阅读说明：本技术 具有可附接键盘的多外型规格的信息处理系统(ihs) (Multi-form factor Information Handling System (IHS) with attachable keyboard ) 是由 里安·B·昆恩 克里斯托弗·A·罗比内特 米希尔·S·E·P·克诺佩特 于 2019-06-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：描述了具有可附接键盘的多外型规格信息处理系统(IHS)的实施例。在一些实施例中,IHS可以包括第一显示器和耦合到第一显示器的第二显示器,其中第二显示器包括一个或多个磁性装置,其提供磁力,该磁力被配置为将键盘的底部保持在第二显示器的显示表面上。(Embodiments of a multi-form factor Information Handling System (IHS) with an attachable keyboard are described. In some embodiments, the IHS may include a first display and a second display coupled to the first display, wherein the second display includes one or more magnetic devices that provide a magnetic force configured to hold a bottom portion of the keyboard on a display surface of the second display.)

1. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a first display; and

a second display coupled to the first display, wherein the second display includes a first short side having a first set of one or more magnets and a second short side having a second set of one or more magnets, wherein the magnets include one or more magnetic devices that provide a magnetic force configured to hold a bottom portion of a keyboard against a display surface of the second display, and wherein the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets are positioned to enable presentation of a User Interface (UI) feature on the second display in response to placement of the keyboard on the display surface.

2. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the keyboard comprises:

a third set of one or more magnets located on the first short side of the keyboard and having a polarity opposite to that of the first set of one or more magnets, an

A fourth set of one or more magnets located on a second short side of the keyboard and having a polarity opposite to that of the second set of one or more magnets.

3. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the UI feature comprises a banded region over a long side of the keyboard.

4. The IHS of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the IHS to:

in response to detecting that the first display and the second display are in a first gesture, generating a first UI feature; or

In response to detecting that the first display and the second display are in a second gesture, a second UI feature is generated.

5. The IHS of claim 4, wherein the first pose and the second pose are selected from a group consisting of: notebook computers, tablet computers, books, and displays.

6. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the UI feature comprises a virtual touchpad area below a long side of the keyboard.

7. The IHS of claim 1, wherein the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets allow a long side of the keyboard to abut against a hinge coupling the first display to the second display in response to the keyboard being stored between the first display and the second display.

8. The IHS of claim 1, further comprising a long side positioned alongside a long side of the second display furthest from the first display, the long side of the keyboard abutting the long side of the second display in response to the keyboard being placed away from the display surface of the second display.

9. The IHS of claim 1, further comprising a hinge coupling the first display to the second display, wherein the hinge includes one or more magnetic devices that provide a magnetic force and, in response to the keyboard being stored between the first display and the second display, the magnetic force is configured to hold a long side of a keyboard against the hinge.

10. The IHS of claim 1, further comprising a hinge coupling the first display to the second display, wherein the hinge includes a stylus slot, and the stylus slot is configured to couple a stylus to a long side of the keyboard in response to the keyboard being stored between the first display and the second display.

11. The IHS of claim 1, further comprising a hinge coupling the first display to the second display, wherein the hinge comprises a synchronous hinge having two parallel axes, wherein the axes enable the first display and the second display to rotate between: (i) a first pose wherein a rear surface of the first display is flush against a rear surface of the second display; (ii) a second gesture, wherein the keyboard is stored between the display surfaces of the first display and the second display.

12. The IHS of claim 1, further comprising a hinge coupling the first display to the second display, wherein the hinge comprises at least one of:

an inner coaxial cable connecting the first display to the second display; or

An elastic band configured to: (i) expand in response to the keyboard being inserted between the first display and the second display, and (ii) contract in response to the keyboard being removed.

13. A method, comprising:

removing a keyboard from a storage location between a first display and a second display of an Information Handling System (IHS); and

placing the keyboard on a display surface of the second display, wherein the second display includes a first short side having a first set of one or more magnets and a second short side having a second set of one or more magnets, wherein the magnets provide a magnetic force configured to hold a bottom portion of a keyboard on the display surface, and wherein the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets are placed in a position that enables presentation of a User Interface (UI) feature on the second display in response to placement of the keyboard on the display surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the UI feature comprises a banded region on the second display in a display area over a long side of the keyboard.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the UI feature comprises a virtual touchpad on the second display in a display area below a long side of the keyboard.

16. A hardware memory device having program instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of an Information Handling System (IHS) having a first display coupled to a second display, cause the IHS to:

determining that a keyboard is placed on a display surface of the second display, wherein the second display includes a first short side having a first set of one or more magnets and a second short side having a second set of one or more magnets, wherein the magnets provide a magnetic force configured to hold a bottom portion of a keyboard on the display surface, and wherein the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets are placed in a position that enables presentation of a User Interface (UI) feature on the second display; and

in response to the determination, the UI feature is provided.

17. The hardware storage device of claim 16, wherein the UI features further comprise at least one of: a strip-shaped area located above the long side of the keyboard, or a virtual touchpad located below the long side of the keyboard.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to Information Handling Systems (IHSs), and more particularly, to a multi-form factor IHS with an attachable keyboard.

Background

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek other ways to process and store information. One option that a user may select is an Information Handling System (IHS). IHSs typically process, compile, store, and/or communicate information or data for business, personal, or other purposes, thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. IHSs may also vary in how and how information is processed, and thus the amount, speed, and efficiency with which information is processed, as technology and information processing needs and requirements vary from user to user or application to application. The variations of the IHS allow the IHS to be generic or configured for specific users or specific uses, such as financial transactions, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, an IHS may include various hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

Today, a user may select many different types of mobile IHS devices. Each type of device (e.g., tablet, two-in-one, mobile workstation, laptop, netbook, ultrabook, etc.) has unique portability, performance, and usability features; however, each type has its own tradeoffs and limitations. For example, tablet computers have less computing power than laptops and workstations, which lack the portability of tablet computers. Conventional two-in-one devices combine the portability of tablet computers with the capabilities of notebook computers, but have small displays that are uncomfortable form factors in many use cases.

The inventors have determined that, as productivity remains a core principle of modern computing, mobile IHS devices should provide today's versatility and diverse display gestures for multiple use cases (e.g., tablet mode, laptop mode, etc.), as well as future display gestures (e.g., digital notebooks, new countertops, etc.). In addition, mobile IHS devices should provide a larger display area and reduce size and weight.

Disclosure of Invention

This document describes embodiments of a multi-form factor Information Handling System (IHS) with an attachable keyboard. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an IHS may include a first display and a second display coupled to the first display, wherein the second display includes one or more magnetic devices that provide a display surface configured to hold a bottom portion of a keyboard against the second display.

For example, the second display may comprise a first set of one or more magnets located on a first short side of the second display and a second set of one or more magnets located on a second short side of the second display. The keyboard may comprise a third set of one or more magnets located on the first short side of the keyboard and having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the first set of one or more magnets, and a fourth set of one or more magnets located on the second short side of the keyboard and having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the second set of one or more magnets.

