Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20030011972?dq=5537618
Timestamp: 2017-03-27 02:14:07
Document Index: 715468698

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 30', 'art 50', 'art 30', 'art 50', 'art 30', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 50', 'art 31']

Patent US20030011972 - Control of LCD display backlight by actuation of a latch in a notebook computer - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA notebook computer with an LCD display monitor, the LCD display monitor having a latch part that serves to both turn “on” or “off” the LCD backlight whenever the LCD display is rotated open or closed on a main body, but also serves as a toggle switch to enable a user to cut power to the LCD...http://www.google.com/patents/US20030011972?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20030011972 - Control of LCD display backlight by actuation of a latch in a notebook computerAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS20030011972 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/015,666Publication dateJan 16, 2003Filing dateDec 17, 2001Priority dateJul 13, 2001Also published asUS6704194Publication number015666, 10015666, US 2003/0011972 A1, US 2003/011972 A1, US 20030011972 A1, US 20030011972A1, US 2003011972 A1, US 2003011972A1, US-A1-20030011972, US-A1-2003011972, US2003/0011972A1, US2003/011972A1, US20030011972 A1, US20030011972A1, US2003011972 A1, US2003011972A1InventorsJa-goun KooOriginal AssigneeKoo Ja-GounExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (36), Classifications (11), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetControl of LCD display backlight by actuation of a latch in a notebook computer
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0022] Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable computer system. As shown therein, the portable computer system 101 has a main body 110 and a foldaway LCD assembly 120 combined to the main body 110 by means of a hinge 155. Inside the main body 110 are installed a main board, a CPU, a RAM, etc., and on the upper side of the main body 110 are provided a keyboard 113 and a touch pad 111 for an input operation. At the front edge of the upper side of the main body 110 is provided a latch hole 115 corresponding to a latch member 133 (to be described later) of the LCD assembly 120. [0023] The LCD assembly 120 includes an LCD casing 121, an LCD panel 123 accommodated in the LCD casing 121, and an LCD back light (not shown) installed at the rear of the LCD panel 123. At the free end of the LCD assembly 120 are provided the latch member 133 to be hooked and unhooked to the latch hole 115 when the LCD assembly 120 contacts the upper side of the main body 110, and a knob 143 for moving the latch member 133. The LCD panel 123 receives a video signal from the main body 110, and displays it on the front surface thereof. The LCD back light (not shown) transmits a plane light to the LCD panel 123 so as to display a picture on the LCD panel 123. [0024] Further, at the main body 110 and the LCD assembly 120 is provided an LCD switch 150 cutting off electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) when the LCD assembly 120 is closed in the state that the main body 110 is turned on. The LCD switch 150 includes a push switch 153 provided on the upper side of the main body 110 at a position adjacent to the hinge 155 of the LCD casing 121, and a pushing projection 151 provided on the LCD assembly 120 at a position corresponding to the position of the push switch 153. [0025] With this configuration, if a user closes the LCD assembly 120 while using the portable computer system 101, the electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) is cut off according as the pushing projection 151 pushes the push switch 153, thereby turning off the LCD panel 123. Thereafter, if a user opens the LCD assembly 120, the electric power is supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) according as the pushing projection 151 does not push the push switch 153. Thus, if a user closes the LCD assembly 120 while using the portable computer system 101, the LCD panel 123 requiring relatively high electric power consumption is turned off with the main body 110 being turned on, thereby minimizing the electric power consumption of the battery. [0026] [0026]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a part in which a latch member 233 is installed, in another portable computer system. In the portable computer system shown therein, an LCD switch 250 which controls electric power supplied to an LCD back light (not shown) transmitting a light to an LCD panel (not shown) includes a push switch 253 provided inside a latch hole 215, and a hook 