Multi-layered displays providing different focal lengths with optically shiftable viewing formats and terminals incorporating the same

• US 7,205,959 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Issued: 04/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Henriksson, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad, Amr A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherman, Stephen G
• Application Number:
  US10/659,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20050052341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 7, 345/156, 345/169, 345/76, 345/82, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/4
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1347 Arrangement of liquid crystal layers or cells in which the final condition of one light beam is achieved by the addition of the effects of two or more layers or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/12 using special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/35 being liquid crystals G09F9/302 takes precedence; liquid crystal materials C09K19/00; liquid crystal panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell per se G02F1/13
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/46 in which the desired character is selected from a number of characters arranged one behind the other
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit

Abstract

Wireless terminals with layered displays that provide different focal lengths and allow a user to view data presented on different layered displays by optically shifting his/her focus.

Claims

1. A method for providing text and/or visual data to a display system of a portable communications device, comprising:

presenting text and/or visual data on a first display;

presenting a different visual presentation of text and/or visual data substantially concurrently on a second display underlying the first display, such that the second display is a further distance away from an eye of a user than the first display, wherein, in operation, a user is able to view data on the first and/or second display, and wherein one of the first and second displays is configured to present an operating interface desktop with user selectable menu items;

electronically selecting a feature, text or indicia using the first display within content of an application on the second display to navigate; and

electrically locking access to the device by providing a password restricted access entry region on the first display and optically blocking the remainder of the first display while the second display carries text and visual data thereon to inhibit unauthorized use of the device while the device is operating.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second displays are aligned so that the user can view data on both of the displays at the same time, and wherein the user can focus on one of the displays by optically altering his/her focus to a focal length corresponding to the desired display, the method further comprising providing contrast and three dimensional effect to a user using the first and second displays so that certain features, text or objects optically project outward toward a user.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the second display is a color graphic display, and wherein the first display is monochromatic.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the second display is configured with the operating interface desktop and has increased resolution over that of the first display.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data on the first display comprises textual data, and wherein the data on the second display comprises visual data, and wherein the first and second displays are linked to simultaneously display related incoming communication data transmitted using a computer network.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the visual data comprises an image.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the textual data provided by the first display comprises data from a digital book or article, and wherein the visual data provided by the second display is video clips, images and/or pictures from the digital book or article.

8. A method according to claim 1, further, comprising:

generating a MMS message having text and visual data and parsing the message data such that text presents on the first display and visual data presents on the second display.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising receiving an MMS message having text and visual data and parsing the text data to present on the first display and the visual data to present on the second display.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein automatically scrolling text is presented on the first display and video related to the text is presented on the second display.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the first and second displays to interactively communicate in response to actions by the user.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising illuminating pixels on the first display in a manner that allows the user to view through the illuminated pixels to the second display.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first display is configured to operate in a screensaver mode during periods of non-active use while the second display is operative to carry at least one of text and visual data thereon to thereby inhibit unauthorized use or viewing.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of presenting visual and/or text data on the first and second displays comprise presenting text on the first display while presenting an image related to the text on the second display and wherein the visual and textual data comprises incoming or outgoing communication data transmitted using a computer network.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

presenting text comprising map directions of a geographic location of interest on a first display; and

presenting visual data image comprising a map corresponding to the location of interest substantially concurrently on a second display underlying the first display, such that the second display is a further distance away from an eye of a user than the first display, wherein, in operation, a user is able to view data on the first and second display.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second display provides visual and textual data and the first display is adapted to selectively present a subset of the data provided by the second display, and wherein the first and second displays are interactively communicating during the presenting steps.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the presenting steps are carried out with at least one of the displays presenting moving graphics.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein content on the first and second displays are linked so that as text scrolls or changes on one display, visual images change automatically on the other.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electronically selecting a feature, text or indicia using the first display is configured to interact with non-map related content of the application on the second display.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electronically selecting a feature, text or indicia using the first display is configured to allow a user to electronically carry out at least one of the following:

emphasize, edit, save, send or write to, content of the application on the second display.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the electronically selecting is configured to allow a user to electronically select to emphasize, edit, save, send and write to content of the application on the second display.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second displays cooperate to provide a feature with a three-dimensional visual appearance.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first display is configured to present text messages while the second display presents the desktop menu of icons.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second displays cooperate to display an incoming multimedia content service message from a media service provider using a computer network.

25. A dual layered display assembly of a portable communications device, comprising:

a first display;

a second display positioned adjacent to and under the first display;

wherein one of the first and second displays is configured to present an operating interface desktop with user selectable menu items;

wherein the first display is configured to electrically lock access to the second display by providing a password restricted access entry region on the first display and optically blocking the remainder of the first display while the second display carries at least one of text and visual data thereon and while the portable communications device is operating to inhibit unauthorized use of the device.

26. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein, in operation, the first display is configured to provide text and/or visual data using pixels with sufficient optical transmissivity and/or transparency to allow a user to optically view through the first display to text and/or visual data on the underlying second display, and wherein the first and second displays are linked to simultaneously display related incoming or outgoing communication content.

27. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the first display is configured as a monochromatic display and the second display is configured as a color graphic display, and wherein the assembly is configured so that content within an application on the second display can be navigated by electronically selecting a feature, text or indicia using the first display.

28. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the first and second displays are aligned and positioned so that the first and second displays are substantially coextensive with each other, and wherein the first and second displays are configured to cooperate to provide contrast and three dimensional effect to a user so that certain features, text or objects optically project outward toward the user.

29. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein, when in use and positioned relative to the eye(s) of a user, the second display has a focal length that is longer than the focal length of the first display, and wherein, in operation, a user is able to selectively view data on the first and/or second display by optically shifting his/her focus.

30. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the first and second displays are aligned so that the user can view data on both of the displays at the same time.

31. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the first and second displays are configured to interactively communicate in response to actions input by the user.

32. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein, in operation, the first display is configured to illuminate pixels in a manner that allows the user to view through the illuminated pixels to electronically access menu items and data on the second display while user input text or incoming or outgoing messages can be displayed on the first display.

33. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the first display is configured to automatically optically block viewability therethrough to inhibit external viewing of the second display during periods of non-use.

34. An assembly according to claim 25, further comprising:

a terminal housing holding the first and second displays; and

terminal circuit components in the housing to provide a computer terminal.

35. An assembly according to claim 25, further comprising:

a portable terminal housing holding the first and second displays; and

portable terminal circuit components in the housing to provide a portable computer terminal in a portable communications device.

36. An assembly according to claim 25, further comprising:

a wireless terminal housing holding the first and second displays; and

wireless terminal circuit components in the housing to provide a wireless computer terminal.

37. An assembly according to claim 25, wherein the second display is configured with the operating interface desktop.

38. A wireless terminal, comprising:

(a) a housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;

(b) a first display in communication with the transceiver and held in the housing so that a corresponding first viewing surface is externally viewable; and

(c) a second display in communication with the transceiver and held in the housing beneath the first display so that a corresponding second viewing surface is externally viewable,

wherein the wireless terminal is configured to concurrently present data on the first and second displays and wherein the second display is configured to present an operating interface desktop with user selectable menu items, and

wherein the first display is configured to electrically lock access to the second display by providing a password restricted access entry region on the first display and optically blocking the remainder of the first display while the second display carries text and visual data thereon to inhibit unauthorized use of the device while the wireless terminal is operating.

39. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein measured from an eye of a user, the second display has a focal length that is longer than the first display, and wherein, in operation, a user is able to selectively view data on the first and/or second display by optically shifting his/her focus.

40. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein the first and second displays are configured to interactively engage each other during operation.

41. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein the wireless terminal is configured to review an incoming communication signal and parse the signal into visual and text data segments and then present selected text data on the first display and visual data on the second display.

42. A wireless terminal according to claim 41, wherein the incoming communication signal comprises a MMS message with at least one image and text, and wherein the wireless terminal is configured to review the message and direct the signal so that at least some of the text is presented on the first display while the at least one image is presented on the second display.

43. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein, in operation, the first display is configured to provide text and/or visual data using pixels with sufficient optical transmissivity and/or transparency to allow a user to optically view through the first display to text and/or visual data on the underlying second display.

44. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein the first display is configured as a substantially transparent display and the second display is configured as a color graphic display.

45. A wireless terminal according to claim 44, wherein the first and second displays are aligned and positioned so that the first and second displays are substantially coextensive with each other.

46. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein the first display is configured to operate in a screensaver mode during periods of non-active use while the wireless terminal is operating.

47. A wireless terminal according to claim 38, wherein the first display is a monochromatic display configured to display optically transmissive pixels, and wherein the second display is a color graphic display.

48. A computer program product for selectively displaying text or visual data, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code that is configured to receive a wireless communication signal in a wireless terminal;

computer readable program code that is configured to direct a first display to display text and/or visual data associated with the received wireless communication signal;

computer readable program code that is configured to concurrently direct a second display disposed under the first display to display text and/or visual data associated with the received wireless communication signal;

computer readable program code that is configured to display an operating interface with user selectable menu items on the second display; and

computer readable program code that is configured to electrically lock access to the second display by providing a password restricted access entry region on the first display and optically blocking the first display while the second display carries text and visual data thereon to inhibit unauthorized use of the device while the wireless terminal is operating.

49. A computer program product according to claim 48, wherein the first display is a transparent and/or translucent display and the second display is a color graphic display.

50. A computer program product according to claim 48, further comprising computer program code that is configured to provide dynamic interactive communication between the first and second displays to display data associated with incoming or outgoing messages.

51. A portable communications wireless terminal device, comprising:

(a) a housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;

(b) a first display in communication with the transceiver and held in the housing so that a corresponding first viewing surface is externally viewable; and

(c) a second display in communication with the transceiver and held in the housing beneath the first display so that a corresponding second viewing surface is externally viewable,

wherein the wireless terminal is configured to concurrently present data on the first and second displays, and wherein the first display is configured to electrically lock access to the second display by providing a password restricted access entry region on the first display and optically blocking the remainder of the first display while the second display carries text and visual data thereon and while the portable communications device is operating to inhibit unauthorized use of the device.

52. A handheld wireless terminal portable communications device having telephone capacity, comprising:

a hand-held housing configured to enclose a transceiver that transmits and receives wireless communications signals;

a first display in communication with the transceiver and held in the housing so that a corresponding first viewing surface is externally viewable; and

a second display in communication with the transceiver and held in the housing beneath the first display so that a corresponding second viewing surface is externally viewable,

wherein the second display is configured to present an operating interface desktop with user selectable menu items,

wherein the first and second displays are configured to interactively communicate,

wherein the device is configured to concurrently present different visual presentations of text, graphic and/or pictorial data on the first and second displays; and

wherein the first display is configured to electrically lock access to the second display by providing a password restricted access entry region on the first display and optically blocking the first display to inhibit viewability of the second display while the second display carries text and visual data thereon to inhibit unauthorized use of the device while the wireless terminal is operating.

53. A device according to claim 52, wherein the displays are configured to cooperate to at least one of enlarge, move, highlight, emphasize, select or project data, text or features on one display with the other display.