(12) United States Patent
`Clapper
`
`USOO6704007 B1
`(10) Patent No.:
`US 6,704,007 B1
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Mar. 9, 2004
`
`(54) CONTROLLING DISPLAYS FOR
`PROCESSOR-BASED SYSTEMS
`
`(75) Inventor: Edward O. Clapper, Tempe, AZ (US)
`(73) Assignee: Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA
`(US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/405,575
`(22) Filed:
`Sep. 27, 1999
`(51) Int. Cl................................................... G09G 5/00
`(52)
`... 345/204; 34.5/205
`(58) Field of Search .......................... 348/583; 34.5/126,
`345/121, 437, 169; 382/296,297; 361/681,
`695.7s5.400/47,353.23
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,831,368 A *
`4992,959 A *
`5,847,698 A *
`5,910,882 A *
`5,936,619 A *
`5,986,634. A *
`
`5/1989
`2/1991
`12/1998
`6/1999
`8/1999
`11/1999
`
`Masimo et al. ............. 340/720
`Hamada et al. ............ 358/1.11
`Reavey et al. ....
`... 34.5/173
`Burrell ............
`... 361/681
`Nagasaki et al. ........... 345/205
`Alioshin et al. ............ 34.5/649
`
`6,005,641. A 12/1999 Ui .............................. 348/836
`6,137,468 A * 10/2000 Martinez et al. ............ 345/126
`6,433,791 B2 * 8/2002 Selli et al. .................. 345/659
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`2 318 195 A 4/1998
`60598.13 A * 3/1994
`WO 98/26585
`6/1998
`
`GB
`JP
`WO
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Nikura Yoshiaki, NEC Corp., Application No. 09232862,
`Patent Abstracts of Japan, Publication No. 11073291, vol.
`1998, No. 08, Jun. 30, 1999.
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner Amare Mengistu
`ASSistant Examiner Nitin Patel
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Trop, Pruner & Hu, P.C.
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A processor-based System may include a display and a
`sensor which detects the orientation of the display with
`respect to the rest of the System. AS the System is displaced,
`the Sensor detects the orientation of the System. The System
`may automatically alter a characteristic of information dis
`played on the display in response to the detection of a
`change in orientation.
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`5 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
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`DISPLAY ORIENT
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`36
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`RECEIVE
`ACCELEROMETER
`SIGNAL
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`TIME OUT
`FOR LOGIC
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`CONVERTIO
`ORIENTATION
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`54
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`55
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`56
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`ADJUST DISPLAY
`TO ORIENTATION
`OR INDICATE
`ORIENTATION CHANGE
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`58
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 9, 2004
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`Sheet 2 of 7
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`US. Patent
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`Mar. 9, 2004
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`Sheet 3 0f 7
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`US 6,704,007 B1
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`FIG. 3
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 9, 2004
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`Sheet 4 of 7
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 9, 2004
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`Sheet 5 of 7
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`US 6,704,007 B1
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`20
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`24
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`28
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`10
`N PROCESSOR
`22
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`16
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`18
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`DISPLAY
`CONTROLLER
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`INTERFACE
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`SYSTEM
`MEMORY
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`12
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`DISPLAY
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`34
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`13
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`30
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`26
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`36
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`32
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`FIG. 5
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`U.S. Patent
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`Mar. 9, 2004
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`Sheet 7 of 7
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`US 6,704,007 B1
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`DISPLAY ORIENT
`
`36
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`RECEIVE
`ACCELEROMETER
`SIGNAL
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`54
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`TIME OUT
`FOR LOGIC
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`
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`CONVERT TO
`ORIENTATION
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`55
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`56
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`ADJUST DISPLAY
`TO ORIENTATION
`OR INDICATE
`ORIENTATION CHANGE
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`58
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`FIG. 7
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`US 6,704,007 B1
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`1
`CONTROLLING DISPLAYS FOR
`PROCESSOR-BASED SYSTEMS
`
`BACKGROUND
`This invention relates generally to processor-based SyS
`tems and to controlling the display of information on dis
`plays associated with processor-based Systems.
`A variety of processor-based Systems include a housing
`and a display coupled to the housing. For example, a
`conventional laptop computer includes a housing having a
`keyboard and a display Screen which may be, for example,
`a liquid crystal display. The orientation of the display with
`respect to the housing may be adjustable through a hinge
`connection between the display and the housing.
`A variety of hand-held devices including personal digital
`assistants (PDAs) may also have displays. Many hand-held
`or portable devices are usable in a variety of different
`orientations. In many cases, the displayS may be rectangular
`So that Some information may be displayed along the length
`direction of the Screen and other information may be dis
`played along the width direction.
