Display actuator

• US 20060181517A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Stringer, Christopher J., Ive, Jonathan P., Zadesky, Stephen Paul, Rohrbach, Matthew Dean
• Application Number:
  US11/057,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/169 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 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 : using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• 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 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 : Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 : for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 : including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A display device that both displays visual information and that serves as a mechanical actuator to generate input signals is disclosed (i.e., display device is not only an output device, but also a mechanically actuated input device). By way of example, the display device, which displays visual information such as text, characters and graphics, may also act like a push or clickable button(s), a sliding toggle button or switch, a rotating dial or knob, a motion controlling device such as a joystick or navigation pad, and/or the like. The display actuator may be incorporated into any electronic device to control various aspects of the electronic device. Alternatively, the display actuator may be a stand alone device that operatively couples to an electronic devices through wired or wireless connections. In either case, the display actuator can be configured to generate commands, make selections and/or control movements in a display.

Claims

1. An integral input/output device, comprising:

a display that moves relative to a frame; and

a movement detection mechanism configured to generate signals when the display is moved, the signals being indicative of at least one predetermined movement of the display.

2. An electronic device having a housing and a display device, wherein the improvement comprises constraining the display device within the housing while permitting a least one component of the display device to be moved within the housing so as to signal at least one user input.

3. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one component of the display device can be moved in a plurality of different positions so as to signal a plurality of different user inputs.

4. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the display device serves as a primary user input mechanism for the electronic device.

5. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the display device serves as the only user input mechanism for the electronic device.

6. An electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

7. A hand held electronic device, comprising:

a housing enclosing operational components of the hand held electronic device; and

a display actuator disposed at a surface of the housing, the display actuator including at least;

a display device configured to present visual information within a viewing area of the housing, the display device having a movable component that moves relative to the housing, and

a detection mechanism configured to generate signals when the movable component is moved relative to the housing.

8. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the display device includes a display, the display being configured to present text, characters or graphics.

9. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 8 wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

10. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 8 wherein the display is the movable component.

11. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 8 wherein the display device includes a transparent cover positioned over the display, and wherein the transparent cover and the display cooperate to form the movable component.

12. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 11 wherein the display device includes a touch screen positioned between the display and the transparent cover, and wherein the transparent cover, touch screen and display cooperate to form the movable component of the display device.

13. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 8 wherein the display device includes a transparent cover positioned over the display, and wherein the transparent cover is the only movable component of the display device.

14. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 8 wherein the display device includes a platform disposed below the display, a touch screen positioned over the display, and a transparent cover positioned over the touch screen, and wherein the display, touch screen, transparent cover and platform cooperate to form the movable component of the display device.

15. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the movable component translates between an upright and a depressed position relative to the housing in order to generate an input signal via the detection mechanism.

16. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the movable component slides between a first position and a second position relative to the housing in order to generate an input signal via the detection mechanism.

17. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the movable component is pivoted between an upright position and a tilted position relative to the housing in order to generate an input signal via the detection mechanism.

18. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the movable component is rotated about an axis relative to the housing in order to generate an input signal via the detection mechanism.

19. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the detection mechanism includes one or movement indicators that generate signals indicative of the movements of the movable component, the movement indicators being selected from switches, sensors or encoders.

20. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the housing includes an opening for providing access to the display device, the display device being tiltably seated within the housing, and the detection mechanism including one or more mechanical switches disposed between the display device and the housing, the mechanical switches generating input signals when the display device is tilted in the region of the mechanical switch.

21. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 7 wherein the housing includes an opening for facilitating user interaction with the display device, the display device being slidably seated within the housing, and the detection mechanism including one or more sensors disposed between the display device and the housing, the sensors generating input signals when the display device is slid in the region of the sensor, the sensors being selected from force sensitive resistors, strain gauges or load cells.

22. The hand held electronic device as recited in claim 21 wherein the housing includes a channel and wherein the display device is disposed within the channel in order to permit a sliding action of the display device relative to the housing, and wherein the display device is suspended within the channel via one or more spring elements.

23. A method for receiving a user input, said method being implemented on an electronic device having a display, said method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface on the display; and

generating one or more input signals when the display is moved, the input signals being used to provide user input to the electronic device.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the display is movable.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the electronic device includes a housing, and wherein the display is movable within the housing.

26. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing; and

a movable display apparatus constrained within the housing,

wherein physically moving the movable display apparatus within the housing operates to signal at least one user input.

27. The electronic device as recited in claim 26 wherein the movable display apparatus translates, slides, pivots or rotates relative to the housing.

28. The electronic device as recited in claim 26 wherein the electronic device is a hand held media player, and wherein the at least one user input is a media control input.

29. The electronic device as recited in claim 26 wherein the movable display apparatus is the only input means of the electronic device.

30. The electronic device as recited in claim 26 wherein the movable display apparatus is the primary input means of the electronic device.