The first and second sets of magnets are positioned beside the short side of the second display and enable presentation of a User Interface (UI) on the second display in a display area above the long side of the keyboard responsive to the keyboard being placed on a display surface of the second display. For example, the UI may include a banded region.

The IHS may further include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored thereon program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the IHS to generate a first UI in response to detecting that the first display and the second display are in a first gesture; or in response to detecting that the first display and the second display are in a second gesture, generating a second UI. The first and second postures may be selected from: notebook computers, tablet computers, books, and displays.

Additionally or alternatively, wherein the first and second sets of magnets are positioned beside the short side of the second display and enable the second display to present User Interface (UI) features in a display area below a long side of the keyboard in response to the keyboard being positioned on a display surface of the second display. For example, the UI may include a virtual touchpad area.

Additionally or alternatively, the first and second sets of magnets are positioned beside a short side of the second display and, in response to the keyboard being stored between the first and second displays, the long side of the keyboard is abutted against a hinge coupling the first display to the second display. Additionally or alternatively, the first set of magnets and the second set of magnets are positioned alongside a long side of the second display that is furthest from the first display and the long side of the keyboard is abutted against the long side of the second display in response to the keyboard being placed away from a display surface of the second display.

In various embodiments, the IHS may include a hinge coupling the first display to the second display, wherein the hinge includes one or more magnetic devices that provide a magnetic force and, in response to the keyboard being stored between the first display and the second display, the magnetic force is configured to hold a long side of the keyboard against the hinge. Additionally or alternatively, the hinge includes a stylus slot and, responsive to the keyboard being stored between the first display and the second display, the stylus slot is configured to couple a stylus to a long side of the keyboard.

Additionally or alternatively, the hinge may comprise a synchronous hinge having two parallel axes, wherein the axes enable the first display and the second display to rotate between: (i) a first pose wherein a rear surface of the first display is flush against a rear surface of the second display; (ii) a second gesture, wherein the keyboard is stored between the display surfaces of the first display and the second display. Additionally or alternatively, the hinge may comprise at least one of: an inner coaxial cable connecting the first display to the second display; or an elastic band configured to: (i) expand in response to the keyboard being inserted between the first display and the second display, and (ii) contract in response to the keyboard being removed.

In another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a method may include removing a keyboard from a storage location between a first display and a second display of an Information Handling System (IHS); and placing the keyboard on a display surface of the second display, wherein the second display comprises one or more magnetic devices that provide a magnetic force configured to hold a bottom portion of the keyboard on the display surface.

The one or more magnetic means are positioned beside the short side of the second display and enable the second display to present a band-like area in the display area above the long side of the keyboard in response to the keyboard being placed on the display surface of the second display. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more magnetic devices are positioned beside a short side of the second display and enable the second display to present a virtual touchpad in a display area under a long side of the keyboard in response to the keyboard being placed on a display surface of the second display.

In yet another illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a hardware memory device may have stored program instructions that, when executed by a processor of an IHS having a first display coupled to a second display, cause the IHS to: determining that a keyboard is placed on a display surface of a second display, wherein the second display comprises one or more magnetic devices that provide a magnetic force configured to hold a bottom portion of the keyboard on the display surface; and providing a User Interface (UI) on the display surface in response to the determination. The UI may include at least one of: a strip-shaped area located above the long side of the keyboard, or a virtual touchpad located below the long side of the keyboard.

Drawings

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. For simplicity and clarity, elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-form factor Information Handling System (IHS) with a removable keyboard according to some embodiments.

Fig. 2 and 3 are block diagrams of components of a multi-form IHS and a removable keyboard, respectively, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a multiple form factor configuration engine according to some embodiments.

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of a method for configuring a multi-form IHS according to some embodiments.

6A-6C, 7A-7J, 8A-8D, and 9A-9F illustrate examples of a laptop, a tablet, a book, and a display pose, respectively, according to some embodiments.

10A-C and 11A-C illustrate various use cases according to some embodiments.

Fig. 12A-12D, 13A and 13B illustrate first and second hinge embodiments, respectively, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 14 illustrates an accessory charging system according to some embodiments.

Fig. 15, 16A-16C, 17A and 17B illustrate a third hinge embodiment, a fourth hinge embodiment and a fifth hinge embodiment, respectively, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 18A and 18B illustrate a split housing system according to some embodiments.

Figure 19 illustrates a person's accessory backpack system according to some embodiments.

Fig. 20A-20C illustrate examples of attachable keyboards according to some embodiments.

21A-21C illustrate examples of keyboard attachment and alignment systems according to some embodiments.

Fig. 22A-22C illustrate examples of IHSs having dual-axis hinges and attachable keyboards of various configurations, according to some embodiments.

23A-23D illustrate examples of deformed slots and internal wiring in various configurations according to some embodiments.

Fig. 24A and 24B illustrate examples of a binocular hinge according to some embodiments.

Fig. 25A and 25B illustrate examples of misaligned hinges according to some embodiments.

Fig. 26A and 26B illustrate examples of two-piece hinges according to some embodiments.

Fig. 27A and 27B illustrate examples of a stretch hinge according to some embodiments.

Detailed Description

Embodiments described herein provide an Information Handling System (IHS) with an attachable keyboard. In various embodiments, a mobile IHS device may include a dual-display, collapsible IHS. Each display may include, for example, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), or active matrix OLED (amoled) panel or film equipped with a touch screen configured to receive touch input. The dual display, collapsible IHS may be configured by a user in any of a variety of display poses, including but not limited to: a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a book, a clipboard, a stand, a tent, and/or a display.

A user may operate the dual-display, foldable IHS in various modes using a virtual on-screen-keyboard (OSK) or a removable physical keyboard. In some use cases, a physical keyboard may be placed on at least one screen to enable the IHS to be used as a notebook computer, with additional User Interfaces (UIs) (e.g., virtual keys, touch input areas, etc.) available around the keyboard through the underlying display screen. In other use cases, a physical keyboard may be placed in front of the IHS to expose a larger display area. The user may also rotate the dual display, foldable IHS to further enable different modalities by using a physical keyboard. In some cases, a physical keyboard may be placed or stored within a dual-display, collapsible IHS when not in use.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-form factor Information Handling System (IHS)100 having a removable keyboard 103. As shown, the first display 101 is coupled to the second display 102 by a hinge 104, and the keyboard 103 is located on the second display 102. The arrangement of the first display 101 and the second display 102 creates a laptop gesture such that the first display 101 becomes the primary display area 105 presented by the IHS100, where video or display frames can be presented for viewing by a user.

In operation, in this particular laptop computer pose, the second display 102 may be positioned horizontally on the work surface with its display surface facing upward, and the keyboard 103 may be positioned on the second display 102, obscuring a portion of its display surface. In response to the gesture and keyboard position, IHS100 may dynamically generate a first UI in the form of at least one configurable secondary display area 106 ("ribbon area" or "touch bar") and/or a second UI in the form of at least one configurable touch input area 107 ("virtual touchpad") using a touchscreen of second display 102.

