Foldable electronic device with modular components

Abstract

A foldable electronic device with modular components is provided. An electronic device may include a first modular component and a second modular component removably coupled to each other along a hinge axis. The first component may include a display and may be configured to operate as a stand-alone electronic device when disengaged from the second component. The display may be movable between a first orientation facing the second component and a second orientation facing away from the second component. The second component may have one or more input-output devices and / or other components that are not present in the first component to enhance functionality of the first component. For example, the second component focusing on photography may include a visible light camera aligned with an interchangeable lens. A second component focused outdoors may include a weather resistant housing receiving the first component and having a replaceable battery and global positioning system receiver circuitry.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 740,368, filed June 11, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to electronic devices, and more specifically to foldable electronic devices. Background Technology

[0003] Electronic devices contain components such as displays and cameras. Integrating common components into a single electronic device without making it too bulky or cumbersome to use can be challenging. Conventional electronic devices often sacrifice portability to accommodate more components. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The electronic device may include a first modular component and a second modular component, which are capable of operating independently of and separately from each other in one mode, while also being configured to be physically coupled to each other and operate together as a single electronic device in another mode.

[0005] The electronic device may include a first modular component and a second modular component that are removably coupled to each other along a hinge axis. The first component may include a display and an antenna configured for cellular telephone communication. The second component may be one of a plurality of interchangeable second components that, when attached to the first component, serve different functions.

[0006] The first and second components can rotate relative to each other about one or more axes. The first component can be coupled to the second component in a first orientation and a second orientation, in which the display of the first component faces away from the second component and in the second orientation, the display of the first component faces the second component. The display of the first component can be used as a viewfinder for a camera in the second component. By allowing the first component to rotate and flip relative to the second component, the angle between the display and the camera can be adjusted, and a universal shooting posture can be achieved.

[0007] The second component may have one or more input-output devices and / or other items not present in the first component to enhance the functionality of the first component. For example, a second component focused on photography may include a visible light camera aligned with interchangeable lenses. A second component focused on outdoor use may include a weather-resistant housing that houses the first component and has replaceable batteries and location tracking circuitry (e.g., GPS receiver circuitry, IPS circuitry, and / or any other suitable telematics circuitry). A component focused on audio may have a loudspeaker. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electronic device having a first modular component and a second modular component according to some implementation schemes.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device having a first modular component and a second modular component in a folded configuration according to some embodiments, wherein the display of the first component is opposite to the second component.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device in a folded configuration according to some embodiments, having a first modular component and a second modular component, wherein the display of the first component faces the second component.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a top view of an exemplary first component of an electronic device according to some embodiments, the electronic device being configured to operate as an independent electronic device when detached from a second component.

[0012] Figure 5 and Figure 6 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device having a first modular component and a second modular component according to some embodiments, the first modular component and the second modular component allowing adjustment of the angle between a display in the first component and a camera in the second component.

[0013] Figure 7 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device having a first component with a display and a second component with a speaker for focusing on audio, according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figure 8 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device according to some embodiments, having a first component with a display and a second component with hardware focused on computing, the hardware allowing the electronic device to be coupled to an external display while also serving as an input device for the external display.

[0015] Figure 9 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device according to some embodiments, having a first component with a display, a second component with a weather-resistant housing focused on the outdoors, and other components for outdoor use.

[0016] Figure 10 It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device according to some embodiments, having a first component with a display, a second component with interchangeable lenses for focusing on photography, and other components for photography.

[0017] Figure 11It is a perspective view of an exemplary electronic device according to some embodiments, having a first component with a first display and a second component with a second display, the first component and the second component being operable together with or independently of the first display.

[0018] Figure 12 This is a side view of an exemplary electronic device having a modular first component and a modular second component according to some embodiments, the modular first component and the modular second component being rotatable relative to each other about a first axis and rotatable relative to a support member about a second axis. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Electronic devices may include one or more modular and interchangeable components. For example, an electronic device may include a first modular component and a second modular component that are removably coupled to each other. When disconnected, the first and second components may be configured to operate independently of each other as separate electronic devices. When coupled together, the first and second components may be configured to operate in a joint operation mode in which input-output devices and other resources are shared between the two components. The first component may include a touch-sensitive display and may be configured to cooperate and operate jointly with multiple different types of interchangeable second components with different functions. For example, the second component may be a module focused on photography, a module focused on outdoor scenes, a module focused on audio, and / or any other suitable module having input-output components and other circuitry that complements or otherwise enhances the input-output components and circuitry of the first component.

