Mobile electronic device wrapped in electronic display

• US 8,463,328 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tseng, Erick
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US13/568,730
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 715/710, 715/723, 715/767, 715/835, 345/173, 345/666
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0235 Slidable or telescopic telephones, i.e. with a relative translation movement of the body parts; Telephones using a combination of translation and other relative motions of the body parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0268 including a flexible display panel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/16 including more than one display unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Systems and techniques for substantially wrapping a mobile electronic device in a display are provided. A mobile electronic device is described that includes a primary display, a primary user input mechanism, and a secondary display. The primary display is operable to display user-selectable elements and has a face on a portion of an exterior surface of the mobile electronic device. The exterior surface includes all surfaces visible to a user. The primary user input mechanism is operable to receive user selections in coordination with the primary display of user-selectable elements. The secondary display is operable to display content to a user. The secondary display includes substantially the entire exterior surface of the mobile electronic device excluding the primary display.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a primary display operable to display user-selectable elements and has a face on a portion of an exterior surface of the mobile electronic device, the exterior surface comprising all surfaces visible to a user;

a primary user input mechanism operable to receive user selections in coordination with the primary display of user-selectable elements; and

a secondary display operable to display content to a user, where the secondary display comprises substantially the entire exterior surface of the mobile electronic device excluding the primary display, where the secondary display comprises one of a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display wrapped around that portion of the exterior surface of the mobile electronic device comprising the secondary display and a flexible electronic ink (e-ink) display wrapped around that portion of the exterior surface of the mobile electronic device comprising the secondary display.

2. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more user input controls located on the exterior surface;

wherein the secondary display excludes surfaces of the one or more user input controls.

3. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, where the one or more user input controls include one or more of the following:

a button, a keyboard key, a roller ball or a switch.

4. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, where the secondary display is further operable to display user-selectable elements, the device further comprising:

a secondary user input mechanism operable to receive user selections in coordination with the secondary display of user-selectable elements.

5. The mobile electronic device of claim 4, wherein the secondary user input mechanism comprises a touch screen user input mechanism operable to receive user input from substantially the entire secondary display.

6. The mobile electronic device of claim 5, wherein the primary user input mechanism comprises a touch screen user input mechanism.

7. The mobile electronic device of claim 5, where the secondary user input mechanism further includes one or more touch sensitive user controls located on the exterior surface of the mobile electronic device.

8. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, where the secondary user input mechanism is operable to automatically activate a telephone application included in the device in response to receiving user input indicating a user is holding the exterior surface of the device in a manner consistent with using the telephone application.

9. The mobile electronic device of claim 1, where content displayed on the primary display is interactive with content displayed on the secondary display.

10. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a primary display operable to display user-selectable elements and has a face on a portion of an exterior surface of the mobile electronic device, the exterior surface comprising all surfaces visible to a user;

a primary user input mechanism operable to receive user selections in coordination with the primary display of user-selectable elements; and

a secondary display operable to display content to a user, where the secondary display comprises substantially the entire exterior surface of the mobile electronic device excluding the primary display, where the primary display and the secondary display are operable to display content at a first time on the primary display and at a second time on the secondary display providing for a continuous scrolling of the content around multiple exterior faces of the mobile electronic device.

11. A method comprising:

displaying, on a primary display, user-selectable elements, wherein the primary display has a face on a portion of an exterior surface of a mobile electronic device, the exterior surface comprising all surfaces visible to a user;

receiving, on a primary user input mechanism, user selections in coordination with displaying user-selectable elements on the primary display; and

displaying, on a secondary display, content to a user, where the secondary display comprises substantially the entire exterior surface of the mobile electronic device excluding the primary display, wherein the secondary display comprises a flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) display wrapped around that portion of the exterior surface of the mobile electronic device comprising the secondary display.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, on the secondary display, user-selectable elements; and

receiving, on a secondary user input mechanism, user selections in coordination with displaying user-selectable elements on the secondary display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary user input mechanism comprises a touch screen user input mechanism operable to receive user input from substantially the entire secondary display.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

automatically activating a telephone application included in the mobile electronic device in response to receiving user input indicating a user is holding the exterior surface of the device in a manner consistent with using the telephone application.