To identify the current pose of IHS100 and the current physical relationship or spatial arrangement (e.g., distance, position, velocity, etc.) between display 101/102 and keyboard 103, IHS100 may be configured to use one or more sensors disposed in first display 101, second display 102, keyboard 103, and/or hinge 104. Based on the readings from these various sensors, IHS100 may then select, configure, modify, and/or provide (e.g., content, size, location, etc.) one or more UI functions.

In various embodiments, displays 101 and 102 may be coupled to each other via hinge 104 to assume a variety of different gestures, including but not limited to: a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a book, or a display.

When the display 102 is positioned horizontally in a laptop posture, the keyboard 103 may be positioned on the display 102, thereby creating a first set of UIs (e.g., a band-shaped area or touch bar 106 and/or a touch pad 107). Otherwise, with IHS100 still in a laptop position, keyboard 103 may be placed next to display 102, thereby creating a second set of UIs.

As used herein, the term "banded region" or "trackbar" 106 refers to a selectable and/or scrollable dynamic horizontal or vertical strip that can be dynamically selected for display and/or IHS control, depending on the current context, use case, or application. For example, when IHS100 is executing a web browser, a banded region or touch bar 106 may display navigation controls and favorite web sites. Then, when IHS100 operates a mail application, ribbon or touch bar 106 may display a mail action, such as a reply or a tag. In some cases, at least a portion of the banded region or touch bar 106 may be provided in the form of a fixed control bar, providing access to system features such as brightness and volume. Additionally or alternatively, the banded regions or touch bars 106 may enable multi-touch to support two or more simultaneous inputs.

In some cases, the banded regions 106 may change orientation, position or size if the keyboard 103 is moved along a lateral or short edge of the second display 102 (e.g., from horizontal display beside a long side of the keyboard 103 to vertical display beside a short side of the keyboard 103). Furthermore, if the keyboard 103 is moved along the bottom or long side of the display 102, the entire display surface of the display 102 may display the rendered video frame. Conversely, if the keyboard 103 is removed or closed, another set of UIs is displayed, e.g., an OSK may be provided via the display 101/102. Thus, in many embodiments, the distance and/or relative position between the keyboard 103 and the display 101/102 may be used to control aspects of the UI.

During operation, a user may open, close, flip, rotate, or turn any of displays 101 and/or 102 via hinge 104 to create different poses. In each pose, the different arrangement between IHS100 and keyboard 103 results in a different UI being presented or made available to the user. For example, when second display 102 is folded relative to display 101 such that the two displays are facing away from each other, IHS100 may be said to have assumed a tablet computer posture (e.g., FIG. 7G) or a book posture (e.g., FIG. 8D), depending on whether IHS100 is stationary, moving, horizontal, stationary at different angles, and/or its orientation (landscape versus portrait).

In many of these scenarios, placement and subsequent movement or removal of keyboard 103 on or near display 101/102 may result in a different set of UIs than when IHS100 is in a laptop posture.

In many embodiments, different types of hinges 104 may be used to enable and maintain different display gestures and support different keyboard arrangements. Examples of suitable hinges 104 include, but are not limited to: 360 degree hinges (fig. 12A-12D), jaw hinges (fig. 13A and 13B), yoga hinges (fig. 15), gear hinges (fig. 16A-16C), and sliding hinges (fig. 17A and 17B). One or more of these hinges 104 may include a slot or compartment for docking, swinging, charging, or storing accessories (fig. 14). Further, one or more aspects of the hinge 104 may be monitored by one or more sensors (e.g., to determine whether the accessory is charging) when controlling the different UI.

In some cases, a split-housing system (fig. 18A and 18B) may be used to facilitate keyboard placement. Additionally or alternatively, an accessory backpack system (fig. 19) may be used to hold the keyboard 103 and/or additional batteries or accessories.

For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, determine, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, communicate, manifest record, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an IHS may be a personal computer (e.g., a desktop or laptop computer), a tablet computer, a mobile device (e.g., a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smartphone), a server (e.g., a blade server or a rack server), a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The IHS may include Random Access Memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, Read Only Memory (ROM), and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the IHS may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various I/O devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, and/or a video display. The IHS may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of components 200 of the multi-form IHS 100. As shown, the component 200 includes a processor 201. In various embodiments, IHS100 may be a single processor system or a multi-processor system including two or more processors. The processors 201 may include any processor capable of executing program instructions, such as the PENTIUM family of processors, or any general-purpose or embedded processor implementing any of a variety of Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs), such as the x86ISA or a Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) ISA (e.g., POWERPC, ARM, SPARC, MIPS, etc.).

IHS100 includes a chipset 202 that is coupled to a processor 201. In some embodiments, chipset 202 may communicate with processor 201 using a quick channel interconnect (QPI) bus. In various embodiments, chipset 202 may provide processor 201 with access to a plurality of resources. Further, chipset 202 may be coupled to a communication interface 205 to enable communication via various wired and/or wireless networks, such as Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular or mobile networks (e.g., CDMA, TDMA, LTE, etc.), satellite networks, and so forth. For example, communication interface 205 may be coupled to chipset 202 via a PCIe bus.

The chipset 202 may be coupled to a display controller 204, and the display controller 204 may include one or more Graphics Processors (GPUs) on a graphics bus, such as an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) or peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus. As shown, the display controller 204 provides video or display signals to the first display device 101 and the second display device 202. In other implementations, any number of display controllers 204 and/or display devices 101/102 may be used.

Each of the display devices 101 and 102 may include a flexible display that is deformable (e.g., bent, folded, rolled, or stretched) by an external force applied thereto. For example, the display devices 101 and 102 may include LCD, OLED or AMOLED, plasma, electrophoretic or electrowetting panels or films. Each display device 101 and 102 may include a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix configured to display visual information, such as text, two-dimensional images, video, three-dimensional images, and the like.

The display device 101/102 may be configured to sense tactile and/or physical touch events and generate touch information. To this end, the display device 101/102 may include a touch screen matrix (e.g., a layered capacitive panel, etc.) and/or touch controller configured to receive and interpret multi-touch gestures from a user touching the screen with a stylus or one or more fingers. In some cases, display and touch control aspects of the display device 101/102 may be operated and controlled together by the display controller 204.

In some cases, the display device 101/102 may also include a deformation or bending sensor configured to generate deformation or bending information, including but not limited to: the bending location of the display (e.g., in the form of a "bend line" connecting two or more locations on the display where bending was detected), the direction of bending, the angle of bending, the speed of bending, etc. In these embodiments, the display device 101/102 may be provided as a single continuous display, rather than as two separate displays.

