Personal portable communication devices with deployable display systems for three dimensional visual representations and/or privacy and methods of use

Abstract

A personal portable communication device includes a deployable display system movable from a stored position to an extended position for use in three-dimensional representations of display data and/or privacy in viewing display data.

1 . A personal portable communication device comprising
 a housing;   a processor carried by said housing providing display signals relating to visual representation of display data;   an input system carried by said housing providing communication signals to said processor; and   a display system carried by said housing and receiving said display signals, said display system being formed of a plurality of display panels including an inner panel and an outer panel hingedly connected with said inner panel, said inner and outer panels having a stored position where said outer panel is adjacent said inner panel and a deployed position where said outer panel is in a position non-planar with said inner panel and extends from said inner panel at an angle less than 180°, each of said inner and outer panels having a plurality of pixels and said display signals including digital data supplied to said panels in said deployed position to form a single visual representation of display incorporating said inner panel pixels and said outer panel pixels.   
   
   
       2 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said processor provides first and second sets of display signals to said display system to produce three-dimensional display data. 
   
   
       3 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said display system includes a second inner panel including a plurality of pixels, said second inner panel has first and second spaced lateral edges, said first outer panel being hingedly connected with said first lateral edge, said first inner panel being hingedly connected with second lateral edge. 
   
   
       4 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said inner panel and said outer panel form a left display screen and further comprising a right display screen formed of a plurality of display panels including a right inner panel and a right outer panel hingedly connected with said right inner panel, said right inner and outer panels having a stored position where said right outer panel is adjacent said right inner panel and a deployed position where said right outer panel is in a position non-planar with said right inner panel and extends from said right inner panel at an angle less than 180°, each of said right inner and right outer panels having a plurality of pixels and said display signals including digital data supplied to said right inner and outer panels in said deployed position to form a single visual representation of display incorporating said right inner panel pixels and said right outer panel pixels. 
   
   
       5 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 4  wherein said left screen display panels and said right screen display panels each have arcuate portions in said deployed positions. 
   
   
       6 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 5  wherein said left processor provides first display signals to said left screen display panels and second display signals to said right display panels. 
   
   
       7 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 5  wherein said arcuate portion of said left and right screens provide different visual displays. 
   
   
       8 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 1  wherein said inner and outer panels carry segments movable to extended positions to increase the heights of said inner and outer panels. 
   
   
       9 . A method for presenting a three-dimensional visual representation of display data on a personal portable communication device comprising the steps of
 providing a personal portable communication device having a housing carrying a display system movable from a stored position to a deployed position to form a left screen extending laterally beyond a left edge of the housing and a right screen extending laterally beyond a right edge of the housing;   utilizing first and second cameras to obtain electronic image signals of display data from first and second perspectives, respectively; and   supplying the electronic image signals to the display system of the personal portable communication device such that the electronic image signals from the first camera are used to depict the display data on the left screen and the electronic image signals from the second camera are used to depict the display data on the right screen whereby visualizing the display data on the left and right screens simultaneously produces a three-dimensional image of the display data.   
   
   
       10 . A method for presenting a three-dimensional visual representation of display data on a personal portable communication device comprising the steps of
 providing a personal portable communication device having a housing carrying a display system movable from a stored position to a deployed position to form a left screen extending laterally beyond a left edge of the housing and a right screen extending laterally beyond a right edge of the housing;   utilizing camera means to obtain electronic image signals of display data in odd and even fields; and   supplying the electronic image signals to the display system of the personal portable communication device such that the odd fields are used to depict the display data on the left screen and the even fields are used to depict the display data on the right screen whereby visualizing the display data on the left and right screens simultaneously produces a three-dimensional image of the display data.   
   
   
       11 . A method for presenting a three-dimensional visual representation of display data on a personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 10  wherein said supplying step includes interpolating alternative lines of the odd and even fields. 
   
   
       12 . A method for presenting a three-dimensional visual representation of display data on a personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 11  wherein said interpolating step includes arranging voltage values of lines directly above and below the interpolated line. 
   
   
       13 . A personal portable communication device for providing separate visual representations of display data comprising
 a housing having left and right lateral edges on opposing sides;   a display system carried by said housing having a deployed position and including a left screen extending laterally from said left edge away from said housing in said deployed position and a second screen extending laterally from said right edge away from said housing in said deployed position;   a processor carried by said housing providing display signals to said display system relating to visual representation of display data, said display signals including a first set of display signals supplied to said first screen and a second set of display signals supplied to said second screen, said first and second sets of display signals creating substantially the same image on each of said first and second screens;   said first screen having a shape to form a substantially arcuate portion with a center of curvature at the left eye of a user of the personal portable communication device and said second screen having a shape to form a substantially arcuate portion with a center of curvature at the right eye of the user whereby the view of the user's left eye is substantially the display data on said first screen and the view of the user's right eye is substantially the display data on said second screen.   
   
   
       14 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 13  wherein said display system has a retracted position adjacent said housing and said first and second screens are movable to be disposed adjacent said housing when said display system is in said retracted position. 
   
   
       15 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 14  wherein said first and second screens each include a plurality of hingedly connected display panels. 
   
   
       16 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 15  wherein said first and second screens each include flexible members capable of being contracted when said display system is in said retracted position and extended when said display system is in said deployed position. 
   
   
       17 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 16  wherein said flexible members can be furled and unfurled. 
   
   
       18 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 13  wherein said first and second sets of display signals correspond to first and second different views, respectively, of display data thereby creating a three-dimensional visual representation. 
   
   
       19 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 13  wherein said first and second sets of display signals represent odd and even fields supplied to said first and second screens. 
   
   
       20 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 13  wherein said display system is detachable from said housing. 
   
   
       21 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 20  wherein said display signals are provided to said display system in a wireless manner. 
   
   
       22 . A personal portable communication device comprising
 a housing having left and right edges on opposing sides thereof;   a display system carried by said housing including a first screen extending laterally from said left edge of said housing away from said housing and having a privacy portion extending toward the user and a second screen extending laterally from said right edge of said housing away from said housing and having a privacy portion extending toward the user; and   a processor carried by said housing supplying signals to said display system to provide a visual representation of display data, said privacy portions of said first and second screens allowing full viewing of said display data to the user and providing privacy by limiting viewing of said display data by viewers on either side of the personal portable communication device.   
   
   
       23 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 22  wherein said display system has a deployed position with said first screen extending laterally from said left edge of said housing and said second screen extending laterally from said right edge of said housing and wherein said display system has a retracted position with said first and second screens folded to be adjacent said housing. 
   
   
       24 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 23  and further comprising an input system carried by said housing providing communication signals to said processor. 
   
   
       25 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 24  wherein said input system includes a plurality of touch-responsive switches. 
   
   
       26 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 24  wherein said input system includes a voice-recognition circuit. 
   
   
       27 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 24  wherein said input system includes camera means. 
   
   
       28 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 23  wherein said first and second screens are each formed of a plurality of hingedly connected display panels. 
   
   
       29 . A personal portable communication device as recited in  claim 28  wherein said display panels have a dimension along said hinged connections and said display panels are each formed of a base portion and a portion extendible from said base portion to extend the height of said first and second screens along said dimension.