Bendable electronic device status information system and method

• US 8,485,426 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Levien, Royce A., Cohen, Alexander J., Lord, Richard T., Jung, Edward K. Y., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, Jr., John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haupt, Kristy A
• Application Number:
  US12/462,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20100053068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/454, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/00 Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with visual indicators other than cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/035 for flexible display surfaces

Abstract

A method includes, but is not limited to: obtaining and sending one or more bendable electronic device physical status related information portions to the bendable electronic device based upon the obtaining of the first information. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An electronic paper assembly comprising:

at least one display surface having one or more touch input portions;

one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly; and

circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape.

2. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for (i) activating at least one phone application and (ii) signaling to display one or more control features associated with the at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape.

3. The electronic paper assembly system of claim 2, wherein the circuitry configured for (i) activating at least one phone application and (ii) signaling to display one or more control features associated with the at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for (i) activating at least one phone application, (ii) signaling to display one or more control features associated with the at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, and (iii) signaling to display public-type content from at least some of the at least one display surface, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape.

4. The electronic paper assembly of claim 3, wherein the circuitry configured for (i) activating at least one phone application, (ii) signaling to display one or more control features associated with the at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, and (iii) signaling to display public-type content from at least some of the at least one display surface, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for (i) activating at least one phone application, (ii) signaling to display one or more control features associated with the at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, and (iii) signaling to display public-type content from at least some of the at least one display surface, if the electronic paper assembly is folded to at least one predetermined angle value.

5. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly comprises:

one or more sensors operable to obtain one or more of the following types of information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly;

force, sequence, surface contact, hinge status, radius, ratio, pattern, angle, strain, stress, incline, orientation, association, bend number, connection, position, relative position, reference, location, and acceleration.

6. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly comprises:

one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations about one or more hinges of the electronic paper assembly.

7. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly comprises:

one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations about one or more display region borders of the electronic paper assembly.

8. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly comprises:

one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations within one or more display regions of the electronic paper assembly.

9. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly comprises:

one or more sensors operable to obtain information associated with one or more folds, bends, and/or rolls of the electronic paper assembly.

10. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one display surface having one or more touch input portions comprises:

at least one organic light emitting diode (OLED) type display surface having one or more touch input portions.

11. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one display surface having one or more touch input portions comprises:

at least one display surface composed of two or more display layers and having one or more touch input portions.

12. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is folded to one or more predetermined angle values.

13. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is bent to one or more predetermined radius values.

14. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one display surface having one or more touch input portions comprises:

at least one of the following types of display surfaces;

electrowetting, twist ball, liquid crystal, liquid powder, flexible transistor, light emitting diode, electrophoretic, and electrofluidic.

15. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one wrist-band-like shape.

16. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, wherein the circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being in at least one predetermined origami-like shape comprises:

circuitry configured for signaling to display one or more control features associated with at least one phone application from at least one portion of the one or more touch input portions of the at least one display surface of the electronic paper assembly, if the electronic paper assembly is recognized as being persistently in at least one predetermined origami-like shape.

17. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

memory storing one or more of the following applications that are selectable in response to one or more conformations of the electronic paper assembly;

phone, television, personal digital assistant, personal computer, eBook, calendar, wallet, audio, video, audio-video, game, web browser, map, and/or entertainment.

18. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more transmitters and/or receivers.

19. The electronic paper assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one other display surface oppositely facing the at least one display surface.