[0020] The first and second components can be coupled to each other using one or more attachment structures, such as hinges, clamps, magnets, mating joints, and / or other attachment structures. In an exemplary arrangement, the first and second components can be coupled to each other via a hinge that allows the first and second components to rotate relative to each other about a hinge axis. If desired, the first component can be configured to rotate about one or more additional axes to allow a display in the first component to face or turn away from the second component.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electronic device that may include one or more modular components. Figure 1 The electronic device 10 may include a first component such as electronic device 10A and a second component such as electronic device 10B.

[0022] like Figure 1As shown, electronic device 10A (sometimes referred to as the first component or first device) may include control circuitry 20A, and electronic device 10B (sometimes referred to as the second component or second device) may include control circuitry 20B. Control circuitry 20A and control circuitry 20B may include storage devices and processing circuitry for supporting the operation of device 10. The storage and processing circuitry may include storage devices such as non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically programmable read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random access memory), etc. The processing circuitry in control circuitry 20A and control circuitry 20B can be used to acquire input from sensors and other input devices, and can be used to control output devices. The processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors and other wireless communication circuits, power management units, audio chips, application-specific integrated circuits, etc. During operation, control circuitry 20A may use display 14A and other output devices to provide visual output and other outputs to the user. If needed, control circuitry 20B may use display 14B and other output devices to provide visual output and other outputs to the user. This is merely illustrative. If necessary, component 10B of device 10 may not include a display.

[0023] To support communication between device 10 and external equipment, control circuit 20A can communicate using communication circuit 22A, and control circuit 20B can communicate using communication circuit 22B. Circuits 22A and 22B may include antennas, radio frequency transceiver circuits, and other wireless communication circuits and / or wired communication circuits. Circuits 22A and 22B (which may sometimes be referred to as control circuits and / or control and communication circuits) can support bidirectional wireless communication between device 10 and external equipment (e.g., companion devices such as computers, cellular phones, or other electronic devices, accessories such as pointing devices, computer styluses, or other input devices, speakers, or other output devices, etc.) via a wireless link. For example, circuits 22A and 22B may include radio frequency transceiver circuits, such as WLAN transceiver circuits configured to support communication via a wireless LAN link, near-field communication transceiver circuits configured to support communication via a near-field communication link, cellular phone transceiver circuits configured to support communication via a cellular phone link, or transceiver circuits configured to support communication via any other suitable wired or wireless communication link. For example, it may be via… link, The link, a wireless link operating at frequencies between 10 GHz and 400 GHz, a 60 GHz link or other millimeter-wave link, a cellular phone link, or other wireless communication link supports wireless communication. Device 10 may (if desired) include power circuitry for transmitting and / or receiving wired and / or wireless power, and may include a battery or other energy storage device. For example, device 10 may include coils and rectifiers to receive wireless power supplied to the circuitry in device 10.

[0024] Circuits 22A and 22B can be connected via wireless link 26 (e.g., wireless LAN link, near-field communication link, or other suitable wired or wireless communication link). link, Links, 60GHz links or other millimeter-wave links, etc., are used to support bidirectional wireless communication between device 10A and device 10B.

[0025] Devices 10A and 10B may include circuitry for transmitting and / or receiving wired and / or wireless power. For example, wired power may be transferred between devices 10A and 10B via a charging port, and / or wireless power may be transferred between devices 10A and 10B via capacitively coupled contacts and / or inductive charging coils. In a configuration supporting wireless power transfer between devices 10A and 10B, contacts (e.g., metal pads) may be capacitively coupled to each other (without forming ohmic contacts) to allow power transfer, and / or inductive power transfer coils may be used to support in-band wireless communication. Inductive power transfer techniques may be used (e.g., wireless power may be transmitted using one or more wireless power transmitting coils in device 10B, and the transmitted wireless power signal may be received in power receiving circuitry in devices 10A and / or 10B using power receiving coils). The rectifiers in Device 10A and / or Device 10B can be used to convert the received AC wireless power signal from Device 10A and / or Device 10B into DC power for charging the battery and / or powering circuitry in Device 10A and / or Device 10B. In a configuration where the power receiving circuitry in Device 10A and / or Device 10B receives power via a wired connection (e.g., using terminals), the power receiving circuitry in Device 10A and / or Device 10B can provide the received power to the battery and / or other circuitry in Device 10A and / or Device 10B.

