Dual orientation display handheld computer devices

• US 5,949,408 A
• Filed: 02/13/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Yeung, Chun Wun, Tedja, Eswin, Kang, Beng Hong, Tan, Jin-Meng
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, DAVID LEE
• Application Number:
  US08/799,319
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 345/905, 345/98, 345/173, 345/100, 345/126, 361/681, 361/683, 364/707, 364/709.09, 364/708.1, 364/708, 395/653, 395/340, 455/90, 382/297
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1677 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3674 Details of drivers for scan electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3685 Details of drivers for data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3696 Generation of voltages supplied to electrode drivers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A computer device, for instance a palmtop personal organizer, has a dual-orientation display device with both portrait and landscape modes of viewing the display. The keyboard is automatically disabled when the portrait mode is selected by a user. The display has two digitized regions separated by a workspace, which is preferably also digitized to provide input commands to a processor unit when touched. The display further includes indicia, such as icons or symbols shown on the display, which may be selected to activate a computer program, function or command. These icons are slanted and permanently fixed to the display, so they may be readily understood when viewed from either the portrait or landscape modes. A method is also provided of displaying indicia for viewing from two orthogonal directions. The invention further includes a way to use an analog touch-sensitive panel, having opposing resistive layers, to trigger an interrupt line used for returning the palmtop from a sleep mode. In addition, screen image rotation is accomplished by alternately configuring sets of LCD select lines either as column lines or row lines.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a display panel having first and second sets of select lines;

a display controller having a plurality of control outputs;

first and second drive circuits connected to drive the first and second sets of select lines, respectively, of the display panel, wherein the drive circuits can be operated either in a segment mode or in a common mode, the drive circuits having control inputs; and

logic circuits between the display controller circuit and the drive circuits, the logic circuits providing signal connections between the control outputs of the display controller and the control inputs of the drive circuits, the logic circuits being switchable between first and second states to rotate a displayed orientation relative to the display panel;

in the first state, the logic circuits configuring the first drive circuits to operate in their segment mode and the second drive circuits to operate in their common mode;

in the second state, the logic circuits configuring the first drive circuits to operate in their common mode and the second drive circuits to operate in their segment mode;

wherein the logic circuits change the signal connections between the control outputs of the display controller circuit and the control inputs of the drive circuits depending on whether the drive circuits are operating in common mode or segment mode.

2. A display system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a voltage source that provides a first set of voltages to drive circuits that are in their segment mode and a different set of voltages to drive circuits that are in their common mode.

3. A display system as recited in claim 2, wherein the voltage source comprises a plurality of programmable voltage divider circuits.

4. A display system as recited in claim 2, wherein the display panel is an LCD display panel that is driven by select and non-select voltages, the voltage source being programmable to provide said select and non-select voltages to the respective drive circuits in accordance with whether they are operating in their segment or common modes.

5. A method of rotating a displayed orientation relative to a display panel, the display panel having first and second sets of select lines, the method comprising:

connecting the first set of select lines to be driven as segment lines, and connecting the second set of select lines to be driven as common lines; and

in response to a rotation signal, connecting the first set of select lines to be driven as common lines, and connecting the second set of select lines to be driven as segment lines.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising a step of varying drive voltages to the first and second sets of select lines, respectively, in response to the rotation signal.

7. A portable computer device, comprising:

a keyboard;

a display screen upon which an image can be displayed in first and second orientations, wherein the keyboard is used with the image displayed in the first orientation;

a hinge that pivotally connects the keyboard and display screen, allowing the keyboard to be folded in a back-to-back relationship with the display screen;

an indicia on the display screen that upon activation by an operator changes between the first and second image orientations, wherein the second orientation is used primarily when the keyboard is folded in the back-to-back relationship with the display screen; and

means for at least partially disabling the keyboard in response to activating the indicia to change to the second image orientation.

8. A portable computer device as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for disabling the keyboard comprises a data processor that monitors activation of the indicia by the operator.

9. A computer device comprising:

a display support having opposing interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the interior surface supports a display screen;

a keyboard support having opposing interior and exterior surfaces, wherein the interior surface supports a keyboard;

a hinge mechanism that pivotally couples the display support to the keyboard support for enabling;

closure of the device when the interior surfaces of the display support and the keyboard support are pushed together;

use of the device as a typing device when opened with an angle up to 180 degrees between the interior surfaces of the display support and the keyboard support; and

use of the device as a notepad device when opened with the exterior surface of the display support in contact with the exterior surface of the keyboard support;

an indicia on the display screen that upon activation by an operator changes between first and second image orientations relative to the display screen, wherein the first orientation is used primarily when the computer device is used as a typing device and the second orientation is used primarily when the computer device is used as a notepad device;

wherein activating the indicia to change to the second image orientation at least partially disables the keyboard.

10. A computer device as recited in claim 9, further comprising a data processor that monitors activation of the indicia by the operator and at least partially disables the keyboard in response to said activation of the indicia.

11. A method of disabling a keyboard in a computer device that can be used alternatively as a typing device and as a notepad device, with first and second display orientations, respectively, comprising;

positioning an indicia on a display screen of the computer device;

changing the display orientation between the first and second orientations in response to an operator activating the indicia; and

at least partially disabling the keyboard when the operator has activated the indicia to change to the second display orientation.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the following additional steps:

selecting the indicia to have an upright orientation; and

orienting the indicia on the display screen for upright viewing at an angle between the first and second image orientations.