IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,961,337
Granted Patent B2
US 9,961,337 · App. 14/789,272 · Granted May 1, 2018

Flexible display device and computer with sensors and control approaches

Inventor: Christian Stroetmann (Moers, DE)
H04N13/0497G06F1/1641G06F1/1652G06F1/1679G06F1/1681G06F3/017H04N13/0018H04N13/0402H04N13/044H04N13/0468
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,961,337
App. No.
14/789,272
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of a flexible electronic visual display device and a flexible mobile computer having such a display device are disclosed. The basic electronic visual display device comprises a flexible display device, at least one control system, at least one three-dimensional sensor, a flexible housing containing the electronic components, and an adjustment means for the housing. In some embodiments, the flexible display device can have additional sensors of various types, a projector, a wireless communication interface, and a wireless power supply. For independent use some embodiments of the flexible electronic visual display device can also comprise an electronic module including at least one processor and at least one data memory, and also at least one electrical energy storage device being contained in the housing as well. This permits the flexible electronic display device to provide a broad range of functionalities and application possibilities, and to assume novel functionalities and applications.

Claims (113)

1. An electronic visual display device, comprising:

a flexible display device being configured to be observed directly and not projected;

at least one contactless three-dimensional sensor;

at least one integrated circuit based control system for controlling the display device by at least one sensor, and for performing other predetermined functions of the electronic visual display device; and

a flexible housing containing the flexible display device, and being configured to protect the display in the bent state from breaking,

wherein the housing further comprises:

at least two segments; and

at least one joint means,

wherein said at least one joint means is mechanically connecting two adjacent housing segments, and further comprises:

at least two supporting members; and

a third member configured as a folding mechanism,

wherein the supporting members are connected by a hinged mechanism at a first side,

wherein the supporting members are connected by the third member at the other side opposite to the first side,

wherein the supporting members determine the closing and opening angles as well as the bending radius of the housing by the dimensions of their length and width, and

wherein the joint means is not thicker than the housing;

wherein the curvature of the electronic visual display device can be changed by at least 45 degrees.

2. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one adjustable supporting means for keeping the flexible housing in at least one configuration.

3. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the housing further comprises:

at least one shape-memorizing element being configured to memorize the curvature of at least one joint means of the housing for keeping said at least one joint means in its last configuration.

4. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one servo motor for changing the configuration of the flexible housing.

5. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the flexible display device is a transparent display device.

6. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the flexible display device is a touch screen.

7. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the flexible display device is an autostereoscopic three-dimensional display device.

8. The electronic visual display device of claim 7 ,

wherein the flexible autostereoscopic display device is viewed with a pair of special polarized glasses.

9. The electronic visual display device of claim 7 ,

wherein the flexible autostereoscopic display device is viewed with a pair of special shutter glasses being synchronized with the refresh rate of the autostereoscopic display device.

10. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the flexible display device includes at least one of (a) an active display, such as (b) a liquid crystal display, (c) a light-emitting diode display, (d) a quantum dot based light-emitting diode display, (e) a laser diode display, and (f) a vacuum field emission display, or (g) a passive or reflective display, such as (h) an electronic paper display, (i) an interferometric modulation display, and (j) an optoelectronic phase-changing film display.

11. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the integrated circuit based control system is a flexible electronic circuitry.

12. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

an electronic module including:

at least one processor for processing arbitrary information,

at least one data memory for storing arbitrary data, and

at least one additional integrated circuit based control circuitry being configured for performing predetermined functions of the electronic module,

wherein said electronic module is connected to at least one integrated circuit based control system of the electronic visual display device.

13. The electronic visual display device of claim 12 ,

wherein the integrated circuit based control system of the electronic visual display device and the electronic module are integrated into one electronic system.

14. The electronic visual display device of claim 12 ,

wherein the electronic module is a flexible electronic circuitry.

15. The electronic visual display device of claim 12 , further comprising:

a wireless communication interface device being configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation, and to connect with other electrically operated devices,

wherein said wireless communication interface device is connected to the electronic module.

