`IPR2021-00786 (Lenovo Inc. v. LiTL LLC.)
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` (11) Publication number
`(19) Japanese Patent Office (JP)
`(12) Laid-open Disclosure Public Patent Bulletin (A) H08-179851
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`(43) Publication Date: July 12, Heisei 8 (1996)
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`
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`(51) Int. Cl.6 ID Symbol JPO Internal Ref. No.
` G 06 F 1/16
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`FI Indication of Technology
`G 06 F 1/00 312 F
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`Request for Examination: Not Requested
`Number of Claim(s): 1 OL (4 pages total)
`
`(71) Applicant: 000003078
`Toshiba Corporation
`72 Horikawa-cho, Saiwai-ku,
`Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken
`(72) Inventor: Shigeo Takagi
`c/o: Toshiba Corporation Kansai Branch
`1-1-30, Oyodonaka, Kita-ku,
`Osaka-shi, Osaka
`
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`(74) Agent: Hidekazu Miyoshi, Patent Attorney (plus 3)
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`(21) Application Filing Number:
`Tokugan H06-322621
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`(22) Application Filing Date:
`December 26, Heisei 6 (1994)
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`(54) TITLE OF THE INVENTION: Portable Computer
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`(57) ABSTRACT
`PURPOSE: To achieve a portable computer, whereby
`the content presented on the display is rotated by
`180 degrees when the user opens the display wide
`so that the other party who is seated face-to-face
`with the user can view the displayed image at the
`properly erected angle, thereby making it easier to
`provide presentations.
`freely openable/
`CONSTITUENT ELEMENTS: A
`closable portable computer that comprises a display
`attached to the lid side and a keyboard attached to
`the main-body side, said portable computer being
`provided with:
`An opening-angle sensor that detects when the
`opening angle of
`the display
`reaches a
`predetermined value or goes beyond
`the
`predetermined value; and
` display processing part that rotates the
`contents presented on the display by 180 degrees
`when said opening-angle sensor detects that the
`opening angle of the display has reached the
`predetermined value or goes beyond the predetermined value.
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`
` A
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`WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
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`CLAIM 1
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`A freely openable/closable portable computer that comprises a display attached to the lid
`side and a keyboard attached to the main-body side, said portable computer being provided
`with:
`
`An opening-angle sensor that detects when the opening angle of the display reaches
`a predetermined value or goes beyond the predetermined value; and
`
`A display processing part that rotates the contents presented on the display by 180
`degrees when said opening-angle sensor detects that the opening angle of the display
`has reached the predetermined value or goes beyond the predetermined value.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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`[0001]
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`FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION
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` The present invention pertains to portable computers, such as laptop computers, notebook
`computers, subnotebook computers, and the like.
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`[0002]
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`PRIOR ART
`
` Conventionally, portable computers, such as laptop computers, notebook computers,
`subnotebook computers, and the like, have been popular in a wide range of applications. In
`many occasions, the users carry such portable computers with them to business negotiations
`with their customers and use the displays of the portable computers to provide
`presentations to the customers as a part of the business negotiations.
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`[0003]
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`PROBLEMS TO BE RESOLVED BY THE INVENTION
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` However, conventional portable computers do not provide enough flexibility and
`convenience to facilitate smooth business negotiations when such negotiations are carried
`out by parties sitting across a table from each other. For instance, when a user negotiates a
`business deal with another party sitting face-to-face across a table in a conference room, or
`the like, the user needs to turn the main body of the computer around toward the other
`party, or have the other party move to the user’s side of the table. In the former case, in
`which the user turns the computer around to the other side of the table so that the other
`party can see the display, it is time-consuming because the user has to change the display
`setting of the screen through the operation of the keyboard, and then turn the computer
`back toward him- or herself after he or she finished showing the screen to the other party.
`Or, in the latter case, in which the user and the other party view the screen together on the
`same side of the table, it is cumbersome to ask the other party to move to the user’s side
`and sit next to him or her – especially when the other party is a customer.
`
`[0004] This invention was arrived at in view of such conventional problems, and therefore is
`intended to provide a portable computer that automatically rotates the contents presented
`on the display by 180 degrees when the user opens the display wide so that the other party
`across the table can see the displayed images at the properly erected angle.
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`[0005]
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`MEANS FOR ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVE
`
` This invention claims a freely openable/closable portable computer that comprises a
`display attached to the lid side, and a keyboard attached to the main-body side, said portable
`computer being provided with:
`
`An opening-angle sensor that detects when the opening angle of the display reaches
`a predetermined value or goes beyond the predetermined value; and
`
`A display processing part that rotates the contents presented on the display by 180
`degrees when said opening-angle sensor detects that the opening angle of the display
`has reached the predetermined value or goes beyond the predetermined value.
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`[0006]
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`OPERATION OF THE INVENTION
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` With the portable computer according to the present invention, when it becomes
`necessary to show a content on the display to the other party who is sitting face-to-face
`across the table during a conversation, the user only needs to open the lid side (to which the
`display is attached) wide enough for the other party to be able to see the display because
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`the opening-angle sensor will detect such an action, whereupon the display processor is
`caused to rotate the contents, which have been presented on the display, by 180 degrees.
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`[0007] This makes it possible for the user to open the display wide so as to show a normal
`display to the other party across the table while operating the keyboard on the main body in
`a normal posture from the other side of the table.
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`[0008]
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`WORKING EXAMPLE
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` The following is a detailed explanation of a working example of the present invention with
`reference to drawings: The Figures 1 and 2 show exterior appearances of the portable
`computer according to a working example of the present invention, which comprises:
`
`A main body 2 that is provided with a keyboard 1;
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`A lid 4 that is coupled to said main body 2 with hinges 3 in such a way that the lid 4
`can be freely opened and closed; and
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`A display 5 that is attached to the lid 4.
