COMPUTING DEVICE WITH FLAT TOUCH SURFACE

• US 20120105334A1
• Filed: 11/03/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schultz, Bernie, Dighde, Rajesh Manohar, Aumiller, Curt, de los Reyes, August Valentin Isabelo, McCormick, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US12/938,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20120105334A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A computing device includes a seamless front panel member extending across an entire front face of the computing device. The computing device further includes a display engine configured to selectively display images on a display window of the seamless front panel member and a touch-detection engine configured to detect touch inputs directed to the display window of the seamless front panel member.

Claims

1. A surface computing device, comprising:

a seamless front panel member extending across an entire front face of the surface computing device, the seamless front panel member having a planar front side, a back side, and a perimeter edge;

a housing assembly including a mounting lip adjacent to the back side of the seamless front panel member and aligned with the perimeter edge of the seamless front panel member;

a display engine housed within the housing assembly and configured to selectively display images on a display window of the seamless front panel member;

a registration key fixed to the back side of the seamless front panel member and configured to position the seamless front panel member in a predetermined position relative to the display engine;

a touch-detection engine configured to detect touch inputs directed to the display window of the seamless front panel member; and

a leg assembly operatively connected to the housing assembly and configured to hold the seamless front panel member in a substantially horizontal orientation above a support surface.

2. The surface computing device of claim 1, where the planar front side is a highest portion of the surface computing device when the surface computing device is in the substantially horizontal orientation.

3. The surface computing device of claim 1, where the seamless front panel member is configured to support at least a 100 pound static load at a center of the seamless front panel member when the surface computing device is in the substantially horizontal orientation.

4. The surface computing device of claim 1, where the seamless front panel member is at least a 2 foot by 2 foot rectangle.

5. The surface computing device of claim 1, where the display engine includes a liquid crystal display panel.

6. The surface computing device of claim 1, where a perimeter portion of the back side is treated to form an opaque frame defining the display window.

7. The surface computing device of claim 1, further comprising a liquid-tight sealing agent between the housing assembly and the back side of the seamless front panel member.

8. A computing device, comprising:

a seamless front panel member extending across an entire front face of the computing device;

a display engine configured to selectively display images on a display window of the seamless front panel member; and

a touch-detection engine configured to detect touch inputs directed to the display window of the seamless front panel member.

9. The computing device of claim 8, further comprising a leg assembly configured to hold the seamless front panel member in a substantially horizontal orientation above a support surface.

10. The computing device of claim 8, where the seamless front panel member has a planar front side and a back side, and where the computing device further comprises a housing assembly adjacent to the back side of the seamless front panel member.

11. The computing device of claim 10, further comprising a liquid-tight sealing agent between the housing assembly and the back side of the seamless front panel member.

12. The computing device of claim 10, where the seamless front panel member has a perimeter edge and where the housing assembly is aligned with the perimeter edge.

13. The computing device of claim 8, where the seamless front panel member has a planar front side, and where the planar front side is a highest portion of the computing device when the computing device is in a substantially horizontal orientation.

14. The computing device of claim 8, where the seamless front panel member is configured to support at least a 100 pound static load at a center of the seamless front panel member when the computing device is in a substantially horizontal orientation.

15. The computing device of claim 8, where the seamless front panel member is at least a 2 foot by 2 foot rectangle.

16. The computing device of claim 8, where the display engine includes a liquid crystal display panel.

17. The computing device of claim 8, where the seamless front panel member has a planar front side and a back side, and where a perimeter portion of the back side is treated to form an opaque frame defining the display window.

18. The computing device of claim 8, where the seamless front panel member has a planar front side and a back side, and where the computing device further includes a registration key fixed to the back side of the seamless front panel member and configured to position the seamless front panel member in a predetermined position relative to the display engine.

19. A surface computing device, comprising:

a housing assembly having a mounting lip;

a mount interior the housing assembly;

a front panel member having a planar front side, a back side, and a perimeter edge;

a registration key fixed to the back side of the front panel member and mounted to the mount interior the housing assembly to align the perimeter edge of the front panel member with the mounting lip of the housing assembly;

a display engine housed within the housing assembly and configured to selectively display images on a display window of the front panel member; and

a touch-detection engine configured to detect touch inputs directed to the display window of the front panel member.

20. The surface computing device of claim 19, further comprising a leg assembly operatively connected to the housing assembly and configured to hold the front panel member in a substantially horizontal orientation above a support surface.