Shape changing device housing
AssigneeIntel IP Corporation
InventorThorsten Clevorn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic device housing may transition from a first physical configuration to one or more second physical configurations responsive to receiving one or more notifications. Each of the second physical configurations may be logically associated with a respective one of the one or more notifications. A physical configuration controller may receive one or more notifications and select a second physical configuration logically associated with each of the one or more notifications. The physical configuration controller may generate one or more outputs that cause the physical displacement of one or more actuateable devices to transition the electronic device housing from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration.
Claims23
A physically transformable housing for an electronic device, comprising:
- a housing including an exterior surface having a first physical configuration that facilitates a use of the electronic device by a user;
- a number of actuateable elements operably coupled to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the housing;
- a circuit disposed in the housing, the circuit communicably coupled to each of the number of actuateable elements;
- and
- a storage device communicably coupled to the circuit, the storage device including at least one of data or machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the circuit cause the circuit to provide a physical configuration controller, the physical configuration controller to:
- receive a notification that includes data indicative of an event, the notification in response to a failure to receive, at the electronic device, an input acknowledging an occurrence of the event;
- determine a second physical configuration of the housing logically associated with the event;
- and
- generate an output for at least one of the number of actuateable elements, the output to cause the displacement of the at least one actuateable element and transition the housing from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration.
A physical configuration controller to transition a housing for a portable electronic device from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, the physical configuration controller comprising:
- a circuit;
- and
- a communicably coupled storage device, the storage device including at least one of data or machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the circuit cause the circuit to provide a physical configuration controller, the physical configuration controller to:
- receive a notification that includes data indicative of an event, the notification in response to a failure to receive, at the electronic device, an input acknowledging an occurrence of the event;
- determine a second physical configuration of the housing logically associated with the event;
- and
- generate an output for at least one of a number of actuateable elements, the output to cause the displacement of the at least one actuateable element and transition the housing from the first physical configuration to the second physical configuration.
A method of transitioning a housing for an electronic device from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, comprising:
- executing, by a circuit, a set of machine-readable instructions stored on a communicably coupled storage device, the machine-readable instructions, when executed, causing the circuit to provide at least a physical configuration controller;
- receiving, by a physical configuration controller, a notification that includes data indicative of an event, the notification in response to a failure to receive, at the electronic device, an input acknowledging an occurrence of the event;
- determining, by the physical configuration controller, a second physical configuration of the housing logically associated with the event;
- and
- generating, by the physical configuration controller, an output for at least one of the number of actuateable elements.
A physically convertible portable cellular communication device, comprising:
- a housing having an external surface;
- a transceiver at least partially disposed in the housing;
- and
- an actuateable element integral with or coupled to the housing;
- wherein:
- a shape of at least a portion of the external surface of the housing is reversibly transformable between a first physical configuration and a second physical configuration;
- and
- in response to receipt of at least one signal, the transceiver is configured to cause the actuateable element to cause said portion of said external surface of the housing to transition from said first physical configuration to said second physical configuration, said second physical configuration being logically associated with said at least one signal received by said transceiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.