DETACHABLE COMPUTER WITH VARIABLE PERFORMANCE COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110320405A1
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Feng-Hsiung, Cai, Xiongfei, Gao, Rui, Zhang, Chunhui
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004

Abstract

Computing devices are often designed in view of a particular usage scenario, but may be unsuitable for usage in other computing scenarios. For example, a notebook computer with a large display, an integrated keyboard, and a high-performance processor suitable for many computing tasks may be heavy, large, and power-inefficient; and a tablet lacking a keyboard and incorporating a low-powered processor may improve portability but may present inadequate performance for many tasks. Presented herein is a configuration of a computing device featuring a display unit with a resource-conserving processor that may be used independently (e.g., as a tablet), but that may be connected to a base unit featuring a resource-intensive processor. The operating system of the device may accordingly transition between a resource-intensive computing environment and a resource-conserving computing environment based on the connection with the base unit, thereby satisfying the dual roles of workstation and portable tablet device.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a base unit comprising a base bus connecting a base input component, a base processor, a base power source, and a base connector; and

a display unit comprising a display bus connecting a display connector configured to connect to the base connector, a display output component, a display input component, a display processor, a display battery, and a display memory storing an operating system configured to;

while the display unit is connected to the base unit, utilize the base processor to generate a resource-intensive mode of a computing environment; and

while the display unit is disconnected from the base unit, utilize the display processor to generate a resource-conserving mode of the computing environment.

2. The computer of claim 1, the display output component configured to:

while the display unit is connected to the base unit, display the computing environment in a transmissive display mode; and

while the display unit is disconnected to the base unit, display the computing environment in an at least partially reflective display mode.

3. The computer of claim 1:

the base comprising a base display; and

the operating system configured to;

while the display unit is connected to the base unit, present the computing environment on the base display; and

while the display unit is disconnected from the base unit, present the computing environment on the display output component.

4. The computer of claim 3, the operating system configured to, while the display unit is connected to the base unit, present the computing environment across the base display and the display output component.

5. The computer of claim 1:

the display unit comprising a portrait display connector positioned on a lateral edge of the display unit; and

the operating system configured to, while the portrait display connector of the display unit is connected to the base connector of the base unit, present the computing environment on the display output component in a portrait display mode.

6. The computer of claim 1, the base power source comprising a base battery.

7. The computer of claim 6, the operating system configured to, while the display unit is connected to the base unit:

while the base unit is connected to an external power source, utilize the external power source; and

while the base unit is disconnected from an external power source;

while the base battery is not depleted, utilize the base battery; and

while the base battery is depleted, utilize the display battery.

8. The computer of claim 7, the operating system configured to, while the display unit is connected to the base unit, while the base unit is disconnected from an external power source, and while the base battery is depleted, utilize the display processor to generate a resource-conserving mode of the computing environment.

9. The computer of claim 1, the display unit comprising a display wireless communication component.

10. The computer of claim 9:

the base unit comprising a base wireless communication component, and

the operating system configured to, while the display unit is disconnected from the base unit, establish a wireless connection between the display wireless communication component and the base wireless communication component.

11. The computer of claim 10:

the base unit comprising a base memory configured to store at least one data object; and

the operating system configured to, upon receiving a request to access a data object stored in the base memory and not stored in the display memory while the display unit is disconnected from the base unit, retrieve the data object from the base unit through the wireless connection.

12. The computer of claim 1, the base unit comprising a base memory.

13. The computer of claim 12:

at least one shared data object stored concurrently in the base memory and the display memory; and

the operating system configured to, upon the display unit connecting to the base unit, synchronize the at least one shared data object stored in the display memory with the at least one shared data object concurrently stored in the base memory.

14. The computer of claim 12:

the base memory storing a data object set comprising at least one data object having a data object type;

the operating system defining at least one portable data object type; and

the operating system configured to store in the display memory the data objects of the data object set having a portable data object type.

15. The computer of claim 12, the operating system configured to:

store in the base memory at least zero resource-intensive applications executable within the resource-intensive mode of the computing environment; and

store in the display memory at least zero resource-conserving applications executable within the computing environment.

16. The computer of claim 1, the computing environment comprising at least one dual-mode application comprising:

a resource-intensive application mode executable within the resource-intensive mode of the computing environment, and

a resource-conserving application mode executable within the resource-conserving mode of the computing environment.

17. The computer of claim 16, the operating system configured to, for respective dual-mode applications executing within the computing environment:

upon the computing environment entering the resource-intensive mode, switch the dual-mode application to the resource-intensive application mode; and

upon the computing environment entering the resource-conserving mode, switch the dual-mode application to the resource-conserving application mode.

18. The computer of claim 1:

the computing environment comprising at least zero resource-intensive applications executable within the resource-intensive mode of the computing environment; and

the operating system configured to, upon the computing environment entering the resource-conserving mode, halt resource-intensive applications executing within the computing environment.

19. A display unit configured to interface with a base unit comprising a base bus connecting a base input component, a base processor, a base power source, and a base connector, the display unit comprising:

a display bus connecting a display connector configured to connect to the base connector, a display output component, a display input component, a display processor, a display battery, and a display memory storing an operating system configured to;

while the display unit is connected to the base unit, utilize the base processor to generate a resource-intensive mode of a computing environment; and

while the display unit is disconnected from the base unit, utilize the display processor to generate a resource-conserving mode of the computing environment.

20. A base unit configured to interface with a display unit comprising a display output component, a display processor, a display battery, a display memory, and a display connector, the base unit comprising:

a base bus connecting a base connector configured to connect to the display connector of the display unit, a base input device, a base power source, and a base processor configured to, while the display unit is connected to the base unit, generate a resource-intensive mode of a computing environment.