Multiple position input device cover

• US 9,678,542 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Wahl, Eric Joseph, McLaughlin, Robyn Rebecca Reed, Whitt, III, David Otto, Vandervoort, David C., Pleake, Todd David, Huala, Rob, Mickelson, Matthew David, Pelley, Joel Lawrence, Schneider, Summer L., Shaw, Timothy C., Groene, Ralf, Stoumbos, Christopher Harry, Wang, Hua, Aagaard, Karsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Barrera, Ramon M
• Application Number:
  US14/994,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20160124467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675

Abstract

Flexible hinge spine techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a flexible hinge is configured to communicatively and physically couple an input device to a computing device and may implement functionality such as a support layer and minimum bend radius. The input device may also include functionality to promote a secure physical connection between the input device and the computing device. One example of this includes use of one or more protrusions that are configured to be removed from respective cavities of the computing device along a particular axis but mechanically bind along other axes. Other techniques include use of a laminate structure to form a connection portion of the input device.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a cover portion configured to be selectively disposed over at least a portion of a display device of a computing device;

a keyboard disposed in the cover portion to generate signals to be processed by the computing device;

a flexible hinge configured to facilitate rotational movement of the cover portion into multiple different positions relative to the computing device, the flexible hinge including a mid-spine providing mechanical stiffness to a particular location of the flexible hinge; and

a connection portion attached to the cover portion through the flexible hinge, the connection portion including a spine, the spine increasing mechanical stiffness of the connection portion, and configured to magnetically join the cover portion, through the flexible hinge, to the computing device using a magnetic coupling device disposed within the connection portion to align the connection portion to the computing device, the magnetic coupling device implementing a flux fountain.

2. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the cover portion is formed using layers of fabric and includes conductors formed as flexible traces to communicatively couple the cover portion to the computing device through the connection portion.

3. An apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein the signals generated by the keyboard are conveyed to the computing device via the conductors included in the layers of fabric.

4. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the connection portion includes a plurality of communication contacts configured to engage a corresponding connection portion of the computing device when the cover portion is magnetically attached to the computing device via the connection portion.

5. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the connection portion is configured to include one or more protrusions.

6. An apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein the one or more protrusions are configured to couple with corresponding communication contacts of the computing device.

7. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the connection portion is configured to support hinged movement of the cover portion to attain the multiple different positions.

8. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple different positions include at least an arrangement in which the cover portion acts as a cover to protect the display device, an arrangement for typing using the keyboard, and an arrangement in which the cover portion is rotated into a position at a back side of the computing device opposite of the display device.

9. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the connection portion includes magnetic coupling devices to enable a magnetic attachment of the cover portion to the computing device.

10. An apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein the magnetic coupling devices are configured to magnetically couple to complementary magnetic coupling devices of the computing device.

11. An apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling device implements an arrangement of an odd number of at least five or more magnets to implement the flux fountain.

12. An apparatus as described in claim 1, where the flexible hinge is formed using layers of fabric.

13. An input device comprising:

a cover portion configured to be selectively disposed over at least a portion of a display device of a computing device, the cover portion formed using layers of fabric and having conductors formed as flexible traces;

an input portion disposed in the cover portion configured to generate signals to be processed by the computing device;

a flexible hinge, through which the flexible traces are routed to the computing device, the flexible hinge supporting a desired minimum bend radius based on an operational flexibility of the conductors; and

a connection portion attached to the cover portion through the flexible hinge, the connection portion configured to communicatively couple the cover portion to the computing device via the flexible traces, and to magnetically join the cover portion through the flexible hinge to the computing device using a magnetic coupling device, the magnetic coupling device implementing a flux fountain.

14. An input device as described in claim 13, wherein the input portion is connected to the connection portion by flexible portions that provide flexibility for an arrangement of the cover portion into multiple different positions.

15. An input device as described in claim 13, wherein the input portion is configured as a keyboard.

16. An apparatus as describe in claim 13, wherein the flexible hinge includes a mid-spine providing mechanical stiffness to a particular location of the flexible hinge.

17. A system comprising

a computing device including a display device;

and

an input device including;

a cover portion configured to be selectively disposed over at least a portion of the display device of the computing device, the cover portion formed using layers of fabric;

a keyboard disposed in the cover portion to generate signals to be processed by the computing device;

a hinge attached to the cover portion, the hinge formed using layers of fabric;

conductors disposed in the cover portion and routed through the hinge, the conductors formed as flexible traces; and

a connection portion attached to the cover portion via the hinge, the connection portion configured to facilitate arrangement of the cover portion into multiple different positions relative to the computing device, magnetically attach the cover portion to the computing device, and communicatively couple the cover portion to the computing device via the flexible traces disposed in the cover portion and routed through the hinge.

18. A system as described in claim 17, wherein the connection portion enables removable attachment of the cover portion to the computing device.

19. A system as described in claim 17, wherein the computing device comprises a tablet computing device.

20. A system as described in claim 17, wherein the hinge enables flexibility for the arrangement of the cover portion into multiple different positions.