Patent Publication Number: US-2007097014-A1

Title: Electronic device with flexible display screen

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      When purchasing computer devices, a consumer can choose from a wide array of computers, such as, but not limited to, desktop computers, laptop or notebook computers, tablet computers, and/or handheld computer devices. However, a consumer oftentimes desires particular features that are not found on any single type of device. Although the consumer may purchase multiple devices (a laptop and desktop computer), such practice is expensive and generally results in a duplication of at least some of the resources. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1A  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an electronic device employing a flexible display screen to advantage in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 1B  is a diagram illustrating a side view with a portion cut away of the electronic device of  FIG. 1A ;  
       FIG. 1C  is a diagram illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1A  in a closed position;  
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1A  configured for use in a desktop mode;  
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the electronic device of  FIG. 1A  configured for use in a tablet mode;  
       FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of an electronic device employing a flexible display screen to advantage in accordance with the present invention; and  
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of an electronic device employing a flexible display screen to advantage in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The preferred embodiments of the present invention and the advantages thereof are best understood by referring to  FIGS. 1-5  of the drawings, like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings.  
       FIG. 1A  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of an electronic device  10  employing a flexible display screen  12  to advantage in accordance with the present invention,  FIG. 1B  is a diagram illustrating a side view with a portion cut away of the electronic device of  FIG. 1A , and  FIG. 1C  is a diagram illustrating electronic device  10  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in a closed position. Electronic device  10  comprises a computer-type device preferably having a processor, memory, graphics module (e.g., for generating and/or controlling output of image or visual content), etc. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , electronic device  10  is configured for use in a notebook or laptop mode. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, electronic device  10  is configured to be foldable along an axis  16  such that at least a portion  10   a  of electronic device  10  is movable into a generally upright or vertical position relative to a generally horizontal orientation of a remaining portion  10   b  of electronic device  10 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , electronic device  10  is configured to communicatively cooperate with an input device  18 , such as a wired or wireless keyboard  20 . However, it should be understood that other types of input devices  18  (e.g., a mouse, microphone, etc.) and/or output devices (e.g., a printer, speaker, etc.) may be used with electronic device  10 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , electronic device  10  is configured such that keyboard  20  is mounted to an upper surface of portion  10   b  of electronic device  10  (e.g., overlaying a portion of display screen  12 ). However, it should be understood that electronic device  10  may be otherwise configured.  
      In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , electronic device  10  comprises a housing  22  configured to be foldable along axis  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, axis  16  is medially located relative to housing  22 , thereby producing equally-sized display screen  12  portions  12   a  and  12   b  (note that keyboard  20  is resting on a portion of screen portion  12   b  in  FIG. 1A ). However, it should be understood that housing  22  may be configured to be foldable along another location and/or additional locations (e.g., non-equally-sized screen  12  portions and/or additional screen  12  portions). In some embodiments of the present invention, display screen  12  comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) matrix formed on/from an interlaced weft of conductive strands and warp of LED fibers. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , display screen  12  is configured to display graphic and/or image content only on screen portion  12   a  when electronic device  10  is configured for use in the laptop mode (e.g., in response to user input of such mode of use and/or automatically in response to detecting a position of screen portion  12   a  relative to screen portion  12   b ). However, it should be understood that electronic device  10  may be otherwise configured. Further, it should be understood that keyboard  20  may be removed from housing portion  10   b  and used remote from electronic device  10  (e.g., wirelessly) and/or be otherwise couplable to a different location or portion of electronic device  10  (e.g., connected to another location of electronic device  10  to obtain a wired connection to electronic device  10 ).  
      Preferably, housing  22  is fabricated from a flexible material such as, but not limited to, plastic or rubber, to facilitate folding of housing  22  along axis  16 . However, it should be understood that housing  22  may also be fabricated having only a portion thereof being flexible (e.g., a fold portion  23  disposed near and/or around axis  16 ) to facilitate folding thereof along axis  16 . Preferably, housing  22  is configured to enable variable positioning of portion  10   a  relative to  10   b  (e.g., having fold portion  23  sufficiently rigid and/or having a resilient member disposed therein such that portion  10   a  may be fixedly located in a desired position or angle θ relative to portion  10   b ). In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , housing  22  comprises edge support members  28  and  30  extending about a peripheral portion of respective portions  10   b  and  10   a  of electronic device  10 . Edge support members  28  and  30  are preferably configured to provide additional support and/or rigidity to portions  10   b  and  10   a , respectively. Further, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , edge support members  28  and  30  are each configured having a raised portion  28   a  and  30     1   , respectively, configured to be disposed against each other when electronic device  10  is disposed in a closed position (e.g., screen portion  12   a  facing screen  12   b  ( FIG. 1C )), thereby protecting display screen  12  (e.g., raised portions  28   a  and  30   a  form a gap between screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  such that screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  are separated from each other when electronic device  10  is disposed in a closed position). Further, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1A-1C , raised portion  28   a  is configured to align and support keyboard  20  when disposed over screen portion  12   b , thereby inhibiting movement of keyboard  20  relative to housing  22  (e.g., inhibiting movement of keyboard  20  in the directions indicated by arrows  34 ,  36  and/or  38 ). Additionally, referring to  FIG. 1C , raised portions  28   a  and  30   a  form a gap between screen portions  12   a  and  12   b , thereby providing a storage area within electronic device  10  for storage of keyboard  20  when electronic device  10  is in a closed position.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1B , housing  22  comprises a stiffening system  40  to support flexible display screen  12 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1B , stiffening system  40  comprises a foldable member  42  located on fold portion  23  of electronic device  10 , a support member  44  located on portion  10     1   of electronic device  10  and a support member  46  located on portion  10   b  of electronic device  10 . Preferably, support members  44  and  46  are fabricated from a rigid material to maintain a planar configuration of screen portions  12   a  and  12   b , respectively. Preferably, foldable member  42  is sufficiently rigid and/or having a resilient member disposed therein such that support member  44  may be fixedly located in a desired position or angle θ relative to support member  46 . It should be understood that support members  44  and  46  may be configured as separate and/or discrete elements or configured as part of edge support members  28  and  30  (i.e., formed as a single or unitary structure).  
