Compact palmtop computer system and wireless telephone with foldable dual-sided display

• US 7,466,961 B1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Canova, Francis J. Jr., Gioscia, Rich
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, SIMON
• Application Number:
  US11/011,514
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/90.3, 455347-349, 455/566, 4555561-5562
• US Class Current: 455/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

The present invention is a compact personal digital assistant (PDA) and cellular telephone with foldable dual-sided display. By utilizing flexible display technology, both a PDA and a cellular telephone are incorporated into one device. In a closed state, in one embodiment, the present invention corresponds to the form used for typical cellular telephone use (e.g., candy bar size). In an open state, in one embodiment, the present invention corresponds to the form used for typical PDA use by providing an enlarged viewing area. The present invention provides the benefit of two distinct devices in one device by allowing for common operations and functionality without compromising the respective form factor of either device.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first element comprising a first side and a second side that is opposite said first side, said first side comprising a first display and said second side comprising a second display, wherein said first display is associated with a wireless voice communication device and said second display is associated with a handheld computing device that are both integrated within said electronic device; and

a second element movably attached to said first element, said electronic device configurable into a closed configuration wherein said second side is adjacent to a surface of said second element, and wherein said electronic device is configurable in an open configuration wherein said second side is accessible, wherein converting from said closed configuration to said open configuration causes information displayed on said first display to be transferred to said second display;

wherein, in said closed configuration, said first display is viewable and said second display is not viewable and, in said open configuration, said first display and said second display are simultaneously viewable in correct orientation from a single point of view.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising telephony hardware operable to provide wireless voice communication.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said information is phone-related information.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 wherein said phone-related information is call information.

5. The electronic device of claim 2 wherein said first display and said second display are operable to display phone-related information.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said first data is said second data.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said first display is configured to display first data and said second display is configured to display second data.

8. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit coupled to said processor;

electronics coupled to said processor and operable for wireless communication;

a first display coupled to said processor;

a second display coupled to said processor; and

a foldable housing that houses said processor, said memory unit, said electronics, said first display and said second display, wherein said first display is located on a first side of said foldable housing and said second display is located on a second side of said foldable housing that is opposite said first side, said foldable housing configurable into a first configuration wherein said first display is viewable and said second display is not viewable and configurable into a second configuration wherein said first display and said second display are simultaneously viewable in correct orientation from a single point of view, wherein converting from said first configuration to said second configuration causes information displayed on said first display to be transferred to said second display.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein said information is phone-related information.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 wherein said phone-related information is call information.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein said call information is displayed on said first display responsive to receiving an incoming call at said electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein said first display and said second display are operable to display call information.

13. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein said first display is configured to display first data and said second display is configured to display second data.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 wherein said first data is said second data.

15. A mobile computing device comprising:

a first element comprising a first side and a second side that is opposite said first side, said first side comprising a first display and said second side comprising a second display; and

a second element movably attached to said first element, said electronic device configurable into a closed configuration wherein said second side is adjacent to a surface of said second element, and wherein said electronic device is configurable in an open configuration wherein said second side is accessible, wherein first information is displayable on said first display and second information is displayable on said second display, wherein said second information is different from said first information, and wherein said second information includes information that is not included in and is not available as part of said first information;

wherein, in said closed configuration, said first display is viewable and said second display is not viewable and, in said open configuration, said first display and said second display are simultaneously viewable in correct orientation from a single point of view.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 15 wherein said first information comprises phone-related information, and wherein said second information is related to and expands on information included in said first information.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 16 wherein said second information is selected from the group consisting of:

notes;

schedules; and

contacts.