Abstract:
A display device for enlarging or extending a view of a handheld electronic device includes a body, a displaying unit, a second transmitting unit, a carrying unit, and a fixing unit. The fixing unit fixes the handheld electronic device to the carrying unit regardless of the dimensions of the handheld electronic device. The body and the carrying unit are coupled together by a coupling unit in a manner that the body and the carrying unit can move relative to each other, such that screens of the handheld electronic device and the display device lie in parallel or side by side to face a user. The display device can further include a touch control unit whereby the display device and the handheld electronic device demonstrate versatility through their display and touch control functions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 100131768 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Sep. 2, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to display devices, and more particularly, to a display device applicable to a handheld electronic device mutually. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Among mainstream consumer electronic products, smartphones and tablet PCs have their respective edges and thus have gained their respective slices of market share. Smartphones differ from tablet PCs in terms of dimensions, specifications, and performance Smartphones are lightweight, thin, compact, and readily portable. Tablet PCs feature a large display screen and thus are conducive to working, entertainment, and surfing the Internet. Consumers choose between smartphones and table PCs according to the need for portability and large display screens. 
         [0004]    Due to their susceptibility to limitations of internal space and dependence on available technology, cell phones used to be outperformed by tablet PCs and notebook computers. However, smartphones are becoming more robust and versatile because of recent technological development. To enhance ease of use, it is a trend for smartphones to have ever-increasing dimensions of a screen. The trend is, however, held in check by communication functions and portability. As a result, commercially available smartphones usually have a screen of a dimension less than five inches. 
         [0005]    In addition to a large display screen, tablet PCs have an advantage of their similarity with smartphones in terms of functions and performance. This paves the way for the advent of a new product based on integration of tablet PCs and smartphones. Referring to  FIG. 1 , provided is a touch control monitor  100  capable of receiving a smartphone  10 . A receiving chamber  110  is disposed on the rear side of the touch control monitor  100 . Transmission jacks  120 ,  140  for transmitting and receiving signals are disposed at a sidewall of the receiving chamber  110 . The transmission jacks  120 ,  140  correspond in position and category to transmission apertures  12 ,  14  on the smartphone  10 . The transmission interface for the transmission jacks  120 ,  140  and the transmission apertures  12 ,  14  is usually a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. Hence, the smartphone  10  can be received in the receiving chamber  110  of the touch control monitor  100 , and the transmission jacks  120 ,  140  can be connected to the transmission apertures  12 ,  14 , such that an audiovisual signal of the smartphone  10  can be displayed on the touch control monitor  100  by means of a HDMI transmission line to thereby enlarge the view of the smartphone  10  and send a control signal from the touch control monitor  100  to the smartphone  10  by means of a USB transmission line. In doing so, a user is able to use the smartphone  10  independently to meet the strict requirement of portability. Furthermore, it is feasible to combine the smartphone  10  and the touch control monitor  100  in order to bring about a large display screen. 
         [0006]    Nonetheless, the touch control monitor  100  still has an unsolved disadvantage, that is, the application of the touch control monitor  100  is restricted to the smartphone  10  of specific model numbers, as opposed to all model numbers and all specifications, nor can the touch control monitor  100  be in use with other handheld electronic devices, because the receiving chamber  110  and the transmission jacks  120 ,  140  cannot work without conforming with the dimensions of the smartphone  10  and the positions and interface categories of the transmission apertures  12 ,  14 . 
         [0007]    With the smartphone  10  being received in the receiving chamber  110  on the rear side of the touch control monitor  100 , it is impossible to access or operate the touch control monitor  100  and the smartphone  10  simultaneously. Normally, the smartphone  10  merely serves as a computation processing unit, and thus a portion of the functionality, such as display or touch control, of the smartphone  10  is not put to use, thereby reducing the applicability of the smartphone  10 . 
         [0008]    Hence, although the conventional integrated display device has both the merits of a handheld electronic device, such as a smartphone, and the merits of tablet PCs, it still has two unsolved disadvantages described hereunder. First, the application of the conventional integrated display device is restricted to the handheld electronic device of specific model numbers, as opposed to all model numbers and all specifications. Second, the handheld electronic device is disposed on the rear side or disposed inside the integrated display device, it is impossible to access or operate the touch control monitor and the smartphone simultaneously, thereby restricting the applicability of the display device. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    It is an objective of the present invention to provide a display device applicable to any handheld electronic device of any model number and specifications, capable of carrying the handheld electronic device when in use, and capable of enlarging, extending, and displaying the view of the handheld electronic device. 
