MOBILE DEVICE HAVING TWO TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY PANELS

• US 20100304793A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Sungjoon Stephen, Kim, Chong-Sok
• Application Number:
  US12/779,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20100304793A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1675 Miscellaneous details related to the relative movement between the different enclosures or enclosure parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders

Abstract

A mobile device having two touch screen display panels includes a first body, a first touch screen disposed on an upper portion of the first body, a second body disposed under the first body, and a second touch screen disposed on an upper portion of the second body. The mobile device is configured to operate in a full-screen mode. In the full-screen mode, the first body is configured to slide in a first direction and a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first and second touch screens are adjacent, form a substantially level surface, and function as a single display area.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a first body;

a first touch screen disposed on an upper portion of the first body;

a second body disposed under the first body; and

a second touch screen disposed on an upper portion of the second body,

wherein the mobile device is configured to operate in a full-screen mode, wherein the first body is configured to slide in a first direction and a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, such that the first and second touch screens are adjacent, form a substantially level surface, and function as a single display area while in the full-screen mode.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to operate in a first operation mode, wherein the first body substantially covers the second body and only the first touch screen functions while in the first operation mode.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to operate in a second operation mode, wherein the first body is configured to slide to an ending point such that a partial area of the second touch screen is exposed.

4. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the first touch screen functions as a display area and the second touch screen functions as a user input area while in the second operation mode.

5. The mobile device of claim 4, wherein the user input area comprises a keyboard.

6. The mobile device of claim 5, wherein the keyboard comprises a QWERTY keyboard.

7. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the first touch screen functions as a game display area and the second touch screen functions as a game input area comprising game controls while in the second operation mode.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one electrical line disposed on a side surface of an end portion of the first body and a lower portion of the first body; and

at least one electrical groove disposed on a side surface of an end portion of the second body and the upper portion of the second body, wherein the electrical groove engages the electrical line and data is transferred between the first body and the second body via the electrical line and the electrical groove.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first body and the second body are configured to be coupled to each other using at least one of a magnetic material, a locking device, a fixing device, or a guard rail.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, further comprising a hinge disposed on at least one side surface of an end portion of the second body, wherein the hinge comprises a horizontal groove and a vertical groove in a T-shape.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the first body is configured to slide in the first direction along the horizontal groove and slide in the second direction along the vertical groove.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising:

a magnetic material formed on an outer surface of the first body; and

a metal material formed on a surface of the hinge contacting the outer surface of the first body, wherein

a distance between the magnetic material and the metal material is shortened as the first body slides in the first direction, and

the first body stops sliding in the first direction upon alignment of the metal material and the magnetic material.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the hinge further comprises:

a stopper hole; and

a stopper, wherein

the stopper blocks the vertical groove and prevents the first body from sliding in the second direction until the first body slides to an ending point in the first direction, wherein the stopper enters the stopper hole and unblocks the vertical groove at the ending point.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the stopper comprises a sub-stopper protruding towards the first body, wherein the sub-stopper enters a gap formed in the stopper hole upon the stopper entering the stopper hole.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein the sub-stopper is attached to a spring.

16. A method for switching operation modes of a mobile device, comprising:

sliding a first body of the mobile device in a first direction; and

sliding the first body of the mobile device in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, upon the first body sliding to a first ending point in the first direction,

wherein a first touch screen disposed on an upper portion of the first body and a second touch screen disposed on an upper portion of a second body are adjacent, form a substantially level surface, and function as a single display area upon the first body sliding to a second ending point in the second direction.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transferring data between the first body and the second body via an electrical line disposed on the first body and an electrical groove disposed on the second body.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sliding the first body in the first direction along a horizontal groove of a hinge; and

sliding the first body in the second direction along a vertical groove of the hinge.