Portable electronic device with foldable display and hide-away keyboard

A portable electronic device with a stowable assembly. The stowable assembly may be stowed substantially within the housing of the portable electronic device. In the presently preferred embodiment, the stowable assembly has a display and a hide-away keyboard having at least one key.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to compact input/output systems, such as displays and keyboards, for use with portable electronic devices.

BACKGROUND

Mobile communication devices generally have a data input device such as a keyboard, for inputting data to the mobile device's controller, and a data output device such as a display, for communicating data from the controller to the mobile device's user. Both the data input device and data output device are typically a fixed, integral part of the mobile communication device. For example, in a conventional mobile cellular telephone, the keypad is fixed in one location on the case of the cellular telephone, as is the display.

Due to the small size of most mobile communication devices, integral data input and output devices are generally small and difficult to use. For example, the typical cellular telephone keypad and display are constrained by the size of the cellular telephone. As future cellular telephones continue to get smaller, so too must their integral keypads and displays. As the keypads become ever smaller, they become more difficult to manipulate. As the displays become ever smaller, they become more difficult to read. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a keypad and display that are not constrained by the size of the portable electronic device to which they are attached.

FIG. 1shows a conventional cellular mobile telephone100. Cell phone100has a display110, which is typically used to show information to the user, such as dialed phone numbers. Cell phone100also has a keypad120with a plurality of keys130. The keys130are generally small and difficult to manipulate, especially if cell phone100is small. Using the display110to show complex graphics or lengthy strings of text can be difficult, due to the limitations on the size of the display that are necessarily imposed by the form of the cellular telephone100. Thus, it would be advantageous to create an input device and an output device for a portable electronic device that are not strictly limited by the size of the portable electronic device with which they are used.

Past efforts to create an input device that is not limited by the size of the portable electronic device which contains it have resulted in inventions such as the voice-activated cellular telephone. Voice-activated dialing solutions suffer from the disadvantage that voice recognition software is imperfect. Voice control systems also require considerable processing power and memory storage, both of which are typically in short supply in a portable device. Thus, it would be an advantage to create a reliable input device that allows ease of use but does not require excessive processor and memory resources from the portable electronic device.

Past efforts to create an output device that is not limited by the size of the portable electronic device that contains it have resulted in inventions such as the “virtual display.” Virtual display systems generally function in one of two ways both of which require the user to wear special glasses, either that have lenses which are used as miniature displays that are easy to read due to their proximity to the eye or that have lasers that “paint” an image onto the retina of the eye, thereby creating the illusion of a large display hanging in space in front of the user. Virtual display systems have the disadvantage that they require the user to wear, and keep track of, glasses. Thus it would be an advantage to create a display system that is not strictly limited by the size of the portable device that contains it, yet does not require that the user wear, or keep track of, extra components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments of the invention disclose a portable electronic device with a movable assembly that is capable of being stowed substantially within the form factor of the portable electronic device. The assembly is typically an input and/or output device for use with the portable electronic device.

The presently preferred embodiment of the invention is a hinged, foldable, slide-away assembly having a keyboard and display for use with a portable electronic device. In the stored position, the assembly is substantially disposed within the case of the portable electronic device. The keyboard is slidably coupled to the case of the portable electronic device and can be stowed and unstowed by sliding the assembly out of the case and unfolding it. The preferred embodiment discloses a split screen display that can be used advantageously with various software applications, as discussed more completely in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

Because the assembly provides more surface area for input and output devices when it is unstowed, embodiments of the disclosed invention are also beneficial for users who have difficulty manipulating small keyboards.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2depicts the top view of the presently preferred embodiment200of the invention. A hinge230joins panel204to panel205. An output device210and at least one input device220are disposed on each panel204,205. In the preferred embodiment shown, the output device210is a display and the input device220is a key. In the preferred embodiment shown, each panel204,205has four keys220and one display210. However, in other embodiments it is not necessary that the panels204,205have both an input device220and output device210. An additional advantage of the preferred embodiment is that many software applications can be enhanced by dividing the graphical user interface into two screen areas. For example: in video-conferencing applications it is useful to have the local camera in one screen and the “far end” camera in the other screen; in calendar applications it is useful to have a monthly navigator in one screen and a daily view in the other screen; and in a “contacts” organizer it is useful to have a list of persons in one screen and detailed information about the currently selected person in the other screen.

