MULTI-PEEK MODE TABLET DEVICE

• US 20130162554A1
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lauder, Andrew, Rohrbach, Matthew D., Coster, Daniel J., Stringer, Christopher J., Ow, Florence W., Ai, Jiang, Ive, Jonathan P., Kibiti, Elvis M., Ternus, John P., Lubner, Sean D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,884,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0205 Magnetic circuits with PM in general
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/04 Means for releasing the attractive force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener

Abstract

A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A tablet device, comprising:

a display configured for presenting visual content;

a first sensor;

a second sensor independent of the first sensor,

a processor connected to the display and the first sensor and the second sensor;

an attachment mechanism that releasably attaches the tablet device and a foldable cover, the foldable cover comprising a plurality of independently foldable segments comprising a first segment at a first end of the foldable cover and a second segment at a second end of the foldable cover, wherein the first segment is detectable by the first sensor and the second segment is detectable by the second sensor and wherein the foldable cover is determined to be in a first folded state when the processor receives a first signal from the first sensor indicating that the first sensor does not detect the first segment concurrently with receiving a second signal from the second sensor indicating that the second sensor detect the second segment, wherein in the first folded configuration only a first viewable portion of the display corresponding to the first segment presents visual content in a first peek mode.

2. The tablet device as recited in claim 1, the foldable cover further comprising:

a third independently foldable segment disposed between the first segment and the second segment.

4. The tablet device as recited in claim 4, wherein when the tablet device operates in accordance with an amount of display that is viewable based upon a spatial relationship between the tablet device and the foldable cover.

3. The tablet device as recited in claim 4, wherein the processor uses the first and the second signals cooperatively provided by the first and second sensors, respectively, to determine the folded state of the foldable cover with respect to the tablet device.

5. The tablet device as recited in claim 4, the tablet device further comprising:

a touch sensitive layer configured to detect a touch event at the display.

6. The tablet device as recited in claim 5, wherein only a portion of the touch sensitive layer corresponding to the first viewable portion of the display is active in the first peek mode.

7. The tablet device as recited in claim 6, wherein the first sensor is a Hall Effect sensor.

8. The tablet device as recited in claim 7, wherein the second sensor is an image capture device.

9. The tablet device as recited in claim 7, wherein the second sensor is an ambient light sensor (ALS).

10. The tablet device as recited in claim 7, wherein the second sensor is another Hall Effect sensor.