Electronic apparatus and method for switching display mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9437156-B2
Application number	US-201313906356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2013
Priority date	Jun 4, 2012
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

An electronic apparatus and a method for switching a display mode are provided. The method includes: turning on the electronic apparatus to enter a full-screen display mode; switching the full-screen display mode to a block display mode when a mode-switching signal is triggered; and enabling a corresponding operation interface in the block display mode according to an execution state of an operation system of the electronic apparatus in the full-screen display mode and displaying the operation interface in the designated block of the display unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
a display unit, having a full-screen display mode and a block display mode, wherein in the full-screen display mode, the whole display unit serves as a displaying frame; in the block display mode, a designated block on the display unit serves as the displaying frame;
a switching unit, coupled to the display unit and switching the full-screen display mode to the block display mode according to a mode-switching signal; and
a processing unit, coupled to the display unit, wherein upon receiving the mode-switching signal, the processing unit enables a corresponding operation interface according to an execution state of an operation system of the electronic apparatus in the full-screen display mode and displays the operation interface in the designated block,
wherein the execution state in the full-screen display mode is an application executing in the full-screen display mode, the operation interface displayed in the designated block corresponds to the application executing in the full-screen display mode, the operation interface is different from an interface of the application executing in the full-screen display mode, a size of the operation interface matches a size of the designated block, the operation interface provides a simple operation function corresponding to the application executing in the full-screen display mode, and the simple operation function is a part of functions provided by the application executing in the full-screen mode.

2. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising:
a first body, comprising the display unit; and
a second body, pivoted to the first body and comprising the processing unit and the switching unit;
wherein when the second body is parallel to the display unit side of the first body to present a folded state, the second body covers the display unit.

3. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the second body further comprises:
a sensing element, configured for detecting a relative movement between the second body and the first body; and
a judging unit, coupled to the sensing element and the processing unit, wherein when the relative movement is to expose only the designated block of the display unit, the judging unit triggers the mode-switching signal.

4. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the sensing element detects a relative position between the second body and the first body, and based on the relative position, the judging unit decides whether to trigger the mode-switching signal.

5. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the relative movement is a relative sliding between the second body and the first body.

6. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a cradle, configured to carry the first body and the second body when the first body and the second body are in the folded state;
wherein placing the first body and the second body on the cradle triggers the mode-switching signal.

7. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein when the first body and the second body are in the folded state, the electronic apparatus enters a hibernation state;
wherein when the mode-switching signal is triggered, the electronic apparatus is awaked by the mode-switching signal.

8. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein before the electronic apparatus enters the hibernation state, the processing unit records the execution state of the operation system in the full-screen display mode.

9. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the execution state of the operation system comprises one of a desktop display state, a music playing state and an email browsing state.

10. A method for switching a display mode, for an electronic apparatus with a display unit; the method comprising:
turning on the electronic apparatus to enter a full-screen display mode, wherein in the full-screen display mode, the whole display unit serves as a displaying frame;
switching the full-screen display mode to a block display mode when a mode-switching signal is triggered, wherein in the block display mode, a designated block on the display unit serves as the displaying frame; and
in the block display mode, enabling a corresponding operation interface according to an execution state of an operation system of the electronic apparatus in the full-screen display mode and displaying the operation interface in the designated block,
wherein the execution state in the full-screen display mode is an application executing in the full-screen display mode, the operation interface displayed in the designated block corresponds to the application executing in the full-screen display mode, the operation interface is different from an interface of the application executing in the full-screen display mode, a size of the operation interface matches a size of the designated block, the operation interface provides a simple operation function corresponding to the application executing in the full-screen display mode, and the simple operation function is a part of functions provided by the application executing in the full-screen mode.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein after the step of turning on the electronic apparatus to enter the full-screen display mode, the method further comprises:
making the electronic apparatus enter a hibernation state when a first body with the display unit and a second body are in a folded state, wherein the electronic apparatus has the first body and the second body, and the folded state is corresponding to that the second body is parallel to the display unit side of the first body and the second body covers the display unit; and
awakening the electronic apparatus when the mode-switching signal is triggered.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising:
recording the execution state of the operation system in the full-screen display mode before the step of making he electronic apparatus enter the hibernation state.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when the first body and the second body are in the folded state, the method further comprises:
detecting a relative movement between the second body and the first body; and
triggering the mode-switching signal when the relative movement is to expose only the designated block of the display unit.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the relative movement is a relative sliding between the second body and the first body.

15. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when the first body and the second body are in the folded state, the method further comprises:
detecting a relative position between the second body and the first body; and
deciding whether to trigger the mode-switching signal based on the relative position.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein when the first body and the second body are in the folded state, the method further comprises:
triggering the mode-switching signal when the electronic apparatus is placed on a cradle.

Assignees

• Ko Cheng-Yi
• Lin Pie-Jen
• Chen Yung-Hsiang
• Lu Hsin
• Wen Chuan-Hao
• Chen Chia-An
• Wang Hong-Tien
• Compal Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ko Cheng-Yi
• Lin Pie-Jen
• Chen Yung-Hsiang
• Lu Hsin
• Wen Chuan-Hao
• Chen Chia-An
• Wang Hong-Tien

Classifications

• 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

• G09G2320/0613

  The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed · CPC title

• G09G5/003 Primary

  Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto (specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092) · CPC title

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/1677

  for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment · CPC title