Communications device with extendable screen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317944-B2
Application number	US-201815895901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2018
Priority date	May 3, 2011
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

Described are devices and for providing an extendable screen in a portable communications device having a housing, graphics processor, and a display apparatus. The display includes a second screen portion that can be retracted or extended. A first screen portion can present a graphical output when the second portion is retracted, inactive and housed inside the housing. When the second screen portion is extended, it is coplanar with the first screen portion, and an edge of the second screen portion directly abuts an edge of the first screen portion to form a combined display screen. The graphical output can be rendered on the first screen portion in the first display configuration and, in a second format, rendered on the combined display screen.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable communications device comprising:
a housing;
a graphics processor that processes data to generate a graphical output; and
a display apparatus, which is disposed within the housing, comprising:
a first screen portion and a second screen portion, the display apparatus adjustable to be placed in a first, portable display configuration in which the second screen portion is retracted, and a second, expanded display configuration in which the second screen portion is extended,
wherein the first screen portion presents a display of the graphical output provided by the graphics processor in the first display configuration;
wherein the second screen portion is inactive and housed inside the housing in a first position when the communications device is in the first display configuration;
wherein the second screen portion is extendable from the housing to bring the display apparatus into the second display configuration in which the second screen portion is disposed in a second position that is coplanar with the first screen portion such that an edge of the second screen portion directly abuts an edge of the first screen portion to form a combined display screen with the first display screen portion; and
wherein the graphics processor is configured to provide the graphical output in a first format to be rendered on the first screen portion in the first display configuration; and
wherein the graphics processor is configured to provide the graphical output in a second format to be rendered in a first part on the first screen portion and in a second part on the second screen portion to present the graphical output at the combined display screen in the second display configuration;
wherein the first screen portion comprises a first touch screen surface:
wherein the second screen portion comprises a second touch screen surface:
wherein the second screen portion, when configured into the second, expanded display configuration, presents a second touch interface control surface configured to control the outputting by the graphics processor of the graphical output in the second format; and
wherein the first screen portion and the second screen portion, when the second screen portion is configured into the second, expanded display configuration, present an integrated touch interface control surface.

2. A portable communications device, comprising:
a housing;
a graphics processor that processes data to generate a graphical output; and
a display apparatus, which is disposed within the housing, comprising:
a first screen portion and a second screen portion, the display apparatus adjustable to be placed in a first, portable display configuration in which the second screen portion is retracted, and a second, expanded display configuration in which the second screen portion is extended,
wherein the first screen portion presents a display of the graphical output provided by the graphics processor in the first display configuration;
wherein the second screen portion is inactive and housed inside the housing in a first position when the communications device is in the first display configuration;
wherein the second screen portion is extendable from the housing to bring the display apparatus into the second display configuration in which the second screen portion is disposed in a second position that is coplanar with the first screen portion such that an edge of the second screen portion directly abuts an edge of the first screen portion to form a combined display screen with the first display screen portion; and
wherein the graphics processor is configured to provide the graphical output in a first format to be rendered on the first screen portion in the first display configuration; and
wherein the graphics processor is configured to provide the graphical output in a second format to be rendered in a first part on the first screen portion and in a second part on the second screen portion to present the graphical output at the combined display screen in the second display configuration
a spring mechanism configured to move the second screen portion into the same plane as the first screen portion when it is fully extended;
wherein the spring mechanism is located within the housing and is configured to push the second screen portion into the coplanar second position when the second screen portion, while it is being extended outwards, clears an outer edge of the first screen portion.

3. The portable communications device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second screen portion, when in the first position, is housed beneath the first screen portion within the housing.

4. The portable communications device of claim 1 , comprising:
an actuator that is engaged by a user to initiate an extension of the second screen portion from the first position into the second position.

5. The portable communications device of claim 1 , comprising:
at least one track attached to the second screen portion, which facilitates the extension of the second screen portion from a first position into a second position.

6. The portable communications device of claim 1 ,
wherein the graphics processor is configured to rotate the graphical output and increase a resolution of the graphical output for presentation of the graphical output at the combined display screen in the second display configuration.

7. The portable communications device of claim 1 , comprising:
a protective edge portion, disposed at an edge of the housing, which is coupled to the second screen portion and which may be gripped in order to extract the second screen portion from the first position in the housing in order to move the second screen portion into the second position and bring the communications device into the second, expanded display configuration.

8. The portable communications device of claim 7 ,
wherein the protective edge portion is constructed of the same materials as the housing and forms an edge portion of the housing when the device is in the first display configuration.

9. The portable communications device of claim 8 , comprising
an actuator that is engaged by a user to release the edge portion from the housing and initiate an extension of the second screen portion from the first position into the second position.

10. The portable communications device of claim 1 , comprising:
a mobile telephonic communications device; and
a communications interface configured to receive and transmit telephonic signals wirelessly.

11. The portable communications device of claim 1 , comprising:
a third screen portion, which is inactive and housed inside the housing in a first position when the device is in the first, portable display configuration, and is extendable from the housing, in a direction that is opposite from a direction in which the second screen portion is extendable;
the third screen portion extendable to bring the display apparatus into a second, expanded display configuration;
the third screen portion configured to be brought into a second position that is coplanar with the first screen portion;
wherein an edge of the third screen portion directly abuts a second edge of the first screen portion that is opposite the first edge of the first screen portion that is abutted by the second screen portion when it is extended, in order to form a combined display screen with the first and second display screen portions; and
wherein the graphics processor is configured to provide the graphical output in a first format to be rendered on the first screen portion in the first display configuration and in a second format to be rendered in a first part on the first screen portion, a second part on the second

Assignees

• Dish Tech Llc

Inventors

• Kummer David A
• Minnick Danny J

Classifications

• G09G2340/0421

  Horizontal resolution change · CPC title

• G09G2340/0414

  Vertical resolution change · CPC title

• G09G2340/04

  Changes in size, position or resolution of an image · CPC title

• H04M1/02

  Constructional features of telephone sets · CPC title

• G06F1/1647

  including at least an additional display (G06F1/1692 takes precedence) · CPC title