Abstract:
A computer system comprising that has a display screen that displays information from a computing device. An auxiliary device such as a cover or a keyboard is pivotally attached to the display screen. When the angle between the display screen and the auxiliary device is a first angle that makes it likely that the device is being used normally, the device is then locked against orientation rotation. The angle between the auxiliary device and the display needs to be brought into an unnatural angle in order to allow automatic orientation rotation.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Until recently, digital display screens were limited to desktop and portable personal computers called laptops. The display screen orientation for these types of devices was generally fixed by the manufacturer. Desktop display screens were and are fixed with a mounting base and cannot be places on their short axis such that the screen is in portrait orientation. Laptops generally fall into the same limitation in that the screen axis is fixed because the keyboard and screen orientations are fixed. 
         [0002]    The first PDA to appear in the market place did so in 1984. This was a radical device and soon other manufacturers introduced their own PDAs. The Organiser II™ by PSION™ featured a hard keyboard with a small rectangular screen positioned above the keyboard. The Apple™ Newton™ was introduced to the market on Feb. 27, 1998 and featured a soft keyboard and a touch sensitive display screen. The PalmPilot™ introduced on Mar. 10, 1997 became the PDA for the masses. The PalmPilot™ featured a touch screen and a launchable soft keyboard and a reserved area of the display screen for character input via a stylus approximating stylized characters. 
         [0003]    None of these PDAs would allow the user to reorient the display screen from portrait to landscape mode. Smart phones such as the Apple™ iPhone™ and PDAs such as the Apple™ iTouch™ were some of the first devices that allowed the user to change screen orientation between portrait and landscape. 
         [0004]    Early tablets such as the Apple™ iPad™ allowed the user to lock the screen orientation by using the slide lock on the side of the device. Devices using the Android™ operating system give the users the ability to lock/unlock the screen orientation. 
         [0005]    Display screens on laptop and other mobile devices such as tablet computers, PDAs and Cell Phones with soft or hard keyboards would rely on the physical orientation of the computing device to set the orientation of the content being displayed. If a user changes their physical body orientation to laying on their side and orients the display sideways so that landscape mode is preserved relative to the user, then the display screen and the computing device will generally reorient the display to portrait mode relative to gravity. This reorientation would make text on the display screen difficult to read. 
         [0006]    The inventors recognize the advantages of having some way to lock the display orientation until the user performs some action to unlock the display screen orientation Apple™ mobile products such as iPad™, iTouch™ and other hand held device as well as Android™ mobile devices allow the user to disable auto-rotation of the display screen imagery by altering a setting in the systems setting menus. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    While a particular display screen orientation can be maintained, it becomes an inconvenience to have to continually enable and disable auto-rotation of the display screen through settings menus. 
         [0008]    The inventors recognize advantages from allowing a user to auto lock or unlock the current screen orientation of a portable device. 
         [0009]    Embodiments describe a way for the user to lock or unlock the orientation of the display screen for laptops, web books, tables, cell phones and other portable display devices where a rotatable keyboard or cover is attached to the device. This capability gives the user greater flexibility in using such a device. 
         [0010]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a tablet computer or laptop is disclosed with a physical keyboard attached where the screen folds down against the physical keyboard and fixes the orientation of the display screen in a first orientation such as landscape mode when the screen and keyboard are closed. When the display screen is raised into a viewing position up to some predetermined angle, the screen will remain in landscape mode regardless of the physical orientation of the device. When the display screen is further raised or moved to another predetermined angle, the screen will become unlocked and permit auto rotation about the X,Y axis of the screen allowing the screen to be reoriented. 
         [0011]    In this embodiment of the invention, a sensor exists in the screen/keyboard hinge accessible by software to determine the angle of the display screen in relation to the keyboard. 
