Abstract:
A computer system comprises a base section and a display mounted about the base with first and second axes of rotation relative to the base, the first axis of rotation being proximate to and substantially parallel to an edge of the display and pivoting the display between pivoted positions, and the second axis of rotation being proximate to and substantially parallel to a centerline of the display regardless of the pivoted position of the display.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     Notebook PCs and tablet PCs are well known. Both are used when a user needs to be mobile, out of the office, in the field or on the go. Additionally, notebook and tablet PCs have certain features or functions that distinguish these two types of PCs from each other. Notebook PCs, for example, include a keyboard and a pointing device for user input and may require the user to place the notebook PC on a firm surface for the most efficient two-handed user interaction. Tablet PCs, on the other hand, dispense with the need for a keyboard or a pointing device by including a touch-sensitive screen with which the user interfaces with the tablet PC by using a pen, or stylus, held in one hand. The tablet PC can be placed on a firm surface if such is available or cradled on the user&#39;s arm for greater mobility or use in cramped conditions.  
         [0002]     Some PC manufacturers have combined the features and functions of both notebook PCs and tablet PCs into hybrid notebook/tablet PCs, having a base section and a rotatable display section. Thus, the user can convert the notebook/tablet PC to whichever configuration is needed in any situation. To convert between configurations, the display section is rotated to face either forward or backward, depending on the desired configuration, relative to the base section. When the user chooses to use the notebook/tablet PC as a notebook PC, for instance, the user rotates the display section to face forward, or toward the base section, and opens, or raises, the display section. When the user chooses to use the notebook/tablet PC as a tablet PC, on the other hand, the user rotates the display section to face backward, and closes the display section onto the base section.  
         [0003]     The display section and base section of the notebook/tablet PCs are connected by a single clutch interface at which the display section rotates to face forward and backward and pivots to open and close. Notebook PCs, on the other hand, have display and base sections connected by two clutch interfaces at which the display section only pivots to open and close. The notebook/tablet PCs, thus, have less stability than do the notebook PCs at the connection between the display section and the base section. Additional means of stabilizing the display section are, therefore, included between the display section and the base section of the notebook/tablet PCs to stabilize the display section when it is not being rotated.  
         [0004]     An option that is becoming more commonly available in notebook, tablet and notebook/tablet PCs is an antenna for wireless communication. For the notebook PCs and notebook/tablet PCs, the antenna is located in the display section, and emits a directional signal out of a back side of the display section. For the notebook PCs and in the notebook configuration of the notebook/tablet PCs, therefore, the signals radiate out the back side of the display section away from the PC. In the tablet configuration of the notebook/tablet PCs, however, the signals radiate out of the back side of the display section into the base section, since the back side of the display section faces toward the base section. In this manner, the signals of the antenna may be at least partially absorbed or interfered with by conductive material in the base section, thereby limiting the wireless communication capability of the notebook/tablet PCs in the tablet configuration.  
         [0005]     Also, in the tablet configuration, relatively sharp corners of the display section project outward. In the notebook configuration, on the other hand, when the display section closes onto the base section, the sharp corners face inward adjacent the base section. Thus, when closed in the notebook configuration, smoothly curved corners of the display section project outward, which are more comfortable on the user&#39;s hands while holding the notebook/tablet PC. In the tablet configuration, on the other hand, the sharp corners make the notebook/tablet PCs much less comfortable to hold, even though it is in the tablet configuration in which the user is most likely to hold the notebook/tablet PC by hand or cradle it on an arm.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, a computer system comprises a base, a frame and a display. The frame is mounted to the base to pivot between open and closed positions. The display rotates within the frame to face either inward or outward.  
         [0007]     According to another embodiment of the present invention, a display section for a hybrid notebook/tablet computer system comprises a frame and a display. The display rotates within the frame, which is capable of being pivotally mounted to a base of the computer system.  
         [0008]     Additionally, according to yet another embodiment, a method of using a computer system comprises providing the computer system with a display section closed against a base, the display section having a frame and a display within the frame, opening the display section by pivoting the frame away from the base, rotating the display from a first position to a second position relative to the frame and closing the display section by pivoting the frame toward the base. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC incorporating an embodiment of the present invention with a display in a closed position.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC shown in  FIG. 1  with the display in an open position for use as a notebook PC.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the display in the open position and partially rotated.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the display in the open position and partially rotated.  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC shown in  FIGS. 1-4  with the display in a partially open position and fully rotated.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6  is another perspective view of the hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC shown in  FIGS. 1-5  with the display in the closed position and fully rotated for use as a tablet PC.  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC shown in  FIGS. 1-6  with the display in the closed position and fully rotated for use as a tablet PC. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]     A computer system  200  incorporating an embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . Although the computer system  200  is shown as a hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC, the invention is not so limited, but may also be a hand-held computer, a palm computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell phone, etc. The computer system  200  includes a display section  202  and a base section  204 . The base section  204  includes most of the electronic components of the computer system  200 ; as well as various ports  206  and slots  208  for adding on or inserting additional peripheral devices. The display section  202  includes a display  210  and a frame, or display holder,  212 . The perimeter of the display  210  is partially or entirely surrounded by the frame  212 . The frame  212  includes a latch release mechanism  213  for a latch that latches the display section  202  to the base section  204 . The display  210  includes a display screen  214  on a viewing side of the display  210  that cannot be seen in  FIG. 1 , because, in the configuration shown, the display section  202  is closed onto the base section  204  and the display screen  214  is facing down, or inward.  