         [0010]    Another objective of the present invention is to provide a display device, wherein the display views of the display device and a handheld electronic device are arranged in a parallel manner or side by side and displayed in the same direction to a user. 
         [0011]    Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a display device, wherein the user can access the display function and/or the touch control function of a displaying unit and the handheld electronic device, such that the display device manifest diverse applicability. 
         [0012]    In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides a display device for use with a handheld electronic device having a first transmitting unit. The handheld electronic device outputs at least an audiovisual signal. The display device comprises: a body; a displaying unit disposed on a side of the body; a second transmitting unit disposed on the body and electrically connected to the displaying unit and the first transmitting unit for receiving the audiovisual signal and displaying the audiovisual signal on the displaying unit; a carrying unit carrying the handheld electronic device and coupled to the body by a connecting unit such that the body and the carrying unit move relative to each other; and a fixing unit disposed on the carrying unit and comprising at least an adjusting member for adjusting the fixing unit such that the handheld electronic device is fixed in placed by the fixing unit. 
         [0013]    In the display device, the connecting unit comprises a first protective panel, a bent portion, and a second protective panel. The body and the carrying unit are disposed on the first protective panel and the second protective panel, respectively. The bent portion enables the carrying unit and the body to rotate toward each other or rotate away from each other. 
         [0014]    In the display device, a receiving space is disposed on another side of the body, wherein a guiding groove and a sliding element corresponding in position thereto are disposed at the receiving space and the connecting unit, respectively, for facilitating sliding of the carrying unit and sliding of the body relative to each other. 
         [0015]    The present invention further provides a display device for use with a handheld electronic device having a first transmitting unit. The handheld electronic device outputs at least an audiovisual signal. The display device comprises: a body; a displaying unit disposed on a side of the body; a carrying unit carrying the handheld electronic device and coupled to the body by a connecting unit such that the body and the carrying unit move relative to each other; a second transmitting unit disposed on the carrying unit and electrically connected to the displaying unit and the first transmitting unit for receiving the audiovisual signal and displaying the audiovisual signal on the displaying unit; and a fixing unit disposed on the carrying unit and comprising at least an adjusting member for adjusting the fixing unit such that the handheld electronic device is fixed in place by the fixing unit. 
         [0016]    In the display device, the carrying unit further comprises a receiving chamber, such that the fixing unit is received in the receiving chamber. 
         [0017]    The display device further comprises a touch control unit disposed on the displaying unit and electrically connected to the second transmitting unit for generating a control signal, wherein the control signal is sent to the handheld electronic device via the second transmitting unit and the first transmitting unit. 
         [0018]    In the display device, the fixing unit further comprises a plurality of clamping members connected to the adjusting member for adjusting the clamping members, such that the clamping members are drawn closer to each other to clamp and fix the handheld electronic device in place. The fixing unit comprises at least one clamping member. The clamping members are connected to the adjusting member for adjusting the clamping members in a manner that the handheld electronic device is jointly clamped and fixed by the clamping members and the sidewalls of the receiving chamber. 
         [0019]    In the display device, signal transmission between the first transmitting unit and the second transmitting unit is effected by cable transmission or radio transmission. The cable transmission requires a transmission interface such as HDMI, VGA (Video Graphics Array), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), DisplayPort or USB interfaces. The radio transmission requires a transmission interface such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or NFC (Near Field Communication) interfaces. 