         [0012]    In another embodiment, the angle sensor is replaced with a switch assembly. The state of the switch is changed when the angle between the display screen and the cover or keyboard changes to some predetermined angle at which time the state of the switch is changed. The basic difference between these two embodiments is the first embodiment using an angle sensor provides a fine granularity of the actual angle between the display screen and the attached keyboard or cover. The embodiment that uses the more common switch only provides a granularity with two states. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment, the orientation is locked when the display screen/keyboard are closed and the angle between them is zero. When the user next raises the screen away from the keyboard, the screen will become active and the display orientation will be the same as when the display screen/keyboard were closed. For example, if the user had oriented the display screen in a portrait orientation and the angle between the keyboard and the display screen was such that the screen would auto-orient and the user then closed the display screen against the keyboard then placed the device such that the physical display screen would be in a landscape orientation when the display screen was opened, the orientation will be in portrait mode until the angle between the display screen and the keyboard is increased such that the display screen auto-orients to landscape. The normal term used to describe this action is that the orientation is “sticky” once the display screen and keyboard are closed when a given orientation is present. 
         [0014]    In another embodiment, a cover containing a cover portion which may act as a back stand for the back of a tablet computer and a keyboard portion which also acts as a cover for the display screen may contain a sensor which can determine the angle of the tablet display screen and the keyboard portion. The angle sensor for the cover/keyboard may communicate the angle between the keyboard/cover and the display screen to the tablet computer through a wired connection such as USB or a wireless connection such as Bluetooth™ also used by the keyboard to communicate with the tablet computer. 
         [0015]    In another embodiment, a flip cover that covers the display screen of a cell phone or a PDA may have an angle sensor which is part of a hinge mechanism between the flip cover and the cell phone or PDA. When the flip cover is raised to expose the display screen, the current orientation of the device is preserved until the flip cover exceeds a predetermined angle of the flip cover relative to the front of the display screen at which time the display screen will be free to change its orientation. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment, a kickstand may be attached to the back of a tablet and a keyboard may be attached to the front long axis of the tablet. The keyboard may also be used as a cover to protect the display screen surface of the tablet. In this embodiment, the display screen orientation may be fixed at the last time the keyboard/cover was rotated against the display screen. In this embodiment, the last orientation is preserved when the keyboard/cover is rotated away from the display screen. When the keyboard/cover is rotated past a predetermined angle, the display screen orientation will be unlocked. 
         [0017]    In another related embodiment, the display screen orientation will be set to landscape when the keyboard/cover is rotated against the display screen and will remain so when the keyboard/cover is first rotated away from the display screen. If the user then rotates the keyboard cover past a predetermined angle the display screen orientation will be unlocked. 
         [0018]    Embodiments describe a method, system and apparatus which in one embodiment measures the angle between a computing device display screen and the keyboard or bottom portion of the computing device. The invention consists of an angle measuring component and a software component which monitors the angle of the display screen and the keyboard or bottom portion of the computing device. When the display screen is in a first position against the keyboard or bottom component, the display screen display orientation will be locked in a first display orientation. When the display screen is opened and passes a predetermined angle between the display screen and the keyboard or bottom portion of the computing device the first display orientation lock will be released by the software component after which the display orientation is free to change so a different display orientation. In another embodiment, the position of the display device is determined by a switch which is in one state (locked) or a second state (unlocked) determined by the position of the display device. When the switch is in the locked state the orientation of the display device is locked to a predetermined orientation such as landscape or portrait. When the position of the display device is moved to where the switch changes state, the orientation of the display device will be unlocked and the orientation of the display device will change as the display device is tilted or rotated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    in the drawings: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1A  is a depiction of a side view of a laptop where the keyboard and display screen are position against each other. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1B  is a depiction of a side view of a laptop where the keyboard and display screen are positioned slightly apart. 
           [0022]      FIG. 1C  is a depiction of a side view of a laptop where the keyboard and display screen are shown positioned at a nominal angle with the max angle is shown. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2A  is a depiction of a cell phone or PDA with a flip cover closed 
           [0024]      FIG. 2B  is a depiction of a cell phone or PDA with a flip cover partially open. 
           [0025]      FIG. 2C  is a depiction of a cell phone or PDA with a flip cover are shown positioned at a nominal angle with the max angle is shown. 