[0026] Device 10A may include input-output devices such as device 24A, and device 10B may include input-output devices such as device 24B. Input-output devices 24A and 24B can be used to acquire user input, to acquire information about the user's surrounding environment, and / or to provide output to the user. Devices 24A and 24B may each include one or more displays, such as displays 14A and 14B. Displays 14A and 14B may include one or more display devices, such as organic light-emitting diode display panels (panels with organic light-emitting diode pixels formed on polymer or silicon substrates containing pixel control circuitry), liquid crystal display panels, microelectromechanical systems displays (e.g., two-dimensional mirror arrays or scanning mirror display devices), display panels having pixel arrays formed from crystalline semiconductor light-emitting diode dies (sometimes referred to as microLEDs), and / or other display devices. If desired, component 10B may be displayless, and display 14B may be omitted.

[0027] Sensors 16A in input-output device 24A and 16B in input-output device 24B may include force sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistive force sensors, etc.), audio sensors (such as microphones), touch and / or proximity sensors (such as capacitive sensors, such as touch sensors forming buttons, touchpads or other input devices), and other sensors. If desired, sensors 16A and 16B may include optical sensors (such as optical sensors that emit and detect light), ultrasonic sensors, optical touch sensors, optical proximity sensors and / or other touch and / or proximity sensors, monochrome and color ambient light sensors, image sensors, fingerprint sensors, iris scanning sensors, retinal scanning sensors and other biometric sensors, temperature sensors, sensors for measuring three-dimensional contactless gestures (“air gestures”), pressure sensors, sensors for detecting position, orientation and / or motion (e.g., accelerometers, magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes and / or inertial measurement units containing some or all of these sensors), health sensors such as blood oxygen sensors, heart rate sensors, blood flow sensors and / or other health sensors, radio frequency sensors, depth sensors (e.g., structured light sensors and / or depth sensors based on stereo imaging devices that capture three-dimensional images), optical sensors such as self-mixing sensors and light detection and ranging (laser) sensors that acquire time-of-flight measurements, humidity sensors, moisture sensors, gaze tracking sensors, electromyography sensors that sense muscle activation, facial sensors and / or other sensors. In some arrangements, device 10 may use sensor 16 and / or other input-output devices to acquire user input. For example, a button may be used to acquire button press input, a touch sensor overlapping the display may be used to acquire user touchscreen input, a touchpad may be used to acquire touch input, a microphone may be used to acquire audio input, an accelerometer may be used to monitor when a finger touches the input surface and thus may be used to acquire finger press input, etc.

[0028] If desired, electronic device 10 may include additional components (see, for example, other devices 18A in input-output device 24A and other devices 18B in input-output device 24B). Additional components may include tactile output devices, actuators for moving the movable housing structure, audio output devices such as speakers, light-emitting diodes for status indicators, light sources such as light-emitting diodes for illuminating portions of the housing and / or display structure, other optical output devices, and / or other circuitry for acquiring input and / or providing output. Device 10 may also include a battery or other energy storage device, a connector port for supporting wired communication with auxiliary equipment and for receiving wired power, and other circuitry.

[0029] If needed, the input-output device 24B of device 10B may complement or otherwise enhance the input-output device 24A of device 10A. For example, device 10A may be a cellular phone with an antenna configured for cellular communication and a touch-sensitive display 14A. Device 10A may be slim and highly portable and can be used as a standalone electronic device. To keep device 10A within a compact form factor, some input-output devices may be omitted from device 10A. For example, if needed, a visible light camera may be excluded from device 10A to reduce its thickness. Device 10B may be one of several interchangeable components compatible with device 10A. Different devices 10B may have different input-output components serving different needs. For example, device 10B may be a photography-focused component that includes one or more cameras, one or more interchangeable lenses, haptic camera controls, camera accessory mounts, and / or other photography-specific components. When a user wishes to take photos using device 10, the user can couple the focusing component 10B to component 10A. If needed, the display 14A of device 10A can be used as a viewfinder for the camera of device 10B.