         [0020]    Accordingly, the display device of the present invention can enlarge and extend the view of a handheld electronic device to the displaying unit, enable the display views of the display device and the handheld electronic device to lie in a parallel manner or side by side when in use and face the user, and enable the display device and the handheld electronic device to rotate toward each other or rotate away from each other, such that the user can access the touch control function and the display function of the displaying unit and the handheld electronic device concurrently to meet various user needs. The display device of the present invention further comprises a touch control unit whereby the user can access the display function and/or the touch control function of the display device and the handheld electronic device, such that the display device manifest diverse applicability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
         [0021]    Objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention are hereunder illustrated with specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  (PRIOR ART) is a schematic view of a conventional display device for displaying the view of a handheld electronic device; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the display device having a handheld electronic device fixed thereto according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the display device having a carrying unit and a body which rotate and shut relative to each other according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a display device according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the display device comprising a receiving chamber having two clamping members therein according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a display device according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the display device having the carrying unit and the body which rotate and shut relative to each other according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a display device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  is a schematic view of the bottom of a display device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  is a schematic view of the display device storing the carrying unit in a receiving space at the bottom of the display device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  is a schematic view of the display device, wherein an opening of the receiving space is disposed on one side of the body according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 13  is a schematic view of the carrying unit received in the receiving space of the display device in  FIG. 12 ; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  is a schematic view of signal transmission between the display device and a handheld electronic device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 2  through  FIG. 4 , there are shown schematic views of a display device  200  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The display device  200  in the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a body  210 , a displaying unit  230 , a second transmitting unit  220 , a carrying unit  240 , and a fixing unit  260 . The display device  200  is adapted to carry a handheld electronic device  20  and extend or enlarge its view. The handheld electronic device  20  has a first transmitting unit  22  for outputting an audiovisual signal. In this embodiment, the handheld electronic device  20  is exemplified by a smartphone but is not limited thereto. The display device  200  is adapted to enlarge or extend the view of any handheld electronic device equipped with an audiovisual transmission unit and a computation processing unit. 
         [0037]    In the display device  200  of the present invention, the displaying unit  230  is disposed on one side of the body  210 , and the second transmitting unit  220  is disposed on the body  210 . The second transmitting unit  220  is electrically connected to the displaying unit  230  and the first transmitting unit  22 , such that the audiovisual signal can be displayed on the displaying unit  230 . The carrying unit  240  is adapted to carry the handheld electronic device  20 , while the carrying unit  240  and the body  210  are coupled together by means of a connecting unit  250 , such that the body  210  and the carrying unit  240  move relative to each other. The fixing unit  260  is disposed on the carrying unit  240 . At least an adjusting member  262  is disposed on the carrying unit  240 . The adjusting member  262  is adapted to adjust the fixing unit  260  such that the fixing unit  260  is fixed to the handheld electronic device  20 . Hence, the display device  200  can carry the handheld electronic device  20  in a manner that the handheld electronic device  20  is positioned on one side of the body  210 , and in consequence the view of the handheld electronic device  20  is extended, enlarged, and displayed on the displaying unit  230 , while both the display device  200  and the handheld electronic device  20  face a user simultaneously and display their respective views. In a scenario where the handheld electronic device  20  is a smartphone having a touch control function, it is feasible to treat the handheld electronic device  20  as a keyboard or an input interface of touch control and thereby enable an operable view to be displayed on the displaying unit  230  having a screen of large dimensions or of a large number of pixels. 
         [0038]    Regarding the display device  200  in the first embodiment of the present invention, the connecting unit  250  is a hinge whereby the carrying unit  240  is hinged to the body  210 , so as to achieve the following effects: the body  210  and the carrying unit  240  can rotate toward each other in a book-closing manner or rotate away from each other in a book-opening manner by means of the connecting unit  250 ; the view of the handheld electronic device  20  and the view of the displaying unit  230  are arranged in a parallel manner or side by side and displayed in the same direction; and the included angle between the body  210  and the carrying unit  240  is adjustable by the connecting unit  250 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , it is desirable to rotate the carrying unit  240  toward the body  210  in a book-closing manner when it is decided that the display device  200  is not to be in use. 
         [0039]    Regarding the display device  200  in the first embodiment of the present invention, the fixing unit  260  comprises two clamping members  264 . The two clamping members  264  are connected to the adjusting members  262 , respectively, for adjusting the two clamping members  264  such that the two clamping members are drawn closer to each other to thereby clamp the handheld electronic device  20 . The adjusting members  262  are a pair of racks, rack and gear, or groove and rail, such that the fixing unit  260  can adjust the clamping members  264  to the dimensions of the handheld electronic device  20 , thereby allowing the handheld electronic device  20  to be clamped and fixed in place. In addition, the drawings are not restrictive of the quantity of the clamping members  264 ; hence, there can be four said clamping members  264  arranged rectangularly and adapted to clamp the four sides of the handheld electronic device  20 , respectively. A point to note is that the way of clamping the handheld electronic device  20  is illustrated with the preceding embodiment but is not limited thereto; instead, the way of clamping the handheld electronic device  20  can also be snap engagement or any other appropriate means. 