           [0026]      FIG. 3A  is a depiction of a tablet computer with a back kickstand and keyboard/cover closed 
           [0027]      FIG. 3B  is a depiction of a tablet computer with a back kickstand and keyboard/cover shown positioned at a nominal angle with the max angle is shown. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart schematic depicting determination of cover status as to closed or open and locked or unlocked where the determination is made via an angle sensor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    Now referencing  FIGS. 1A ,  2 A and  3 A. In these depictions position sensors are integrated into a hinge assembly device  13  ( FIG. 1A ),  28  ( FIG. 2A ) or  48  ( FIG. 3A ). The sensor assemblies  13  and  28  sense the angle between display  12  and auxiliary device auxiliary device  11  ( FIGS. 1A and 2A ) and between tablet computer  41  and auxiliary device  43 ( figure 3A ) through use of the sensors. In embodiments, the auxiliary device may be a keyboard which is used to interact with the computer that drives the output to the display screen, or can be a cover for the display screen, or any other auxiliary device that is hinged to the display screen. Sensor assemblies  13 ,  28  and  48  sense the angle between the front of a display and the keyboard or cover. The sensors may be type of angle sensors such as a type referred to as gray code encoded wheels, cylinders or disks. These types of position encoders can generally provide a fine granularity in the angles being measured and reported. Use of another sensor type is also possible where the sensor only detects and reports two states. This type of sensor may be a Hall Effect sensor which detects the presence of a magnetic field close to the sensing element. Another type of sensor that only detects and reports two states is a mechanical switch such as a micro switch. This type of sensor may have a cam that rotates with the lobe of the can depressing the micro switch when the display or cover is rotated to a predetermined position. Another type of two position reporting sensor that may be used is an optical sensor. This type of sensor contains a light detecting element under a moving shell with a hole or slot that emits light onto the light detecting element when the hole or slot moves into position over the light detecting element. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, the first angle range where the computer is locked against rotation is an angle of normal operation of said computer when using the auxiliary device. The second angle is an angle beyond that of normal operation of the computer 
         [0031]    Now referencing  FIG. 4  where screen state  58  is a flag or variable that has two possible states, those being locked or unlocked. In this depiction, process block poll position sensor  52  either interrogates and receives positional data from position sensor  13 ,  28  or  48  or receives positional data from a driver that continually reads sensors  13 ,  28  or  48  and passes the positional data onto process block poll position sensor  52 . 
         [0032]    In this depiction, process block poll position sensor  52  receives position data from position sensor  13 ,  28  or  48 . Process block poll position sensor  52  passes the position data to decision block sensor=lock?  57  which determines from the position data if the relative angle between the body of the computing device ( FIG. 1A   11 ,  FIG. 2   a    26  or  FIG. 3   a    41 ) and the keyboard or cover ( FIG. 1A   12 ,  FIG. 2   a    27  or  FIG. 3   a    43 ) is within the bounds of locked arc  21  or unlocked arc  14 . If the angle is within the bounds of locked arc  21 , control will flow through the YES exit to decision block screen state=unlock?  53 . If the angle is within the bounds of unlocked arc  14 , control will flow through the NO exit to decision block screen state=locked?  55 . 
         [0033]    If control flowed from decision block sensor=lock?  57  to decision block screen state=unlock?  53  and if screen state  58 =locked, control will flow through the NO exit and onto process block poll position sensor  52 . This sequence of logic flow occurs when the computer device cover is positioned within the bounds of the locked arc  21 . The orientation of the display screen image will be locked and the user can rotate the computing device about any of its axes and the display screen image will not change its orientation. 
         [0034]    If control flowed from decision block sensor=lock?  57  to decision block screen state=unlock?  53  and if screen state  58 =unlocked, control will flow through the YES exit and onto process block lock screen orientation  54  where screen state  58  is set to locked then control flows to process block poll position sensor  52 . This logic sequence occurs when the computer device cover is positioned within the bounds of the locked arc  21 . The orientation of the display screen image was unlocked. This occurs when the user had moved the screen display such that the angle between the screen display and the keyboard cover was within the bounds of the unlocked arc  14 . The user then rotated the computing device until the screen display image reoriented itself and the user returned the screen display to an angle such that it fell within the bounds of the locked arc  21 . 