[0030] For example, device 10B may be an outdoor-focused component, including a robust, weather-resistant housing, interchangeable batteries, location tracking circuitry (e.g., GPS receiver circuitry, MAP circuitry, and / or any other suitable telematics circuitry), circuitry for off-grid communication, lights, beacons, sirens, robust accessory mounts, and / or other components that enhance the outdoor use of device 10. In some arrangements, device 10B may be an audio-focused component that enhances the audio capabilities of device 10A. For example, device 10B may include a loudspeaker that is larger and / or more powerful than the speaker of device 10A. The display 14A of device 10A may be used to display information related to the audio being played from the speaker in device 10B. Touch input on display 14A may be used to adjust media playback settings for the audio being played from device 10B. These examples are merely illustrative. In general, component 10B may include any suitable set of input-output devices 24B and may be used to enhance the functionality of device 10A as needed by the user.

[0031] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of an exemplary electronic device 10 of the type shown. Figure 2In an exemplary configuration, device 10 includes a first component 10A (sometimes referred to as a first electronic device) and a second component 10B (sometimes referred to as a second electronic device). Component 10A may include a housing 12A, and component 10B may include a housing 12B. Housing 12A and / or housing 12B, sometimes referred to as a shell, body, or box, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramic, fiber composite material, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), fabric, other suitable materials, or any combination of two or more of these materials. Housing 12A and / or housing 12B may be formed in a one-piece configuration in which a portion or all of housing 12A and / or housing 12B is machined or molded into a single structure, or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures forming the surface of the outer housing, etc.). If desired, one or both of housing 12A and housing 12B may be in a single-piece configuration. Figure 2 A rectangular housing with a rectangular coverage area in the XY plane (e.g., housing 12A and housing 12B may have a square coverage area, and display 14A may have a 1:1 aspect ratio), and / or housing 12A and housing 12B may have any other suitable shape (e.g., circular, elliptical, curved, etc.).

[0032] Components 10A and 10B are coupled together using an attachment structure such as attachment structure 90. In some arrangements, attachment structure 90 may be one that allows component 10A to be coupled relative to component 10B about axis 30 (e.g., parallel to axis 30). Figure 2 The hinge rotates along the Y-axis. If desired, attachment structure 90 may include different and / or additional structures, such as clamps, magnets, screws, adhesives, and / or other attachment structures that allow component 10A to be removably coupled to component 10B.

[0033] In addition to being able to fold device 10A relative to device 10B around folding axis 30, device 10A can also be flippable relative to device 10B. For example, device 10A can be configured to rotate about axis 34 (e.g., in direction 36) to reverse which side of device 10A faces device 10B and which side of device 10A faces away from device 10B. Figure 2 In the example, display 14A faces away from device 10B and is therefore located outside of device 10 (e.g., on the outer surface). The outer casing surface 92 of housing 12A (e.g., an opaque surface) may face device 10B. Device 10A may be deployed from device 10B to adjust the angle between device 10A and device 10B when display 14A faces away from device 10B. Axis 34 may be perpendicular to axis 30 or may have other angles relative to axis 30.

[0034] When a user wishes to protect the display 14A (e.g., during travel and / or when the device 10 is placed in the user's pocket), the user can flip the device 10A so that the display 14A faces the device 10B, while the outer casing surface 92 faces away from the device 10B. This configuration is... Figure 3 As shown in the image.

[0035] like Figure 3 As shown, device 10 can be operated in a foldable configuration, with display 14A hidden inside device 10. When the user removes device 10A from... Figure 2 The display's outward folding configuration flips to Figure 3 When the display is in the inward folding configuration, the display 14A faces the device 10B, and the outer casing surface 92 faces away from the device 10B. The device 10A can be unfolded from the device 10B to adjust the angle between the device 10A and the device 10B when the display 14A faces the device 10B.

