Two Sided Slate Device

• US 20100295794A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Burtner, Russ, Sands, Ian, Snavely, John, Russ, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/469,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20100295794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a dual-sided multi-touch computing device that offers the advantages of a keyboard in addition to the conveniences of a slate device. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device may be utilized in two orientations; one side is a multi-touch slate device, and the alternate side is a multi-touch display keyboard. The device is configured with an orientation-recognition device, so that it may be configured based on its orientation. The present invention may be utilized as a stand alone personal computer or as a peripheral device in conjunction with other devices.

Claims

1. A dual-sided multi-touch computing device, comprising:

a first multi-touch interface disposed on a first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the multi-touch interface being operative to receive input to and output from general purpose computing components housed inside the dual-sided multi-touch computing device;

a second multi-touch interface configured as a multi-touch keyboard interface and disposed on a second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device being on an opposite side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device from the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the multi-touch keyboard interface being operative for providing input to the general purpose computing components housed inside the dual-sided multi-touch computing device; and

a third multi-touch interface disposed on the second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device in proximity to the multi-touch keyboard interface, the third multi-touch interface being operative to receive input to and output from general purpose computing components housed inside the dual-sided multi-touch computing device and being further operative to serve as an output display for displaying input to the general purpose computing components housed inside the dual-sided multi-touch computing device in response to utilization of the multi-touch keyboard interface.

2. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third multi-touch interfaces are each operative as touch screens operative to receive input via physical touching of surfaces of the first, second and third multi-touch interfaces.

3. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 1,

wherein the first multi-touch interface disposed on a first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is activated for use when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the first multi-touch interface is facing up;

and

wherein the second and third multi-touch interfaces are activated for use when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the second and third multi-touch interfaces are facing up.

4. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 3,

wherein when the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is activated for use, the second and third multi-touch interfaces are deactivated from use;

and

wherein when the second and third multi-touch interfaces are activated for use, the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is deactivated from use.

5. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 4, comprising an orientation-sensing means operative to recognize an orientation of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device for determining when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the first multi-touch interface is facing up and when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the second and third multi-touch interfaces are facing up.

6. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 1, wherein each of the first, second and third multi-touch interfaces are active for user interaction concurrently.

7. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch keyboard interface comprises a plurality of display keys disposed on the second multi-touch interface for receiving key stroke input to the general purpose computing components housed inside the dual-sided multi-touch computing device.

8. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 7, wherein the second multi-touch interface is operative to provide haptic feedback to a user of the plurality of display keys when any of the plurality of display keys is actuated by the user.

9. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 1, comprising a generally circular-shaped cut-out for providing a means for holding the dual-sided multi-touch computing device.

10. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 9, further comprising a capacitive charging means disposed along an interior surface of the cut-out for allowing a charging of a battery operatively associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device by connecting the capacitive charging means to an associated charging device.

18. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 1, comprising a generally circular-shaped cut-out for providing a means for holding the dual-sided multi-touch computing device.

19. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 9, further comprising a capacitive charging means disposed along an interior surface of the cut-out for allowing a charging of a battery operatively associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device by connecting the capacitive charging means to an associated charging device.

11. A dual-sided multi-touch computing device, comprising:

a first multi-touch interface disposed on a first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the multi-touch interface being operative to receive input to and output from general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device;

a second multi-touch interface configured as a multi-touch keyboard interface and disposed on a second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device being on an opposite side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device from the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the multi-touch keyboard interface being operative for providing input to the general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device;

a third multi-touch interface disposed on the second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device in proximity to the multi-touch keyboard interface, the third multi-touch interface being operative to receive input to and output from general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device and being further operative to serve as an output display for displaying input to the general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device in response to utilization of the multi-touch keyboard interface;

wherein the first multi-touch interface disposed on a first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is activated for use when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the first multi-touch interface is facing up; and

wherein the second and third multi-touch interfaces are activated for use when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the second and third multi-touch interfaces are facing up.

12. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 11, wherein the first, second and third multi-touch interfaces are each operative as touch screens operative to receive input via physical touching of surfaces of the first, second and third multi-touch interfaces.

13. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 11,

wherein when the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is activated for use, the second and third multi-touch interfaces are deactivated from use;

and

wherein when the second and third multi-touch interfaces are activated for use, the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is deactivated from use.

14. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 13, comprising an orientation-sensing means operative to recognize an orientation of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device for determining when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the first multi-touch interface is facing up and when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the second and third multi-touch interfaces are facing up.

15. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 11, wherein each of the first, second and third multi-touch interfaces are active for user interaction concurrently.

16. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 11, wherein the multi-touch keyboard interface comprises a plurality of display keys disposed on the second multi-touch interface for receiving key stroke input to the general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device.

17. The dual-sided multi-touch computing device of claim 15, wherein the second multi-touch interface is operative to provide haptic feedback to a user of the plurality of display keys when any of the plurality of display keys is actuated by the user.

20. A dual-sided multi-touch computing device, comprising:

a first multi-touch interface disposed on a first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the multi-touch interface being operative to receive input to and output from general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device;

a second multi-touch interface configured as a multi-touch keyboard interface and disposed on a second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device being on an opposite side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device from the first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device, the multi-touch keyboard interface being operative for providing input to the general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device;

a third multi-touch interface disposed on the second side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device in proximity to the multi-touch keyboard interface, the third multi-touch interface being operative to receive input to and output from general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device and being further operative to serve as an output display for displaying input to the general purpose computing components associated with the dual-sided multi-touch computing device in response to utilization of the multi-touch keyboard interface;

wherein the first multi-touch interface disposed on a first side of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is activated for use when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the first multi-touch interface is facing up;

wherein the second and third multi-touch interfaces are activated for use when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the second and third multi-touch interfaces are facing up; and

further comprising an orientation-sensing means operative to recognize an orientation of the dual-sided multi-touch computing device for determining when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the first multi-touch interface is facing up and when the dual-sided multi-touch computing device is oriented such that the second and third multi-touch interfaces are facing up.