Physical keyboards for multi-display computing devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11907022-B2
Application number	US-202318306706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2023
Priority date	Dec 11, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, articles of manufacture, and methods are disclosed for physical keyboards with multi-display computing devices. An example keyboard includes a plurality of keys and a translucent backplate having a first side and a second side. The example keyboard also includes a coating between the first side of the backplate and the plurality of keys, the coating to pass light to illuminate the plurality of keys, and the coating to obscure the plurality keys when viewed from the second side of the backplate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing;
a first display area carried by the first housing;
a second housing;
a second display area carried by the second housing;
a hinge rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing;
wireless communication circuitry; and
a physical keyboard removably positionable on the second housing, the physical keyboard to wirelessly communicate with the communication circuitry when the physical keyboard is coupled to the second housing, and the physical keyboard to wirelessly communicate with the communication circuitry when the physical keyboard is detached from the first housing and the second housing, the physical keyboard stowable on the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including a magnet to couple the physical keyboard to the second housing.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the magnet is to place the physical keyboard on the second housing to expose a subportion of the second display to the user.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the magnet is positioned at a perimeter of the physical keyboard.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including leather coupled to the second housing.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the physical keyboard includes a touch pad.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including programmable circuitry to cause display of emojis in response to an operation of the physical keyboard.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including programmable circuitry to accept user voice commands.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , further including programmable circuitry to present an on-screen keyboard.

10. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing;
a first display area carried by the first housing;
a second housing;
a second display area carried by the second housing;
means for displaying content in the first display area and the second display area;
means for rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing;
a physical keyboard removably positionable on the second housing, the physical keyboard stowable on the electronic device; and
means for wirelessly communicating with the physical keyboard when the physical keyboard is (1) coupled to the second housing and (2) detached from the first housing and the second housing, the physical keyboard stowable on the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , further including means for magnetically coupling the physical keyboard to the second housing.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , further including leather coupled to the second housing.

13. The electronic device of claim 10 , further including means for causing display of emojis in response to an operation of the physical keyboard.

14. The electronic device of claim 10 , further including means for accepting and interpreting user voice commands.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 , further including means for presenting an on-screen keyboard.

16. An electronic device comprising:
a first housing;
a first display area carried by the first housing;
a second housing;
a second display area carried by the second housing;
a hinge rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing; and
wireless communication circuitry to:
communicate with a physical keyboard when the physical keyboard is coupled to the second housing, and communicate with the physical keyboard when the physical keyboard is detached from the first housing and the second housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to stow the physical keyboard.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 , further including a magnet to couple the physical keyboard to the second housing.

18. The electronic device of claim 16 , further including a leather fabric coupled to the second housing.

19. The electronic device of claim 16 , further including programmable circuitry to cause display of emojis in response to an operation of the physical keyboard.

20. The electronic device of claim 16 , further including programmable circuitry to accept user voice commands.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Ku Jeff
• Liu Tim
• Lai Yihua
• Lin Lance
• Sung Gavin

Classifications

• G06F1/1662 Primary

  Details related to the integrated keyboard · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F1/1647

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

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• G06F3/0213 Primary

  Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick (for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033) · CPC title