[0036] Figure 4 This is a top view of device 10A, illustrating how device 10A can be used as a standalone electronic device when detached from device 10B. A user can provide touch input to display 14A while viewing content 108 on display 14A. Display 14A can be used for cellular phone configuration, internet browsing, using software applications, and / or other tasks. If desired, device 10A may include one or more sensors, such as sensor 94. Sensors in device 10A, such as sensor 94, may include an infrared camera (e.g., a depth-sensing camera), an optical proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, a fingerprint sensor, and / or other sensors (e.g., [missing information]). Figure 1 Sensor 94 (e.g., sensor 16A). For example, sensor 94 could be an infrared camera configured for facial recognition and / or other user authentication operations. If desired, device 10A may not include a visible light camera and / or other circuitry (e.g., other circuitry that may be provided by device 10B when device 10B is coupled to device 10A) to keep housing 12A relatively compact. Display 14A may have, for example, Figure 4 The aspect ratio shown is 1:1, or it may have any other suitable aspect ratio, such as 2:1.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of device 10 in a configuration where device 10A is coupled to device 10B to provide additional functionality to device 10. (Example) Figure 5As shown, device 10A may include display 14A, and device 10B may include a camera such as camera 28. Camera 28 may be a visible light image sensor and / or any other suitable camera. When coupled together, device 10B may be configured to transmit image sensor data captured by camera 28 to device 10A, and device 10A may be configured to transmit camera control signals to device 10B (e.g., via a wired or wireless communication path between device 10A and device 10B). Display 14A may serve as a viewfinder for camera 28 and may be configured to display a live camera feed of images captured by camera 28. For example, display content 96 on display 14A may include a live video feed of images captured by camera 28 and / or may include camera control icons that can be used to adjust settings of camera 28 (e.g., zoom, aspect ratio, color cast, etc.). Because the orientation of device 10A relative to device 10B can be adjusted (e.g., by flipping display 14A toward or away from device 10B and / or by surrounding it relative to device 10B), the device 10A may be configured to be compatible with the device 10B. Figure 2 The axis 30 of the device 10B rotates relative to the device 10A, so the angle A between the camera 28 and the display 14A can be adjusted to any suitable angle (e.g., angle A can be in the range of 0 to 90 degrees, 0 to 180 degrees, 0 to 360 degrees, etc.). This type of freedom of motion allows for a wide range of viewfinder poses to accommodate various object positions. For example, the camera 28 and the display 14A can face the same direction during a video call on the device 10, so that the user can capture the video call with the camera 28 while the user of the device 10 is viewing the video call on the display 14A. When the user wants to capture images of other objects, the user can rotate the device 10B relative to the device 10A so that the camera 28 is facing away from the display 14A, such as... Figure 6 As shown.

[0038] exist Figure 6 In the example, device 10B has been flipped relative to device 10A, so that display 14A faces device 10B. Camera 28 (which is in Figure 6 (Hidden and invisible in the middle) can be faced Figure 6 The positive Y direction, while the display 14A can face Figure 6 The negative Y direction. Device 10B may include one or more input devices for controlling camera 28, such as input device 38 (e.g., a button, touch sensor, or other input device) (e.g., input device 38 may be a shutter button), and / or a user may use an input device in device 10A, such as a touch sensor in display 14A, to control camera 28.

[0039] Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6The orientation of device 10A relative to device 10B shown is merely illustrative. Device 10A can be positioned relative to device 10B in any suitable orientation (e.g., Figure 2 and Figure 3 The type of folding configuration shown Figure 5 and Figure 6 The configurations shown include partially unfolded configurations, right-angle configurations where device 10A is perpendicular to device 10B, and configurations where device 10A and device 10B are separated by angles between 0 and 90 degrees, between 90 and 180 degrees, between 180 and 360 degrees, and between 0 and 360 degrees, etc. The ability to rotate housing 12A relative to housing 12B while simultaneously allowing device 10A to flip relative to device 10B, enabling display 14A to face in any direction relative to device 10B, allows for a wide range of poses and camera orientations utilizing a flexible viewfinder.

[0040] Figure 7 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 Examples of different types of interchangeable components 10B that can be attached to component 10A are shown. Component 10A can be used as, for example... Figure 4 The illustrated standalone electronic device may be coupled to one or more modular components 10B. Component 10B may be one of a plurality of interchangeable components 10B compatible with component 10A. The user may select one of the components 10B to couple to component 10A according to the user's needs.

[0041] exist Figure 7In the example, component 10A is coupled to component 10B, such as an audio-focused component including a speaker (such as speaker 40) and one or more additional electronic components (such as component 102). Speaker 40 may be an amplifier and / or a speaker that is larger and / or more powerful than the speaker of device 10A. For example, device 10A may include a speaker for providing audio during cellular phone calls. When a user wishes to use device 10A as an amplifier (e.g., to play music for people in a room), the user can attach device 10B to device 10A. When coupled together, speaker control signals may be transmitted from device 10A to device 10B (e.g., via a wired or wireless communication path), and audio may be played from speaker 40. Display 14 may display content 98 related to the audio played from speaker 40. The user may use an input device on device 10B (e.g., an input device in component 102) and / or use an input device on device 10A (e.g., a touch sensor in display 14A) to control the audio played from speaker 40. Component 102 may include audio-focused components (such as media playback controls, volume sliders, microphones for receiving voice commands, auxiliary cable and / or other audio cable inputs), memory for storing a song library, and / or other audio-focused components.

