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

• US 8,204,558 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gioscia, Rich, Canova, Frank J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US12/266,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20090061930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 455/90.3, 455/566, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 379/433.04
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• 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 housing element comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite said first surface;

a second housing element movably attached to said first housing element;

a first display screen mounted on said first surface; and

a second display screen, larger than the first display screen, mounted on said second surface including a window at least as large as the first display screen, wherein first information displayed on said first display screen is displayable within the window on said second display screen, said first housing element and said second housing element including a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein said second display screen faces a surface of said second housing element when in the closed configuration and said second display screen is viewable when in the open configuration, said first information is transferred from said first display screen to said second display screen as a result of changing from said closed configuration to said open configuration.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said second display screen spans said first housing element and said second housing element.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said first display screen and said second display screen comprise a dual-sided display.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein second information in addition to said first information is displayable on said second display screen simultaneous with said window containing said first information.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 wherein said second information is selected from the group consisting of:

notes, schedules, and contacts.

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

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said first information is phone-related information.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein said phone-related information is call information.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein said first display screen and said second display screen are respectively associated with a wireless voice communication device and a handheld computing device that are both integrated within said electronic device.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory unit coupled with said processor;

electronics coupled with said processor and for wireless communication;

a first display screen coupled with said processor;

a second display screen including a window coupled with said processor and larger than said first display screen, the window is at least as large as the first display screen; and

a foldable housing that houses said processor, said memory unit, said electronics, said first display screen and said second display screen, wherein said first display screen is located on a first surface of said foldable housing and said second display screen located on a second surface of said foldable housing opposite said first surface, wherein first information displayed on said first display screen is viewable within the window on said second display screen, and wherein said first housing element and said second housing element are configurable in a closed configuration in which said second display screen faces a surface of said second housing element, and in an open configuration in which said second display screen is viewable, wherein said first information is transferred from said first display screen to said second display screen as a result of changing from said closed configuration to said open configuration.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein said second display screen spans said first housing element and said second housing element.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein said first display screen and said second display screen comprising a dual-sided display.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, comprising second information displayable on said second display screen simultaneous with said window containing said first information.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 wherein said second information is selected from the group consisting of:

notes, schedules, and contacts.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein said first information is phone-related information.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 wherein said phone-related information comprising call information displayed on said first display screen responsive to receiving an incoming call at said electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein said wireless communication is placed on hold as a result of said changing from said closed configuration to said open configuration.