251 of a latch member 233 provided at an LCD assembly 220. [0027] With this configuration, if a user closes the LCD assembly 220 while using the portable computer system, the push switch 253 provided inside the latch hole 215 is pushed and electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) is cut off the moment the hook 251 of the latch member 233 is hooked to the latch hole 215, thereby turning off the LCD panel (not shown). Thereafter, if a user opens the LCD assembly 220, the latch member 233 does not push the push switch 253, thereby supplying electric power to the LCD back light (not shown). [0028] [0028]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable computer system according to the present invention. As shown therein, the portable computer system 1 comprises a main body 10 and a foldaway LCD assembly 20 combined to the main body 10 by means of a hinge 55. Inside the main body 10 are installed a main board, a CPU, a RAM, etc., and on the upper side of the main body 10 are provided a keyboard 13 and a touch pad 11 for an input operation. At the front edge of the upper side of the main body 10 is provided a latch hole 15 corresponding to a hook 45 of the LCD assembly 20. [0029] The LCD assembly 20 includes an LCD casing 21, an LCD panel 23 accommodated in the LCD casing 21, and an LCD back light (not shown) installed at the rear of the LCD panel 23. The LCD casing 21 is comprised of a front casing 27 and a rear casing 29, which are mutually combined so as to form a space for accommodating the LCD panel 23 and the LCD back light (not shown). The LCD panel 23 receives a video signal from the main body 10, and displays it on the front surface thereof. The LCD back light (not shown) transmits a plane light to the LCD panel 23 so as to display a picture on the LCD panel 23. [0030] As shown in FIG. 4, at the free end of the LCD assembly 20 are provided a latch part 30 to be hooked and unhooked to the latch hole 15 provided at the main body 10 when the LCD assembly 20 is opened and closed, and an LCD switch part 50 (see FIG. 3) controlling electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) transmitting a plane light to the LCD panel 23. [0031] [0031]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a part in which the latch part 30 and the LCD switch part 50 are installed. As shown therein, the latch part 30 includes a latch accommodating part 31 provided at the middle of the free end of the LCD casing 21, a latch member 33 movably accommodated in the latch accommodating part 31 and hooked and unhooked to the latch hole 15 with a reciprocating movement, a spring 35 elastically pulling the latch member 33 toward a hooking direction, and a latch cover 37 covering the latch accommodating part 31. The latch accommodating part 31 is a recess with a predetermined length along the center of the distal edge of the LCD casing 21. At one end of the latch accommodating part 31 is provided a first ring 41 to which one end of the spring 35 is combined. The latch member 33 includes a knob 43 exposed out of the latch cover 37, and a hook 45 attached to knob 43 capable of being hooked and unhooked to the latch hole 15. At one end of the latch member 33 is provided a second ring 47 (see FIG. 5) to which the other end of the spring 35 is combined. [0032] On the latch cover 37 are formed an elongated guiding hole 48 guiding the latch member 33 for the reciprocating movement, and an elongated hook hole 49 through which the hook 45 passes. The guiding hole 48 and the hook hole 49 have such lengths that the latch member 33 can reciprocally move from a releasing position “A” (see FIG. 5), at which the hook 45 is positioned at one end of the latch cover 37, to an extension position “C” (see FIG. 7), at which the hook 45 is positioned at the other end of the latch cover 37, via a hooking position “B” (see FIG. 6), at which the hook 45 is hooked to the latch hole 15 in a middle of a distal portion of main body 10 when the LCD assembly 20 is closed. [0033] While the LCD assembly 20 is opened, the latch member 33 is positioned at the releasing position “A” (see FIG. 5) by a restoring force of the biased spring 35. If a user closes the LCD assembly 20, the hook 45 of the latch member 33 is hooked to the latch hole 15 by the restoring force of the spring 35 at the hooking position “B” (see FIG. 6). Further, the latch member 33 is moved to the extension position “C” (see FIG. 7) accordingly as a user moves the knob 43 to a releasing direction in order to open the LCD assembly 20, and then is restored to the releasing position “A” by the restoring force of the spring 35 accordingly as a user lets go of the knob 43 after the LCD assembly 20 is opened. The LCD switch part 50 is includes a