Portable computer with multiple display configurations

• US 10,782,733 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2019
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• 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): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US16/374,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20190361491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• 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 plurality of display modes including 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.

Claims

1. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes including first, second, and third display modes, the portable computer comprising:

at least one processor;

a display screen having a height dimension and a length dimension perpendicular to the height dimension; and

an orientation sensor configured to;

detect a first orientation transition from a first orientation mode to a second orientation mode of the portable computer at least in part by determining a first relative orientation of the display screen with respect to a first axis that is parallel to one of the height and length dimensions;

output, to the at least one processor responsive to detecting the first orientation transition, a first detection result to trigger a first display transition from the first display mode to the second display mode,

wherein the first display transition comprises rotating a visual display on the display screen by 180 degrees;

detect a second orientation transition from the second orientation mode to a third orientation mode at least in part by determining a second relative orientation of the display screen with respect to a second axis that is perpendicular to the height and length dimensions; and

output, to the at least one processor responsive to detecting the second orientation transition, a second detection result to trigger a second display transition from the second display mode to the third display mode,

wherein the second display transition comprises rotating the visual display on the display screen by 180 degrees.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the first relative orientation transition comprises a rotation of the display screen by more than 180 degrees and less than or equal to 320 degrees with respect to the first axis.

3. The portable computer of claim 2, wherein the second relative orientation transition comprises a rotation of the display screen by at least 180 degrees with respect to the second axis.

4. The portable computer of claim 3, wherein:

the first orientation mode and the first display mode correspond to a laptop mode;

the second orientation mode and the second display mode correspond to an easel mode; and

the third orientation mode and the third display mode correspond to a frame mode.

5. The portable computer of claim 4, further comprising:

a display component comprising the display screen; and

a keyboard rotatably coupled to the display component about the first axis.

6. The portable computer of claim 5, wherein the keyboard is rotatably coupled to the display component about a single-axis hinge positioned coincident with the first axis.

7. The portable computer of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is configured to prevent the portable computer from responding to pressed keys of the keyboard when the portable computer is in the third orientation mode.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein:

the visual display comprises a home screen including a plurality of icons providing access to a plurality of applications including a media player, messaging, email, and internet browsing; and

the transition further comprises rotating the plurality of icons by 180 degrees.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the orientation sensor includes an accelerometer.

10. A portable computer configurable among a plurality of display modes including a first display mode and a second display mode, the portable computer comprising:

at least one processor;

a single display component comprising a display screen having a height dimension and a length dimension perpendicular to the height dimension;

a keyboard rotatably coupled to the single display component about an axis, wherein the axis is parallel to one of the height and length dimensions;

an orientation sensor configured to;

detect an orientation transition from a first orientation mode to a second orientation mode of the portable computer at least in part by determining a relative orientation of the display screen with respect to the axis;

output, to the at least one processor responsive to detecting the orientation transition, a detection result to trigger a display transition from the first display mode to the second display mode,

wherein the display transition comprises rotating a visual display on the display screen by 180 degrees,

wherein the orientation sensor is further configured to;

detect a second orientation transition from the second orientation mode to a third orientation mode at least in part by determining a second relative orientation of the display screen with respect to a second axis perpendicular to the height and length dimensions; and

output, to the at least one processor responsive to detecting the second orientation transition, a second detection result to trigger a second display transition from the second display mode to a third display mode,

wherein the second display transition comprises rotating the visual display by 180 degrees.

11. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein the single display component is rotatably coupled to the keyboard component by a single-axis hinge.

12. The portable computer of claim 11, wherein the single-axis hinge is coincident with the axis.

13. The portable computer of claim 12, further comprising a base including the keyboard and rotatably coupled to the single display component about the single-axis hinge.

14. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein, responsive to a user input received while the portable computer is in the second orientation mode, the at least one processor is configured to display a home screen on the display screen.

15. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein the relative orientation transition comprises a rotation of the display screen by more than 180 degrees and less than or equal to 320 degrees with respect to the axis.

16. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein the first orientation mode and the first display mode correspond to a laptop mode, and the second orientation mode and the second display mode correspond to an easel mode.

17. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein the third orientation mode and the third display mode correspond to a frame mode.

18. The portable computer of claim 17, wherein the at least one processor is configured to prevent the portable computer from responding to pressed keys of the keyboard when the portable computer is in the third orientation mode.

19. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein:

the visual display comprises a home screen including a plurality of icons providing access to a plurality of applications including a media player, messaging, email, and internet browsing; and

the transition further comprises rotating the plurality of icons by 180 degrees.

20. The portable computer of claim 10, wherein the orientation sensor includes an accelerometer.