The chipset 202 may also provide the processor 201 and/or the display controller 204 with access to a memory 203. In various embodiments, system memory 203 may be implemented using any suitable memory technology, such as static ram (sram), dynamic ram (dram), or magnetic disk, or any non-volatile/flash type memory, such as a Solid State Drive (SSD), or the like. Memory 203 may store program instructions that, when executed by processor 201 and/or controller 204, present a UI to a user of IHS 100.

Chipset 202 may also provide access to one or more hard disks and/or solid state drives 207. In some embodiments, chipset 202 may also provide access to one or more optical drives or other removable media drives. In some embodiments, chipset 202 may also provide access to one or more Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports 208.

Upon booting IHS100, processor 201 may utilize basic input/output System (BIOS)209 instructions to initialize and test hardware components coupled to IHS100 and to load an Operating System (OS) for use by IHS 100. BIOS 209 provides an abstraction layer that allows the OS to interface with certain hardware components used by IHS 100. Software stored in memory 203 and executed by processor 201 of IHS100 is able to interface with certain I/O devices coupled to IHS100 through a hardware abstraction layer provided by BIOS 209. The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is designed as a successor to the BIOS. Thus, many modern IHSs use UEFIs in addition to or in place of BIOS. As used herein, BIOS is intended to also encompass UEFI.

The chipset 202 may also provide access to one or more user input devices 206, e.g., using a super I/O controller or the like. For example, chipset 202 may provide access to a keyboard (e.g., keyboard 103), a mouse, a touchpad, a stylus, a marker, or any other peripheral input device, including touch screen displays 101 and 102. These input devices may be connected to chipset 202 via a wired connection (e.g., in the case of touch input received via display controller 204) or wirelessly (e.g., via communications interface 205). In some cases, chipset 202 may be used to interconnect with user input devices such as keyboards, biometric scanning devices, and voice or optical recognition devices.

In some embodiments, chipset 202 may also provide an interface for communicating with one or more sensors 210. The sensors 210 may be disposed within the display 101/102 and/or the hinge 104, and may include, but are not limited to: electric, magnetic, radio, optical, infrared, thermal, force, pressure, acoustic, ultrasonic, proximity, position, deformation, bending, direction, motion, velocity, rotation and/or acceleration sensors.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of components 300 of keyboard IHS 103. As shown, component 300 includes a keyboard controller or processor 301 coupled to a keyboard sensor 303 and a wireless communication module 302. In various embodiments, keyboard controller 301 may be configured to detect keystrokes made by a user on the keyboard matrix, and it may send these keystrokes to IHS100 via wireless module 302 using a suitable protocol (e.g., BLUETOOTH). Keyboard sensors 303 (which may also include any of the types of sensors described above) may be provided under the keys and/or around the keyboard housing to provide information to the IHS100 via the wireless module 302 regarding the location, placement, or status of the keyboard 103.

In various embodiments, IHS100 and/or keyboard 103 may not include all of components 200 and/or 300 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Additionally or alternatively, IHS100 and/or keyboard 103 may include components in addition to those shown in fig. 2 and 3. Additionally or alternatively, components 200 and/or 300, shown as separate in fig. 2 and 3, may also be integrated with other components. For example, all or a portion of the functionality provided by components 200 and/or 300 may be used as a system on a chip (SoC) or the like.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the multiple form factor configuration engine 401. In particular, the multi-form configuration engine 401 may comprise electronic circuitry and/or program instructions that, when executed, cause the IHS100 to perform various operations and/or methods described herein.

In various implementations, program instructions for executing the multi-form configuration engine 401 may be stored in the memory 203. For example, engine 401 may include one or more separate software applications, drivers, libraries, or toolboxes accessible through an Application Programming Interface (API), or the like. Additionally or alternatively, the multi-form configuration engine 401 may be included in the OS of the IHS.

However, in other embodiments, the multi-form factor configuration engine 401 may be implemented in firmware and/or executed by a coprocessor or a dedicated controller, such as an execution server remote management controller (BMC), etc.

As shown, the multiple form factor configuration engine 401 receives a Graphical User Interface (GUI) input 402 and generates a GUI output 403 in response to receiving and processing one or more of display sensor data 406, hinge sensor data 407, and/or keyboard sensor data 408. Additionally or alternatively, the multi-form factor configuration engine 401 may generate touch control features 404 and/or other commands 405.

In various embodiments, GUI input 402 may include one or more images to be presented on display 101/102, and/or one or more entire or partial video frames. Rather, GUI output 403 may include one or more modified images (e.g., different sizes, colors, locations, etc. on the display) to be presented on display 101/102, and/or all or a portion of the video frame for one or more modifications.

For example, in response to detecting via display and/or hinge sensor 406/407 that IHS100 has taken a laptop posture from a closed or "closed" posture, GUI output 403 may allow receipt of a full screen desktop image as GUI input 402, displayed on first display 101, while second display 102 remains closed or dimmed. Upon receiving the keyboard sensor data 408 that the keyboard 103 has been positioned on the second display 102, the GUI output 403 may produce a ribbon display or area 106 around the edge of the keyboard 103, e.g., with interactive and/or touch selection virtual keys, illustrations, menu options, trays. If the keyboard sensor data 408 thereafter indicates that the keyboard 103 has been closed, for example, the GUI output 403 may generate an OSK on the second display 102.

Additionally or alternatively, the touch control feature 404 can be generated to visually depict the touch input area 107 of the second display 102 to enable it to operate as a user input device to provide a UI commensurate with laptop posture. Touch control feature 404 may turn on or off palm or touch rejection in selected portions of display 101/102. Further, the GUI output 403 may include a visual outline displayed by the second display 102 around the touch input area 107 such that a palm or touch rejection is applied outside the outline area, but the interior of the area 107 operates as a virtual touchpad on the second display 102.

The multi-form factor configuration engine 401 may also generate other commands 405 in response to changes in display pose and/or keyboard state or arrangement, such as commands to open or close the display 101/102, enter a selected power mode, charge or monitor the state of an accessory device (e.g., docked in the hinge 104), and so forth.

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram of a method 500 for configuring a multi-form IHS. In various embodiments, the method 500 may be performed by the multi-form configuration engine 401 under execution by the processor 201. At block 501, the method 500 includes identifying a display gesture, i.e., a relative physical arrangement between the first display 101 and the second display 102. For example, block 501 may use sensor data received from display 101/102 and/or hinge 104 to distinguish between the various gestures shown below.

At block 502, the method 500 selects a UI corresponding to the recognized gesture. Examples of UI functions include, but are not limited to: turning the display on or off; displaying a full or partial screen GUI; displaying a functional area; providing a virtual touchpad area; changing touch or palm rejection settings; adjusting the brightness and contrast of the display; selecting a mode, volume and/or direction of audio reproduction; and so on.

At block 503, the method 500 may detect a status of the keyboard 103. For example, block 503 may determine that the keyboard 103 is on or off, motionless between two off displays, horizontally on display 101/102, or beside display 101/102. Additionally or alternatively, block 503 may determine the position or location of the keyboard 103 relative to the display 102, e.g., using cartesian coordinates. Additionally or alternatively, block 503 may determine an angle between the keyboard 103 and the display 101/102 (e.g., a straight angle (180 °) if the display 102 is horizontal, or a right angle if the display 102 is vertical).

