Dual sided transparent display module and portable electronic device incorporating the same

• US 8,493,364 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Charlier, Michael L, Gitzinger, Thomas E, Ma, Jeong J, Schirtzinger, Tom R
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALMEIDA, CORY A
• Application Number:
  US12/433,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345182-183
• US Class Current: 345/176
• 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 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04142 the force sensing means being located peripherally, e.g. disposed at the corners or at the side of a touch sensing plate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
• 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

A dual sided transparent display module and an electronic device incorporating the same are provided. The dual sided transparent display module includes a primary transparent display having a first surface side and a second surface side. The transparent display module further includes a first side touch sensor array and a second side touch sensor array respectively located at the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display. The transparent display module still further includes a shutter element located at one of the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display.

Claims

1. A dual sided transparent display module included as part of a single common housing part, the dual sided transparent display module comprising:

a primary transparent display having a first surface side and a second surface side;

a first side touch sensor array and a second side touch sensor array respectively located at the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display;

a shutter element located at one of the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display, the shutter having a first state and a second state, wherein when the shutter is in the first state, the shutter enables one to see through the display module like a window, and wherein when the shutter is in the second state, the shutter becomes substantially opaque thereby precluding one from seeing through the display module.

2. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 1, wherein the shutter element is a second side shutter element located at the second side surface of the primary transparent display.

3. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a first side shutter element located at the first side surface of the primary transparent display.

4. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a secondary transparent display located at the second surface side of the primary transparent display.

5. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 4, wherein the shutter element is located on the second surface side of the primary transparent display between the primary transparent display and the secondary transparent display.

6. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the first touch sensor array and the second side touch sensor array are disposed on respective transparent substrates.

7. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 6, wherein the transparent substrates each include respective glass substrates.

8. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 7, wherein at least one of the first side touch sensor and the second side touch sensor includes a proximity touch sensor array, which is located between the corresponding glass substrate and the primary transparent display, which is adapted for detecting a location of a pointer element coming within proximity of the corresponding touch sensor and the respective glass substrate.

9. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 7, wherein at least one of the first side touch sensor and the second side touch sensor includes a force sensing touch sensor array, where the respective glass substrate is located between the force sensing touch sensor array and the primary transparent display, where the force sensing touch sensor array is adapted for detecting a location and an amount of force of a pointer element coming into contact with the corresponding touch sensor and the corresponding glass substrate.

10. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 1, further comprising one or more spacers located around at least portions of an exterior edge surface of the primary transparent display, wherein at least one or more of the first side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the first side surface of the primary transparent display is coupled to at least one of the one or more spacers, so as to be positioned a distance away from the primary transparent display, the distance being defined at least in part by the size and shape of at least one of the one or more spacers.

11. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 10, wherein the at least one or more of the first side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the first side surface of the primary transparent display is coupled to the at least one of the one or more spacers via one or more force sensors.

12. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 11, wherein respective ones of the one or more force sensors are located spaced apart around an outer periphery of the dual sided transparent display module.

13. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 12, wherein the one or more force sensors located spaced apart around the outer periphery of the dual sided transparent display module include one or more force sensors located proximate one or more respective corners of the primary transparent display.

14. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 12, wherein the one or more force sensors located spaced apart around the outer periphery of the dual sided transparent display module include one or more force sensors located proximate the midpoint of the longer outer edge of the primary transparent display.

15. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 12, further comprising one or more vibrational elements coupled to the at least one or more of the first side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the first side surface of the primary transparent display between adjacent ones of at least some of the spaced apart force sensors located around the outer periphery of the dual sided transparent display module.

16. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 12, wherein the at least one or more of the first side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the first side surface of the transparent display is coupled to the one or more force sensors via one or more vibrational elements located along respective sides of the outer periphery of the dual sided transparent display module.

17. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 10, further comprising one or more vibrational elements coupled to the at least one or more of the first side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the first side surface of the primary transparent display at one or more points proximate an outer periphery of the dual sided transparent display module.

18. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 10, further comprising one or more spacers located around at least portions of an exterior edge surface of the primary transparent display, wherein at least one or more of the second side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the second side surface of the primary transparent display is coupled to at least one of the one or more spacers, so as to be positioned a distance away from the primary transparent display, the distance being defined at least in part by the size and shape of the at least one of the one or more spacers.

19. A dual sided transparent display module in accordance with claim 18, wherein the at least one or more of the second side touch sensor and any shutter element located at the second side surface of the primary transparent display is coupled to the at least one of the one or more spacers via one or more force sensors.

20. A portable electronic device having a two part housing, where each part of the two part housing moves relative to the other part of the two part housing, the two part housing comprising:

a first housing part including a dual sided transparent display module, the dual sided transparent display module including;

a primary transparent display having a first surface side and a second surface side substantially parallel to an image plane;

a first side touch sensor array and a second side touch sensor array respectively located at the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display; and

a shutter element located at one of the first surface side and the second surface side of the transparent display, the shutter having a first state and a second state, wherein when the shutter is in the first state, the shutter enables one to see through the display module like a window, and wherein when the shutter is in the second state, the shutter becomes substantially opaque thereby precluding one from seeing through the display module; and

a second housing part including a single sided display module, the single sided display module including a display having an image plane, and a touch sensor; and

wherein the first housing part moves relative to the second housing, so as to have at least two use positions, where in a first use position the dual sided transparent display module of the first housing part at least partially overlaps in a direction perpendicular to the image plane of the primary transparent display with the display of the second housing part, and where in a second use position the dual sided transparent display module of the first housing part and the display of the second housing part do not substantially overlap in a direction perpendicular to the image plane of the primary transparent display.