PORTABLE COMPUTER WITH MULTIPLE DISPLAY CONFIGURATIONS

• US 20090244012A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• 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, Edahiro, Naoya, Hibmacronan, Christopher, Morenstein, Joshua, Day, Matthew David
• Granted Patent: US 8,624,844 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 that

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising:

a base;

a display component rotatably coupled to the base such that the display component and the base are rotatable with respect to one another about a longitudinal axis running along an interface between the display component and the base, the display component including a display screen; and

a scroll wheel disposed at least partially within the base and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the scroll wheel configured to permit a user to control at least one of operating parameters of the portable computer and content displayed on the display screen.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, where the scroll wheel is 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 scroll wheel is configured to permit the user to select a mode of content for display by the portable computer.

7. A portable computer configurable between a plurality of display modes including a laptop mode and an easel mode, the portable computer comprising:

a base;

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

a scroll wheel 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 screen.

8. The portable computer of claim 7;

wherein the scroll wheel is disposed at leas partially about an axis of rotation of the display component relative to the base.

9. The portable computer of claim 8, wherein the axis of rotation runs along an interface between the display component and the base.

10. The portable computer of claim 7, 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.

11. The portable computer of claim 10, 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.

12. The portable computer of claim 10, further comprising a second navigation button that is not user-accessible when the portable computer is in the laptop mode.

13. A portable computer comprising:

a base;

a display component including a screen configured to display content;

a hinge assembly configured to rotatably couple the display component to the base and to permit rotation of the display component about a longitudinal axis running along an interface between the display component and the base; and

a scroll wheel disposed at least partially about the longitudinal axis.

14. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the scroll wheel is configured to permit a user to manipulate the content displayed on the screen.

15. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the scroll wheel is configured to permit a user to control a volume of sound played by the portable computer.

16. The portable computer of claim 13, wherein the scroll wheel is disposed at least partially within the hinge assembly.

17. The portable computer of claim 13, further comprising at least one navigation button disposed on one of the base and the display component.