`However, generally, displays work in only one direction.
`That is, information is always displayed in the same
`orientation, normally driven by Software, regardless of the
`displays orientation. As a result, in Some cases, the display
`of information may be unsuitable for the orientation of the
`display. For example, the angulation of the display with
`respect to the user may make it difficult to View material on
`the display. In addition, the user can not readily control the
`orientation of information Set forth on the display.
`Thus, there is a continuing need for better ways to control
`displays used in processor-based Systems.
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`SUMMARY
`In accordance with one aspect, a method of displaying
`information on a processor-based System includes detecting
`the orientation of the display coupled to the System. A
`40
`characteristic of the information displayed on the display is
`changed in response to the detected orientation of the
`display.
`Other aspects are set forth in the accompanying detailed
`description and claims.
`
`45
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the
`present invention in a first orientation;
`FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in
`FIG. 1 in a different orientation;
`FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the display of FIG. 1 in still
`another orientation;
`FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the display
`shown in FIG. 1;
`FIG. 5 is a schematic or block depiction for one embodi
`ment for implementing the display shown in FIG. 1;
`FIG. 6 is a block diagram for implementing the acceler
`ometer shown in FIG. 5; and
`FIG. 7 is a flow chart for one embodiment of Software for
`implementing the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`A processor-based System 10 may include a housing 14
`coupled to a display 12, as shown in FIG.1. The display 12
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`may be coupled by a hinge 15 to the housing 14. The
`housing 14 may conventionally include a keyboard 13 in one
`embodiment of the present invention.
`While the present invention is illustrated in a format
`commonly associated with personal digital assistants
`(PDAs), the present invention is applicable to a variety of
`other embodiments. In Some embodiments of the present
`invention, the System may be a portable processor-based
`System which is operated by battery power. In addition, in
`Some embodiments of the present invention, the processor
`based system 10 may be hand-held as illustrated in FIG. 1.
`The display 12 may be arranged in a rectangular format
`having a longer axis X and a shorter axis Y. In the embodi
`ment shown in FIG. 1, the displayed information extends
`from left to right along the X axis and up and down in Y axis.
`Thus, the upper edge 11 of the display 12 corresponds to the
`top of the textual material.
`Referring to FIG. 2, the display 10 has been rotated
`approximately 90°. The housing 14 and the display 12 have
`been rotated to the right. Now the display 12 has a more
`upright configuration. Information displayed on the display
`12 now uses the Side edge 17 as the upper edge for purposes
`of displaying text. In other words, the textual information
`now extends up and down in the X axis and the acroSS in the
`Yaxis using the convention set forth in connection with FIG.
`1.
`Thus, in one embodiment of the invention, the system 10
`automatically changes the orientation of the displayed infor
`mation in response to the detection of tilting or orientation
`of the System 10. These changes maybe implemented auto
`matically in response to the detection of rotation of approxi
`mately 90 of the housing 10. Thus, if the user wishes to
`rotate the way information is displayed on the display 12, the
`user can do So by Simply rotating the entire System 10 from
`the orientation shown in FIG. 1 to the orientation shown in
`FIG. 2.
`While the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 may be conve
`nient for a left-handed or a right-handed perSon, the System
`10 can be rotated 180 from the configuration shown in FIG.
`2 to the configuration shown in FIG. 3. As a result, the text
`displayed on the display 12 may be similarly rotated through
`180 so that the upper edge of the text is now aligned with
`the edge 19 of the display 12, in one embodiment of the
`invention. Again, the transpositioning of the text on the
`display 12 may be implemented automatically in response to
`detection of the rotation of the system 10 from the orienta
`tion shown in FIG. 2 to another orientation.
`Referring now to FIG. 4, the system may also detect the
`rotation of the display 12 with respect to the housing 14
`around the hinge 15. AS the display 12 rotates, as indicated
`by the angle A, the orientation of the characters on the
`display may be changed So that regardless of the orientation
`of the display, a fixed user Still Sees letters in Substantially
`the same orientation. Thus, the aspect ratio of information
`displayed on the display may be altered, for example by
`making the letters taller or shorter. Thus text may have the
`Same appearance with respect to a fixed point of view
`regardless of the angle through which the display 12 is
`rotated relative to the housing 14.
`In each of the instances described above, a characteristic
`of the display is altered in response to a change in orientation
`of the system 10. The characteristic that may be changed
`may include, among other things, the orientation of textual
`material on the display, the aspect ratio of characters dis
`played on the display and how information on the display
`may be actuated, for example, in response to a mouse-type
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`cursor control System. In addition, other characteristics may
`also be modified in response to orientation changes.
