Patent Publication Number: US-2007103383-A1

Title: Displaying a user name by a secondary display of a notebook computer

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      The present disclosure relates to dual display notebook computers.  
     BACKGROUND  
      In many business situations, a participant of a business meeting is unfamiliar with names of other participants of the meeting. In these situations, each participant may distribute his/her business cards to other participants who do not know his/her name. However, if many participants are unknown to each other, some participants may end up with a stack of other participants&#39; business cards. Having a stack of cards to flip through when addressing an unfamiliar participant in the meeting is undesirable. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The present disclosure is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features are described in the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a notebook computer according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of an embodiment of a notebook computer whose secondary display displays an advertising message;  
       FIG. 3  is an illustration of an embodiment of a notebook computer whose secondary display displays computer status information;  
       FIG. 4  is an illustration of  FIG. 3  from the user&#39;s perspective;  
       FIG. 5  is an illustration of an embodiment of a notebook computer whose secondary display displays a user name; and  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of an embodiment of a general computer system. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Disclosed herein are embodiments that allow users of portable computers with a lid to display their name on a secondary display attached to the back of the lid. The secondary display is viewable by others facing the back of the lid. Thus, others can identify a user using his/her portable computer in a business meeting, for example. However, the name is inhibited from being displayed by the secondary display until a particular user input is received. This is beneficial to avoid situations in which users may not wish to identify themselves (e.g. when a user is using his/her portable computer in public places such an airport or a coffee shop). In place of the user&#39;s name, the secondary display may display either an advertisement, a public relation message or an offer-for-sale message for public consumption when the user is using his/her portable computer in these situations. When the lid is closed, the secondary display may display information in an upside-down orientation relative to the orientation of the name. This information may include status information for the portable computer such as battery status information and/or wireless access point status information. Other information that may be displayed by the secondary display, in any orientation, comprises an indicator of a new email message, an indicator of a new voice mail message, an indicator of a new fax message, an indicator of a new calendar item message, an indicator of a new instant message, a wireless signal strength, a wireless provider name, or any combination thereof.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a notebook computer  20  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The notebook computer  20  comprises a notebook computer lid  22  that pivots with respect to a base  24 . The base  24  comprises one or more user input devices such as an alphanumeric keyboard  26 , a pointing device  30  such as a touch pad or a pointing stick, and a clicking device  32  such as a click button.  
      A primary display  34  is viewable on a face of the notebook computer lid  22 . In a particular embodiment, the primary display  34  is a notebook computer display that is viewable by a user of the alphanumeric keyboard  26 , the pointing device  30  and the clicking device  32  when the notebook computer lid  22  is pivoted to an open position. The primary display  34  may be unviewable when the notebook computer lid  22  is pivoted to a closed position.  
      A secondary display  36  is viewable on an opposite face of the notebook computer lid  22 . The secondary display  36  may be either unviewable or not easily viewed by a user of the alphanumeric keyboard  26 , the pointing device  30  and the clicking device  32  when the notebook computer lid  22  is pivoted to an open position. However, the secondary display  36  is viewable by other individuals who are face-to-face with the user when the notebook computer lid  22  is pivoted to an open position. The secondary display  36  is viewable when the notebook computer lid  22  is pivoted to a closed position.  
      In some embodiments, the secondary display  36  is smaller than the primary display  34  in at least one dimension (e.g. height or width) and/or has a smaller display area. The secondary display  36  may have the same or less resolution than the primary display  34 , and/or may have the same number or fewer colors than the primary display  34 . The secondary display  36  may comprise either a monochrome or color liquid crystal display (LCD), an electronic paper display (non-scrollable or flashing), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or a plasma display. The secondary display  36  may be capable of displaying text and/or graphics. Textual and/or graphical information may be scrolled and/or flashing by the secondary display  36 . The secondary display  36  may be back-lit. The secondary display  36  may be either permanently attached to or removable from the notebook computer lid  22 .  
      A processor  40  provides control logic to control what information is displayed by the secondary display  36  based on one or more particular conditions. The herein-disclosed acts performed by the processor  40  may be directed by computer-readable program code stored by a computer-readable medium. The program code may be part of an Operating System (OS), Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), or other software.  
      The processor  40  causes the secondary display  36  to display a first user name  42  in response to a first user input received by a user input device. Preferably, the processor  40  causes the secondary display  36  to be absent the first user name  42  until the first user input is received. For example, until the first user input is received, the processor  40  can cause the secondary display  36  to be absent the first user name  42  during periods commenced by either an act of receiving a power-up command (e.g. via either a power button  44  or an operating system command), an act of receiving a restart command, an act of receiving a wake-from-sleep or wake-from-standby command, or an act of sensing that the notebook computer lid  22  has been pivoted from a closed position to an open position.  
