IP Library Granted Patent US 10,338,636
Granted Patent B2
US 10,338,636 · App. 15/706,707 · Granted Jul 2, 2019

Computing device with keyboard mode

Inventors: Scott Wentao Li (Cary, NC); Robert James Kapinos (Durham, NC); Russell Speight VanBlon (Raleigh, NC); Timothy Winthrop Kingsbury (Cary, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G06F1/1618G06F1/1681G06F3/0227G06F1/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,338,636
App. No.
15/706,707
Granted
Jul 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device can include a processor; memory operatively coupled to the processor; a display housing that includes a display operatively coupled to the processor; a keyboard housing that includes a keyboard; a hinge assembly that operatively couples the display housing and the keyboard housing for transitions between an closed orientation, an open orientation and a folded orientation; and wireless communication circuitry that, in a wireless keyboard mode of the folded orientation, operatively couples to the keyboard.

Claims (44)

1. A device comprising:

a processor;

memory operatively coupled to the processor;

a display housing that comprises a display operatively coupled to the processor;

a keyboard housing that comprises a keyboard;

a hinge assembly that operatively couples the display housing and the keyboard housing for transitions between a closed orientation, an open orientation and a folded orientation;

an orientation sensor, wherein the orientation sensor comprises a spatial orientation sensor that determines orientation of the device with respect to gravity; and

wireless communication circuitry that, in a wireless keyboard mode of the folded orientation, operatively couples to the keyboard.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein, in the wireless keyboard mode, the wireless communication circuitry transmits information wirelessly to another device responsive to actuation of keys of the keyboard.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the folded orientation further comprises a tablet mode.

4. The device of claim 3 comprising display circuitry that renders information to the display in the tablet mode and that does not render information to the display in the wireless keyboard mode.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the display comprises touchscreen circuitry that is enabled in the tablet mode and that is disabled in the wireless keyboard mode.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the wireless keyboard mode is enabled based at least in part on output of the orientation sensor.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein, in the folded orientation, for an orientation of the keyboard facing upwardly with respect to gravity, the wireless communication circuitry operatively couples to the keyboard.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein, in the folded orientation, for an orientation of the keyboard facing downwardly with respect to gravity, the wireless communication circuitry does not operatively couple to the keyboard.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein, in the wireless keyboard mode, the processor is in a power state associated with the wireless keyboard mode.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein, in the wireless keyboard mode, the display is in a power state associated with the wireless keyboard mode.

11. The device of claim 1 comprising power circuitry that adjusts power states of the device based at least in part on orientation of the device.

12. The device of claim 1 comprising an indicator light that indicates that the device is in the wireless keyboard mode.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication circuitry establishes communication with a plurality of different devices and wherein the device comprises selection circuitry that is actuatable to select one of the plurality of different devices.

14. The device of claim 1 comprising a micro-controller operatively coupled to the wireless communication circuitry and the keyboard in the wireless keyboard mode.

15. A device comprising:

a processor;

memory operatively coupled to the processor;

a display housing that comprises a display operatively coupled to the processor;

a keyboard housing that comprises a keyboard;

a hinge assembly that operatively couples the display housing and the keyboard housing for transitions between a closed orientation, an open orientation and a folded orientation; and

wireless communication circuitry that, in a wireless keyboard mode of the folded orientation, operatively couples to the keyboard, wherein, in the folded orientation, for an orientation of the keyboard facing upwardly with respect to gravity, the wireless communication circuitry operatively couples to the keyboard.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein, in the folded orientation, for an orientation of the keyboard facing downwardly with respect to gravity, the wireless communication circuitry does not operatively couple to the keyboard.

17. A device comprising:

a processor;

memory operatively coupled to the processor;

a display housing that comprises a display operatively coupled to the processor;

a keyboard housing that comprises a keyboard;

a hinge assembly that operatively couples the display housing and the keyboard housing for transitions between a closed orientation, an open orientation and a folded orientation; and

wireless communication circuitry that, in a wireless keyboard mode of the folded orientation, operatively couples to the keyboard, wherein, in the folded orientation, for an orientation of the keyboard facing downwardly with respect to gravity, the wireless communication circuitry does not operatively couple to the keyboard.

18. A device comprising:

a processor;

memory operatively coupled to the processor;

a display housing that comprises a display operatively coupled to the processor;

a keyboard housing that comprises a keyboard;

a hinge assembly that operatively couples the display housing and the keyboard housing for transitions between a closed orientation, an open orientation and a folded orientation wherein the folded orientation further comprises a tablet mode;

wireless communication circuitry that, in a wireless keyboard mode of the folded orientation, operatively couples to the keyboard; and

display circuitry that renders information to the display in the tablet mode and that does not render information to the display in the wireless keyboard mode.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069870/0670 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2020
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 052931/0633 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2017
From: LI, SCOTT WENTAO; KAPINOS, ROBERT JAMES; VANBLON, RUSSELL SPEIGHT; KINGSBURY, TIMOTHY WINTHROP
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 043609/0742 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190086955A1 · Mar 21, 2019