Multi-sided display for portable computer

• US 7,289,083 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Canova, Francis Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro; Leonid
• Application Number:
  US09/728,023
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/1.2, 345/3.1, 345/707, 345/733, 345/764, 345/769, 345/903, 345/2.2, 345/5, 345/87, 178 1801- 1811, 178 1901- 1907, 361681-683, 455/349, 455/566
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1622 with enclosures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the plane they define or with ball-joint coupling, e.g. PDA with display enclosure orientation changeable between portrait and landscape by rotation with respect to a coplanar body enclosure
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1677 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 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A display apparatus for providing multi-sided viewing functionality to a portable computer system. In one embodiment, the display apparatus is comprised of a front cover which is electrically and mechanically coupled to the portable computer. A first display component is disposed on the front cover and includes a front display panel and a rear display panel. A second display component is coupled to the portable computer system. A display control circuit, coupled to the portable computer system, is adapted to activate and to deactivate display panels in direct response to the orientation of the front cover, and when portable computer system is so configured, to the orientation of a second cover, interposed between the front cover and the portable computer system. Electronic ink technology is used in the formation of the two sided display components.

Claims

1. A display apparatus for providing multi-sided viewing functionality to a portable electronic device, said apparatus comprising:

a) a front cover mechanically and electrically coupled to said portable electronic device, said front cover comprising a hinge;

b) a first display having multi-sided viewing functionality coupled to said front cover; and

c) a display control circuit for enabling said first display, said display control circuit coupled to said portable electronic device, said display control circuit responsive to the orientation of said front cover, wherein when said front cover is moved from a closed position to an open position, information displayed on a first viewing side of said first display is automatically transferred to a second viewing side of said first display.

2. The display apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hinging of said front cover is adapted to open and close said front cover, such that when said front cover is open, said front cover is in an open position, and when said front cover is closed, said front cover is in a default position, and wherein said first viewing side is a front display portion and wherein said second viewing side is a rear display portion.

3. The display apparatus of claim 2 wherein said display control circuit, responsive to said default position of said front cover, activates said front display portion of said first display of said front cover, to enable viewing functionality of said front display portion of said first display while said display control circuit deactivates said rear display portion of said first display of said front cover.

4. The display apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:

a second display comprising a front display portion and a rear display portion, coupled to said portable electronic device, wherein said display control circuit, responsive to said open position of said front cover, activates said rear display portion of said first display of said front cover and said front display portion of said second display of said electronic device, to enable viewing functionality of said rear display portion of said first display and said front display portion of said second display while said display control circuit deactivates said front display portion of said first display of said front cover.

5. The display apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second display, coupled to said portable electronic device, wherein said display control circuit responsive to the orientation of said front cover activates said second display when said front cover is moved from said closed position to said open position.

6. The display apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first display and said second display comprise a front display portion and a rear display portion.

7. A two-sided display apparatus for providing multi-sided viewing for a portable electronic device, said apparatus comprising:

a) a front cover mechanically and electrically coupled to said portable electronic device, said front cover comprising a hinge for providing opening and closing functionality to said front cover, wherein said closed front cover is a default position;

b) a first display coupled to said front cover, said first display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising a front display panel and a rear display panel; and

c) a display control circuit coupled to said portable electronic device, adapted to activate said first display, said display control circuit responsive to the orientation of said front cover, wherein when said front cover is moved from a closed position to an open position, information displayed on a first viewing side of said first display is transferred automatically to a second viewing side of said first display.

8. The display apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a second display, coupled to said portable electronic device, said second display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising a front display panel and a rear display panel, wherein said display control circuit activates said second display when said front cover is moved from said closed position to said open position.

9. The display apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first display and said second display comprise a thin flexible transparent material, said thin flexible transparent material analogous to mylar.

10. The display apparatus of claim 9 wherein said transparent material comprises a first layer and a second layer, said first layer and said second layer coupled to each other, such that they create a sealed chamber.

11. The display apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sealed chamber comprises a first transparent conducting layer and a second transparent conducting layer disposed within said sealed chamber, said first transparent conductive layer and said second transparent layer responsive to voltage applied by said display control circuit.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first transparent conducting layer and said second transparent conducting layer are idium tin oxide.

13. The display apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first transparent conducting layer is disposed toward said front display portion and said second transparent conducting layer is disposed toward said rear display portion.

14. The display apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sealed chamber is predominately filled with said first colored liquid.

15. The display apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sealed chamber further comprises a fluid, said fluid comprising a first colored liquid and a, at least, second colored liquid.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first colored liquid is white ink.

17. The display apparatus of claim 15 wherein said second colored liquid is black ink.

18. The display apparatus of claim 17 wherein said black ink is transparently encapsulated by a multisided viewing display.

19. The display apparatus of claim 18 wherein said transparently encapsulated black ink is electrostatically charged.

20. The display apparatus of claim 19 wherein said transparently encapsulated black ink is attracted to said voltage provided by said display control circuit, said voltage is more positive voltage.

21. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a flippable cover hinged to said housing and having an open state and a closed state, said flippable cover comprising a flexible first display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising a front display panel and a back display panel;

wherein

said front display panel is operable to display information provided said flippable cover is in said closed state; and

wherein further

upon said flippable cover opening to said open state, said front display panel becomes deactivated, said back display panel automatically becomes activated and displays said information.

22. A portable electronic device as described in claim 21, wherein said housing support a second display, and wherein said display control circuit, upon said flippable cover opening to said open state, activates said second display for displaying additional information.

23. A portable electronic device as described in claim 22 wherein said first and said second display are flat panel display screens.

24. A portable electronic device as described in claim 23 wherein said flat panel display screens comprise electronic ink technology.

25. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing supporting a first display;

a first flippable cover hinged to said housing and having an open state and a closed state, said first flippable cover comprising a second flexible display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising a front display panel and a back display panel;

a second flippable cover hinged to said housing opposite to said first flippable cover and having an open state and a closed state, said second flippable cover comprising a third flexible display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising a front display panel and a back display panel;

wherein

said front display panel of said second cover is active to display a first set of information provided said first and second covers are closed; and

wherein further,

upon said second cover opening, said front display panel of said second cover becomes deactivated, said back display panel of said second cover becomes activated and displays said first set of information and said front display panel of said first cover becomes activated for the display of second set of information; and

wherein further,

upon said first cover opening while said second cover is open, said front display panel of said first cover becomes deactivated, said back display panel of said first cover becomes activated and displays said second set of information and said first display becomes activated to display a third set of information.

26. A portable electronic device as described in claim 25 wherein said first and said second and said third display are flat panel display screens.

27. A portable electronic device as described in claim 26 wherein said flat panel display screens comprise electronic ink technology.

28. In a portable electronic device configured with a flexible cover mounted display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising a first and a second side, a method for utilizing multiple display capabilities, said method comprising:

a) powering on said portable electronic device, such that said flexible cover mounted display having multi-sided viewing functionality comprising said first and said second side are operable to display a first set of information; and

b) opening said flexible cover so as to automatically deactivate said first side and to automatically activate said second side of said flexible cover, to display said first set of information.