Then, at block 504, the method 500 may modify the UI in response to the state of the keyboard 103. For example, block 504 may cause the display to be turned on or off, it may change the size or position of the full or partial screen GUI or ribbon, it may change the size or position of the touchpad area, and change control or palm rejection settings, etc. Additionally or alternatively, block 504 may generate a new interface feature or remove an existing feature in association with the display gesture in response to any aspect of the keyboard state satisfying a selected threshold that falls within a defined range of values.

6A-6C, 7A-7J, 8A-8D, and 9A-9F illustrate examples of notebook computers, tablet computers, books, and display gestures that may be detected by the IHS100 during execution of the multi-form factor configuration engine 401 by operation of block 501 of method 500.

In particular, fig. 6A-6C illustrate a laptop computer position in which the first display surface of the first display 101 faces the user at an obtuse angle relative to the second display surface of the second display 102, and such that the second display 102 is disposed in a horizontal position with the second display surface facing upward. In FIG. 6A, state 601 shows a user operating the HIS 100 with a stylus or touch on the secondary display 102. In fig. 6B state 602 shows the IHS100 with the keyboard 103 located outside the bottom or long side of the second display 102, and in fig. 6C state 603 shows the user operating the keyboard 103 on the second display 102.

Fig. 7A-7J illustrate a tablet computer pose wherein the first display 101 is at a flat angle relative to the second display 102 such that the first and second displays 101 and 102 are disposed in a horizontal position with the first and second display surfaces facing upward. Specifically, FIG. 7A illustrates a state 701 in which IHS100 is in a side-by-side longitudinal orientation with no keyboard. Fig. 7B shows a state 702 in which the keyboard 103 is in use, outside the bottom edge or short side of the display 101/102, and fig. 7C shows a state 703 in which the keyboard 103 is positioned on the displays 101 and 102. In FIG. 7D, state 704 shows the IHS100 in a side-by-side landscape configuration without the keyboard 103. State 705 of fig. 7E shows the keyboard 103 being used outside the bottom or long side of the second display 102. The fig. 7F state 706 shows the keypad 103 positioned on the second display 102.

In fig. 7G, state 707 shows the first display 101 rotated about the second display 102 via the hinge 104 such that the display surface of the second display 102 is facing horizontally downward and the first display 101 rests back-to-back on the second display 102 without the keyboard 103; in fig. 7H, state 708 shows the same configuration, but the keyboard 103 is placed outside the bottom or long side of the display 102. In fig. 7I and 7J, states 709 and 710 correspond to states 707 and 708, respectively, but IHS100 is in the longitudinal direction.

Fig. 8A-8D illustrate a book pose, similar to the tablet pose of fig. 7A-7J, but such that neither display 101 or 102 is held horizontally by the user and/or such that the angle between the display surfaces of the first display 101 and the second display 102 is not a flat angle. In fig. 8A, a state 801 shows a two-screen use in the longitudinal direction, a state 802 in fig. 8B shows a two-screen use in the lateral direction, a state 803 in fig. 8C shows a single screen used in the lateral direction, and a state 804 in fig. 8D shows a single screen used in the longitudinal direction.

Fig. 9A-9F illustrate a display pose in which the first display 100 is at an acute angle relative to the second display 102 and/or the two displays are arranged upright in a portrait orientation. In particular, in fig. 9A, state 901 shows the first display surface of the first display 102 facing the user and the second display surface of the second display 102 facing horizontally downward, while in fig. 9B, state 902 shows the same configuration but with the keyboard 103 used outside the bottom or long side of the display 101. In fig. 9C, state 903 shows a display pose in which display 102 supports display 101 in a stand configuration. In fig. 9D, state 904 shows the same configuration, but the keyboard 103 is used outside the bottom or long side of the display 101. In FIG. 9E, state 905 shows displays 101 and 102 standing upright or at a display angle, and in FIG. 9F, state 906 shows the same configuration, but with keyboard 103 used outside the bottom or long side of display 101.

It should be noted that the above gestures, as well as their respective keyboard states, are described for purposes of illustration. However, in different embodiments, other gestures and keyboard states may be used, for example, depending on the type of hinge coupling the displays, the number of displays used, or other accessories. For example, when IHS100 is chargeable via a charging or docking station, a connector in the docking station may be configured to hold IHS100 at a selected angle to set one of the above-described postures (e.g., keyboard states 905 and 906).

10A-C illustrate a first example use case of the method 500 in the context of a notebook computer gesture. In state 1000A of fig. 10A, the first display 101 shows a primary display area 1001, the keyboard 103 is located on the second display 102, and the second display 102 displays UIs, such as a first strip area 1002 (located between the top long side of the keyboard 103 and the hinge 104) and a touch area 1003 (located below the keyboard 103). The banded region 1002 and/or touch region 1003 may dynamically move up or down, or become larger or smaller, on the second display 102 as the keyboard 103 moves up or down on the surface of the display 102. In some cases, when the keyboard 103 is removed, a virtual OSK may be presented on the display surface of the display 102 (e.g., in the same location).

In state 1000B of fig. 10B, in response to the multi-form factor configuration engine 401 executing the method 500, the first display 101 continues to display the primary display area 1001, but the keyboard 103 has moved out of the display 102. In response, the second display 102 now displays the auxiliary display area 1004 and the second strip area 1005. In some cases, the second strip 1005 may include the same UI (e.g., graphical illustration, etc.) as shown in area 1002, but here repositioned to a different display 102 location, i.e., the long side closest to the keyboard 103. Alternatively, the contents of the second band-shaped area 1005 may be different from the contents of the first band-shaped area 1002.

In state 100C of fig. 10C, during execution of the method 500 by the multi-form factor configuration engine 401, the IHS100 detects that the physical keyboard 103 has been removed (e.g., out of wireless range) or turned off (e.g., low battery) and in response, the display 102 produces a different auxiliary display area 1006 (e.g., smaller than 1004), and an OSK 1007.

11A-11C illustrate a second example use case of the method 500 in the context of a tablet computer gesture. In state 1100A of fig. 11A, the display surface of the second display 102 is facing upward and is disposed back-to-back with respect to the second display 102, as in state 709/710, but the keyboard 103 is located on the second display 102. In this state, the display 102 displays a UI, such as a main display area 1101 and a first strip area 1102, positioned as shown. The display area 1101, the first strip area 1102 and/or the touch area 1103 can also be moved up or down, or made larger or smaller, by the multi-form factor configuration engine 401 as the keyboard 103 is repositioned up or down on the surface of the display 102.

