Inferred undocking for hybrid tablet computer

• US 9,836,084 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chau, Han, Jeganathan, Nithyananda S., Roe, Bryan Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US14/229,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 36167917, 36167929, 36167941
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

In an example, there is disclosed a hybrid tablet computing device comprising a tablet member configured to dock to a base member. The base member may include peripherals and other elements to augment the functionality of the tablet member. While docked, the base and tablet may operate in a cooperative mode, while undocking the tablet from the base places the tablet in an independent mode. A user'"'"'s intent to undock may be inferred by natural interactions, including for example a user gripping the tablet along its top edge while simultaneously placing a hand over a trackpad on the base. If an undocking intent is inferred but the user does not complete the docking process within a timeout period, the tablet may redock and enter the cooperative mode.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first housing, a second housing, and an interface to mechanically lock the first housing to the second housing;

a first sensor disposed along an edge of the first housing removed from the interface, the first sensor disposed to detect a user'"'"'s gripping of the removed edge;

a second sensor disposed on the second housing configured to detect contact from the user'"'"'s hand on the second housing; and

logic, at least partly implemented in hardware, to;

receive data representing a user gripping the removed edge and applying pressure to the second housing;

infer an undocking intent of the user;

send a release-lock instruction to the interface; and

cause an electronic device housed in the first housing to enter a first mode in response to the first housing being decoupled from the second housing.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising logic to:

after a time period, determine that the first housing has not been removed from the second housing;

lock the interface; and

cause the electronic device housed in the first housing to enter a second mode.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor to detect pressure on at least one edge of the first housing.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors further comprise a sensor to detect an object physically near or in contact with an input device disposed on the second housing.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a front camera, a rear camera, and one or more sensors to detect that the front camera and rear camera are substantially obstructed.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a sensor to detect a plurality of fingers substantially in a center of at least one edge of the first housing.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a sensor to detect pressure substantially at a center of at least one edge of the first housing.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a sensor to detect a pressure exerted on the first housing, the pressure at least partially translating to a pressure on the interface between the first housing and the second housing.

9. A system comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

an interface to mechanically lock the first housing to the second housing;

a first sensor disposed along an edge of the first housing removed from the interface, the first sensor disposed to detect a user'"'"'s gripping of the removed edge;

a second sensor disposed on the second housing configured to detect contact from the user'"'"'s hand on the second housing; and

logic, at least partly implemented in hardware, to;

receive data representing a user gripping the removed edge and applying pressure to the second housing;

infer an undocking intent of the user;

send a release-lock instruction to the interface; and

cause an electronic device housed in the first housing to enter a first mode in response to the first housing being decoupled from the second housing.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising logic to:

after a time period, determine that the first housing has not been removed from the second housing;

lock the interface; and

cause the electronic device housed in the first housing to enter a second mode.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor to detect pressure on at least one edge of the first housing.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the sensors further comprise a sensor to detect an object physically near or in contact with an input device disposed on the second housing.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a front camera, a rear camera, and one or more sensors to detect that the front camera and rear camera are substantially obstructed.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a sensor to detect a plurality of fingers substantially in a center of at least one edge of the first housing.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a sensor to detect pressure substantially at a center of at least one edge of the first housing.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the sensors comprise a sensor to detect a pressure exerted on the first housing, the pressure at least partially translating to a pressure on the interface between the first housing and the second housing.

17. One or more non-transitory storage mediums having encoded thereon logic operable to instruct a processor for:

communicatively coupling to a system having a first housing mechanically coupled to a second housing at a mechanical interface;

receiving from a sensor data representing a user gripping the first housing at a removed edge from the second housing and applying pressure to the second housing;

responsive to receiving the data, inferring an undocking intent of the user and releasing a lock on the interface; and

instructing an electronic device housed in the first housing to enter a first mode.

18. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 17, wherein the logic is further operable to instruct the processor for:

after a time period, determining that the first housing has not been removed from the second housing;

locking the interface; and

causing the electronic device housed in the first housing to enter a second mode.

19. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 17, wherein the data further represents the user grasping a top edge of the first housing.

20. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 17, wherein the data further represents the user exerting a pressure on a top edge of the first housing in a manner that at least some of the pressure is translated to the interface.

21. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 20, wherein the data further represents the user placing an object on or near a sensor disposed on the second housing.

22. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 17, wherein the data further represents the user substantially obstructing a front camera and rear camera disposed along a common edge of the first housing.

23. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 17, wherein the data further represents the user placing a plurality of fingers substantially in the center of a top edge of the first housing.

24. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums of claim 17, wherein the data further represents the user applying pressure substantially at the center of an edge of the first housing.