         [0040]    Regarding the display device  200  in the first embodiment of the present invention, the transmission of the audiovisual signal between the first transmitting unit  22  and the second transmitting unit  220  is effected by cable transmission. As shown in  FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the first transmitting unit  22  of the handheld electronic device  20  comprises a transmission aperture of an HDMI interface and another transmission aperture of a USB interface for transmitting the audiovisual signal or other signals. The second transmitting unit  220  of the display device  200  comprises a transmission jack of an HDMI interface and another transmission jack of a USB interface which are connected to each other by a transmission line to effectuate signal transmission. The types of cable transmission interfaces are not limited to the aforesaid HDMI interface and USB interface but include transmission interfaces such as VGA (Video Graphics Array), DVI (Digital Visual Interface), and DisplayPort. 
         [0041]    In addition to cable transmission, transmission between the first transmitting unit  22  and the second transmitting unit  220  can be effected by radio transmission. For example, the display device  200  and the handheld electronic device  20  can comprise a radio transmission interface, such as a Bluetooth interface or an NFC (Near Field Communication) interface, such that a chip of the radio transmission interface is disposed on a circuit board inside the body  210  for receiving the audiovisual signal or other signals from the handheld electronic device  20  and sending the received audiovisual signal or other signals to the handheld electronic device  20  without being connected by a transmission line and a transmission jack 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a schematic view of a display device  300  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. A carrying unit  340  of the display device  300  in the second embodiment of the present invention further comprises a receiving chamber  342 , a fixing unit  360  disposed in the receiving chamber  342 , and a second transmitting unit  320  disposed on a carrying unit  340  and electrically connected to the displaying unit  230 . The second transmitting unit  320  is electrically connected to the first transmitting unit  22 . The second transmitting unit  320  receives the audiovisual signal, such that the displaying unit  230  can display the audiovisual signal. In this embodiment, the fixing unit  360  comprises an adjusting member  362  and clamping members  364 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , there is just one said clamping member  364 , and the clamping member  364  is connected to the adjusting member  362 . The adjusting member  362  is a rack or a gear for moving and adjusting the clamping member  364  in a manner that two opposite sides of the handheld electronic device  20  are clamped and fixed in place by the clamping member  364  and a sidewall of the receiving chamber  342 , respectively. The second transmitting unit  320 , which is exemplified by a transmission jack equipped with a transmission line, is disposed on a sidewall of the receiving chamber  342  and is adapted to be inserted into the first transmitting unit  22  of a transmission aperture having a corresponding transmission interface so as to effectuate electrical connection. In addition, this embodiment and the drawings are not restrictive of the quantity and arrangement of the clamping members  364 ; instead, the present invention can be exemplified by two said clamping members  364  positioned perpendicular to each other, as shown in  FIG. 6 , such that the handheld electronic device  20  is jointly clamped and fixed in place by the two clamping members  364  and two adjacent sidewalls of the receiving chamber  342 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , there are shown schematic views of a display device  400  according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Regarding the display device  400  in the third embodiment of the present invention, a connecting unit  450  comprises a first protective panel  452 , a bent portion  456 , and a second protective panel  454 . The body  210  and the carrying unit  240  are disposed on the first protective panel  452  and the second protective panel  454 , respectively. The bent portion  456  enables the carrying unit  240  and the body  210  to rotate toward each other or rotate away from each other. For example, the connecting unit  450  is a protective leather case of high rigidity for use with the first protective panel  452  and the second protective panel  454 . The bent portion  456  is disposed between the first protective panel  452  and the second protective panel  454 , such that the first protective panel  452  and the second protective panel  454  can rotate toward each other in a book-closing manner or rotate away from each other in a book-opening manner. The bent portion  456  further comprises a positioning element or structure for adjusting and fixing the included angle between the first protective panel  452  and the second protective panel  454  so as to adjust the included angle between the body  210  and the carrying unit  240 . 