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`Furthermore, an opening-angle sensor 6 is provided on the hinge-side end surface of the lid
`4 in such a way that the protrusion 6a comes into contact with the back side of the main
`body 2 and thereby actuates a switch operation when the lid 4 is opened to an angle equal
`to or greater than 180 degrees.
`
`[0009] Figure 3 shows a circuit configuration of the portable computer according to the
`present working example. Similar to the configuration in a regular computer, it is provided
`with the following elements:
`
`A central processing unit (CPU) 7;
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`A main memory 8;
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`An input processing part 9 that performs the input processing of input-operation
`signals (which are obtained from the keyboard 1) into the CPU;
`
`A display processing part 10 that performs the control operation so as to cause the
`display data from the CPU 7 to be displayed on the display 5; and
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`An external storage 11, such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, or the like.
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`[0010] The keyboard 1 is connected to the input processing unit 9; and sensing signals from
`the opening-angle sensor 6 are input into the input processing unit 9 as well. The opening-
`angle sensor 6 is configured so that, when the lid 4 is opened to an angle equal to or greater
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`than 180 degrees, the projection 6a is retracted so as to close the switch 6b, thereby
`providing an opening-angle sensing signal to the input processing unit 9.
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`[0011] It should be noted that the opening-angle sensor 6 is not limited to this configuration,
`but may be configured with the use of a mechanical or electric means that detects a wide
`opening-angle.
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`[0012] Upon the input of the opening-angle sensing signal from the opening-angle sensor 6,
`the CPU 7 will output a 180°-rotation display command signal together with the display data
`if the display data is currently output to the display processing unit 10. In response thereto,
`the display processing unit 10 changes the view on the display 5 to a state in which the view
`is rotated by 180 degrees from the previous display state, i. e., a state in which the display is
`inverted upside down.
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`[0013] Next is an explanation of an operation of the portable computer having the above-
`described configuration. In the state for regular use, the user opens the lid 4 to an angle of
`approximately 90 to 120 degrees as shown in Figure 1, and operates the keyboard 1 on the
`main body 2, doing so while looking at the display 5 in the same direction.
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`[0014] However, in cases the portable computer is used for a presentation at a customer’s
`location, the user A and the other party B typically sit face-to-face across a table as they
`negotiate a business deal as shown in Figure 4(a). Accordingly, the user A operates the
`portable computer in the state shown in Figure 1, i.e., in the state in which the lid 4 of the
`computer C is opened to an angle that allows the user A to see the display 5 in the lid 4, so
`as to display desired contents on the screen. And, once the desired contents are displayed
`on the display 5, the user A opens the lid 4 wider to an angle equal to or greater than 180
`degrees as shown in Figure 4(b) so that the other party B can see the contents presented on
`the display.
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`[0015] In this state, the opening-angle sensor 6 inputs a sensing signal, which indicates that
`the angle has opened to an angle equal to or greater than a predetermined angle as shown
`in Figure 2, into the input processing unit 9; and the input processing unit 9 provides said
`signal to the CPU 7.
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`[0016] Then, the CPU 7 outputs a command for rotating the display view by 180 degrees
`from the previous display state, to the display processing unit 10 together with the display
`data, whereupon the display processing unit 10 displays the display data on the display 5 in
`a state in which the display data is rotated by 180 degrees. Thus, the other party B sitting
`across the table can view the image on the display 5 at the normally erected angle. Moreover,
`in this case, the user A can make changes to the contents on the display 5 by operating the
`keyboard 1 while he or she remains seated on the same chair facing the same direction as
`before.
`
`[0017]
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`EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
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` As described above, business negotiations are typically performed by two parties sitting
`face-to-face across a table. However, according to the present invention, it becomes possible
`to allow the other party to view the displayed images at the properly erected angle, doing so
`simply by opening the computer display wide enough that the other party can see the screen
`— while both parties remain seated across the table. Accordingly, for example, in the case
`that the user brings a computer with him or her to a customer’s location and opens the
`computer to start a presentation after having some discussions with the customer while both
`parties are seated face-to-face across a table, it is no longer necessary for the user to perform
`troublesome work as required by the prior art, such as asking the other party to change his
`or her seat, moving to a different seat on the same side as the other party, or turning the
`whole computer around toward the other party’s side so that the other party can see the
`display. Moreover, with the portable computer according to the present invention, the user
`can make changes to the displayed contents through the operation of the keyboard in the
`same posture as usual, doing so while showing the content presented on the display to the
`other party as both parties remain seated on their own seats across the table. As such, the
`usability is greatly improved.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a working example of the present invention in its
`regular usage state.
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`Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the display state of the aforementioned working
`example in the state in which the display is opened wide.
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`Figure 3 shows a circuit block diagram of the aforementioned working example.
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`Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram that illustrates the use of the aforementioned
`working example.
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`DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CODING
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`1 Keyboard
`2 Main Part
`3 Hinge
`4 Lid Body
`5 Display
`6 Opening-angle Sensor
`6a Projection
`6b Switch
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`7 CPU
`8 Main Memory
`9 Input Processing Part
`10 Display Processing Part
`11 External Storage
`A User
`B Other party
`C Computer
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`[Figure 1]
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`[Figure 3]
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` [Figure 2]
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`Display
`processing part
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`Display
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`[Figure 4]
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`Input
`processing part
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`External
`storage device
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`Memory
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`Keyboard
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`Opening-angle
`sensor
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