Data processing device having multiple adjustable display and keyboard orientations

• US 7,187,364 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Danger Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Duarte, Matias, Lewis, Todd, Palmer, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar; Vijay
• Application Number:
  US10/718,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-178
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0212 with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, i.e. folding around a first axis and rotating around a second axis perpendicular to the first
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0233 Including a rotatable display body part
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

A data processing apparatus is described comprising: a body having a memory for storing program code and data, and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a first group of control elements and a second group of control elements for entering data and performing control operations; a numeric keypad moveably coupled to the body, the numeric keypad moveable from a first keypad position to a second keypad position in relation to the body, wherein both the first and second groups of control elements are exposed when the numeric keypad is in the second position, and wherein only the second group of control elements are exposed when the numeric keypad is in the first position; and a display moveably coupled to the numeric keypad, the display moveable from a first display position to a second display position in relation to the numeric keypad, wherein the numeric keypad is not exposed when the display is in the first position and wherein the numeric keypad is exposed when the display is in the second position.

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a body having a memory for storing program code and data, and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a first group of control elements and a second group of control elements for entering data and performing control operations;

a numeric keypad moveably coupled to the body, the numeric keypad moveable from a first keypad position to a second keypad position in relation to the body, wherein both the first and second groups of control elements are exposed when the numeric keypad is in the second position, and wherein only the second group of control elements are exposed when the numeric keypad is in the first position;

a display moveably coupled to the numeric keypad, the display moveable from a first display position to a second display position in relation to the numeric keypad, wherein the numeric keypad is not exposed when the display is in the first position and wherein the numeric keypad is exposed when the display is in the second position; and

the data processing apparatus further comprising;

a switch configured to trigger when the numeric keypad is moved between the first position and the second position; and

image inversion logic to invert images on the display responsive to the switch triggering.

2. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the body comprises one or more tracks and wherein the numeric keypad comprises one or more pins for engaging with the tracks and guiding the numeric keypad from the first keypad position to the second keypad position in relation to the body.

3. The data processing apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the numeric keypad comprises one or more tracks and wherein the display comprises one or more pins for engaging with the tracks and guiding the display from the first display position to the second display position in relation to the numeric keypad.

4. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a surface of the numeric keypad is parallel to a surface of the body when in the first keypad position and wherein the surface of the numeric keypad and the surface of the body are not parallel when the numeric keypad is in the second keypad position.

5. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first group of control elements are covered by the numeric keypad when the numeric keypad is in the first position.

6. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the first group of control elements comprise a keyboard.

7. The data processing apparatus as in claim 5 wherein the second group of control elements are not covered by the numeric keypad when the numeric keypad is in the first position.

8. The data processing apparatus as in claim 7 wherein the second group of control elements comprise a control knob and a set of control buttons.

9. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the second display position is associated with a telephony mode of operation of the data processing apparatus and wherein the numeric keypad is a telephony keypad.

10. The data processing apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the first keypad position is associated with the telephony mode of operation.

11. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a surface of the display is parallel to a surface of the numeric keypad when the display is in the first display position and wherein the surface of the display and the surface of the numeric keypad are not parallel when the display is in the second display position.

12. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the numeric keypad is coupled to the body at a pivot point and rotatable around the pivot point from the first keypad position to the second keypad position in relation to the body.

13. The data processing apparatus as in claim 12 further comprising:

a switch configured to trigger when the numeric keypad is rotated between the first position and the second position; and

image inversion logic to invert images on the display responsive to the switch triggering.

14. The data processing apparatus as in claim 1 having a first operational mode and a second operational mode associated with the first keypad position and the second keypad position, respectively.

15. The data processing apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the second operational mode comprises a data entry mode in which text may be entered via the first group of control elements.

16. The data processing apparatus as in claim 14 having a third operational mode associated with the first keypad position and the second display position, the third operational mode for performing telephony functions.

17. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a body having a memory for storing program code and data, and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a plurality of control elements for entering data and performing control operations;

a numeric keypad moveable from a first keypad position to a second keypad position in relation to the body, wherein certain of the plurality of control elements are exposed when the numeric keypad is in the second position and covered when the numeric keypad is in the first position;

a display moveable from a first display position to a second display position in relation to the numeric keypad, wherein the numeric keypad is not exposed when the display is in the first position and wherein the numeric keypad is exposed when the display is in the second position.

18. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the body comprises one or more tracks and wherein the numeric keypad comprises one or more pins for engaging with the tracks and guiding the numeric keypad from the first keypad position to the second keypad position in relation to the body.

19. The data processing apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the numeric keypad comprises one or more tracks and wherein the display comprises one or more pins for engaging with the tracks and guiding the display from the first display position to the second display position in relation to the numeric keypad.

20. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein a surface of the numeric keypad is parallel to a surface of the body when in the first keypad position and wherein the surface of the numeric keypad and the surface of the body are not parallel when the numeric keypad is in the second keypad position.

21. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the first group of control elements are covered by the numeric keypad when the numeric keypad is in the first position.

22. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein certain of the plurality of control elements comprise a keyboard.

23. The data processing apparatus as in claim 21 wherein a group of the plurality of control elements are not covered by the numeric keypad when the numeric keypad is in the first position.

24. The data processing apparatus as in claim 23 wherein the group of the plurality of control elements comprise a control knob and a set of control buttons.

25. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the second display position is associated with a telephony mode of operation of the data processing apparatus and wherein the numeric keypad is a telephony keypad.

26. The data processing apparatus as in claim 25 wherein the first keypad position is associated with the telephony mode of operation.

27. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein a surface of the display is parallel to a surface of the numeric keypad when the display is in the first display position and wherein the surface of the display and the surface of the numeric keypad are not parallel when the display is in the second display position.

28. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the numeric keypad is coupled to the body at a pivot point and rotatable around the pivot point from the first keypad position to the second keypad position in relation to the body.

29. The data processing apparatus as in claim 28 further comprising:

a switch configured to trigger when the numeric keypad is rotated between the first position and the second position; and

image inversion logic to invert images on the display responsive to the switch triggering.

30. The data processing apparatus as in claim 17 having a first operational mode and a second operational mode associated with the first keypad position and the second keypad position, respectively.

31. The data processing apparatus as in claim 30 wherein the second operational mode comprises a data entry mode in which text may be entered via the first group of control elements.

32. The data processing apparatus as in claim 30 having a third operational mode associated with the first keypad position and the second display position, the third operational mode for performing telephony functions.

33. An apparatus comprising:

data processing device means having a memory for storing program code and data, and a processor for processing the program code and data, and a plurality of control elements for entering data and performing control operations;

numeric data entry means moveable from a first keypad position to a second keypad position in relation to the data processing device means, wherein certain of the plurality of control elements are exposed when the numeric data entry means is in the second position and covered when the numeric data entry means is in the first position; and

display means moveable from a first display position to a second display position in relation to the numeric data entry means, wherein the numeric data entry means is not exposed when the display is in the first position and wherein the numeric data entry means is exposed when the display is in the second position; and

the apparatus further comprising;

a switch configured to trigger when the numeric keypad is moved between the first position and the second position; and

image inversion logic to invert images on the display responsive to the switch triggering.