Auxiliary Display Systems and Methods

• US 20100033916A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Douglas, David W., Dandekar, Shree, Enders, Kevin Blane
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.280
• 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 1/1649 the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• 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

Abstract

A portable information handling system (IHS) is disclosed wherein the system includes a cover, a primary display disposed on the cover and an auxiliary display coupled to the cover, wherein the auxiliary display is movable between a viewable position and a closed position. The system also includes a switch coupled to the auxiliary display, wherein the switch is adapted to place the auxiliary display in an operational state in the open position and in a non-operational state in the closed position.

Claims

3-1. The system of claim 1, wherein the cover forms a display slot into which the auxiliary display is inserted.

10. A card for displaying data on a portable information handling system (IHS), the card comprising:

an auxiliary display disposed on the card;

a connector on one end of the card, wherein the connector is adapted to couple the card to the portable IHS; and

a processor coupled to the display, wherein the processor manages data received by the card.

11. The card of claim 10, wherein the card receives power provided by a rechargeable battery when the card is coupled to the portable IHS.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the connector is a type selected from personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA), universal serial bus (USB), personal computer (PC) card and Express card.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary display is communicatively coupled to the portable IHS via signals selected from Bluetooth, infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) and Wi-Fi when the card is detached from the portable IHS.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary display comprises thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display or an electronic ink (E-Ink) display.

15. A method for providing data on an auxiliary display of a portable information handling system (IHS), the method comprising:

coupling the auxiliary display to the portable IHS, wherein the auxiliary display receives data managed by a processor in the portable IHS.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing a display slot on a cover of the portable IHS, wherein the display slot is adapted to receive the auxiliary display.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing at least one arm coupling the auxiliary display to the cover, wherein the at least one arm is adapted to rotate the auxiliary display between a closed position and a viewable position.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the auxiliary display is configured to be coupled to a port type selected from personal computer memory card international association (PCMCIA), universal serial bus (USB), personal computer (PC) card and Express card.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the auxiliary display is communicatively coupled to the portable IHS via a signal type selected from Bluetooth, infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF) and Wi-Fi.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the auxiliary display is disposed on a card detachable from the portable IHS and the card is powered by a rechargeable battery when the card is coupled to the portable HIS.