Dual position display in an electronic device
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method are disclosed for an electronic device ( 100 ) to incorporate two housing members ( 104, 106 ) to expose a first portion ( 112 ) of a display or screen ( 110 ) when closed. When the two members ( 104, 106 ) are moved to open the housing ( 102 ) the display or screen ( 110 ) is moved to a position angularly displaced from its former position with respect to the housing ( 102 ). A second portion ( 114 ) of the screen ( 110 ), larger than the first portion ( 112 ), is exposed and used for displaying text, images or other graphics.
1. An electronic device for viewing an image comprising:
a housing having a first member and a second member, the second member slidably coupled to the first member, the housing having a first position and a second position;
a screen for displaying the image, the screen coupled to the second member, the screen being:
substantially parallel to the second member when the housing is in the first position, wherein a first portion of the screen is viewable when in the first position; and
in a plane that intersects a plane of the second member when the housing is in the second position, wherein a second portion of the screen is revealed when in the second position; and
a keypad operable when the housing is in both the first position and the second position, wherein the first member slides laterally relative to the second member, the screen is pivotably coupled to the second member, and a portion of the screen is enclosed within the first member when the housing is in the first position.
2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the screen is translucent and the screen is viewed from a side opposite a projector of the image.
3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein in the screen is one of opaque and translucent and the screen is viewed from a side that is the same as a projector of the image.
4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the screen is rotatably attached to the second member and a spring operates at a pivot point to hold the screen angularly displaced with respect to the second member when the housing is in the second position.
5. The electronic device of claim 4 wherein the pivot point is coupled to the second member.
6. The electronic device of claim 4 wherein the pivot point is slidably attached to the second member and is operable to slide in the direction of the second member when changing between the first and second positions.
7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the keypad is disposed on one of the first and second members.
8. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:
a projector for creating the image.
9. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein an angular velocity of a projector component is adjusted in proportion to a ratio of the shortest distance between the projector and the screen and a distance between the projector and a current projected point on the screen.
10. An electronic device for viewing an image comprising:
a first member;
a second member, laterally slidably coupled to the first member, the first and second members having a first position and second position relative to each other; and
a display associated with the first member, the display having a first display position relative to both members when in the first position and the display having a second display position relative to both members when in the second position, and wherein a first portion of the display is viewable when in the first display position and a second portion of the display is viewable when in the second display position; and
a keypad coupled to the second member, the keypad being accessible and operable when the display is in the first display position and the keypad being accessible and operable when the display is in the second display position.
11. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein the second portion comprises at least some of the first portion.
12. The electronic device of claim 10 wherein the display is rotatably attached to the second member at a pivot point and is angularly displaced with respect to the second member when in the second display position.
13. A method for projecting an image onto a screen in an electronic device comprising:
providing the electronic device in a closed position;
projecting a first image onto a first portion of the screen of the electronic device while the electronic device is in the closed position;
increasing a distance between a projector and the screen; and
projecting a second image onto a second portion of the screen while the electronic device is in an open position, the second portion of the screen having more area than the first portion of the screen,
wherein the method further comprises uncovering an unused portion of the screen to reveal the second portion of the screen.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
exposing the first portion of the screen when in the closed position.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein the projecting the first image further comprises:
projecting the first image onto a back of the first portion of the screen wherein the first image is viewed from a front of the first portion of the screen.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the increasing the distance between the projector and the screen further comprises repositioning the screen.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the increasing the distance between the projector and the screen further comprises repositioning the projector.
18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
adjusting an angular velocity of the projector according to a variation of the distance between the projector and adjacent portions of the screen.