         [0035]    If decision block sensor=locked?  57  determined from the position data that the angle is within the bounds of unlocked arc  14 , control will flow through the NO exit to decision block screen state=lock?  5 . If screen state  58 =unlocked, control will flow through the NO exit and onto process block poll position sensor  52 . If decision block screen state=lock?  55  determines that screen state  58  is locked, then control will flow through the YES exit and onto process block unlock screen orientation  56  where screen state  58  will be set to unlocked after which control will flow to process block poll position sensor  52 . 
         [0036]    This logic sequence occurs when the computer device screen display is positioned within the bounds of the locked arc  21  and the user then moves the screen display such that the angle between the screen display and the keyboard/cover is within the bounds of the unlocked arc  14 . When this happens, screen state  58  was previously locked. This sequence sets screen state  58  to unlocked allowing the user to rotate the computing device about its axis to reorient the display screen image. 
         [0037]    Now referencing  FIG. 1A  where  10  depicts a laptop/web book or other mobile type personal computer. In this depiction, the base of the mobile computer depicted in  10  shows a keyboard  11  and a display  12 . In this depiction, display  12  is shown in a closed position and is physically parallel to keyboard  11 . Hinge assembly  13  is physically attached to both keyboard  11  and display  12 . In this depiction, hinge assembly  13  also houses angle sensor  13 A. In another embodiment, angle sensor  13 A may be housed within keyboard  11  or display  12 . Now referencing  FIG. 1B  where  15  depicts the same mobile computer as depicted in  FIG. 1A  with the exception that the mobile computer depicted in  FIG. 1B  is depicted as partially open.  FIG. 1C  depicts the mobile computer in a normally open position. In this depiction, locked arc  21  is the normally locked position for using the depicted laptop. This is the arc between the keyboard and the display when the computer is being normally used If the user further moves display  12  such that the angle between keyboard  11  and display  12  is within the bounds of unlock arc  14 , angle sensor  13 A housed in hinge assembly  13  will detect that display screen  12  has moved into the bounds of unlock arc  14 . This unlock arc is an angle that is not a normal angle for use of the computer, as seen in  FIG. 1C , this is not normal angle at which the computer would be used relative to the keyboard. At this time, the operation of  FIG. 4  will receive information that the angle sensor has detected an unlock event at a greater angle than the normally locked position (as being within the bounds of locked arc  21 ).  FIG. 4  normally polls the position sensor at intervals. As an alternative embodiment, angle sensor  13 A can send a signal through a driver program as a real time event, to the processor that is running the routine of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0038]    Now referencing  FIG. 2A  where  25  depicts a handheld mobile device such as a cell phone or a PDA which has a closeable cover. In this depiction, cell phone/PDA  26  has a cover  27  connected to cell phone/PDA  26  by hinge assembly  28 . Hinge assembly  28  may also contain angle sensor  28 A (not shown for clarity). In the normal “not used state”, cover  27  is positioned parallel with cell phone/PDA  26 . Now referencing  FIG. 2B  where  30  depicts cell phone/PDA  26  with cover  27  partially open and within the bounds of locked arc  21 . With cover  27  open to the angle shown the display screen is still not usable and remains in its locked state. Now referencing  FIG. 2C  where  35  depicts cover  27  open to the extent of locked arc  21 . With cover  27  open to the extent of locked arc  21  the display screen of cell phone  26  is usable. If the user opens cover  27  to the extent of unlocked arc  14  at angle line  36 , angle sensor  28  will notify process block poll position sensor  52  ( FIG. 4 ) of the event. 