16. The electronic visual display device of claim 12 , further comprising:

at least one rechargeable electrical energy storage device being configured to provide electric power to the electronic module,

wherein said at least one energy storage device is arranged within the flexible housing.

17. The electronic visual display device of claim 16 ,

wherein at least one rechargeable electrical energy storage device is a flexible battery.

18. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein at least one contactless three-dimensional sensor is an optical three-dimensional sensor.

19. The electronic visual display device of claim 18 ,

wherein at least one contactless optical three-dimensional sensor includes one of (a) a stereoscopic camera, (b) a time-of-flight camera, (c) a plenoptic camera or light-field camera, (d) a structured light camera, or (e) a modulated light camera.

20. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein at least one contactless three-dimensional sensor is an acoustical three-dimensional sensor.

21. The electronic visual display device of claim 20 ,

wherein at least one contactless acoustical three-dimensional sensor includes one of (a) a stereo-microphone, (b) a time-of-flight microphone, (c) a sound-field or acoustical wave-field microphone, or (d) a structured sound or structured acoustical wave microphone.

22. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 ,

wherein the flexible housing further comprises:

at least one touch-sensitive sensor.

23. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one additional contactless sensor.

24. The electronic visual display device of claim 23 ,

wherein at least one additional contactless sensor is an optical two-dimensional sensor.

25. The electronic visual display device of claim 23 ,

wherein at least one additional contactless sensor is an acoustical two-dimensional sensor.

26. The electronic visual display device of claim 23 ,

wherein at least one additional contactless sensor is a position detecting and motion tracking sensor being configured to track the movement of the electronic visual display device.

27. The electronic visual display device of claim 26 ,

wherein at least one contactless position detecting and motion tracking sensor includes one of (a) an inertial sensor, (b) a compass, (c) a clinometer, (d) an inertial measurement unit comprising an accelerometer and at least one angular rate sensor, or (e) an inertial measurement unit comprising an accelerometer and at least one gyroscope.

28. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a projector device being configured to project information to a surface,

wherein said projector device is connected to at least one integrated circuit based control system of the electronic visual display device.

29. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one additional transmitter being configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation.

30. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one receiver being configured to receive electromagnetic radiation.

31. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one source of mechanical waves.

32. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a conductive connection to an external power supply.

33. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a wireless power supply on the basis of induction.

34. The electronic visual display device of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one jack to plug-in other devices.

35. An electronic visual display device, comprising:

a flexible display device being configured to be observed directly and not projected;

at least one contactless three-dimensional sensor;

at least one integrated circuit based control system for controlling the display device by at least one sensor, and for performing other predetermined functions of the electronic visual display device; and

a flexible housing containing the flexible display device, and configured to protect the display in the bent state from breaking,

wherein the housing further comprises:

at least two segments;

at least one joint means; and

at least one spring for keeping at least one joint of the housing in at least one configuration;

wherein said at least one joint means is mechanically connecting two adjacent housing segments;

wherein the curvature of the electronic visual display device can be changed by at least 45 degrees.

36. An electronic visual display device, comprising:

a flexible display device being configured to be observed directly and not projected,

wherein the flexible display device is a multi-layer display device including:

at least two individually controllable display screens as layers;

at least one contactless three-dimensional sensor;

at least one integrated circuit based control system for controlling the display device by at least one sensor, and for performing other predetermined functions of the electronic visual display device; and

a flexible housing containing the flexible display device, and being configured to protect the display in the bent state from breaking;

wherein the curvature of the electronic visual display device can be changed by at least 45 degrees.

37. The electronic visual display device of claim 36 ,

wherein at least one contactless three-dimensional sensor is configured to detect the position and track the motion of the user; and

wherein at least one integrated circuit based control system is configured to control the individually controllable display screens of the flexible autostereoscopic three-dimensional multi-layer display device by said at least one position detecting and motion tracking sensor, so that a user is experiencing a perception of depth respectively a spatial visual effect when viewing information presented by the display device.

Priority Claims (1)
DE 20 2014 103 215 U · Jul 11, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160014403A1 · Jan 14, 2016