Hybrid computing device, apparatus and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12443243-B2
Application number	US-202318196831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2023
Priority date	Apr 20, 2012
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments of an apparatus and system are described for a hybrid computing device. Some embodiments may comprise a computing device having an enclosure arranged to support a display on a front of the enclosure and a cover mechanically coupled to a side of the enclosure, the cover comprising a first portion having at least one integrated input device and a second portion having at least one flexible seam arranged to allow the second portion to adjustably pivot around the seam. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile computing system comprising:
a display;
an enclosure to support the display on a front of the enclosure; and
a cover comprising:
a first portion comprising a keyboard and a groove to receive an edge of the enclosure, the first portion arranged to conceal the display in a closed configuration of the mobile computing system;
a second portion consisting of a first fractional portion and a second fractional portion; and
a first hinge directly coupling the first portion to the first fractional portion of the second portion, the first fractional portion of the second portion directly attached to the first hinge, the second portion further comprising a second hinge positioned between the first fractional portion and the second fractional portion, the first portion and the first fractional portion of the second portion forming an acute angle at the first hinge when the mobile computing system is in an open configuration, the second fractional portion of the second portion positioned on a back surface of the enclosure when the mobile computing system is in the open configuration.

2. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor circuit, wherein the cover further comprises a first electrical connector and the enclosure further comprises a second electrical connector to connect to the first electrical connector to communicatively couple the keyboard to the processor circuit.

3. The mobile computing system of claim 2 , wherein the cover further comprises a first mechanical connector and the enclosure further comprises a second mechanical connector to connect to the first mechanical connector.

4. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , further comprising a processor circuit and a memory, the enclosure to enclose the processor circuit and the memory.

5. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , wherein a back of the enclosure opposite the front of the enclosure is arranged to align with the first portion and the second portion of the cover in a tablet configuration, the display arranged to be accessible in the tablet configuration.

6. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , the second portion of the cover arranged to at least partially form a triangular stand to support the enclosure in an open configuration, the display and the keyboard arranged to be accessible in the open configuration.

7. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , the display comprising a touch-sensitive display communicatively coupled to one or more processor circuits enclosed by the enclosure.

8. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors comprising one or more of a camera, accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, compass, or global positioning system.

9. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , wherein the groove is distanced from the first hinge and the first portion is rigid.

10. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , wherein the edge of the enclosure is a first edge, the enclosure further comprises a second edge that is distal from the first edge, the first portion further comprises a third edge that is distal from the first hinge, the third edge aligned with the second edge when the mobile computing system is in the closed configuration.

11. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , wherein the first hinge comprises a flexible seam.

12. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , wherein the edge of the enclosure received by the groove extends a length of the enclosure.

13. The mobile computing system of claim 1 , wherein, when the mobile computing system is in the open configuration, the second fractional portion of the second portion extends along the back surface of the enclosure from where the second hinge is positioned on the back surface of the enclosure towards an end of the enclosure that is distal to the first hinge.

14. A cover comprising:
a first portion comprising a keyboard and a groove, wherein the groove receives an edge of a body of a tablet computer when the cover and the tablet computer are in an open configuration, wherein the first portion conceals a display of the tablet computer when the cover and the tablet computer are in a closed configuration;
a first hinge; and
a second portion consisting of a first fractional portion and a second fractional portion, the first fractional portion of the second portion directly attached to the first hinge, the second portion further comprising a second hinge positioned between the first fractional portion and the second fractional portion, wherein the first portion and the first fractional portion of the second portion form an acute angle at the first hinge when the cover and the tablet computer are in the open configuration, wherein the second fractional portion of the second portion is positionable on a back surface of the tablet computer when the cover and the tablet computer are in the open configuration.

15. The cover of claim 14 , wherein the groove is distanced from the first hinge and the first portion is rigid.

16. The cover of claim 14 , further comprising a first electrical connector to connect to a second electrical connector of the body of the tablet computer.

17. The cover of claim 14 , further comprising a first mechanical connector to connect to a second mechanical connector of the body of the tablet computer.

18. The cover of claim 14 , wherein when the cover and the tablet computer are in a tablet configuration, the display faces in a first direction and keyboard faces in a second direction that is opposite from first direction.

19. The cover of claim 14 , wherein the first portion and the second portion form a triangular stand to support the body of the tablet computer when the cover and the tablet computer are arranged in an open configuration.

20. The cover of claim 14 , wherein, when the cover and the tablet computer are in the open configuration, the second fractional portion of the second portion extends along the back surface of the tablet computer from where the second hinge is positioned on the back surface of the tablet computer towards an end of the tablet computer that is distal to the first hinge.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Sharma Sameer
• Amit Gadi
• Hoshino Yoshikuzu
• Harber Chadwick
• Clifton Daniel
• Jasinski Kenneth

Classifications

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F2200/1634

  Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer · CPC title

• G06F1/1666

  Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys (G06F1/1664 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title