         [0039]    Now referencing  FIG. 3A  where  45  depicts a tablet computer where tablet computer  41  is equipped with a back stand more commonly referred to as a kick stand  42 . Kickstand  42  allows tablet computer  45  to be positioned such that the user need not hold tablet computer  45  to read or look at the display screen. In this depiction, tablet computer  45  also has a cover/keyboard  43  which when in a closed position as shown in  FIG. 3A , protects the display screen of table computer  41 . Cover/Keyboard  43  also contains angle sensor  48 . Angle sensor measures the angle between the surface of cover/keyboard  43  and the surface of table computer  41 . Cover/keyboard  43  and angle sensor  48  communicates with table computer  41  through either a wired or wireless communications link. Wired communications links for these types of keyboards is generally USB™ and Bluetooth™ for wireless communications links. 
         [0040]    Now referencing  FIG. 3B  where  45  depicts tablet computer  41  resting on its kick stand  42  with cover/keyboard  43  positioned for entering data. In this position, tablet computer  41  will have its display screen locked in the current orientation which would generally be landscape. Note that locked arc  21  is the normal open angle of cover/keyboard  43  and table computer  41 . If tablet computer  41  is angled back to the extent of locked arc  14  and angle line  44 , angle sensor  48  will notify tablet computer  41 via the wired or wireless communications link of the unlock event. Process block poll position sensor  52  ( FIG. 4 ) will receive the event resulting in screen state  58  being set to unlock allowing the user to rotate computer  41  about its axis and reorienting the display screen image. When the user repositions computer  41  such that the angle between cover/keyboard  43  falls within the bounds of locked ark  21  position sensor  48  will again notify tablet computer  41  via the wired or wireless communications link of the lock event. Process block poll position sensor  52  ( FIG. 4 ) will receive the event resulting in screen state  58  being set to locked allowing the user to rotate computer  41  about its axis without reorienting the display screen image. 
         [0041]    Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes certain technological solutions to solve the technical problems that are described expressly and inherently in this application. This disclosure describes embodiments, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative or generalization of these embodiments which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, the techniques described herein can be used with other kinds of light modulators and light emitters. 
         [0042]    Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software running on a specific purpose machine that is programmed to carry out the operations described in this application, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the exemplary embodiments. 
         [0043]    The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implemented or performed with a general or specific purpose processor, or with hardware that carries out these functions, e.g., a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor can be part of a computer system that also has an internal bus connecting to cards or other hardware, running based on a system BIOS or equivalent that contains startup and boot software, system memory which provides temporary storage for an operating system, drivers for the hardware and for application programs, disk interface which provides an interface between internal storage device(s) and the other hardware, an external peripheral controller which interfaces to external devices such as a backup storage device, and a network that connects to a hard wired network cable such as Ethernet or may be a wireless connection such as a RF link running under a wireless protocol such as 802.11. Likewise, external bus  18  may be any of but not limited to hard wired external busses such as IEEE-1394 or USB. The computer system can also have a user interface port that communicates with a user interface, and which receives commands entered by a user, and a video output that produces its output via any kind of video output format, e.g., VGA, DVI, HDMI, displayport, or any other form. This may include laptop or desktop computers, and may also include portable computers, including cell phones, tablets such as the IPAD™ and Android platform tablet, and all other kinds of computers and computing platforms. 
         [0044]    A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. These devices may also be used to select values for devices as described herein. 
         [0045]    The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, using cloud computing, or in combinations. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of tangible storage medium that stores tangible, non transitory computer based instructions. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in reconfigurable logic of any type. 
         [0046]    In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. 
         [0047]    The memory storage can also be rotating magnetic hard disk drives, optical disk drives, or flash memory based storage drives or other such solid state, magnetic, or optical storage devices. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. The computer readable media can be an article comprising a machine-readable non-transitory tangible medium embodying information indicative of instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in computer implemented operations comprising the actions described throughout this specification. 
         [0048]    Operations as described herein can be carried out on or over a website. The website can be operated on a server computer, or operated locally, e.g., by being downloaded to the client computer, or operated via a server farm. The website can be accessed over a mobile phone or a PDA, or on any other client. The website can use HTML code in any form, e.g., MHTML, or XML, and via any form such as cascading style sheets (“CSS”) or other. 
         [0049]    The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein. 
         [0050]    Also, the inventor(s) intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. 
         [0051]    Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed. 
         [0052]    The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.