`In another embodiment of the present invention, the
`detected orientation of the display may be used to improve
`the display quality. For example, at Some orientations of the
`display with respect to the user, the display may be washed
`out or may be Subject to contrast reversal. In Such cases, by
`recognizing the orientation of the display with respect to the
`user, the System may adjust the contrast based on the display
`orientation. This may help to ameliorate contrast reversal or
`wash out. In Some embodiments of the present invention, the
`display and associated processor-based System may be able
`to deduce the orientation of the user with respect to the
`display. For example, the way the user moves the display to
`improve the view of the display may give information about
`where the user's eyes are positioned with respect to the
`display. This information may be useful in overcoming
`contrast reversal or wash out and may assist in adjusting the
`contrast to improve the quality of the display.
`In some embodiments, the function of the various keys 21
`making up the keyboard 13 may also be altered in response
`to orientation changes. That is, a given key may signify
`different input commands in different orientations of the
`System 10 with respect to a preset orientation, Such as the
`one depicted in FIG. 1. In other words, the assignments of
`key functions may be altered in response to detection of the
`orientation of the system 10 with respect to gravity.
`In still another embodiment of the present invention, the
`reorientation of the System 10 may be recognized as a
`Software trigger or input command. For example, in
`response to the change of the System 10 from the orientation
`shown in FIG. 1 to that shown in FIG. 2, the system may
`automatically Switch from running an e-mail program to
`running a calendar or Scheduling program. In Such case, the
`change in orientation automatically Selects a different appli
`cation program to run on the System 10. In Some cases, a
`particular application program may be associated with a
`given orientation. In Some embodiments, a given application
`may be better Suited to displaying information in one
`orientation and thus the application may be invoked when
`ever the System 10 assumes that orientation. In other cases
`the orientation is merely an arbitrary Software trigger.
`In addition, the orientation change may provide an input
`Signal to Select a given feature in an application program
`already running, as another example. For example, a given
`rotation of the display may be recognized as accepting or
`answering “yes” to an option offered by Software running on
`the system 10.
`Referring next to FIG. 5, the system 10, within the
`housing 14, may include a processor 16 coupled to an
`interface 18. The interface 18, for example, may be a chipset
`or a bridge. The interface 18 may couple a buS 24, a System
`memory 20, and a display controller 22. The display con
`troller 22 may in turn be coupled to the display 12.
`The bus 24 may be coupled through an interface 30 to a
`accelerometer 32. In Some embodiments of the present
`invention, the accelerometer 32 may be a Solid State accel
`erometer which measures acceleration along at least two
`transverse axes. In other embodiments of the present
`invention, the accelerometer 32 may measure gravitational
`components along three transverse axes. In Some cases, two
`or more accelerometers, oriented at an angle with respect to
`one another, may be utilized. The interface 30 is responsible
`for receiving information about the display's orientation and
`converting it to a format uSable by Software operating on the
`system 10.
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`4
`A serial input/output (SIO) device 34 may be coupled to
`the keyboard 13. A storage device 26 may store software 36
`for operating the system 10. The device 26 may store the
`Software 36 for changing a characteristic of the display in
`response to the detected orientation of the system 10.
`Conventionally, the System may also Store other Software
`Such as an operating System and application Software. The
`Storage 26 may conventionally be a hard disk drive or, in
`connection with battery powered or portable Systems, the
`Storage 26 may be implemented in whole or in part by a flash
`memory. A basic input/output system (BIOS) may be stored
`in a memory 28 also coupled to the bus 24. While one
`embodiment of hardware for implementing the present
`invention is illustrated in FIG. 5, those skilled in the art will
`appreciate numerous other variations.
`The accelerometer 32 may be implemented, in one
`embodiment of the present invention, by a single chip Solid
`State device. A three axis Solid State accelerometer 32,
`illustrated in FIG. 6, includes an X axis sensor 38a, a Y axis
`sensor 38b, and a Z axis sensor 38c. Thus, each sensor 38
`measures acceleration in one of three transverse axes. Each
`Sensor output signal is modulated by a clock signal 52 which
`also drives the demodulators 50a, 50b and 50c. The output
`signal of each sensor 38a, 38b or 38c is amplified by a gain
`amplifier 40a, 40b or 40c.
`Each demodulated Signal is adjusted by a buffer amplifier
`56a, 56b and 56c. One input port of each buffer amplifier 56
`is connected to a trimming or offset network which may be
`a resistor network. The network provides an offset or adjust
`ment Signal for each axis X, Y or Z.