      The processor  40  can cause the secondary display  36  to display a second user name  46 , which differs from the first user name  42 , in response to a second user input received by the user input device. This feature supports situations where the notebook computer  20  is shared by multiple employees of a company, and each employee may potentially need to identify himself/herself in his/her own meeting.  
      The first user input may comprise a point-and-click input (e.g. on a “turn name on” button displayed by the primary display  34 ) or a keyed input (e.g. using one of the twelve “F” function keys of the keyboard  26 ).  
      Either in addition to or as an alternative to the above inputs, the first user input may comprise a first password  48  so that the secondary display  36  is absent the first user name  42  until the first password  48  is received from a user. The first password  48  may be specific to a first user having the first user name  42 . The second user input may comprise a second password  52  so that the secondary display  36  is absent the second user name  46  until the second password  52  is received from a user. The second password  52  may be specific to a second user having the second user name  46 . The user names  42  and  46  and the passwords  48  and  52  can be stored in a computer-readable medium  54 . In general, the processor  40  and the medium  54  can support any number of different user names with corresponding passwords. Use of passwords is beneficial to mitigate a possibility of a user misrepresenting his/her identity.  
      In response to a subsequent user input received by a user input device, the processor  40  can cause the user name to be removed from the secondary display  36 . The subsequent user input may comprise a point-and-click input (e.g. on a “turn name off” button displayed by the primary display  34 ) or a keyed input (e.g. using one of the twelve “F” function keys of the keyboard  26 ). Optionally, the processor  40  causes the user name to be removed from the secondary display  36  upon either an act of receiving a power-down command (e.g. via either the power button  44  or an operating system command), an act of receiving a sleep or standby command, or an act of pivoting the notebook computer lid  22  to a closed position.  
      The processor  40  can cause the secondary display  36  to display information other than a user name for one or more particular conditions. The non-user-name information can be displayed during the time period before the user name is displayed based on a user input, and/or during a time period after the user name has been removed from the secondary display  36 . The non-user-name information can include advertising information  56  or status information for the notebook computer  20 .  
      Examples of the advertising information  56  include, but are not limited to, a public relation message  60  from an owner of the notebook computer  20  and/or an employer of a user having the user name, an offer-for-sale message  62  from the owner of the notebook computer  20  and/or the employer of the user having the user name, or another type of advertisement  64 . The advertising information  56  can be received via a wireless transceiver  66  and stored in the medium  54 .  
      If the offer-for-sale message  62  is displayed, the processor  40  can cause the primary display  34  to display a user interface receptive to input of contact information for a potential customer. The potential customer may be a viewer of the secondary display  36  who expresses interest in the offer to the user. The offer may be for a telecommunication service such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) or cellular phone service, for example. Contact information for the potential customer is communicated from the notebook computer  20  to a communication device for a salesperson. The contact information may include a name and a telephone number or an e-mail address, for example. The salesperson can use the contact information to contact the potential customer and close a sale.  
      The user interface may be displayed in response to a user input received by a user input device. Examples of the user input include a point-and-click input (e.g. on an “employee referral” button displayed by the primary display  34 ) or a keyed input (e.g. using one of the twelve “F” function keys of the keyboard  26 ).  
      The status information may be displayed with one or more icons, graphics and text. Examples of the status information include, but are not limited to, an indicator of a presence of a wireless access carrier that is in range of the wireless transceiver  66  of the notebook computer  20 , a wireless provider name, an indicator of a signal strength of the wireless access carrier, an indication that the wireless access carrier has been authenticated as a trusted carrier by the processor  40 , battery charge information indicating a level of charge in a battery  68 , a date and a time. The wireless access carrier may communicate with the wireless transceiver  66  using WiFi or an 802.11-based standard, for example.  
      The secondary display  36  may be capable of displaying information in either a first orientation or a second orientation, the second orientation being upside-down relative to the first orientation. In this case, the processor  40  can cause the secondary display  36  to display the user name and the advertising information  56  in the first orientation, and the status information in the second orientation.  
      Optionally, the user is permitted to display on the secondary display  36  any message he/she inputs using notebook computer  20 . Further, the message displayed by the secondary display  36  can include a news ticker or a stock ticker. As another option, the secondary display  36  may continue to display a user name, advertising information, computer status information, or other information if removed from the notebook computer lid  22 . In this case, a module that includes the secondary display  36  may have its own battery and may communicate wirelessly with the processor  40  (e.g. using Bluetooth).  
      The processor  40  can cause the secondary display  36  to display an indicator of a new email message, an indicator of a new voice mail message, an indicator of a new fax message, an indicator of a new calendar item message, an indicator of a new instant message or any combination thereof.  