In state 1100B of FIG. 11B, the keyboard 103 is detected outside the surface of the display 102. In response, the first display 101 shows a modified main display area 1103 and a modified ribbon area 1104. In some cases, the modified ribbon region 1104 may include the same UI as the region 1102, but here repositioned to a different location, i.e., the location of the display 102 that is closest to the long side of the keyboard 103. Alternatively, the contents of the second band region 1104 may be different from the contents of the first band region 1102. In some cases, the content and size of the modified banded region 1104 may be selected in response to the distance between the keyboard 103 and the display 102.

In state 1100C of fig. 11C, during continued execution of the method 500, the multi-form factor configuration engine 401 detects that the physical keyboard 103 has been removed or turned off, and in response, the display 102 generates another display area 1105 (e.g., larger than 1003 or 1002) when there is no OSK.

In various embodiments, the different UI behaviors discussed in the aforementioned use cases may be set at least in part by rules and/or profiles and stored in a preference database for each user. In this manner, the modification of the UIs and boxes 502 and 504, such as whether to generate the touch input region 1003 (and/or its size and location on the display 101/102) in state 1000A, or whether to generate the ribbon region 1102 (and/or its size and location on the display 101/102) in state 1100A, may be configured by the user.

Fig. 12A-12D illustrate a 360 degree hinge embodiment that may be used as the hinge 104 in the IHS100 in four different configurations 1200A-1200D, respectively. In particular, the 360 degree hinge 104 may include a plastic, acrylic, polyamide, polycarbonate, elastomeric, and/or rubber coupling, with one or more internal supports, springs, and/or friction mechanisms that enable a user to rotate the displays 101 and 102 relative to each other about the axis of the 360 degree hinge 104.

The hinge configuration 1200A of fig. 12A may be referred to as a closed position, wherein at least a portion of the first display surface of the first display 101 is disposed against at least a portion of the second display surface of the second display 102 such that the space between the displays 101 may accommodate the keyboard 103. A stylus or accessory 108 may be inserted into the keyboard 103 when the display 101 is resting on the display 102. In some cases, the diameter of the stylus 108 may be larger than the height of the keyboard 103, and thus the 360 degree hinge 104 may wrap around a portion of the circumference of the stylus 108, thus holding the keyboard 103 in place between the displays 101/102.

The hinge configuration 1200B of fig. 12B illustrates a laptop posture between the displays 101/102. In this case, the 360 degree hinge 104 holds the first display 101 upward, at an obtuse angle with respect to the second display 102. Meanwhile, hinge configuration 1200C of fig. 12C illustrates a tablet computer, book, or display pose (depending on the resting angle and/or movement of IHS 100), wherein 360 degree hinge 104 maintains first and second displays 101/102 at a flat angle (180 °) relative to each other. And the hinge configuration 1200D of fig. 12D shows a tablet or book configuration with a 360 degree hinge 104 holding the first and second displays 101 and 102 at a 360 ° angle with their display surfaces facing in opposite directions.

Fig. 13A and 13B illustrate a jaw hinge embodiment that may be used as hinge 104 in IHS100 in two different configurations 1300A and 1300B. Specifically, jaw hinge 104 has two axes of rotation that are parallel to each other, one for each of displays 101/102. The solid bar assembly 104 between the two axes of rotation may be configured to accommodate a docking compartment 1301 for the stylus 108, an audio speaker 1302 (e.g., mono, stereo, directional array), and one or more ports 1303 (e.g., audio input/output jacks).

The hinge configuration 1300A of fig. 13A shows the posture of the notebook computer. In this case, the jaw hinge 104 holds the first display 101 upward, at an obtuse angle with respect to the second display 102. In contrast, the hinge configuration 1300B of fig. 13B shows a tablet computer or book position in which the jaw hinge 104 holds the first and second displays 101 and 102 at a 360 ° angle relative to each other, with the keyboard 103 stored between the displays 101 and 102 in a back-to-back configuration such that the stylus 108 is still accessible to the user.

Fig. 14 shows an accessory charging system 1400 in which accessory slots 1301 and 1401 shown on hinge 104 connect first display 101 to second display 102. In various embodiments, the fitting slots 1301 and 1401 may be formed from molded or extruded plastic. In this example, the fitting slot 1301 is shaped to hold the pen or stylus 108, and the fitting slot 1401 is shaped to hold the ear plug 109. In some embodiments, slots 1301 and/or 1401 may include electrical terminals for charging a battery within the accessory, and/or check the status of the accessory (e.g., presence, charge level, model or name, etc.).

Fig. 15 illustrates a yoga hinge embodiment that may be used in configuration 1500 as hinge 104 in IHS 100. In particular, the yoga hinge 104 comprises a plurality of metal cylinders or rods, whose axes are parallel to each other, held together by a support 1503 and/or a fabric 1501. In operation, the bracket 1503 may include notches and/or detents configured to hold the cylinder 1502 at a predetermined position corresponding to any available IHS pose.

Fig. 16A-16C illustrate a gear hinge embodiment that may be used as the hinge 104 in a HIS in configurations 1600A-1600C. Specifically, configuration 1600A of fig. 16A shows geared hinge 104 having a rod 1603 with teeth or gears 1604 fabricated thereon when IHS100 begins to assume a laptop position. Display 101 has teeth or gears 1601 near its bottom edge and display 102 has teeth or gears 1602 near its top edge. One or more supports 1605 hold the gears 1601 and/or 1602 to the gear 1604, thus providing two parallel axes of rotation between the displays 101 and 102.

The hinge configuration 1600B of fig. 16B shows a closed position. In this case, the gear hinge 104 keeps the display 101 facing downward, and the display 102 is rotated by 360 degrees with respect to the display 101 so that the display surface thereof faces the display 101. In this configuration, keyboard 103 may be positioned below display 102, for example, to hold display 102 at an angle when IHS100 is in a laptop position. In some cases, the keyboard 103 may be coupled to the back side of the display 102 using an accessory backpack or the like, as shown in fig. 19.

The hinge configuration 1600C of fig. 16C illustrates a tablet computer or book pose. In this case, the gear hinge 104 keeps the display 102 facing upward, and the display 101 is rotated by 360 degrees with respect to the display 102 so that its display surface faces downward horizontally. In this configuration, the keyboard 103 is located between the back of the display 101 and the back of the display 102. In various embodiments, rod 1603 may be divided into multiple segments or chains, as shown in configurations 1600B and 1600C, to provide an additional axis of rotation between displays 101 and 102, as well as to accommodate keyboard options with different IHS100 thicknesses.

Fig. 17A and 17B illustrate a sliding hinge embodiment that may be used as the hinge 104 in the IHS100 in various configurations. Specifically, in fig. 17A, a chain 1701 held by a first display bracket 1702 coupled to the display 101 slides up and down a slot 1704 of a bracket 1703 coupled to the display 102. In some cases, a locking mechanism may be employed to stably hold displays 101 and 102 in different poses, such as a closed pose of configuration 1700A, a laptop pose of configuration 1700B in fig. 17B, a tablet pose of configuration 1700C (returning to fig. 17A), or a book pose of configuration 1700D (also in fig. 17A), when link 1701 slides up and down and/or when display 101 rotates about display 102.