pushing projection 51 attached to latch member 33, and a push switch 53 provided at an opposite end of latch accommodating part 31 opposite first ring 41. The pushing projection 51 is protruded from the latch member 33 with a predetermined length. The pushing projection 51 actuates push switch 53 when the latch member 33 is positioned at the hooking position “B” (see FIG. 6) or the extension position “C” (see FIG. 7) or “D” (see FIG. 6) (see also FIG. 8). [0034] The push switch 53 is comprised of a multistage push switch which can control electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) by stages according to the degree of actuation by the pushing projection 51, i.e., whether the latch member 33 is positioned at releasing position “A” (see FIG. 5), hooking position “B” (see FIG. 6) an extension position “C” (see FIG. 7) or a position “D” between “B” and “C” (see FIGS. 6 and 8). Here, where the latch member 33 is positioned at the extension position “C”, the push switch 53 is in a fully pushed state. The pushed push switch 53 is partially released at a predetermined position, including a position “D” (see FIG. 6), namely, between the hooking position “B” and the extension position “C”, in order to turn on the LCD panel 23 whenever the LCD assembly 20 is opened. [0035] With this configuration, in the portable computer system 1 according to the present invention, if a user closes the LCD assembly 20 while using the portable computer system 1, as shown in FIG. 6, the pushing projection 51 provided at the latch member 33 pushes the push switch 53 according as the latch member 33 is positioned at the hooking position “B”, to thereby cut off electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown). Thereafter, if a user opens the LCD assembly 20, as shown in FIG. 5, the pushed push switch 53 is released according as the latch member 33 moves to the releasing position “A”, to thereby turn on the LCD panel 23 by supplying electric power to the LCD back light (not shown). [0036] Not only does extension position “C” serve to turn off the backlight of the LCD monitor, extension position “C” serves as a toggle switch to determine whether the backlight of the LCD monitor shall remain “off” or turn “on” when latch member 33 is subsequently moved to releasing position “A”. For example, if a user wants to turn off the LCD back light (not shown), with the LCD assembly 20 being opened, a user has only to move the latch member 33 to the extension position “C” (see FIG. 7). Then, the pushing projection 51 entirely pushes the push switch 53, and the electric power supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) is cut off, so that the LCD panel 23 is turned off. At this time, if a user lets go off the knob 43, though the latch member 33 is restored to the releasing position “A” (see FIG. 5) by the restoring force of the spring 35, the push switch 53 remains in the pushed state. [0037] Thereafter, if a user wants to turn on the LCD back light (not shown) so as to allow the LCD panel 23 to display a picture thereon, a user has only to move the latch member 33 to the extension position “C” (see FIG. 7) again. Then, the pushing projection 51 pushes the push switch 53 again, to thereby release the pushed state of the push switch 53. Therefore, electric power is supplied to the LCD back light (not shown) and the LCD panel 23 can display a picture. At this time, if a user lets go off the knob 43, the latch member 33 is restored to the releasing position “A” (see FIG. 5) by the restoring force of the spring 35 and the push switch 53 is released from the pushed state. [0038] As described above, the LCD switch part controlling electric power supplied to the LCD back light is provided in the latch accommodating part, and therefore the LCD back light can be simply turned on and off without a separate switching control process as software, with the LCD assembly being opened. [0039] Further, the LCD switch part, together with the latch member, is installed in the latch accommodating part provided at the main body or the LCD assembly, and therefore there is no need to change the design of one of the main body and the LCD assembly when the design of the other one of them is changed. [0040] In the above description, a latch hole is provided at a main body, and a latch accommodating part accommodating a latch member together with an LCD switch part is provided at an LCD assembly. However, the latch hole and the latch accommodating part may be respectively provided at the LCD assembly and the main body. [0041] As described above, the present invention provides a portable computer system in which electric power supplied to an LCD back light can be controlled by a user as necessary without a separate