Portable Computer

• US 20090106849A1
• Filed: 12/28/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Hengning
• Application Number:
  US12/344,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106849A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/28
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/035 for flexible display surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/344 based on particles moving in a fluid or in a gas, e.g. electrophoretic devices electrophoretic devices per se G02F1/167

Abstract

A portable computer, comprising a first display screen in the portrait format housed in a first panel and a second display screen in the landscape format housed in a second panel. The second panel is physically attached to the first panel, and the diagonal size of the second display screen is 40% to 70% of the diagonal size of the first display screen. The effective size of the display area is larger than the physical area of the display screens, and the portable computer can have small size, light weight, and long battery life.

Claims

1. A portable computer, comprising:

a first display screen in the portrait format housed in a first panel;

a second display screen in the landscape format housed in a second panel, said second panel is physically attached to said first panel, the diagonal size of said second display screen is 40% to 70% of the diagonal size of said first display screen;

whereby the effective size of the display area is larger than the physical area of the display screens, and said portable computer can have small size, light weight, and long battery life.

2. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein said first display screen is an electronic paper display.

3. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein said second display screen is controlled by buttons for video play.

4. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein said second display screen is a touch screen.

5. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein first display screen is about 88 mm by 156 mm, and said second display screen is about 75 mm by 47 mm;

whereby said portable computer has the approximate dimensions of a pocket book in a closed position.

6. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein first display screen is about 171 mm by 254 mm, and said second display screen is about 140 mm by 87 mm;

whereby said portable computer has the approximate dimensions of a letter size paper in a closed position.

7. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer is digitally locked to the identity of the user;

whereby copyrighted materials can be viewed on said display screens when the identity of said computer matches the user identity for the copyrighted materials.

8. The portable computer according to claim 1, further comprising:

control buttons for said second display screen;

a pointing device;

a keyboard;

said control buttons, said pointed device, and said keyboard located along the perimeter of said second panel;

whereby an ergonomical design is provided for easy access.

9. A method for increasing the effective display area of a computer, comprising:

providing a first display screen in the portrait format;

providing a second display screen in the landscape format;

said first display screen and said second display screen housed in a physically attached structure, and the diagonal size of said second display screen is 40% to 70% of the diagonal size of said first display screen;

whereby the display functionality is enhanced and the power consumption for display is reduced.