OPTIMIZED READING EXPERIENCE ON CLAMSHELL COMPUTER

• US 20110246871A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Paradise, Jerry T., Read, Rory P., Ray, Ratan, Plaskonos, Paul, Matsubara, Masaki
• Application Number:
  US12/751,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246871A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/253
• 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 1/1637 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 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored

Abstract

The provision of an optimized arrangement for reading tasks at a clamshell or laptop computer, particularly to facilitate reading in portrait mode. Further contemplated herein are arrangements for readily switching between a reading (portrait) operating mode and a “normal” (landscape) mode. Such changes could be brought about via essentially any suitable arrangement, such as via an accelerometer which acts automatically, or a hotkey which is activated manually. Additionally contemplated herein is the use of mouse keys for alternative purposes specific to switching between the reading/portrait modes, such as utilizing left and right mouse buttons for page up and page down controls for reading (in portrait mode). A mouse pad (touchpad) can also be employed for alternative purposes in reading/portrait mode, such as the use of horizontal mouse pad scrolling for vertical document scrolling in reading/portrait mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a clamshell computer;

said clamshell computer comprising;

a main memory;

one or more processors;

a first body portion and a second body portion, said first body portion being hingedly connected to said second body portion; and

a computer screen disposed on said first body portion;

said clamshell computer further comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer executable program code embodied therewith and executable by the one or more processors, the computer executable program code comprising;

computer executable program code configured to display a document on said computer screen; and

computer executable program code configured to reorient a document displayed on said computer screen responsive to a one-step trigger, the reorienting comprising reorienting an upper visual edge of the document from a first position to a second position, the first position corresponding to a first angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of said computer screen and the second position corresponding to a second angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of said computer screen, the first and second angles being different from one another.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second angles are offset from one another by about ninety degrees.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one-step trigger comprises an automatic trigger.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an accelerometer configured to provide the automatic trigger.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising computer executable program code configured to activate the automatic trigger responsive to reorientation of the computer screen on which the document is displayed.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising computer executable program code configured to activate the automatic trigger responsive to a change in orientation of the reference axis.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one-step trigger comprises a manual trigger.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a hotkey configured to provide the manual trigger.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a keyboard.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

said keyboard comprises a function key that is configured to provide the manual trigger.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein further comprising computer executable program code configured to activate the manual trigger via a key combination on said keyboard.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said clamshell computer comprises a hinge axis about which said first and second body portions are hingedly displaceable with respect to one another; and

the reference axis is parallel to said hinge axis.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mouse key; and

computer executable program code configured to remap the function of said mouse key responsive to the one-step trigger.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

two mouse keys; and

computer executable program code configured to remap the function of two mouse keys responsive to the one-step trigger.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the computer executable program code is further configured to remap the function of said two mouse keys to newly prompt scrolling of a document displayed on the computer screen essentially along a direction parallel to an axis interconnecting said two mouse keys.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a touchpad; and

computer executable program code configured to remap the function of said mousepad responsive to the one-step trigger.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising computer executable program code configured to change an appearance of said document on said screen responsive to the one-step trigger.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising computer executable program code configured to change an appearance of said screen responsive to the one-step trigger.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the computer executable program code is configured to change a brightness of said computer screen responsive to the one-step trigger.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the computer executable program code is configured to change a contrast of said computer screen contrast responsive to the one-step trigger.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the computer executable program code is configured to govern a change in said computer screen appearance based on sensed ambient light conditions.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a light sensor configured to sense ambient light conditions.

23. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer readable storage medium having computer executable program code embodied therewith and executable by the one or more processors, the computer executable program code comprising;

computer executable program code configured to display a document on a computer screen; and

computer executable program code configured to reorient a document displayed on a computer screen responsive to a one-step trigger, the reorienting comprising reorienting an upper visual edge of the document from a first position to a second position, the first position corresponding to a first angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of the computer screen and the second position corresponding to a second angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of the computer screen, the first and second angles being different from one another;

said reference axis being parallel to a hinge axis of a clamshell computer.

24. A method comprising:

displaying a document on a computer screen; and

responsive to a one-step trigger, reorienting an upper visual edge of the document from a first position to a second position, the first position corresponding to a first angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of the computer screen and the second position corresponding to a second angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of the computer screen, the first and second angles being different from one another;

the reference axis being parallel to a hinge axis of a clamshell computer.

25. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium embodying executable program code comprising;

computer executable program code configured to display a document on a computer screen; and

computer executable program code configured to reorient a document displayed on said computer screen responsive to a one-step trigger, the reorienting comprising reorienting an upper visual edge of the document from a first position to a second position, the first position corresponding to a first angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of said computer screen and the second position corresponding to a second angle of the upper visual edge of the document with respect to a reference axis of said computer screen, the first and second angles being different from one another;

the reference axis being parallel to a hinge axis of a clamshell computer.