Projection display for computers

• US 6,525,750 B1
• Filed: 03/08/1996
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xylon LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Duke University
• Inventors: Knox, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US08/615,019
• Time in Patent Office: 2,545 Days
• Field of Search: 345/32, 345/905, 345/759-768, 345/788, 345/7.CT, 345/901, 348/759-768, 348/788, 348/794, 349/5, 349/6, 349/576, 353/30, 353/70, 463/34, 361/681
• US Class Current: 345/30
• 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 1/1639 the display being based on projection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A display system for a computer includes an image projector located in the computer and oriented to project a computer-generated image from the computer. Alternatively, the display system includes a screen and an image projector attached to the screen, where the screen is capable of receiving a computer-generated image projected by the image projector. Alternatively, the display system includes an image projector and a screen that is attached to the computer and that is capable of displaying an image projected by the image projector.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a portable housing having circuitry that generates data corresponding to an image,

a lid connected to the housing and moveable to an open position relative to the housing, the lid having an image projector disposed therein or thereon, the image projector being configured to project the image optically onto a receiving surface, which comprises a surface of the lid.

2. The computer of claim 1 in which the receiving surface is continuous and comprises the entire surface of the lid.

3. A computer comprising:

a portable housing having circuitry that generates data corresponding to an image, and

a lid connected to the housing and movable to an open position relative to the housing, the lid including an image projector configured to project the image optically onto a receiving surface,

in which the receiving surface comprises a mirror positioned to direct the image toward an imaging surface on the lid.

4. The computer of claim 3 in which the mirror is mounted on a retractable part of the housing.

5. A computer comprising:

a portable housing having circuitry that generates data corresponding to an image,

a lid connected to the housing and movable to an open position relative to the housing,

an image projector included as part of the lid, and

a mirror positioned to receive the image from the image projector and to reflect the image onto an imaging surface comprising essentially an entire surface of the lid.

6. A method for use in displaying an image in a computer comprising:

in circuitry located in a portable housing, generating data corresponding to the image, and

protecting the image onto a receiving surface, which comprises a mirror, from an image projector included as part of a lid that is connected to the housing and that is movable to an open position relative to the housing.

7. A method for use in displaying an image in a computer comprising:

in circuitry located in a portable housing, generating data corresponding to the image, and

protecting the image onto a receiving surface, which reflects the image onto a surface of the lid, from an image projector included as part of a lid that is connected to the housing and that is movable to an open position relative to the housing.

8. A computer comprising:

a portable housing having circuitry that generates an image signal,

a lid connected to the housing and movable to an open position relative to the housing, such that the lid acts as an imaging screen having front and rear surfaces in relation to the position of a user of the computer, and

an image projector positioned such that an image from the projector is projected onto the rear surface of the screen and is viewed by the user on the front surface of the screen, wherein the image projector projects the image onto a reflective surface positioned behind the screen in relation to the user, and wherein the reflective surface is mounted in a tray which is retractable from the portable housing.

10. The computer of claim 8, wherein the reflective surface comprises a magnifying mirror.

11. The computer of claim 8, wherein the reflective surface comprises a convex surface.

12. The computer of claim 8, wherein the entire lid acts as the imaging screen.

9. A computer comprising:

a portable housing having circuitry that generates an image signal,

a lid connected to the housing and movable to an open position relative to the housing, such that the lid acts as an imaging screen having front and rear surfaces in relation to the position of a user of the computer, and

an image projector positioned such. that an image from the projector is projected onto the rear surface of the screen and is viewed by the user on the front surface of the screen, wherein the image projector projects the image onto a reflective surface positioned behind the screen in relation to the user, and wherein the reflective surface is in the form of a reflective flap connected by a hinge to one end of the lid such that the reflective flap pivots about the hinge from a closed position in which it is disposed against a top of the lid when the lid is in a closed position to an open position in which position the reflective surface acts as the reflective surface.

13. The computer of claim 9, wherein the reflective surface comprises a magnifying mirror.

14. The computer of claim 9, wherein the entire lid acts as the imaging screen.