[0042] exist Figure 8 In the example, component 10A is coupled to component 10B, such as an input device including input device 42 and one or more additional computing-focused components such as component 60. Component 60 may include additional storage devices and / or additional processing circuitry to enhance the storage and / or processing capabilities of device 10A. For example, component 60 may include additional non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically programmable read-only memory configured to form a solid-state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random access memory), microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors and other wireless communication circuitry, power management units, audio chips, application-specific integrated circuits, etc. The processing capability of component 10B may be equal to or greater than the processing capability of device 10A, allowing device 10 to be used as a full computer in motion.

[0043] If needed, device 10 can be coupled to an external electronic device, such as external electronic device 54, via a wired or wireless communication path, such as communication path 104 (e.g., a cable or other communication path coupled between device 54 and device 10). External electronic device 54 can be a computer monitor with a display (such as display 56). Display 56 can be used as an external display for device 10 (e.g., using additional processing capabilities provided by component 60 of device 10B). A user can use device 10 to control the content on display 56. For example, a user can provide input to external electronic device 54 using one or more input devices on device 10A (e.g., touch sensors in display 14A) and / or one or more input devices on device 10B (e.g., input device 42).

[0044] Input device 42 may be the position of monitoring device 10 on surface 52 (e.g., device 10 on...). Figure 8 The device position monitoring component (position in the XY plane in the example). Input device 42 may be an optical flow sensor having one or more light sources (such as light source 44 illuminating a portion of surface 52 using light 48) and an image sensor or other light sensor (such as light sensor 46 receiving reflected light 50 from surface 52). Based on the detected light and / or captured images, input device 42 may be configured to determine the position of device 10 on surface 52 and / or measure the movement of device 10 relative to surface 52 based on captured images of the illuminated portion of surface 52. In other arrangements, input device 42 may be a mechanical position sensor, such as an coded wheel that tracks the movement of device 10 on surface 52. If desired, device 10A and / or device 10B may include a touchpad that can be used to receive touchpad input for controlling external device 54.

[0045] Due to the presence of input device 42, device 10B can enhance the capabilities of device 10A by allowing device 10 to be used as an input device (e.g., a mouse) for external electronic device 54, while also providing additional computing capabilities from component 60.

[0046] exist Figure 9In the example, component 10A is coupled to component 10B, such as an outdoor-focused component, which includes a rugged housing such as a weather-resistant housing 12B, a replaceable battery such as battery 64, accessory mounts such as accessory mount 62, and one or more additional components 58 specifically designed for outdoor use, sports, fitness activities, etc. Component 58 may include location tracking circuitry (e.g., GPS receiver circuitry, MAP circuitry, and / or any other suitable telematics circuitry), communication circuitry for off-grid communication, one or more lights (e.g., flashlights), beacons, sirens, and / or other components. Accessory mount 62 allows device 10 to be attached to backpacks, hooks, and / or other items. Battery 64 may be a readily replaceable standard battery, allowing the user to replace battery 64 with a new battery when device 10 is used for camping trips, hiking, or other outdoor activities where power may not be available.

[0047] To protect the display 14, the housing 12B may include a first housing portion and a second housing portion, such as housing portion 12B-1 and housing portion 12B-2. Housing portion 12B-1 may include a recess for receiving device 10A, such that the display 14A is recessed within housing portion 12B-1 and protected from damage during a drop event. Housing portion 12B-2 may support component 58, battery 64, and accessory mount 62. If desired, housing 12B-2 may include protective covers for input-output ports and / or other sensitive components to protect them from water damage and / or contamination.