`The circuit 34 may use a commercially available two axis
`Solid state accelerometer Such as the ADXL250 available
`from Analog Devices, Norwood, Mass. 02062 and a trans
`versely mounted Single axis accelerometer Such as the
`ADXL150 also available from Analog Devices. Other
`devices of this type are available from other manufacturers.
`The circuit 34 may provide an X, Y and Z axis accelera
`tion output which may be converted into a digital format by
`an analog to digital converters 36a, 36b or 36. A suitable
`analog to digital converter is a 10 bit converter Such as the
`AD7810 also available from Analog Devices. Additional
`filtering may be provided to eliminate jitter. The ADXL250
`and ADXL150 accelerometers may be programmed to Sense
`a given orientation as a null position relative to gravity and
`thereafter to detect orientation changes along one or more of
`three axes.
`Each acceleration Sensors 38 may be a micromachined
`Sensor element made by depositing polysilicon on a Sacri
`ficial layer that is then etched away leaving a Suspended
`Sensor beam. A differential capacitor Sensor may be com
`posed of fixed plates and moving plates attached to the beam
`that moves in response to acceleration. Movement of the
`beam changes the differential capacitance which is measured
`by the circuit 34.
`Referring now to FIG. 7, the Software 36 for changing a
`characteristic of the display in response to the orientation of
`the System 10 begins by receiving an acceleration signal, as
`indicated in block 54. Conventionally, the accelerometer
`Signal may provide information about an acceleration in one
`of at least two transverse axes. That Signal may be converted
`into orientation information as indicated in block 56.
`In Some cases it may be desirable to have a time out or
`integration function. This avoids Software changes in
`response to momentary or inadvertent orientation changes.
`Thus, the time out function illustrated in block 55 deter
`mines if the orientation change persisted for a Sufficient
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`period of time (for example, a half second) to indicate the
`operator's intent to provide a Software input in the form of
`an orientation change. In other cases, the time out function
`may also operate as a filter to eliminate obviously incorrect
`information. For example, relatively persistent vibrations
`may be interpreted as being indicative of in car operation
`and may be discarded. Similarly, periodic handshaking of
`relatively Small amplitude may also be recognized and may
`be discounted. While in the illustrated embodiment, this
`time out feature is accomplished in Software, those skilled in
`the art will appreciate that the same type of operation may
`be done in hardware using timers or hardware integrators.
`In many cases, the precise orientation of the display
`relative to gravity is not important. Instead, it is Sufficient to
`know whether the display is generally oriented in, for
`example, one of the positions shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
`Thus, information from the accelerometer 32 may be com
`pared to information in a look up table to determine which
`of the three preset orientations most closely corresponds to
`the actual information provided by the accelerometer 32.
`Once an orientation is determined, a characteristic of the
`display may be adjusted (block 58). For example, the
`information displayed on the display may be rotated to
`orient that information along the length of the display or
`along its width, as the case may be. Alternatively, the aspect
`ratio of letters displayed on the Screen may be increased or
`decreased in response to the angle of the display 12 relative
`to the housing 14. In addition, the orientation of the infor
`mation on the display may be changed to either a left-handed
`or right-handed orientation as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3.
`Other characteristics may be changed as well. In addition,
`the detection of a display transposition may provide a user
`input to control or Select the operation of Software on the
`system 10.
`While the present invention has been described with
`respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in
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`the art will appreciate numerous modifications and varia
`tions therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims
`cover all Such modifications and variations as fall within the
`true Spirit and Scope of this present invention.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A processor-based System comprising:
`a proceSSOr,
`Storage coupled to Said processor,
`a circuit that automatically produces a Signal indicative of
`the orientation of the circuit, Said circuit coupled to Said
`processor, Said circuit includes an accelerometer to
`Sense acceleration along at least three transverse axes,
`Software Stored on Said Storage to cause information to be
`displayed in different formats depending on the orien
`tation of Said circuit; and
`a timeout circuit that prohibits changes to the format of
`the information to be displayed until a period of time
`has elapsed.
`2. The System of claim 1 further including a display and
`a housing including a keyboard, Said housing hingedly
`connected to Said display.
`3. The System of claim 2 wherein Said display has a longer
`and a shorter axis, and Said Software changes the way
`information is displayed between a first orientation where
`information is displayed along the longer axis and a Second
`orientation which information is displayed along the shorter
`XS.
`4. The system of claim 3 wherein information is displayed
`in one of at least two orientations along the longer axis, each
`orientation inverted with respect the other.
`5. The system of claim 2 wherein said software changes
`an aspect ratio of information displayed on Said display
`based on the angle of Said display with respect to Said
`housing.
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