PORTABLE COMPUTER WITH MULTIPLE DISPLAY CONFIGURATIONS

• US 20130141854A1
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Inventors: Behar, Yves, Morenstein, Joshua, Hibmacronan, Christopher, Edahiro, Naoya, Day, Matthew David
• Granted Patent: US 9,563,229 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.09
• 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 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A portable computer that is configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode (in which the portable computer has a conventional laptop appearance) and an easel mode in which the base of the computer and its display component stand vertically forming an inverted “V.” The portable computer includes a hinge assembly that couples the display component to the base of the computer, and allows the display component to be rotated about an axis along an interface between the display component and the base to configure the portable computer between a closed position, the laptop mode and the easel mode. The portable computer further comprises a scroll wheel and optional navigation buttons that permit a user to control or manipulate various aspects of operation of the portable computer (such as volume or display brightness) and/or content displayed the computer.

Claims

1. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes including at least a laptop mode and an easel mode, the portable computer comprising:

a display component;

a base;

an interface between the display component and the base defining a longitudinal axis running along the display component and the base about which the display component and the base are rotatable;

wherein the interface is constructed and arranged such that rotating either the display component or the base about the longitudinal axis up to approximately 180 degrees from a closed mode configures the portable computer into a laptop mode, wherein in the laptop mode the display component is oriented towards an operator and a keyboard disposed within the base is oriented to receive input from the operator; and

wherein the interface is constructed and arranged such that rotating either the display component or the base about the longitudinal axis beyond approximately 180 degrees from the closed mode transitions the portable computer for viewing in the easel mode having a content display orientation 180 degrees from a content display orientation of the laptop mode, and wherein during operation in the easel mode the display component is positioned toward the operator with the keyboard directed away from the operator.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the display component is rotatable about the longitudinal axis up to approximately 320 degrees from the closed mode.

3. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising:

a display orientation module that displays content on the display screen in one of a plurality of content orientations relative to the longitudinal axis;

a mode sensor which detects a current display mode of the portable computer; and

wherein the display orientation module displays content on the display screen in the one of the plurality of content orientations dependent on the current display mode detected by the mode sensor.

4. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the base and the display are only rotatable with respect to each other at the interface.

5. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the interface is constructed and arranged to permit rotation of the base and the display component with respect to each other at the interface.

6. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the interface defines a single longitudinal axis.

7. The portable computer of claim 6, wherein the interface consists of a single longitudinal axis.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the interface includes a hinge assembly, wherein the hinge assembly is at least partially housed within one of the base and the display component.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises means for rotating the display component along the longitudinal axis relative to the base to transition the portable computer for viewing in the easel mode.

10. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a plurality of axles.

11. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising at least one integrated navigation hardware control, wherein at least one of the at least one integrated navigation hardware control is accessible in at least the laptop and easel modes, and wherein the integrated navigation hardware can be operated by a user to control features and manipulate content displayed on the portable computer, including in any mode wherein the keyboard is inaccessible or oriented away from the user.

12. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modes includes a frame mode in which the display component is oriented towards the operator, the base contacts a substantially horizontal surface, and the keyboard is directed towards the substantially horizontal surface.

13. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes, the portable computer comprising:

a display component including a single display screen for viewing content;

a base;

an interface connecting the display component and the base, defining a single longitudinal axis running along the display component and the base about which the display component and the base are rotatable;

wherein the interface is constructed and arranged so that the display component and the base are rotatable with respect to each other only about the single longitudinal axis;

wherein the interface is constructed and arranged so that rotating either the display component or the base about the single longitudinal axis configures the portable computer into an operating display mode, wherein in the operating display mode the display component is oriented towards an operator of the portable computer, and the base is disposed on an opposite side of the display, wherein at least a portion of the base is configured to support the display in position when in the operating display mode.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the operating display mode is configured so that at least a portion of display component and at least a portion of the base define an inverted v configuration.

15. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the interface comprises means for rotating the display component relative to the base.

16. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the interface is constructed and arranged to enable rotation of the base and the display component from a first position where the base and display component are disposed against each other and a second position where at least a portion of the base and at least a portion of the display component are in the inverted v configuration.

17. A method of managing user interaction with content displayed on a portable computer having a plurality of display modes, the portable computer comprising a display component including a display screen, a base, and a interface connecting the display component and the base defining a single longitudinal axis, the method comprising:

rotating at least one of the display component and the base of the portable computer about the single longitudinal axis to configure the portable computer in one of the plurality of display modes, wherein the single longitudinal axis is configured to run along the connection between the display component and the base of the portable computer; and

positioning at least a portion of the portable computer in an inverted v configuration for operation by a user, responsive to the act of rotating, wherein the act of positioning includes acts of;

positioning the display component in an orientation directed towards the user; and

positioning the base on an opposite side of the display component to support the portable computer in the inverted v configuration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the base includes a keyboard, an the act of positioning the base on the opposite side of the display component includes positioning the keyboard such that the keyboard faces away from the user of the portable computer.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising an act of automatically rotating a display orientation of the display component by 180 degrees responsive to a transition between two of the plurality of display modes.