Fig. 18A and 18B illustrate a split housing system in configurations 1800A and 1800B according to some embodiments. In particular, the split housing 1801 may include a set of hard foldable portions or flaps wrapped with fabric and/or plastic, with snap magnetic attachment points, for example around the edges on the back of the displays 101 and 102 and/or the keypad 103. In some cases, the keyboard 103 may be removable from the housing 1801. Additionally or alternatively, the presence and status of housing 1801 may be detected via sensor 303.

In configuration 1800A in FIG. 18A, the displays 101 and 102 are in a laptop position and the split housing 1801 holds the keyboard 103 in a fixed position, off the bottom or long side of the display 102, so that both displays 101 and 102 remain usable. Meanwhile, the configuration 1800B of fig. 18B shows a display gesture (e.g., as in state 901) such that the display surface of the display 102 faces the split housing 1802, and the split housing 1802 holds the keyboard 103 at a fixed position away from the bottom edge of the display 101 and makes only the display 101 available.

Figure 19 shows an accessory backpack system 1900. In some embodiments, the housing of the display 102 may include a notch 1903, the notch 1903 configured to receive the lip 1902 of the tray 1901, which remains snapped into place until pulled by a user. Additionally or alternatively, a spring-loaded eject button may be used. The tray 1901 may hold a keyboard or battery 110 in various configurations. Further, in some cases, the housing of display 102 may include electrical terminals that may be used to charge and/or obtain sensor information from an accessory.

The keyboard 103 may be an attachable keyboard. In embodiments, an attachable keyboard such as keyboard 103 may be configured to facilitate transitioning between the various display gestures and keyboard positions described herein, thereby dynamically invoking and/or removing various UIs (e.g., display area, ribbon area, touch area, etc.) during operation of IHS 100.

Fig. 20A-20C illustrate an example of a physical keyboard 103 implemented as an attachable keyboard. In particular, fig. 20A shows an exploded view of the keyboard 103, including: a keycap assembly 2000 (e.g., QWERTY keycaps, key actuators, membranes, etc.), a bend 2001 (e.g., keyboard matrix, backlight layer, etc.), a battery layer 2003, a frame 2004, and a housing 2005.

In some embodiments, the keyboard 103 may have an overall thickness of about 6mm at the rear and 4.3mm at the front, with a flat bottom shell. The thickness can be further reduced by using magnetically suspended keys, ultra thin batteries, no connectors, no PCB and/or no backlight. Additionally or alternatively, a tactile-based keyboard may be used instead of key activation by mechanical travel.

A thicker bend 2001 (e.g., 0.4mm) may be used to mount components, antennas, charging pads, and/or batteries, thereby eliminating the need for connectors and Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). For example, the flexure 2001 may be folded around the frame 2004 and/or the housing 2005 and attached to the frame 2004 and/or the housing 2005 with double-sided adhesive tape.

In various embodiments, each wing 2006 (a pair of wings; only the left one shown) may include a cavity configured to hold magnetic devices 2009A and 2009B alongside the short sides of keyboard 103. Thus, with 4 pairs of magnets, the keyboard 103 may be magnetically secured to the IHS100 with a pair of magnets, which facilitates alignment of the keyboard 103 on the display surface of the display 102 and/or the rear surface of the display 102 as part of the backpack accessory system 1900.

Wings 2006 may have thin (e.g., 0.8mm) top and/or bottom plates to hold the respective magnets close together. In some cases, magnetic devices 2009A and 2009B may include N50 magnets (e.g., 19 × 4.3 × 2.1mm) at a distance of about 1.6mm from each other to provide a retention force (Z direction) of about 18.5N.

Additionally or alternatively, wings 2006 can include one or more ribs 2007 in the tips of wings 2006 that can attach to corresponding slots in the sides of display 102. For example, the ribs may be made of a flexible material and compression snap fit to the sides of the display 102 housing. Additionally or alternatively, the wings 2006 can include electrical connectors 2008 for charging and/or exchanging information between the keyboard 103 and the IHS100, for example, when the keyboard 103 is attached as part of the accessory backpack system 1900.

Fig. 20B shows a ventilation channel 2010 for cooling the IHS100 at the location of the display 102 to which the wings 2006 are attached when the keyboard 103 is stored under the display 102. Fig. 20C shows, on the keyboard 103 side, a magnet 2009A/B (insertion wing 2006) and a corresponding magnet 2011A/B on the display 102 side. Specifically, the magnets 2009A/B and the magnets 2011A/B may have opposite polarities such that when vertically aligned (Z direction) and sufficiently close, the keypad 103 snaps to rest on the back of the display 102 in this example.

21A-21C illustrate examples of keyboard attachment and alignment systems. In various embodiments, the keyboard attachment and alignment system of fig. 21A-21C may enable the keyboard 103 to be attached to the second display 102 at a predetermined location (on the display surface, or on the back of the display 102), and/or aligned on or off the surface of the display 102 at the predetermined location. Additionally, the display and/or hinge sensor 210 may be configured to determine which of a plurality of magnetic devices is currently engaged such that the current position of the keyboard 103 relative to the IHS100 may be determined and the selected UI provided in response to the position of the keyboard.

In particular, fig. 21A shows an example of an attachable keyboard 103 having magnetic devices 2009A, 2009B, 2009C, and 2009D symmetrically disposed at selected locations along its short sides. Additionally or alternatively, the keyboard 103 may include magnetic devices 2009E and 2009F disposed on the keyboard 103 and beside the long side.

Fig. 21B shows an example of an attachable keyboard 103, where stylus 108 is coupled to stylus slot 2105. In some implementations, the stylus 108 can have a compressible tip that mates with an aperture in the stylus slot 2105 that is configured to mechanically hold the stylus 108 in a position alongside the long side of the keyboard 103. Further, the stylus 108 may include one or more magnetic devices 2100A and 2100B.

Fig. 21C shows an example of the second display 102 configured for an attachable keyboard 103. Specifically, the display 102 includes magnetic devices 2103A, 2103B, 2103D, and 2103E that correspond to the magnetic devices 2009A, 2009B, 2009C, and 2009D on the bottom of the keyboard 103, in a first position beside the short side of the display 102, the magnetic devices 2103A, 2103B, 2103D, and 2103E snap the keyboard 103 into a predetermined position over the display surface of the display 102 such that the hinge 104 can close and sandwich the keyboard 103 between the displays 101 and 102.

Additionally or alternatively, display 102 may include magnetic devices 2103C and 2103F. In combination, the magnetic devices 2103B, 2103C, 2103E and 2103F corresponding to the magnetic devices 2009A, 2009B, 2009C and 2009D of the keyboard 103 snap the keyboard 103 in place on the display surface of the display 102, in a second position beside the short side of the display 102, which is capable of presenting a first UI106 (e.g. a band-shaped area) and/or a second UI107 (e.g. a touchpad).

