IP Library Granted Patent US 12,608,046
Granted Patent B2
US 12,608,046 · App. 18/378,054 · Granted Apr 21, 2026

Computing system

Inventors: Madison Smith (Santa Rosa, CA); Yoshihito Nakagaki (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
G06F1/1647G06F1/1616G06F1/1654G06F1/1669
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,608,046
App. No.
18/378,054
Granted
Apr 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computing system can include a base housing that includes a base side and an opposing unit recess side that includes a unit recess; a display housing that includes a back side and an opposing display side that includes a display; a hinge assembly that couples the base housing and the display housing; and a unit receivable in the unit recess, where the unit includes a physical keyboard side that includes a physical keyboard and an opposing auxiliary display side that includes an auxiliary display.

Claims (26)

1 . A computing system comprising:

a base housing that comprises a base side and an opposing unit recess side that comprises a unit recess that comprises a floor and one or more extended surfaces;

a display housing that comprises a back side and an opposing display side that comprises a display;

a hinge assembly that couples the base housing and the display housing; and

a unit receivable in the unit recess, wherein the unit comprises one or more notches, a physical keyboard side that comprises a physical keyboard and an opposing auxiliary display side that comprises an auxiliary display,

wherein in an upward facing orientation of the physical keyboard side of the unit in the unit recess, the one or more notches receive the one or more extended surfaces to lower the position of the unit with respect to the floor of the unit recess, and

wherein in an upward facing orientation of the auxiliary display side of the unit in the unit recess, the one or more extended surfaces contact the unit to limit the position of the physical keyboard side of the unit with respect to the floor of the unit recess to prevent depression of physical keys of the physical keyboard by the floor of the unit recess.

2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the unit recess comprises a substantially rectangular opening and wherein the unit comprises a substantially rectangular perimeter.

3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the base housing comprises an interface and wherein the unit comprises a mating interface.

4 . The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the mating interface is centered along an edge of the unit.

5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the base housing comprises an interface and the unit comprises a first mating interface for the physical keyboard and a second mating interface for the auxiliary display.

6 . The computing system of claim 1 , comprising a latch that releasably secures the unit in the unit recess.

7 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary display comprises touch sensing circuitry.

8 . The computing system of claim 1 , comprising detection circuitry that automatically detects an orientation of the unit in the unit recess.

9 . The computing system of claim 8 , comprising a processor that selectively receives instructions from the physical keyboard or transmits instructions to the auxiliary display responsive to detection of the orientation of the unit in the unit recess by the detection circuitry.

10 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the processor executes an application to render information to the display and to render information to the auxiliary display simultaneously.

11 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the information rendered to the auxiliary display comprises at least one navigation graphic.

12 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the information rendered to the auxiliary display comprises a graphical keyboard.

13 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the unit seats completely within the unit recess.

14 . The computing system of claim 13 , wherein, in a closed position of the display housing with respect to the base housing, neither the physical keyboard nor the auxiliary display side contact the display of the display housing.

15 . The computing system of claim 1 , comprising wireless communication circuitry that operatively couples circuitry of the unit to circuitry of the base housing.

16 . The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry of the unit is operatively couplable to the circuitry of the base housing without the unit seated in the unit recess.

17 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the unit comprises a stand for positioning the unit on a surface.

18 . The computing system of claim 1 , comprising two or more of the units.

19 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein receipt of the one or more extended surfaces by the one or more notches lower the position of the unit with respect to the floor of the unit recess to prevent contact between physical keys of the physical keyboard in a closed orientation of the base housing and the display housing.

20 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the physical keyboard comprises a bezel and wherein, in the upward facing orientation of the auxiliary display side of the unit in the unit recess, the one or more extended surfaces contact the bezel unit to limit the position of the physical keyboard side of the unit with respect to the floor of the unit recess to prevent depression of physical keys of the physical keyboard by the floor of the unit recess.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2024
From: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 066104/0104 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2023
From: SMITH, MADISON; NAKAGAKI, YOSHIHITO
To: LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC.
Reel/Frame 065163/0021 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250117043A1 · Apr 10, 2025
References Cited (84)
US 5049863A · Oka · 1991 [cited by examiner]
US 5278730A · Kikinis · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5739810A · Merkel · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5793355A · Youens · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5847698A · Reavey · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5886686A · Chen · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 5966284A · Youn · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 6163326A · Klein · 2000 [cited by examiner]
US 6697251B1 · Aisenberg · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 6700773B1 · Adriaansen · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 7505252B2 · Ma · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 8634873B2 · Jones · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8749963B2 · Staats · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8837131B1 · Colby · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 9013863B2 · Hsu · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9098245B2 · Lee · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9335793B2 · Rothkopf · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 10254803B1 · Quinn · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 10620714B2 · Clark · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10754390B2 · Quinn · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10915147B2 · Liang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 10929016B1 · Liu · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 10976779B1 · Tsai · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 10983567B1 · Files · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 10989978B1 · Tsen · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 10990204B1 · Trim · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11009907B2 · Hong · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11017742B2 · Pelissier · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11023016B2 · Kim · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11036260B2 · Smith · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11068073B2 · Gatson · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11119621B2 · Schenone · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11169653B2 · Aurongzeb · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11221759B2 · Klein · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11237643B2 · Kulkarni · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11262794B2 · Wen · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US D949845S · Wu · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11347367B2 · Hong · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 11579663B1 · Files · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11586296B2 · Morrison · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11650631B2 · Watamura · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11656654B2 · Hong · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11662777B2 · Ku · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11841744B2 · Kim · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 11907022B2 · Ku · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12019472B2 · Perelli · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 12222769B2 · Morrison · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 12298815B2 · Nakagaki · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20020024499A1 · Karidis · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20020048975A1 · Horikoshi · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20040012509A1 · Chen · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040108968A1 · Finke-Anlauff · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20040190239A1 · Weng · 2004 [cited by examiner]
US 20070097014A1 · Solomon · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070203963A1 · Chen · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20090111508A1 · Yeh · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100014235A1 · Huang · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100172081A1 · Tian · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100195279A1 · Michael · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100271771A1 · Wu · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100328549A1 · Wu · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20110199727A1 · Probst · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110222238A1 · Staats · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110230178A1 · Jones · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110267757A1 · Probst · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120068832A1 · Feldstein · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20120106059A1 · Probst · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20130069878A1 · Li · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140204519A1 · Wu · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140204520A1 · Wu · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140205799A1 · Lin · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20170069299A1 · Kwak · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170255320A1 · Kumar · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180188774A1 · Ent · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20200050243A1 · Kim · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200245483A1 · Alva · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200349895A1 · Files · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200349903A1 · Pelissier · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210096741A1 · Klein · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210223825A1 · Seiler · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210334417A1 · Morrison · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220206527A1 · Perelli · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20240201748A1 · Nakagaki · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CN 114461019B · 2024 [cited by examiner]