MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE WITH EXPANDED DISPLAY SIZE

• US 20140228077A1
• Filed: 02/08/2013
• Published: 08/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Xu, Shuang
• Granted Patent: US 9,423,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A mobile computing device comprising a display panel and a home button, the display panel being disposed on the exterior front surface and the home button being disposed on the exterior back surface of the mobile computing device. The front surface may be free of any additional user Input/Output devices apart from the display panel. The mobile computing device may further comprise an accelerometer and a phone circuit. Upon detection that the display panel faces away from a user during a phone call, displayed information on the display panel may be concealed automatically. The accelerometer may be also operable to detect shaking motions on the mobile computing device as a user command to turn on or turn off the display panel.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device comprising:

a processor coupled to a bus;

a memory coupled to said bus;

an exterior housing assembly defining an exterior front surface, an exterior back surface opposite to said exterior front surface, and exterior sides; and

a display panel coupled with said bus and operable to display information and operable to receive touch input from a user,

wherein said exterior front surface is free of any additional user Input/Output (I/O) devices apart from said display panel.

2. The mobile computing device as described in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of user I/O devices disposed in said exterior housing, wherein said plurality of user I/O devices comprise two or more of:

a home button;

a loudspeaker;

a microphone;

a camera;

a sleep/wake button;

a volume control button;

a headphone socket; and

an I/O socket.

3. The mobile computing device as described in claim 1 further comprising a home button situated on said exterior back surface.

4. The mobile computing device as described in claim 3 further comprising a phone circuit operable to enable phone calls, wherein said phone circuit comprises a loudspeaker which is situated on said exterior back surface.

5. The mobile computing device as described in claim 4 further comprising an accelerometer coupled with said bus and operable to sense an orientation of said exterior front surface and generate an orientation signal, wherein said display panel is operable to display user data during a phone call, and wherein further said processor is operable to cause to conceal said user data on said display panel upon a determination that said exterior front surface is oriented approximately vertically during a phone call based on said orientation signal.

6. The mobile computing device as described in claim 4, wherein said accelerometer is operable to sense a shaking motion applied on said exterior housing assembly and to generate a shaking motion signal in response thereto, and wherein further said processor is operable to cause to selectively activate and deactivate said display panel in response to said shaking motion signal.

7. The mobile computing device as described in claim 6, wherein said processor is operable to generate an indicia to a user in response to said shaking motion signal.

8. A portable computing device comprising:

a processor coupled to a bus;

a memory coupled to said bus;

a first exterior surface, and a second exterior surface that is opposite to said first exterior surface;

a touch screen coupled with said bus and located in said first exterior surface, said touch screen operable to display a Graphic User Interface (GUI) and operable to receive touch input from a user; and

a home button coupled with said bus and located in said second exterior surface, said home button operable to close at least one active application program and navigate to an application solution GUI.

9. The portable computing device as described in claim 8 further comprising at least one I/O component situated in said second exterior surface, said at least one I/O component comprising at least one of:

a loudspeaker;

a microphone; and

a camera.

10. The portable computing device as described in claim 9 further comprising a phone circuit coupled with said bus and operable to enable a phone call, wherein said touch screen is operable to display user data pertaining to said phone call.

11. The portable computing device as described in claim 10 further comprising an accelerometer coupled with said bus and operable to sense an orientation of said first exterior surface during said phone call, wherein said processor is operable to blank out said user data on said touch screen upon a determination that said first exterior surface is oriented approximately vertically during said phone call.

12. The portable computing device as described in claim 8 further comprising a motion sensor coupled with said bus and operable to detect a shaking applied on said exterior surfaces, wherein said processor is operable to selectively control activation and deactivation of said touch screen in response to detection of said shaking

13. The portable computing device as described in claim 12, wherein said motion sensor is an accelerometer.

14. The portable computing device as described in claim 12, wherein said processor is operable to generate a vibration indication before said touch screen is deactivated in response to detection of said shaking

15. A portable computing device comprising a processor coupled to a bus;

a memory coupled to said bus;

a housing assembly comprising a front outer surface and a back outer surface facing an approximate opposite direction from said first outer surface;

a touch screen assembly supported by said housing assembly and facing said front outer surface, said touch screen assembly operable to display a GUI of a program that is executable by said processor; and

a menu button supported by said housing assembly and facing said back outer surface, said menu button coupled with said processor and operable to close an active program and navigate to a home screen Graphic User Interface (GUI).

16. The mobile computing device as described in claim 15 further comprising a first camera facing said front outer surface, and a second camera facing said back outer surface.

17. The mobile computing device as described in claim 15 further comprising a speaker and a microphone, both facing said back outer surface.

18. The portable computing device as described in claim 17 further comprising a phone circuit coupled with said bus and operable to enable a phone call, wherein said touch screen assembly is operable to display user data pertaining said phone call,

19. The portable computing device as described in claim 18 further comprising an accelerometer coupled with said processor and operable to sense an orientation of said touch screen assembly during said phone call, wherein further said processor is operable to cause to blank said touch screen assembly upon a determination that said touch screen assembly is oriented approximately vertically during said phone call.

20. The portable computing device as described in claim 18 further comprising a motion sensor coupled with said bus and operable to detect a shaking motion applied on said housing assembly, wherein said processor is operable to cause to selectively activate and deactivate said touch screen assembly in response to detection of said shaking motion.