[0048] exist Figure 10 In the example, component 10A is coupled to component 10B, such as a photography-focused component, which includes one or more cameras 28, one or more interchangeable lenses 106, one or more camera control input devices 70, one or more camera accessory mounting holes (such as mounting holes 72) (e.g., mounting holes with industry-standard spacing to enable communication with common photography accessories such as hot shoe mounts), and one or more additional photography components (such as component 74). Photography component 74 may include a memory card slot for receiving a memory card, an input-output port for receiving cables typically used for photography, and / or other photography-specific components. Input device 70 may be a touch sensor, a button, or other input device that allows the user to control camera 28 and / or control other operations of device 10B and / or device 10A.

[0049] If desired, device 10B may include a display, such as display 14B. Display 14B may serve as a complementary display to display 14A of device 10A. For example, display 14B may serve as a viewfinder displaying a live video feed or image preview of images captured by camera 28 and / or displaying camera controls such as camera control 68. Display 14A may be used to display content 66, such as camera settings (e.g., F-stop aperture setting, shutter speed setting, International Organization for Standardization (ISO) settings, etc.). This is merely illustrative. If desired, display 14A may serve as a viewfinder displaying a live video feed or image preview of images captured by camera 28, while display 14B may be used to display camera settings and / or camera controls. The ability to adjust the orientation of device 10A relative to device 10B (and thereby adjust the orientation of display 14A relative to camera 28) allows for versatile shooting postures, such as when combined with… Figure 5 and Figure 6 As discussed herein, if desired, displays 14A and 14B may be a single flexible (e.g., foldable) display spanning hinge 30. Arrangements in which displays 14A and 14B are separate displays are sometimes described herein as illustrative examples.

[0050] exist Figure 11 In the example, component 10A is coupled to component 10B, which includes an auxiliary display such as display 14B and one or more additional complementary components such as component 76. Display 14A can be used to display content 78, and display 14B can be used to display content 80. Display 14B can be an extension of display 14A, can be used as an auxiliary display for display 14A, can mirror display 14A, can be used for multitasking by performing tasks different from and / or additional to display 14A, can be used to display applications or content related to the content of display 14A, and / or can be used in combination with and / or independently of display 14A in other ways.

[0051] Display content 78 may be the same as or different from display content 80. For example, display 14B may be a touch-sensitive display, and display content 78 may include a keyboard or other keys for receiving touch input for controlling content 78 on display 14A. If desired, display 14A and display 14B may be a single flexible (e.g., foldable) display spanning hinge 30. Arrangements in which display 14A and display 14B are separate displays are sometimes described herein as illustrative examples.

[0052] exist Figure 12In the example, component 10A is coupled to component 10B that enables one or more three-fold postures. Housing 12B may include a first housing portion and a second housing portion, such as housing portion 12B-1 and housing portion 12B-2, that rotate relative to each other about a hinge axis 88. Housing 12A of device 10A is rotatable relative to housing portion 12B-1 about a hinge axis 30. Using this type of configuration, device 10 can be configured to fold along both hinge axis 30 and hinge axis 88 to allow, for example... Figure 12 The additional posture shown. Housing 12B-2 can rest on surface 84, while housing 12B-1 is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to housing 12B-2, and simultaneously housing 12A is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to housing 12B-1. This allows a viewer, such as viewer 82, to view the display 14A on device 10A, while housing 12B-2 acts as a support to hold the display 14A at a desired viewing angle.

[0053] According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first component and a second component, the first component including a touch-sensitive display for receiving touch input, and the second component including a camera controlled by the touch input, wherein the first component and the second component are operable in a first mode in which the first component and the second component are coupled together along an axis about which the first component rotates relative to the second component, and the first component and the second component are operable in a second mode in which the first component and the second component are disengaged from each other when the display shows content.

[0054] According to another embodiment, the angle between the first direction the camera faces and the second direction the display faces is optionally adjustable.

[0055] According to another embodiment, the first component is optionally operable in a first orientation in which the display faces the second component and in a second orientation in which the display faces away from the second component.

[0056] According to another embodiment, the second component optionally includes an interchangeable lens aligned with the camera.

[0057] According to another implementation, the display optionally has a 1:1 aspect ratio.

[0058] According to another embodiment, the second component optionally includes an input device configured to control the camera.

[0059] According to another embodiment, the first component optionally does not include a visible light camera, and the second component does not include a display.

[0060] According to another embodiment, the first component is optionally configured to rotate about an additional axis relative to the second component.

[0061] According to another implementation, the axis is optionally perpendicular to the additional axis.

[0062] According to another embodiment, the first component optionally includes a wireless communication circuit configured for cellular communication.

