Rotatable pen-based computer with automatically reorienting display

• US 5,566,098 A
• Filed: 01/30/1995
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Nathan J., Balasubramanian, Peruvemba S., Sapper, Richard F., Lucente, Samuel A. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Tan V.
• Application Number:
  US08/380,121
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 364/709.1, 364/709.9, 364/709.11, 364/709.13, 345/126, 345/143, 361/681, 361/682, 361/683
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode

Abstract

A pen-based computer including a housing and a flat display integral therewith. The flat display can display an image corresponding to text, data and graphic information in several orientations. A plurality of switches enables the user to select an orientation for the image relative to the orientation of the flat display. In one embodiment the switches are mercury switches positioned to automatically align the orientation of the image relative to motion of the flat panel display relative to the force of gravity. An optional additional switch resets the orientation of the image to a predetermined orientation or prevents the reorientation of the image responsive to the mercury switches.

Claims

1. A flat panel display for a computer, comprising:

a screen display for display of text, data and graphic information,

a signal path for connecting said screen display to the computer for communication of the text, data and graphic information which is at least temporarily stored in the computer and displayed on said screen display in one of a plurality of orientations relative to the orientation of said screen display,

a plurality of switches in circuit communication with said signal path for determining in which one of said plurality of orientations the text, data and graphic information is displayed,

said plurality of switches positioned in a cluster, and

each of said switches corresponding to at least one of said plurality of orientations and positioned to indicate the corresponding orientation.

2. A flat panel display according to claim 1, wherein said flat panel display is rotatable 360 degrees in four 90 degree increments and said switches determine which one of four orientations the text, data and graphic information is displayed, such that the screen display of the text, data and graphic information is displayed consistent with the orientation of said flat panel display in any of said four orientations.

3. A flat panel display according to claim 2, wherein said switches are mounted exteriorly on said housing and manually actuable for changing the display orientation of the text, data and graphic information on said screen display.

4. A flat panel display as in claim 1, further including a computer housing, said flat panel display being mounted to an upper surface of said computer housing.

5. A flat panel display according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of switches comprises pushbutton switches.

6. A flat panel display according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor in circuit communication with said signal path such that a sensing event of said sensor causes said flat panel display to reset the orientation of the text, data and graphic information to a predetermined orientation.

7. A flat panel display according to claim 6 wherein said sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

8. An electronic device comprising:

(a) a central processing unit (CPU);

(b) a flat panel display in circuit communication with said CPU for displaying a visual image corresponding to a set of data, said flat panel display capable of displaying the visual image in at least two orientations; and

(c) at least one sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display, said at least one sensor positioned and configured such that a sensing event of said at least one sensor is generated responsive to a change in the orientation of said flat panel display relative to the force of gravity, and wherein said sensor and said flat panel display are configured such that responsive to a sensing event of said at least one sensor, said flat panel display changes the orientation of the visual image from one of said at least two orientations to another of said at least two orientations.

9. An electronic device according to claim 8 wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one mercury switch, said sensing event comprises a closure event of said at least one mercury switch, and said at least one mercury switch is positioned such that the mercury therein causes at least one closure event responsive to the orientation of said flat panel display being changed relative to the force of gravity.

10. An electronic device according to claim 9 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

11. An electronic device according to claim 10 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

12. An electronic device according to claim 8 wherein said electronic device is configured such that said electronic device can be comfortably gripped, comfortably held in one hand, and easily picked-up from a support surface.

13. An electronic device according to claim 8 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

14. An electronic device according to claim 13 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

15. A housed computer supporting pen inputs, comprising:

(a) an upper housing surface having an associated flat panel display in circuit communication with a central processing unit for displaying a visual image corresponding to a set of data, said flat panel display capable of displaying the visual image in at least two orientations; and

(b) at least one sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display, said at least one sensor positioned and configured such that a sensing event of said at least one sensor is generated responsive to a change in the orientation of said flat panel display relative to the force of gravity, and wherein said at least one sensor and said flat panel display are configured such that responsive to a sensing event of said at least one sensor, said flat panel display changes the orientation of the visual image from one of said at least two orientations to another of said at least two orientations.

16. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 15 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a mercury switch, said sensing event comprises a closure event of said at least one mercury switch, and said at least one mercury switch is positioned such that the mercury therein causes at least one closure event responsive to the orientation of said flat panel display being changed relative to the force of gravity.

17. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 16 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

18. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 17 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

19. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 15 wherein said housed computer is configured such that said housed computer can be comfortably gripped, comfortably held in one hand, and easily picked-up from a support surface.

20. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 15 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

21. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 20 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

22. A housed computer supporting pen inputs, comprising:

(a) an upper housing surface having an associated flat panel display in circuit communication with a central processing unit for displaying a visual image corresponding to a set of data, said flat panel display capable of displaying the visual image in at least two orientations; and

(b) a plurality of sensors in circuit communication with said flat panel display, said sensors positioned and configured such that a sensing event of at least one of said sensors is generated responsive to a change in the orientation of said flat panel display relative to the force of gravity, wherein each of said sensors corresponds to at least one orientation of said housed computer, and wherein said sensors and said flat panel display are configured such that responsive to the sensing event of said at least one sensor, said flat panel display changes the orientation of the visual image to the orientation corresponding to the at least one sensor.

23. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 22 wherein said sensors comprise mercury switches, said sensing events comprise closure events of said mercury switches, and said mercury switches are positioned such that the mercury therein causes at least one closure event responsive to the orientation of said display being changed.

24. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 23 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

25. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 24 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

26. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 22 wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a ring-shaped frame having mercury therein and having one recess for each sensor of said plurality of sensors, said sensing events comprise closure events, and each recess is positioned such that the mercury in said ring-shaped frame causes a closure event responsive to the orientation of said display being changed.

27. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 26 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

28. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 27 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.

29. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 22 wherein said housed computer is configured such that said housed computer can be comfortably gripped, comfortably held in one hand, and easily picked-up from a support surface.

30. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 22 further comprising an additional sensor in circuit communication with said flat panel display such that a sensing event of said additional sensor prevents said flat panel display from changing the orientation of the visual image in response to a sensing event of said at least one sensor.

31. A housed computer supporting pen inputs according to claim 30 wherein said additional sensor comprises a pushbutton switch.