Additionally or alternatively, the display 102 may include magnetic devices 2102A and 2102B corresponding to the magnetic devices 2009E and 2009F in the keyboard 103 and/or the magnetic devices 2100A and 2100B in the stylus 108. In some cases, the magnetic devices 2102A and 2102B may be configured to snap the keyboard 103 to the long side of the display 102, beyond its display surface. Additionally or alternatively, the display 102 may include magnetic devices 2104A, 2104B, 2104C, and 2104D corresponding to the magnetic devices 2009A, 2009B, 2009C, and 2009D of the keyboard 103, and such that the keyboard 103 is snapped to the back of the display 102 for use, for example, as part of an accessory backpack system 1900 (fig. 19).

In some cases, hinge 104 may also include stylus slot 2106. As shown, magnetic devices 2100A and 2101B, corresponding to magnetic devices 2009E and 2009F and/or stylus 108 in keyboard 103. In this way, the magnetic devices 2101A and 2101B may be configured to hold the keyboard 103 and/or stylus 108 in place while the keyboard 103 is sandwiched between the displays 101 and 102.

Fig. 22A-22C illustrate an IHS100 having a two-axis hinge 104 and an attachable keyboard 103 in various configurations 2200A-2200C. In fig. 22A, configuration 2200A has a first display 101 and a second display 102 whose display surfaces are closed about a two-axis hinge 104 opposite each other. The two-axis hinge 104 is shown in a dual barrel embodiment, having a first axis 2201 and a second axis 2202.

The first axis 2201 is eccentric with respect to the width of the first display 101 such that the first axis 2201 is closer to the rear surface of the first display 101 than to the display surface thereof. Similarly, the second axis 2202 is off-center with respect to the width of the second display 102 such that the second axis 2202 is closer to the back surface of the second display 102 than its display surface. Further, the dual-axis hinge 104 may be a symmetric hinge configured to cause symmetric displacement of the displays 101/102 about their respective axes 2201/2202 in response to a rotational action by a user.

When not in motion, IHS100 sits horizontally on leg 2203, leg 2203 being extruded from the rear of display 102 and axis 2202 of dual-axis hinge 104. In fig. 22B, configuration 2200B shows the first display 101 opening at an obtuse angle relative to the second display 102. The displays 101 and 102 are able to maintain a constant level or height between the leg 2203 and the axis 2202 of the hinge 104 when moved apart from each other.

In configuration 2200C of fig. 22C, the keyboard 103 is attached to the back of the second display 102 and placed on the display surface of the first display 101, wherein the display 101 touches the display 102 at the foot 2203. Because the first and second axes 2101 and 2201 are off-center with respect to the displays 101 and 102, when the displays 101 and 102 are rotated 360 ° with respect to each other, the hinge 104 creates a ridge between them that accommodates the back (or top) of the keypad 103 and mimics the slope of the keypad between the displays 101 and 102. In various embodiments, mechanical pressure holding the keypad 103 in place between the displays 101 and 102 may be resisted by the housing 2005; this makes the front (key) and back surfaces of the keyboard 103 flat with respect to the surfaces of the displays 101 and 102.

Fig. 23A shows deformed groove 2300A on one side of dual-axis hinge 104 coupled to first display 101, and fig. 23B shows deformed groove 2300B on the opposite side of dual-axis hinge 104 coupled to second display 102. Fig. 23C and 23D illustrate a cable 2301 configured to couple electronic components within the display 101, the display 102, and/or the hinge 104, respectively, in the configurations of fig. 23A and 23B. In some embodiments, cable 2301 may be a coaxial cable or the like that allows deformation, folding, or bending within slot or cavity 2300A (in hinge 104), 2300B (in display 101), slot or cavity 2300C (in hinge 104), and 2300D (in display 102) when hinge 104 is actuated.

Fig. 24A shows an example of a binocular hinge 2401 in a configuration 2400A in which the display surfaces of displays 101 and 102 are directly opposite to each other. Fig. 24B shows hinge 2401 in configuration 2400B, rotated 360 ° relative to configuration 2400A so that the back sides of displays 101 and 102 are now directly opposite each other.

Fig. 25A shows an example of a misaligned hinge 2501 in configuration 2500A, where the display surfaces of displays 101 and 102 are opposite to each other. In this configuration, the misaligned hinge 2501 is "U" shaped with its inside connected to the displays 101 and 102. Fig. 25B shows misaligned hinge 2501 in configuration 2500B, rotated 360 ° relative to configuration 2500A so that the back sides of displays 101 and 102 are now facing each other, forming a keyboard storage space between displays 101 and 102. In configuration 2500B, the outer sides of unaligned hinge 2501 are coupled to displays 101 and 102.

Fig. 26A shows an example of a two-part hinge 2603 in configuration 2600A where the display surfaces of displays 101 and 102 are opposite each other. In this case, the two-part hinge 2603 has a first part 2601 connected to the first display 101 and a second part 2602 connected to the second display 102. FIG. 26B shows two-part hinge 2601 in configuration 2600B, rotated 360 ° relative to configuration 2600A so that the back portions of displays 101 and 102 are now directly opposite each other, forming a keyboard storage space between displays 101 and 102. In this case, when the two-part hinge 2603 is actuated, the first part 2601 slides and/or rotates around the second part 2602 of the two-part hinge 2603.

Fig. 27A shows an example of a stretch hinge 2704 in configuration 2700A, where the display surfaces of displays 101 and 102 are opposite to each other. In this case, the stretch hinge 2704 has a stretchable and/or elastic ring 2703 that surrounds a first rod or pin 2701 coupled to the first display 101 and a second rod or pin 2702 coupled to the second display 102. Fig. 27B shows the stretch hinge 2704 in configuration 2700B, rotated 360 ° relative to configuration 2700A so that the back sides of displays 101 and 102 now abut each other, forming a keyboard storage space between displays 101 and 102. In this case, the stretchable and/or elastic ring 2703 is expanded to accommodate the keypad 103 between the first and second displays 101 and 102. The retractable and/or elastic ring 2703 returns to its original state, for example, when the keyboard 103 is removed.

It should be understood that the various operations described herein may be implemented in software for execution by logic or processing circuits, hardware, or a combination thereof. The order in which each of the operations of a given method are performed can be varied, and various operations can be added, reordered, combined, omitted, modified, etc. The invention described herein is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations. The foregoing description is, therefore, to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

Although the invention is described herein with reference to specific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that are described herein with regard to specific embodiments are not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all the claims.

Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements. The terms "coupled" or "operably coupled" are defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more, unless otherwise specified. The terms "comprises" (and any form of comprising), "having" (and any form of having), "including" (and any form of including) are forms of inclusion, and "comprising" (and any form of containing) are open-ended linking verbs. Thus, a system, apparatus or device that "comprises," "has," "contains" or "contains" one or more components possesses those one or more components, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more components. Similarly, a method or process that "comprises," "has," "includes" or "contains" one or more operations possesses those one or more operations, but is not limited to possessing only those one or more operations.