IP Library Granted Patent US 11,157,088
Granted Patent B1
US 11,157,088 · App. 16/984,775 · Granted Oct 26, 2021

Keyboard actuation in convertible device

Inventors: Joseph Anthony Holung (Wake Forest, NC); Bouziane Yebka (Apex, NC); Joseph David Plunkett (Raleigh, NC); Philip John Jakes (Durham, NC); Tin-Lup Wong (Chapel Hill, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
G06F3/0216G06F3/0346
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,157,088
App. No.
16/984,775
Granted
Oct 26, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at an information handling device, an indication to transmit an electrical pulse to an electropermanent magnet; transmitting, responsive to the receiving and using a pulse transmitter, the electrical pulse to the electropermanent magnet; and affecting a movement of a keyboard of the information handling device based on the received electrical pulse. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Claims (44)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at an information handling device, an indication to transmit an electrical pulse to an electropermanent magnet, wherein the information handling device is a clamshell device comprising a base section and a display section and wherein the receiving the indication comprises identifying an intention of a user of the information handling device to rotationally manipulate the base section with respect to the display section;

transmitting, responsive to the receiving and using a pulse transmitter, the electrical pulse to the electropermanent magnet; and

affecting a movement of a keyboard integrated within the base section of the information handling device based on the received electrical pulse, wherein the affecting the movement comprises vertically adjusting a position of the keyboard with respect to a remainder of the base section.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving the indication from a sensor integrally coupled to the information handling device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect when a rotational angle of the display section of the information handling device has fallen below a predetermined threshold rotational angle with respect to the base section of the information handling device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the indication comprises receiving the indication from active application data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the indication comprises receiving the indication from a manually toggled switch.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the affecting the movement comprises actuating a linear motion of a slider integrally coupled to the keyboard.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the affecting comprises raising the keyboard above a surface of a base section of the information handling device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the affecting comprises lowering the keyboard below a surface of a base section of the information handling device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the electropermanent magnet is integrated into a pinion gear comprising a plurality of teeth;

the plurality of teeth are configured to interact with corresponding teeth of a rack assembly;

the rack assembly being attached to a slider that is integrally coupled to the keyboard.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting a plurality of pulses to the electropermanent magnet and wherein the affecting comprises:

facilitating, in response to each received electrical pulse, a rotation of the pinion gear; and

affecting, based on the rotation, a linear movement of the slider.

11. An information handling device, comprising:

a base section; and

a display section;

a processor;

a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to:

receive an indication to transmit an electrical pulse to an electropermanent magnet, wherein the receiving the indication comprises identifying an intention of a user of the information handling device to rotationally manipulate the base section with respect to the display section;

transmit, responsive to the receiving, the electrical pulse to the electropermanent magnet; and

affect a movement of a keyboard integrated within the base section of the information handling device based on the received electrical pulse, wherein the affecting the movement comprises vertically adjusting a position of the keyboard with respect to a remainder of the base section.

12. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to receive comprise instructions executable by the processor to receive the indication from a sensor integrally coupled to the information handling device and wherein the sensor is configured to detect when a rotational angle of a display section of the information handling device has fallen below a predetermined threshold rotational angle with respect to a base section of the information handling device.

13. The information handling device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to receive the indication comprise instructions executable by the processor to receive the indication from active application data.

14. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to receive the indication comprise instructions executable by the processor to receive the indication from a manually toggled switch.

15. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to affect the movement comprise instructions executable by the processor to actuate a linear motion of a slider integrally coupled to the keyboard.

16. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to affect comprise instructions executable by the processor to raise the keyboard above a surface of the base section of the information handling device.

17. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to affect comprise instructions executable by the processor to lower the keyboard below a surface of the base section of the information handling device.

18. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein:

the electropermanent magnet is integrated into a pinion gear comprising a plurality of teeth;

the plurality of teeth are configured to interact with corresponding teeth of a rack assembly;

the rack assembly being attached to a slider that is integrally coupled to the keyboard.

19. The information handling device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor to transmit comprise instructions executable by the processor to transmit a plurality of pulses to the electropermanent magnet and wherein the instructions executable by the processor to affect comprise instructions executable by the processor to:

facilitate, in response to each received electrical pulse, a rotation of the pinion gear; and

affect, based on the rotation, a linear movement of the slider.

20. A product, comprising:

a storage device that stores code, the code being executable by a processor and comprising:

code that receives an indication to transmit an electrical pulse to an electropermanent magnet contained within an information handling device comprising a base section and a display section, wherein the code that receives the indication comprises code that identifies an intention of a user of the information handling device to rotationally manipulate the base section with respect to the display section;

code that transmits, responsive to the code that receives, the electrical pulse to the electropermanent magnet; and

code that affects a movement of a keyboard integrated within the base section of an information handling device based on the received electrical pulse, wherein the code that affects the movement comprises code that vertically adjusts a position of the keyboard with respect to a remainder of the base section.

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 Jul 13, 2022
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 060638/0067 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2020
From: HOLUNG, JOSEPH ANTHONY; YEBKA, BOUZIANE; PLUNKETT, JOSEPH DAVID; JAKES, PHILIP JOHN; WONG, TIN-LUP
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 053397/0888 →