convenience of one-handed operation.

Claims

1. A switching device for a portable display product, comprising:

a body, comprising a screen inserted on the body and two key units respectively disposed on an upper part and a lower part of one side end of the body, wherein the upper key unit has keys used more frequently; and

a control system, disposed inside the body, for switching a display direction of the screen and function locations of the two key units.

2. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 1, wherein a handle, which has a thicker width than other parts of the body, is formed on one side of the body.

3. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 2, wherein the handle is an arc.

4. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 2, wherein the handle disposes a main key on a same surface of the body as the screen, close to the center of one side of the screen, the main key being a five-directional key to be used frequently.

5. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 4, wherein the side end of the handle is divided into an upper part and a lower part based on the main key as the center, a first key unit used in more frequent situations is disposed in the upper part, and a second key unit that used in less frequent situations is disposed in the lower part.

6. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 5, wherein each of the first key unit and the second key unit has four keys.

7. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 6, wherein the four keys of the first key unit are a volume up key, a volume down key, a bookmark key, and a menu key, respectively.

8. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 6, wherein the four keys of the second key unit are an escape key, a refresh key, a pause key, and a stop key, respectively.

9. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a micro-processing unit for controlling a display-switching unit to switch the display direction of the screen and for controlling a key-switching unit to switch the function locations of the two key units.

10. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 9, wherein the control system comprises a switch for starting switching operations of the micro-processing unit.

11. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 10, wherein the control system sets to start the switch through a menu on the screen of the portable display product.

12. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 10, wherein a switching key is disposed on the body for starting the switch of the control system.

13. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 12, wherein the switching key is disposed near the main key.

14. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 12, wherein the switching key is disposed between the two key units.

15. The switching device for the portable display product of claim 9, wherein the control system comprises a sensing device, for detecting a locating direction of the portable display product for automatically starting the switching operations of the micro-processing unit.

16. A switching method for the portable display product, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) detecting a locating direction of the portable display product;

(b) determining whether the locating direction is greater than a predetermined value;

when the locating direction is not greater than the predetermined value, going back to the step (a);

when the locating direction is greater than the predetermined value, going to a next step;

(c) switching a display direction;

(d) swapping function locations of a first key unit and a second key unit; and

(e) ending the switching method.

17. The switching method for the portable display product of the claim 16, wherein the locating direction is an angle formed between the portable display product and a direction of gravity.

18. The switching method for the portable display product of the claim 16, wherein the predetermined value is 90 degrees.