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIG. 9  through  FIG. 11 , there are shown schematic views of a display device  500  according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Regarding the display device  500  in the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a receiving space  512  is disposed on the opposite side of a body  510  relative to the displaying unit  230  and adapted to receive a carrying unit  540 . A guiding groove  514  and a sliding element  552  which match each other are disposed in the receiving space  512  and on a connecting unit  550 , respectively, for facilitate the sliding of the carrying unit  540  and the sliding of the body  510  relative to each other. Hence, when not in use, the carrying unit  540  can be stored in the receiving space  512 . However, when ready to be in use, sliding the sliding element  552  of the carrying unit  540  and the guiding groove  514  in the receiving space  512  relative to each other causes the carrying unit  540  to be pushed out of the receiving space  512 . Once the carrying unit  540  is pushed out of the receiving space  512  and the connecting unit  550  lies besides the body  510 , the carrying unit  540  and the body  510  can rotate toward each other or rotate away from each other. In this embodiment, for example, the connecting unit  550  is a rod of a hinge structure. Each of the two ends of the rod has the sliding element  552  which matches the guiding groove  514  disposed in the receiving space  512 , such that the carrying unit  540  can slide into or out of the receiving space  512 . 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 9  through  FIG. 11 , the receiving space  512  is disposed on the opposite side of the body  510  relative to the displaying unit  230 , such that an opening of the receiving space  512  is formed in the bottom of the body  510  and extends laterally, but this feature does not limit the present invention; as shown in  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13 , the opening of the receiving space  512  is confined to the lateral side of the body  510  in a manner that the carrying unit  540  can be received and hidden in the receiving space  512 . 
         [0046]    The display device in the first through fourth embodiments can enlarge and extend the view of a handheld electronic device to the displaying unit, enable the display views of the display device and the handheld electronic device to lie in a parallel manner or side by side when in use and face the user, and enable the display device and the handheld electronic device to rotate toward each other or rotate away from each other. In the scenario where a smartphone functions as the handheld electronic device for an exemplary purpose, it is feasible to treat the handheld electronic device as a keyboard or a touch control input interface to enable the user to employ the handheld electronic device to manipulate input and cause the manipulated view to be displayed on the display device. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 14 , there is shown a schematic view of signal transmission between the display device and a handheld electronic device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. A display device  600  in the fifth embodiment of the present invention is the display device in the first through fourth embodiments and further comprises a touch control unit  670 . The touch control unit  670  is disposed on a displaying unit  630  and electrically connected to a second transmitting unit  620  for generating and sending a control signal to the second transmitting unit  620  according to the user&#39;s touch control. The handheld electronic device  20  receives the control signal by means of the first transmitting unit  22 . Hence, the control signal generated from the touch control unit  670  is outputted by means of the second transmitting unit  620  and then received by the first transmitting unit  22  of the handheld electronic device  20 . Hence, it is feasible to control the display device by means of touch control and thereby control the handheld electronic device  20 . Furthermore, the signal transmission between the first transmitting unit  22  and the second transmitting unit  620  can be effected by cable transmission or radio transmission. 
         [0048]    The display device in the fifth embodiment can enlarge and extend the view of a handheld electronic device to the displaying unit, enable the display views of the display device and the handheld electronic device to lie in a parallel manner or side by side when in use and face the user, and enable the display device and the handheld electronic device to rotate toward each other or rotate away from each other, such that the user can access the touch control function and the display function of the displaying unit and the handheld electronic device concurrently. In the scenario where a smartphone functions as the handheld electronic device for an exemplary purpose, it is feasible to treat the handheld electronic device as a keyboard or a touch control input interface to enable the user to employ the handheld electronic device to manipulate input and cause the manipulated view to be displayed on the display device. Or, alternatively, it is feasible to treat the display device as a keyboard or a touch control input interface in order to meet user needs and meet the requirement for ease of use. 
         [0049]    The present invention is disclosed above by preferred embodiments. However, persons skilled in the art should understand that the preferred embodiments are illustrative of the present invention only, but should not be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the present invention. Hence, all equivalent modifications and replacements made to the aforesaid embodiments should fall within the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the legal protection for the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.