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating electronic device  10  of  FIGS. 1A-1C  configured for use in a desktop mode. In  FIG. 2 , electronic device  10  is illustrated in an open, vertical landscape orientation such that screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  are disposed in a coplanar relationship relative to each other (i.e., coplanar or substantially coplanar relative to each other). In some embodiments of the present invention, screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  are used to form a single and/or continuous image extending over both screen portions  12   a  and  12   b . However, it should be understood that all or a portion of each screen portion  12   a  and/or  12   b  may be used to display different images. Electronic device  10  may be supported in the orientation illustrated in  FIG. 2  using a stand or other type of support element. However, it should be understood that electronic device  10  may also be positioned vertically independent of a display stand or other type of support element (e.g., by folding electronic device  10  slightly along axis  16  such that edge support members  28  and  30  vertically support electronic device  10 ).  
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the electronic device of  FIGS. 1A-1C  configured for use in a tablet mode. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , electronic device  12  is illustrated in an open position having screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  disposed in a coplanar relationship relative to each other. For example, as described above, electronic device  10  is openable by moving or rotating edge support members  28  and/or  30  away from each other about axis  16  until screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  are disposed in a coplanar configuration. However, it should be understood that electronic device  10  may be used in a tablet mode even when screen portions  12   a  and  12   b  are not coplanar with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, display screen portion  12  also functions as input device  18  (e.g., using an electronic pen or stylus).  
       FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of electronic device  10  employing flexible display screen  12  to advantage in accordance with the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , electronic device  10  is configured for use in both a laptop/notebook mode and a tablet mode. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, screen portion  12   a  is disposed in a generally upright position relative to screen portion  12   b , thereby positioning screen members  12   a  and  12   b  in laptop/notebook-form. In this example, screen portion  12   b  is configured as input device  18  having an integral, touchpad keyboard  20  (e.g., keyboard  20  may be screened onto screen portion  12   b  or comprise a computer-generated display of a keyboard formed on screen portion  12   b ). Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , screen portion  12   a  is configured to provide graphical display output and screen portion  12   b  is configured to provide input to electronic device  10 . However, it should be understood that screen portions  12   a  and/or  12   b  may be otherwise configured to provide input and/or output (e.g., screen portion  12   a  also configured to receive input (e.g., such as in a tablet mode), screen portion  12   b , or a portion thereof, also providing visual output, etc.).  
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of electronic device  10  employing flexible display screen  12  to advantage in accordance with the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , electronic device  10  comprises two fold portions  23   a  and  23   b , thereby forming an additional screen portion  12   c  of flexible display screen  12 . For example, fold portion  23   a  enables rotational movement of screen portions  12   b  and  12   c  relative to each other about axis  16   a , and fold portion  23   b  enables rotational movement of screen portions  12   c  and  12   a  relative to each other about axis  16   b . Note that in  FIG. 5 , keyboard  20  is resting on at least a portion of screen portion  12   b . Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , screen portions  12   a - 12   c  provide an increased size of viewing area for electronic device  10 . Screen portions  12   a - 12   c  may be configured to operate as a single display (e.g., enabling an image to extend across all of screen portions  12   a - 12   c  and/or enabling dragging of image content from one screen portion  12   a - 12   c  to another screen portion  12   a - 12   c ), each screen portion  12   a - 12   c  may be configured to operate independently (e.g., each screen portion  12   a - 12   c  providing output corresponding to a different application (e.g., screen portion  12   a  for video output, screen portion  12   c  for word processing, and screen portion  12   b  for input)). Thus, it should be understood that display screen  12  may be utilized in a variety of different configurations.  
      In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5 , electronic device  10  is configured as a “tri-panel portfolio” such that electronic device  10  comprises portions  10   a ,  10   b  and  10   c . Portions  10   a - 10   c  are movable about fold portions  23   a  and  23   b  relative to each other to enable portions  10   a - 10   c  to be placed generally against each other in a folded or closed position. However, it should be understood that electronic device  10  may be configured having additional portions or “panels.” 
      Thus, embodiments of the present invention provide an electronic device  10  having a flexible display screen  12  such that electronic device  10  configurable for use in a plurality of different modes (e.g., a laptop or notebook mode, a tablet mode, a desktop or display mode, etc.).