         [0017]     The frame  212  also has rounded corner edges  215  along the periphery of the back, or outward, side  216  of the frame  212 . The rounded corner edges  215  ensure the comfort of the user when the user is holding or carrying the computer system  200  in the closed configuration shown.  
         [0018]     Upon opening the display section  202 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the display screen  214  on the viewing side of the display  210  is viewable within a border region  218  of the inwardly-facing display  210 . Also viewable and accessible are a keyboard  220  and a pointing device  222  within the base section  204 . In this configuration, the computer system  200  may be used as a notebook PC.  
         [0019]     The open position shown for the display section  202  is exemplary only. The display section  202  typically has a range of open positions.  
         [0020]     A latch hook  224  and hook receiver  226  for the latch are included in the inward side of the frame  212  and the keyboard side of the base section  204 , respectively. In the closed position shown in  FIG. 1 , the latch hook  224  locks onto the hook receiver  226  to hold the display section  202  closed onto the base section  204 .  
         [0021]     A variety of control buttons  228  may be included on the side of the frame  212  that faces the base section  204 . Additional control buttons  230  are preferably included at any appropriate location on the border region  218  of the display  210 .  
         [0022]     The frame  212  is hingedly connected to the base section  204  by clutch interfaces  231  (i.e. friction hinges). With the clutch interfaces  231 , the frame  212  can pivot relative to the base section  204  along an edge axis of rotation  232  between the positions shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and beyond. The clutch interfaces  231  provide sufficient friction force to hold the frame  212  and the display  210  in the open position shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0023]     The display  210  is connected to the frame  212  by horizontally spaced hinges on opposing side edges  233  of th display  210  at locations  234 , or by vertically spaced hinges on top and bottom edges  235  and  236  of the display  210  at locations  237  as described below with reference to  FIG. 4 . The hinges at  234  or  237  enable the display  210  to rotate within the frame  212  as described below with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0024]     Electrical connection between the display  210  and the display electronics in the base section  204  is through one or more flat and wide ribbon connectors  238 . The ribbon connectors  238  pass through the clutch interfaces  231 , the frame  212  and the hinges at  234  or  237  ( FIG. 4 ) in order to connect the electronics in the base section  204  to electrical connections at  239  in the display  210 .  
         [0025]     A wireless antenna  240  is preferably disposed at any appropriate location within the frame  212 . The antenna  240  is connected to electronics in the base section  204  via a conductor  242  and is used for wireless communications. Although the antenna  240  may radiate signals to some degree in all directions, the strength of the signals is typically not completely symmetrical. Rather, the greatest percentage of the signal strength is substantially oriented in a predetermined direction. The antenna  240  is preferably situated to radiate the signals substantially in a predetermined direction that is primarily through a back side  216  of the frame  212  and away from the frame  212  and display section  202 , as illustrated by radiation lines  246 .  
         [0026]     To convert the computer system  200  from the notebook PC configuration shown in  FIG. 2  to a tablet PC configuration, the display  210  rotates within the frame  212  on the hinges at  234  along a horizontal centerline axis of rotation  248 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The frame  212  does not need to change positions while the display  210  is being rotated. Alternatively, the display  210  may rotate within the frame  212  on the hinges at  237  along a vertical centerline axis of rotation  250 , as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0027]     Upon being fully rotated, the display  210  faces outward from the back side  216  of the frame  212 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The control buttons  230  on the border region  218  of the display  210  are still accessible to the user in this configuration. Then, to complete the conversion of the computer system  200  to the tablet PC configuration, the display section  202  is pivoted down onto the base section  204  by pivoting the frame  212  in the direction of arrow  252 .  
         [0028]     In the tablet PC configuration, the display screen  214  faces outward, as shown in  FIG. 6 . In this configuration, the frame  212  latches to the base section  204  with the latch hook  224  ( FIGS. 2-4 ) and hook receiver  226  ( FIG. 2-5 ). Additionally, since the computer system  200  serves as a tablet PC in this configuration, the display screen  214  is preferably touch-sensitive. Therefore, the user typically interfaces with the computer system  200  by writing on the display screen  214  with a pen, or stylus,  254 . The user also has access to the control buttons  230  on the border region  218  of the display  210 .  
         [0029]     Furthermore, in the tablet PC configuration, the signal from the antenna  240  radiates primarily out the back side  216  of the frame  212  away from the computer system  200 , instead of primarily into the base section, as described above in the prior art. Thus, regardless of the direction that the display  210  faces, the antenna  240  remains properly aligned for optimal radiation of signals away from the computer system  200 .  
         [0030]     Additionally, in the tablet PC configuration, the rounded corner edges  215  of the back side  216  of the frame  212  face outward, as shown in the cross-section view in  FIG. 7 . Thus, in this configuration, the user is more comfortable when the user is holding or carrying the computer system  200 , since relatively sharp corners  256  are not exposed to the user, as are the relatively sharp corners of the display section of the prior art hybrid convertible notebook/tablet PC described above.  
         [0031]     In a particular embodiment of the computer system  200 , the clutch interfaces  231  are preferably the same as or similar to the clutch interfaces that connect the base section and the display section of a prior art notebook PC. This embodiment of the computer system  200 , thus, has the ability for either the prior art notebook PC display section or the new and improved display section  202  to be connected to the base section  204 . In this manner, the same base section  204  can be used in manufacturing lines that produce either the prior art notebook PC or the new and improved computer system  200 . A greater economy of scale and greater cost-savings may thus be achieved with this embodiment of the present invention. Additionally, a prior art notebook PC thus manufactured may be upgraded or converted into the computer system  200  by exchanging the prior art notebook PC display section for the new display section  202 .