Portable computer with multiple display configurations

• US 8,624,844 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LiTL LLC (TRI Ventures, Inc.)
• Inventors: Behar, Yves, Morenstein, Joshua, Hibmacronan, Christopher, Edahiro, Naoya, Day, Matthew David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abebe, Sosina
• Application Number:
  US12/170,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 345/184, 345168-169, 345/156, 345/173, 361/679.3, 361/679.21, 36167926-67927, 455/575.3
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A portable computer that is configurable between a laptop mode (in which the portable computer has a conventional laptop appearance) and an easel mode in which the base of the computer and its display component stand vertically forming an inverted “V.” The portable computer includes a hinge assembly that couples the display component to the base of the computer, and allows the display component to be rotated about an axis along an interface between the display component and the base to configure the portable computer between a closed position, the laptop mode and the easel mode. The portable computer further comprises a scroll wheel and optional navigation buttons.

Claims

1. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode and an easel mode wherein transitions between the plurality of display modes allows an operator to interact with a single display screen in each of the plurality of display modes, the portable computer comprising:

a base including a keyboard;

a main display component rotatably coupled to the base such that the main display component and the base are rotatable with respect to one another about a longitudinal axis running along an interface between the main display component and the base to transition between at least the laptop mode and the easel mode, the main display component including the single display screen, wherein the transition between the laptop mode and the easel mode allows the operator to operate the portable computer while viewing the single display screen in each of the plurality of display modes, wherein

the laptop mode is configured to display to a user on the main display component a first content mode having a first content display orientation with the main display component oriented towards the user and the keyboard oriented to receive input from the user;

the easel mode is configured to display to the user on the main display component a second content mode having a second content display orientation with the main display component oriented towards the user and the keyboard oriented away from the user, wherein the first and second content display orientations are 180 degrees relative to each other, and wherein the portable computer is operable in the easel mode to enable the user to interact with displayed content without interacting with the keyboard; and

a navigation control disposed at least partially within the base and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the navigation control configured to permit a user to control at least one of operating parameters of the portable computer and content displayed on the single display screen wherein the plurality of modes includes a frame in which the main display component is oriented towards the operator, the base contacts a substantially horizontal surface, and the keyboard faces the substantially horizontal surface.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, where the navigation control includes a scroll wheel configured to permit the user to adjust a volume of sound produced by the portable computer.

3. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising a first navigation button disposed on one of the base and the display component and configured to permit the user to manipulate selected content displayed on the screen.

4. The portable computer of claim 3, wherein the screen is configured to display at least one of a plurality of modes of content;

and

wherein the navigation button is configured to permit the user to select for display one of the plurality of modes of content.

5. The portable computer of claim 3, further comprising a second navigation button;

wherein the first navigation button is disposed on a major surface of the base; and

wherein the second navigation button is disposed on a minor surface of the base.

6. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the navigation control includes a scroll wheel configured to permit the user to select a mode of content for display by the portable computer.

7. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein rotating either the display component or the base about the longitudinal axis up to approximately 180 degrees from a closed mode in which the display screen is disposed substantially against the base configures the portable computer into the laptop mode;

and

wherein rotating either the display component or the base about the longitudinal axis beyond approximately 180 degrees from the closed mode configures the portable computer into the easel mode.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the frame mode is configured to display to a user on the main display component the first content mode having the first content display orientation.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the portable computer is configured to prevent the portable computer from responding to keyboard input when the portable computer is in the frame mode.

10. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode and an easel mode wherein transitions between the plurality of display modes permit an operator to interact with a single display screen in each of the plurality of display modes, the portable computer comprising:

a base including a keyboard;

a main display component rotatably coupled to the base and including the single display screen which displays content;

a hinge assembly disposed at least partially within the base and the main display component that defines an axis of rotation about which both the base and the main display component are rotatable to transition the portable computer between at least the laptop mode and the easel mode, wherein the transition between the laptop mode and the easel mode allows the operator to operate the portable computer while viewing the single display screen in each of the plurality of display modes, wherein

the laptop mode is configured to display to a user on the main display component a first content mode having a first content display orientation with the main display component oriented towards the user and the keyboard oriented to receive input from the user;

the easel mode is configured to display to the user on the main display component a second content mode having a second content display orientation with the main display component oriented towards the user and the keyboard oriented away from the user, wherein the first and second content display orientations are 180 degrees relative to each other, and wherein the portable computer is operable in the easel mode to enable the user to interact with displayed content without interacting with the keyboard; and

a navigation control accessible in each of the plurality of display modes and configured to permit a user to manipulate at least one of operating parameters of the portable computer and the content displayed on the single display screen wherein the plurality of modes includes a frame mode in which the main display component is oriented towards the operator, the base contacts a substantially horizontal surface, and the keyboard faces the substantially horizontal surface.

11. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein the navigation control includes a scroll wheel disposed at least partially about the axis of rotation of the display component relative to the base.

12. The portable computer of claim 11, wherein the scroll wheel provides a default action which effects manipulation of the at least one of the operating parameters of the portable computer, wherein the default action is defined differently responsive to a display mode of the portable computer.

13. The portable computer of claim 10, further comprising a first navigation button user-accessible in each of the laptop mode and the easel mode, and configured to permit the user to manipulate selected content displayed on the screen.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the screen is configured to display at least one of a plurality of modes of content;

and

wherein the first navigation button is configured to permit the user to select for display one of the plurality of modes of content.

15. The portable computer of claim 13, further comprising a second navigation button that is not user-accessible when the portable computer is in the easel mode.

16. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein an operating display mode is selected from the plurality of display modes based on a physical orientation of the portable computer.

17. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein an operating display mode is selected from the plurality of display modes in response to operation of the navigation control.

18. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode and an easel mode wherein transitions between the plurality of display modes allow an operator to interact with a single display screen in each of the plurality of display modes, the portable computer comprising:

a base including a keyboard;

a main display component including the single display screen configured to display content;

a hinge assembly disposed at least partially within the base configured to rotatably couple the main display component to the base, the hinge assembly defining a longitudinal axis running along an interface between the display component and the base about which the display component and the base are rotatable to transition the portable computer between at least the laptop mode and the easel mode, wherein the transition between the laptop mode and the easel mode allows the operator to operate the portable computer while viewing the single display screen in each of the plurality of display modes, wherein

the laptop mode is configured to display to a user on the main display component a first content mode having a first content display orientation with the main display component oriented towards the user and the keyboard oriented to receive input from the user;

the easel mode is configured to display to the user on the main display component a second content mode having a second content display orientation with the main display component oriented towards the user and the keyboard oriented away from the user, wherein the first and second content display orientations are 180 degrees relative to each other, and wherein the portable computer is operable in the easel mode to enable the user to interact with displayed content without interacting with the keyboard; and

a navigation control disposed at least partially about the longitudinal axis wherein the plurality of modes includes a frame mode in which the main display component is oriented towards the operator, the base contacts a substantially horizontal surface, and the keyboard faces the substantially horizontal surface.

19. The portable computer of claim 18, wherein the navigation control includes a scroll wheel configured to permit a user to manipulate the content displayed on the screen.

20. The portable computer of claim 18, wherein the navigation control includes a scroll wheel configured to permit a user to control a volume of sound played by the portable computer.

21. The portable computer of claim 18, wherein the navigation control includes a scroll wheel disposed at least partially within the hinge assembly.

22. The portable computer of claim 18, further comprising at least one navigation button disposed on one of the base and the display component.