[0063] According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first component having a display; an interchangeable second component removably coupled to the first component, wherein the display is configured to display content when the first component is disengaged from the interchangeable second component; and a hinge coupled between the first component and the interchangeable second component, the hinge allowing the first component to rotate relative to the interchangeable second component about a first axis, wherein the first component is configured to rotate relative to the interchangeable second component about a second axis between a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein in the first orientation the display faces away from the interchangeable second component and in the second orientation the display faces the interchangeable second component.

[0064] According to another implementation, the first axis and the second axis are optionally perpendicular.

[0065] According to another embodiment, the second interchangeable component optionally has at least one input-output device that is not present in the first device and is selected from the group consisting of a visible light camera, a loudspeaker, and an optical flow sensor.

[0066] According to another embodiment, the second interchangeable component optionally includes a camera and an interchangeable lens aligned with the camera.

[0067] According to another embodiment, the second interchangeable component optionally includes a replaceable battery.

[0068] According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a first component having a display; and a second component removably coupled to the first component along an axis, wherein the second component has at least one item not present in the first device and selected from the group consisting of: a visible light camera, an interchangeable lens, a loudspeaker, an accessory mount, an optical flow sensor, and a replaceable battery.

[0069] According to another embodiment, the second component optionally includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion that rotate relative to each other about an additional axis.

[0070] According to another embodiment, the second component optionally includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion joined along a hinge axis, wherein the first component is optionally received within the first housing portion.

[0071] According to another implementation, the second component optionally includes additional items selected from the group consisting of: GPS receiver circuitry, an alarm, a flashlight, and a beacon.

[0072] According to another embodiment, the optical flow sensor is optionally configured to track the position of an electronic device on a surface, and wherein an external display is optionally controlled based on the position of the electronic device on the surface.

[0073] The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described implementation scheme. The foregoing implementation scheme can be implemented individually or in any combination.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: A first component, the first component including a touch-sensitive display for receiving touch input; and The second component includes a camera controlled by the touch input, wherein: The first component and the second component are operable in a first mode, in which the first component and the second component are coupled together along an axis about which the first component rotates relative to the second component; and The first component and the second component are capable of operating in a second mode, in which the first component and the second component are disengaged from each other when the display shows content.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the angle between the first direction in which the camera faces and the second direction in which the display faces is adjustable.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first component is operable in a first orientation in which the display faces the second component and in a second orientation in which the display faces away from the second component.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second component includes an interchangeable lens aligned with the camera.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display has a 1:1 aspect ratio.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second component includes an input device configured to control the camera.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first component does not include a visible light camera, and the second component does not include a display.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first component is configured to rotate about an additional axis relative to the second component.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the axis is perpendicular to the additional axis.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first component includes a wireless communication circuit configured for cellular communication.

11. An electronic device, comprising: A first component, the first component having a display; An interchangeable second component is provided, which can be removably coupled to the first component, wherein the display is configured to display content when the first component is detached from the interchangeable second component; and A hinge coupled between the first component and the interchangeable second component, the hinge allowing the first component to rotate about a first axis relative to the interchangeable second component, wherein the first component is configured to rotate about a second axis relative to the interchangeable second component between a first orientation and a second orientation, in the first orientation in which the display faces away from the interchangeable second component, and in the second orientation in which the display faces the interchangeable second component.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second interchangeable component has at least one input-output device, the at least one input-output device not present in the first device and selected from the group consisting of: a visible light camera, a loudspeaker, and an optical flow sensor.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second interchangeable component comprises a camera and an interchangeable lens aligned with the camera.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the second interchangeable component comprises a replaceable battery.

16. An electronic device comprising: A first component, the first component having a display; and A second component is removably coupled to the first component along an axis, wherein the second component has at least one item not present in the first device and selected from the group consisting of: a visible light camera, an interchangeable lens, a loudspeaker, an accessory mount, an optical flow sensor, and a replaceable battery.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the second component comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion that rotate relative to each other about an additional axis.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the second component comprises a first housing portion and a second housing portion joined along a hinge axis, and wherein the first component is received within the first housing portion.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the second component comprises additional items selected from the group consisting of: GPS receiver circuitry, an alarm, a flashlight, and a beacon.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the optical flow sensor is configured to track the position of the electronic device on a surface, and wherein an external display is controlled based on the position of the electronic device on the surface.

Images