Dynamically relocatable tileable displays

• US 6,340,957 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Howard, Matthew E., Want, Roy, Adler, Annette M., Fishkin, Kenneth P., Harrison, Beverly L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackman, Anthony J.
• Application Number:
  US08/921,390
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-179, 345/1, 345/903, 345/1.3, 178/18-19
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• 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 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1652 the display being flexible, e.g. mimicking a sheet of paper, or rollable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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: 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: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/026 Video wall, i.e. juxtaposition of a plurality of screens to create a display screen of bigger dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/02 Flexible displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display

Abstract

A tileable computer display includes a first device having a processor and a display maintainable in communication with a second device having a processor and a display. Specific data to be displayed on both devices is based on respective spatial positions of the first device and second device relative to each other. Communication links can be through radio, optical, or physical interconnects.

Claims

1. A plurality of tileable devices for transferring data, comprising

a first device having a display, a processor, and a first communication module for transferring data;

a second device having a display, a processor and a second communication module for transferring data;

a third device having a display, a processor and a third communication module for transferring data;

wherein the first device is connected in substantially simultaneous communication with the second device and the third device to pass data based on spatial positions of the respective first device, second device, and third device, and

the first device maintains information about spatial position of the second device and the third device, and transfers differing data to the second device and the third device based on that maintained spatial position information, wherein the spatial position information maintained by the first device includes, for each of the second and third devices, information defining a relative spatial position between that second or third device and the first device.

2. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third communication modules respectively support optical data links.

3. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third communication modules respectively support radio links.

4. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third communication modules respectively support physical electrical connections.

5. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 1, each first, second and third device respectively further comprising a first, second, and third deformable piece, with intercommunication between at least two of the devices being triggered by a touching action between devices.

6. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 1, each first, second and third device respectively further comprising a first, second, and third deformable piece, with intercommunication between at least two of the devices being triggered by a stacking action between devices.

7. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 1, each first, second and third device respectively further comprising a first, second, and third deformable piece, with intercommunication between at least two of the devices being triggered by a tiling action between devices.

9. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 7, wherein the first, second and third communication modules respectively support optical data links.

8. A plurality of tileable devices for transferring data comprising

a first device having a display, a processor and a first communication module for transferring data,

a second device having a display, a processor and a second communication module for transferring data,

a third device having a display, a processor and a third communication module for transferring data,

wherein the first device is maintained in at least intermittent communication with the second device, with the first device maintaining information about spatial position of the second device and the third device, and transferring differing data to the second device and the third device based on that maintained spatial position information, and the second device maintaining information about spatial position of the third device, and with the first device implementing a first data set, a second data set being transferred from the first device to the second device for implementation, and a third data set being transferred from the second device to the third device for implementation, therein the spatial position information maintained by the first device includes, for each of the second and third devices, information defining a relative spatial position between the second or third device and the first device, and the spatial position information maintained by the second device including information defining a relative spatial position between the third device and the second device.

10. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 8, wherein the first, second and third communication modules respectively support radio links.

11. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 8, wherein the first, second and third communication modules respectively support physical electrical connections.

12. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 8, wherein the first, second and third device respectively further comprising a first, second, and third deformable piece, with intercommunication between at least two of the devices being triggered by a touching action between devices.

13. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 8, each first, second and third device respectively further comprising a first, second, and third deformable piece, with intercommunication between at least two of the devices being triggered by a stacking action between devices.

14. The plurality of tileable devices of claim 8, each first, second and third device respectively further comprising a first, second, and third deformable piece, with intercommunication between at least two of the devices being triggered by a tiling action between devices.

15. A dynamic array of devices, the array comprising,

a plurality of devices, each device having a display maintainable in a user determined relationship to each other, and each device having a determinable information state, and

a plurality of position detectors, each device having at least one of the plurality of position detectors usable to determine its position relative to one or more of the plurality of devices, wherein in response to each device determining its relative position, that device transmits the determined relative position to at least one other device,

wherein determinable information state of each of the plurality of devices is modified upon its change of position relative to one or more devices.

16. A tileable display system, comprising

a first device having a display, a processor, and a first communication module for transferring data,

a second device having a display, a processor and a second communication module for transferring data, wherein:

the first device is connected in substantially simultaneous communication with the second device to pass data based on spatial positions of the respective first device and second device, and

the first device maintains information about spatial position of the second device, and selectively transfers data to the second device based on the maintained spatial position information, wherein the spatial position information includes information defining a relative spatial position between the first and second devices.