FIGS. 3A–Cshow how the preferred embodiment disclosed inFIG. 2is unstowed from the stored position.FIG. 3Ashows the portable electronic device300with panels304and305in the stored position. Case302, typically constructed of plastic or light metal, physically encloses the electronic components of portable electronic device300. Panel304is joined to panel305by hinge330.FIG. 3Bshows how panels304and305slide out of case302of portable electronic device300.FIG. 3Cshows how panels304and305rotate about hinge330into the “in-use” position depicted inFIG. 2. In this presently preferred embodiment, an output device310and input device320are disposed on panels304and305. In the embodiment shown, output device310is a display and input device320is a key.

FIG. 4depicts a block diagram of a mobile station400that can make use of the disclosed embodiments. Although the invention is discussed in the context of a mobile station for exemplary purposes, any suitable electronic device, such as a portable computer or personal digital assistant (PDA), may implement the innovative data input/output device disclosed herein. The mobile station400includes, in this example:

A transceiver unit412includes a transmitter unit414, receiver unit416, and the logic control assembly418. The transmitter unit414converts low-level audio signals from the microphone406to digital coding using a codec (a data coder/decoder)420. The digitally encoded audio is represented by modulated shifts, for example, in the frequency domain, using a shift key modulator/demodulator422. Other data received from the logic control assembly418, such as station parameters and control information, may also be encoded for transmission. The modulated signal is then amplified by RF amplifier424and transmitted via an antenna assembly426;

The antenna assembly426contains a TR (transmitter/receiver) switch436to prevent simultaneous reception and transmission of a signal by the mobile station400. The transceiver unit412is connected to the antenna assembly426through the TR switch436. The antenna assembly contains at least one antenna438coupled to TR switch436by coupler440;

A receiver unit416receives a transmitted signal via the antenna assembly426. The signal is amplified by receiver/amplifier424and demodulated by shift-key demodulator422. If the signal is an audio signal, it is decoded using the codec420. The audio signal is then reproduced by the speaker404. Other signals, such as remote data input from the present invention are handled by the logic control assembly418after demodulation by demodulator422; and

A logic control assembly418usually containing an application specific integrated circuit (or ASIC) combining many functions, such as a general purpose microprocessor, digital signal processor, and other functions, into one integrated circuit. The logic control assembly418coordinates the overall operation of the transmitter and receiver using control messages. The various disclosed embodiments would make use of the logic control assembly418to update the display408and accept input from the keypad410. Generally, the logic control assembly418operates from a program that is stored in flash memory428of the mobile station. Flash memory428allows upgrading of operating software, software correction or addition of new features. Flash memory428is also used to hold user information such as speed dialing names and stored numbers.

In addition to flash memory428, the mobile station400will typically contain read only memory (ROM)430for storing information that should not change, such as startup procedures, and random access memory (RAM)432to hold temporary information such as channel number and system identifier.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a tremendous range of applications, and accordingly the scope of patented subject matter is not limited by any of the specific exemplary teachings given.

For example, although the various embodiments have generally been discussed in the context of keypads or keyboards, one skilled in the art understands that the invention is equally applicable to keypads and keyboards. Therefore, for purposes of this application, the terms keypad and keyboard are considered synonymous.

For example, although the invention has primarily been discussed in the context of a portable device with a foldable keyboard and display, one skilled in the art understands that the disclosed innovation could be used with either an input device or an output device, rather than requiring both an input device and output device. For example, a foldable hide-away display could be implemented in a portable device with a traditional keyboard, or vice-versa.

Although the input and output devices have primarily been discussed in the context of keyboards and displays, one skilled in the art understands that the invention is equally applicable to a variety of input and output devices such as, for example, speakers and touchpads.