Modular display device

• US 7,564,425 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rahn, Michael D., Martinez, Anthony Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam; Abbas I
• Application Number:
  US10/116,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,665 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.3, 345/3.1, 345/4, 345/1.1, 345/55, 345/103, 345/1.2, 715/779, 745/024, 745/026, 285/239, 285/267, 285/316, 285/328, 285/333, 285/921, 403/328, 604/533, 604/535, 604/536
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• 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 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

An improved computer display device is disclosed. The improved computer display device comprises a display monitor and at least one display module each containing their own desktop real estate and each lined with a series of male and female couplers containing electrical connections is disclosed. When the couplers are connected, they are capable of supporting the weight of the display module when attached to the display monitor. The couplers allow information to be transmitted back and forth between the display module and the display monitor, and allow the modules to be connected in various configurations. The display monitor and display module communication allows the icons, programs, applications and cursor on the desktop to be positioned anywhere on the improved display device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying information comprising:

screen surface;

a back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the screen surface;

an edge surface joining the screen surface to the back surface; and

alternating male and female couplers secured to the edge surface, for mating with substantially similar male and female couplers, supporting the weight of an electrical component, and transmitting power and data to a mated electrical component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the screen surface is a first screen surface, the back surface is a first back surface, the edge surface is a first edge surface, and the apparatus further comprises:

a second screen surface;

a second back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the second screen surface;

a second edge surface joining the second screen surface to the second back surface; and

alternating male and female couplers secured to the second edge surface and mated with the alternating male and female couplers secured to the first edge surface;

whereby the alternating male and female couplers secured to the first edge surface transmit power and data to the alternating male and female couplers secured to the second edge surface, and information is displayed on the first screen surface and the second screen surface with visual continuity between the first screen surface and the second screen surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the alternating male and female couplers are cylindrical.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the distance between each male and female coupler is equal.

5. An apparatus for displaying information, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a display monitor electrically engaged to the processor, the display monitor having

a screen surface,

a back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent the size of the screen surface,

an edge surface joining the screen surface, and

alternating male and female couplers secured to the edge surface, for mating with substantially similar male and female couplers, supporting the weight of an electrical component, and transmitting power and signals to a mated electrical component.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

a display module having

a second screen surface;

a second back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the second screen surface;

a second edge surface joining the second screen surface to the second back surface; and

alternating male and female couplers secured to the second edge surface and mated with the alternating male and female couplers secured to the edge surface of the display monitor;

whereby the alternating male and female coupler secured to the edge surface of the display monitor transmit power and data to the alternating male and female couplers secured to the second edge surface of the display module, and information displayed on the screen surface of the display monitor and the second screen surface of the display module with visual continuity between the display monitor and die display module.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the processor is located in a computer and the display monitor and display module display a computer desktop.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the computer is portable and the display monitor is rotatably hinged to the computer.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the size of the second screen surface of the display module is less than the size of the screen surface of the display monitor, thereby forming a display surface having more than four sides.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the processor is located in a computer and the display monitor displays a computer desktop.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the computer is portable and the display monitor is rotatably hinged to the computer.

12. An apparatus for displaying information comprising:

a screen surface;

a back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the screen surface;

an edge surface joining the screen surface to the back surface; and

means for electrically coupling the edge surface with a second apparatus;

wherein the electric coupling means supports the weight of the second apparatus and transmits power and data to the second apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the screen surface is a first screen surface, the back surface is a first back surface, the edge surface is a first edge surface, and the apparatus further comprises:

a second screen surface;

a second back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the second screen surface; and

a second edge surface joining the second screen surface to the second back surface;

wherein the second edge surface is coupled to the first edge surface through the electric coupling means, so that the electric coupling means secures the first edge surface to the second edge surface and transmits power and data to display information on the first screen surface and the second screen surface with visual continuity between the first screen surface and the second screen surface.

14. An apparatus for displaying information, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a display monitor electrically engaged to the processor, the display monitor having

a screen surface,

a back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the screen surface,

an edge surface joining the screen surface to the back surface, and

means for electrically coupling the edge surface with a second apparatus;

wherein the electric coupling means supports the weight of the second apparatus and transmits power and data to the second apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a display module having

a second screen surface;

a second back surface having a size that is substantially equivalent to the size of the second screen surface;

a second edge surface joining the second screen surface to the second back surface; and

means for electric coupling the second edge surface to die electric coupling means of the display monitor, so that the electric coupling means of the display module secures the display module to the display monitor and transmits power and data to display information on the display monitor and the display module with visual continuity between the display monitor and display module.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processor is located in a computer and the display monitor and display a computer desktop.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the processor is located in a computer and the display monitor displays a computer desktop.

18. A computer program, encoded in a computer-readable media, for rendering graphics on an apparatus having a processor and a display monitor coupled to the processor, the computer program comprising:

means for detecting a display module coupled to the display monitor;

means for transmitting dimensions of the display module and the display monitor to the processor after exchanging the handshake signal;

means for converting the dimensions of the display module and the display monitor to boundary data representing the boundary of a computer desktop;

means for rendering the computer desktop on the display module and the display monitor with visual continuity between the display module and the display monitor;

means for rendering a cursor on the computer desktop; and

means for prohibiting the cursor from traversing the boundary of the computer desktop.

19. The computer program of claim 18 wherein the means for detecting a display module coupled to the display monitor comprises exchanging a handshake signal between the display module and the display monitor when the display module is coupled to the display monitor.

20. The computer program of claim 18 wherein the means for detecting a display module coupled to the display monitor comprises scanning a coupler bus when the display module is coupled to the display monitor.