Retractable displays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12308164-B2
Application number	US-202117211297-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2021
Priority date	Mar 24, 2021
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A device's display can be moved based on sensor data to protect the display. The display can be moved via springs and/or electromagnets. The display can be moved into a safe recessed position, allowing a frame to absorb impacts that might otherwise damage the display. The display can also be moved back out of the recessed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
monitoring an environment of a device;
monitoring sudden motion of the device using an accelerometer or a proximity sensor;
detecting, based on the monitoring the environment of the device and based on monitoring sudden motion of the device, a danger to a display on the device; and
retracting, based on the detecting, the display from an extended configuration into a recessed configuration in a body of the device, wherein the display has a variable default mode setting configurable between the extended configuration and the recessed configuration, wherein retracting comprises applying a magnetic force to the display by a magnet within the device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the magnetic force comprises powering an electromagnet, wherein the electromagnet applies the magnetic force to the display.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retracting causes a locking mechanism to engage, locking the display in the recessed configuration.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a user wishes to interact with the device; and
returning, based on the determining, the display to the extended configuration.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising detecting that the display is still in danger, wherein the returning occurs in spite of the detecting that the display is still in danger.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that no danger to the display remains; and
returning, based on the determining, the display to the extended configuration.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring usage of the device; and
training, based on the usage, a machine learning model to predict usage of the device based on the environment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the monitoring includes receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors; and
the detecting includes:
inputting the sensor data into a machine learning model;
receiving an output from the machine learning model; and
detecting, based on the output, the danger to the display.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the detecting is performed via an external device.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising retracting, based on the detecting, a band display into a band of the device.

11. A method, comprising:
monitoring an environment of a device;
monitoring motion of the device using a proximity sensor;
detecting, based on the monitoring the environment of the device and based on monitoring motion of the device, a user intent to utilize a display on the device; and
extending, based on the detecting, the display from a default recessed configuration in a body of the device into an extended configuration, wherein extending comprises applying a magnetic force to the display by a magnet within the device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the extending includes applying the magnetic force comprises powering an electromagnet to apply the magnetic force to the display.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the extending causes a locking mechanism to engage, locking the display in the extended configuration.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that the user is no longer utilizing the display; and
returning, based on the determining, the display to the recessed configuration.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that a danger to the display is present; and
returning, based on the determining, the display to the recessed configuration.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
monitoring usage of the device; and
training, based on the usage, a machine learning model to predict usage of the device based on the environment.

17. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
manually unlocking the display from the recessed configuration using a button on the device.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
manually moving the display between the extended configuration and the recessed configuration using a button on the device.

19. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining that the user wishes to interact with the device comprises determining that the device is awakened by the user.

20. The method of claim 7 , wherein the training the machine learning model comprises inputting sensor data into the machine learning model, receiving an output that includes a prediction of whether a user is about to utilize the device, determining whether the user utilized the device, and revising the machine learning model based on a comparison between the prediction and the monitored usage data.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Perumalla Saraswathi Sailaja
• Karri Venkata Vara Prasad
• Rakshit Sarbajit K
• Farheen Sheema

Classifications

• H01F7/124

  by mechanical latch, e.g. detent · CPC title

• H01F7/088

  provided with means for absorbing shocks · CPC title

• G06N5/04

  Inference or reasoning models · CPC title

• H01F7/16

  Rectilinearly-movable armatures (H01F7/17 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title