switching control process as software, with an LCD assembly being opened, and thus the cost of production can be decreased according to the simplified structure. [0042] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purpose, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7274562Aug 5, 2003Sep 25, 2007Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaElectronic apparatus having a latch to hold two units in a closed position and to be operated for releaseUS7307621 *Oct 31, 2002Dec 11, 2007Dell Products L.P.Computer system with monitor on/off functionalityUS7411781May 6, 2005Aug 12, 2008Lg Electronics Inc.Latch device for portable computerUS7489507 *Oct 21, 2004Feb 10, 2009Sony CorporationElectronic deviceUS7580256 *Aug 17, 2007Aug 25, 2009Twinhead International Corp.Hook structureUS7948745 *Aug 25, 2009May 24, 2011Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.Release module and computer housing using the sameUS8081438Sep 29, 2008Dec 20, 2011Sony CorporationElectronic deviceUS8081439Sep 29, 2008Dec 20, 2011Sony CorporationElectronic deviceUS8100441 *Aug 4, 2009Jan 24, 2012Quanta Computer Inc.Electronic device and its latch structureUS8139035Jun 21, 2006Mar 20, 2012Nokia CorporationTouch sensitive keypad with tactile feedbackUS8355250 *Jun 1, 2011Jan 15, 2013Wistron CorporationLatch mechanism and portable computerUS8363407Dec 28, 2010Jan 29, 2013Sony CorporationElectronic deviceUS8414037 *Oct 16, 2009Apr 9, 2013Quanta Computer Inc.Electronic device with push-push type latch mechanismUS8424932 *Jan 17, 2010Apr 23, 2013Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.Locking assembly and electronic enclosure using sameUS8576562 *Feb 16, 2011Nov 5, 2013Dell Products L.P.Latching system for convertible information handling systemUS20040085297 *Oct 31, 2002May 6, 2004Dell Products L.P.Computer system with monitor on/off functionalityUS20050078440 *Oct 8, 2003Apr 14, 2005Neng LiuCompound power supply switch for notebook computersUS20050117286 *Oct 21, 2004Jun 2, 2005Toru KarashimaElectronic deviceUS20060007649 *May 6, 2005Jan 12, 2006Lg Electronics, Inc.Latch device for portable computerUS20060245719 *May 2, 2005Nov 2, 2006Carroll William HDigital airborne video cassette recorder and playerUS20070296702 *Jun 21, 2006Dec 27, 2007Nokia CorporationTouch sensitive keypad with tactile feedbackUS20090040694 *Sep 29, 2008Feb 12, 2009Sony CorporationElectronic deviceUS20100246121 *Aug 25, 2009Sep 30, 2010Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., LtdRelease module and computer housing using the sameUS20100259140 *Aug 4, 2009Oct 14, 2010Quanta Computer Inc.Electronic device and its latch structureUS20110018288 *Oct 16, 2009Jan 27, 2011Quanta Computer Inc.Push-push type latch mechanism and electronic device thereofUS20110115347 *Jan 17, 2010May 19, 2011Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., LtdLocking assembly and electronic enclosure using sameUS20120106065 *Jun 1, 2011May 3, 2012Ching-Jeng YuLatch mechanism and portable computerUS20120206873 *Feb 16, 2011Aug 16, 2012Dell Products L.P.Latching system for convertible information handling systemUSD710840Jul 11, 2012Aug 12, 2014Sony CorporationKeyboardUSD759007Jul 11, 2014Jun 14, 2016Sony CorporationKeyboardCN101387898BSep 12, 2007Dec 28, 2011华硕电脑股份有限公司卡合机构及应用其的笔记本电脑EP1513046A2 *Aug 27, 2004Mar 9, 2005Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaElectronic device with display supportEP1513046A3 *Aug 27, 2004Jan 31, 2007Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaElectronic device with display supportEP1615105A1 *Apr 27, 2005Jan 11, 2006LG Electronics Inc.Latch device for portable computerEP2367094A1 *Jun 12, 2007Sep 21, 2011Nokia Corp.Touch sensitive keypad with tactile feedbackWO2007147507A3 *Jun 12, 2007Apr 17, 2008Andrew Raymond BickTouch sensitive keypad with tactile feedback* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification361/679.27, 361/726International ClassificationG06F1/32, G06F1/16, G06F1/26Cooperative ClassificationG06F1/1679, G06F1/1677, G06F1/1616European ClassificationG06F1/16P9M4, G06F1/16P9M2, G06F1/16P1FLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionDec 17, 2001ASAssignmentOwner name: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., KOREA, REPUBLIC OFFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:KOO, JA-GOUN;REEL/FRAME:012390/0714Effective date: 20011211Aug 17, 2007FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Dec 29, 2008ASAssignmentOwner name: TRANSPACIFIC AVARTAR, LLC, DELAWAREFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.;REEL/FRAME:022034/0236Effective date: 20081030Aug 24, 2011FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Aug 25, 2015FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services