Convertible computer with selective activation of input devices and power consumption level based on a tablet or notebook mode

• US 8,151,105 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Jun Hyung, Kim, Jong Won, Kim, Jeong Hun
• Primary Examiner(s): Bae, Ji H
• Application Number:
  US12/276,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/162 changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user
• 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 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A convertible computer is equipped with a notebook computer function and a tablet computer function. When a system power supply is turned on, a functionality or physical configuration such as rotation state of a display module can be detected, and an environment can be controlled such as an operating system (OS) for a tablet computer or notebook computer is selectively booted. Input signals of input units can also be controlled in an activation or inactivation state according to a system mode. An operation of switch sensing an open/closed state of a liquid crystal display (LCD) can be controlled by a signal generated by the rotation operation of the display module. In a state in which at least one control value necessary for setting a system environment is stored in a memory, the system mode switching operation is monitored and the system environment is set according to the switched system mode.

Claims

1. A portable computer, comprising:

a display;

a controller configured to select an operation mode selected from a notebook computer mode and a tablet computer mode based on a rotation state of the display, the controller to set a system performance operation based upon the selected operation mode, the controller to control an input unit to be active or inactive based on the selected operation mode, the input unit including at least one of a keyboard, a stick pointer or a touch pad, and the controller to control a touch screen to be active or inactive based on the selected operation mode; and

a memory configured to store a control value necessary for setting the system performance operation in said each mode;

wherein the control value for a central processing unit (CPU) speed in the notebook computer mode is set to be faster than the control value for the CPU speed in the tablet computer mode, and

wherein the controller is further configured to;

control, when the selected operation mode is the notebook computer mode, the input unit to be active and control the touch screen to be inactive, and

control, when the selected operation mode is the tablet computer mode, the input unit to be inactive and control the touch screen to be active.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the system performance operation comprises at least one of a system temperature and a fan speed.

3. An apparatus for managing a system mode in a portable computer including a notebook computer mode and a tablet computer mode, comprising:

a display module;

monitoring means for monitoring a rotational state of the display module; and

setting means for setting a system mode as one selected from a notebook computer mode and a tablet computer mode based on the rotational state of the display module, the setting means further for setting a different system power consumption level based upon the set system mode; and

controlling means for;

controlling, when the set system mode is the notebook computer mode, an input unit to be active and controlling a touch screen to be inactive, the input unit including at least one of a keyboard, a stick pointer or a touch pad, and

controlling, when the set system mode is the tablet computer mode, the input unit to be inactive and controlling the touch screen to be active.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising storing means for storing at least one control value necessary for setting each system power consumption level based upon the current system mode, wherein information of the system mode is stored in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) setup menu.

5. A method, comprising:

operating a portable computer in a notebook computer mode or a tablet computer mode selectively according to a rotational state of the portable computer, wherein devices in the portable computer operate in a way that corresponds to each of the notebook computer mode and the tablet computer mode;

operating at least one device in the portable computer at a first power consumption level in the notebook computer mode and a second power consumption level in the tablet computer mode, wherein the devices in the portable computer include an input unit and a touch screen, the input unit including at least one of a keyboard, a stick pointer or a touch pad; and

selectively operating at least one device in the portable computer according to whether the portable computer operates in the notebook computer mode or in the tablet computer mode, wherein the input unit is configured to be inactive and the touch screen is configured to be active when the portable computer operates in the tablet computer mode, and the input unit is configured to be active and the touch screen is configured to be inactive when the portable computer operates in the notebook computer mode.

6. A method for managing a system mode in a portable computer having a configuration that switches a system mode to a notebook computer mode or a tablet computer mode, comprising:

monitoring a rotational state of a display of the portable computer;

setting a system mode as one selected from a notebook computer mode and a tablet computer mode based on the rotational state of the display;

setting a control value necessary for switching a system performance based upon the set system mode,

wherein the control value for a processor speed in the notebook computer mode is set to be faster than the control value for the processor speed in the tablet computer mode; and

controlling, when the set system mode is the notebook computer mode, an input unit of the portable computer to be active and controlling a touch screen of the portable computer to be inactive, the input unit including at least one of keyboard, stick pointer or a touch pad; and

controlling, when the set system mode is the tablet computer mode, the input unit to be inactive and controlling the touch screen to be active.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the system performance comprises at least one of a system temperature, display brightness control and a fan speed.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said setting comprises:

storing information of the switched system mode in a setup menu after the system mode is set; and

reading, from a memory, the control value necessary for setting the system environment based upon the set system mode from the setup menu.

9. An article including a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions for managing a system mode in a portable computer including a display module whose rotation state allows the system mode to be switched to a notebook computer mode or a tablet computer mode, the instructions, when executed, causing the portable computer to:

monitor the rotation state of the display module;

switch the system mode to the notebook computer mode or the tablet computer mode according to the rotation state;

read, from a memory, a control value necessary for setting a system environment based upon the switched system mode when the system mode is switched,

wherein the control value for a processor speed in the notebook computer mode is set to be faster than the control value for the processor speed in the tablet computer mode;

set the system environment based upon the read control value;

controlling, when the system mode is switched to the notebook computer mode, an input unit to be active and controlling a touch screen to be inactive, the input unit including at least one of a keyboard, a stick pointer or a touch pad; and

controlling, when the system mode is switched to the tablet computer mode, the input unit to be inactive and controlling the touch screen to be active.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the storage medium contains instructions for causing the portable computer to:

store information of the switched system mode in a setup menu when the system mode is switched, wherein the system environment comprises at least one of a system temperature, display brightness control and a fan speed.