      Optionally, any information being displayed by the secondary display  36  is also viewable via a graphical user interface (GUI) on the primary display  34 . The information currently displayed on the secondary display  36  may be shown in a small display region of the primary display  34 , e.g. in a corner of the primary display  34 . The GUI may provide user-selectable controls or icons that enable the user to configure which one or more information items are to be displayed by the secondary display  36 . For example, the GUI may include a first icon to turn on/off displaying a wireless provider name, a second icon to turn on/off displaying a wireless signal strength, a third icon to turn on/off displaying the battery life, and other icons to turn on/off the other herein-disclosed information items. Any of the icons can be selected using point-and-click commands.  
      FIGS.  2  to  5  illustrate a hypothetical sequence of use of an embodiment of the notebook computer  20 .  
      Consider a telecommunication worker who is to fly to a business meeting. When at an airport, the worker turns-on a notebook computer  20 ′ using a power button  44 ′. Being in a public place, the worker does not wish to display his/her name. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a secondary display  36 ′ displays an advertising message that is viewable by other people in airport.  
      After the worker has completed using the notebook computer  20 ′ at the airport, the worker turns the notebook computer  20 ′ off and pivots a lid  22 ′ to a closed position as shown in  FIG. 3 . In this state, the secondary display  36 ′ displays computer status information such as an indication that a trusted wireless site is within range of the notebook computer  20 ′. The computer status information in  FIG. 3  is upside-down relative to the advertising message in  FIG. 2  in order to be more-easily readable by the worker (whose perspective is shown in  FIG. 4 ).  
      After arriving at the meeting, the worker opens and turns-on the notebook computer  20 ′ using the power button  44 ′. After the worker has provided particular user input, the secondary display  36 ′ displays his name as shown in  FIG. 5 . Other participants of the meeting can identify the worker by viewing the secondary display  36 ′.  
      It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed inventions may be modified in numerous ways and may assume many embodiments other than the preferred forms specifically set out and described herein. For example, any of the components depicted as being housed by or attached to the base  24  in  FIG. 1  can be housed by or attached to the lid  22  instead.  
      Referring to  FIG. 6 , an illustrative embodiment of a general computer system is shown and is designated  600 . In a particular embodiment, the computer shown in  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 5  can include one or more of the elements described in conjunction with the computer system  600 . The computer system  600  can include a set of instructions that can be executed to cause the computer system  600  to perform any one or more of the methods or computer based functions disclosed herein. The computer system  600  may operate as a standalone device or may be connected, e.g., using a network, to other computer systems or peripheral devices.  
      In a networked deployment, the computer system may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer system  600  can also be implemented as or incorporated into various devices, such as a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. In a particular embodiment, the computer system  600  can be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video or data communication. Further, while a single computer system  600  is illustrated, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the computer system  600  may include a processor  602 , e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both. Moreover, the computer system  600  can include a main memory  604  and a static memory  606 , that can communicate with each other via a bus  608 . As shown, the computer system  600  may further include a video display unit  610 , such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (CRT). Additionally, the computer system  600  may include an input device  612 , such as a keyboard, and a cursor control device  614 , such as a mouse. The computer system  600  can also include a disk drive unit  616 , a signal generation device  618 , such as a speaker or remote control, and a network interface device  620 .  
      In a particular embodiment, as depicted in  FIG. 6 , the disk drive unit  616  may include a computer-readable medium  622  in which one or more sets of instructions  624 , e.g. software, can be embedded. Further, the instructions  624  may embody one or more of the methods or logic as described herein. In a particular embodiment, the instructions  624  may reside completely, or at least partially, within the main memory  604 , the static memory  606 , and/or within the processor  602  during execution by the computer system  600 . The main memory  604  and the processor  602  also may include computer-readable media.  
      In an alternative embodiment, dedicated hardware implementations, such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices, can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments can broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that can be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.  
      In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented by software programs executable by a computer system. Further, in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations can include distributed processing, component/object distributed processing, and parallel processing. Alternatively, virtual computer system processing can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods or functionality as described herein.  
      The present disclosure contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions  624  or receives and executes instructions  624  responsive to a propagated signal, so that a device connected to a network  626  can communicate voice, video or data over the network  626 . Further, the instructions  624  may be transmitted or received over the network  626  via the network interface device  620 .  
      While the computer-readable medium is shown to be a single medium, the term “computer-readable medium” includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The term “computer-readable medium” shall also include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein.  
      In a particular non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. Further, the computer-readable medium can be a random access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. Additionally, the computer-readable medium can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to capture carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. A digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives may be considered a distribution medium that is equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions may be stored.  
      Although the present specification describes components and functions that may be implemented in particular embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the invention is not limited to such standards and protocols. For example, standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same or similar functions as those disclosed herein are considered equivalents thereof.  
      The illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions within the illustrations may be exaggerated, while other proportions may be minimized. Accordingly, the disclosure and the figures are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.  
      One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein, individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover, although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangement designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the description.  
      The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus, the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter.  
      The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.