Portable electronic device

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to portable electronic devices, and particularly to a portable electronic device having multiple displays.

2. Description of Related Art

Currently, displays of portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDA) and laptop computers, are continuously being enlarged, such that the portable electronic devices can display images more clearly. However, enlarged displays may use a great deal of electric power.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Many aspects of the present portable electronic device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present portable electronic device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic closed view of a portable electronic device, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic open view of the portable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 , but shown in another direction.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the portable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the portable electronic device shown in FIG. 1 .

FIGS. 1-3 schematically show a portable electronic device 100 , according to an exemplary embodiment. The portable electronic device 100 can be a mobile phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc. The portable electronic device 100 includes a main body 10 and a cover 30 . The cover 30 is rotatably mounted on the main body 10 and is electrically connected to the main body by conventional means, for example, with hinges (not labeled), and wires or flexible circuit boards (not shown) received in the hinges to electrically connect the cover 30 to the main body 10 . Thus, the cover 30 can be rotated relative to the main body 10 to close or open the portable electronic device 100 .

Also referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 , the main body 10 includes a first housing 11 , a first display 13 , a sensor 15 , a circuit board 17 , and a second display 18 . The first housing 11 includes a first outer surface 111 and a first inner surface 113 positioned opposite to the first outer surface 111 . The first display 13 is mounted on the first outer surface 111 , and the second display 18 is mounted on the first inner surface 113 . The size of the first display 13 is configured to be less than the area of the size of the second display 18 , such that the first display 13 uses less electric power than the second display 18 .

The sensor 15 and the circuit board 17 are received in the first housing 11 . The sensor 15 is a Hall sensor, which includes a Hall element RD, a resistor R, and a capacitor C. The Hall element RD includes three connectors RD 1 , RD 2 , RD 3 . Two ends of the resistor R are respectively connected to the connectors RD 1 , RD 2 . The capacitor C has one pole connected to the connector RD 1 and another pole grounded. The connector RD 3 is grounded.

The circuit board 17 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 171 and other necessary circuits (not shown) of the portable electronic device 100 . The CPU 171 includes a switch pin SW, a first enabling pin EN 1 , a reset pin RES, an image signal pin SI, a clock pin SCL, a second enabling pin EN 2 , and a control pin CO. The switch pin SW is connected to the connector RD 2 . The first enabling pin EN 1 is connected to the first display 13 to enable the first display 13 .

The cover 30 includes a second housing 31 , a magnetic component 33 , and a third display 35 . The second housing 31 includes a second outer surface 311 and a second inner surface 313 positioned opposite to the first outer surface 311 . The magnetic component 33 is received in the second housing 31 , and the third display is mounted on the second inner surface 313 . When the cover 30 covers the main body 10 , the portable electronic device 100 is closed, the second inner surface 313 contacts the first inner surface 113 , and the magnetic component 33 is positioned near to the Hall element RD such that the magnetic field applied to the Hall element RD by the magnetic component 33 can actuate the Hall element RD to switch on. When the cover 30 is rotated to the open position, the first inner surface 313 is exposed and the second inner surface 313 can be positioned adjacent and coplanar with the first inner surface 113 , and the third display 35 and the second display 18 can be aligned with each other to cooperatively form a multiple display 40 . When the portable electronic device 100 is opened, the magnetic component 33 is moved away from the Hall element RD, and the magnetic field applied to the Hall element RD by the magnetic component 33 decreases and is unable to actuate the Hall element RD to switch on.

The second display 18 and the third display 35 are connected to the CPU 171 . Particularly, the second display 18 and the third display 35 are both connected to the CPU 171 by a same group of multiplex pins that includes the reset pin RES, the image signal pin SI, the clock pin SCL, the second enabling pin EN 2 , and the control pin CO. The CPU 171 can respectively send reset signals, image data, clock signals, and enabling signals to the second display 18 and the third display 35 through the reset pin RES, the image signal pin SI, the clock pin SCL, and the second enabling pin EN 2 , correspondingly. Additionally, the CPU 171 can also send instruction signals to the second display 18 and the third display 35 through the image signal pin SI, and send identifying signals to the second display 18 and the third display 35 through control pin CO, such that the second display 18 and the third display 35 can identify the kind of the signals sent from the image signal pin SI. In this way, when the second display 18 and the third display 35 cooperatively form the multiple display 40 , the CPU 171 can synchronously control the second display 18 and the third display 35 to respectively display corresponding parts of a same image.

When the portable electronic device 100 is used, an electric potential Vin is applied to the first connector RD 1 of the Hall element RD. The capacitor C filters alternating portions of the electric potential Vin, and the resistor R can limit the current generated by the electric potential Vin. Thus, the CPU 171 can detect the position of the cover 30 relative to the main body 10 using the Hall element 15 and the magnetic element 33 , and selectively enable the first display 13 or the multiple display 40 according to the position of the cover 30 .

When the portable electronic device 100 is closed, the magnetic element 33 is near to the Hall element RD, and the magnetic field of the magnet element 33 actuates the Hall element RD to switch on. The connector RD 2 is then connected to the grounded connector RD 3 , and the voltage level on the connector RD 2 becomes a relatively lower voltage level. The CPU 171 detects the relatively lower voltage level through the switch pin SW, and thus switches the first display 13 on through the first enabling pin EN 1 and switches the second display 18 and the third display 35 off through the second enabling pin EN 2 .

When the portable electronic device 100 is open, the magnetic element 33 is moved away from the Hall element RD. Since the magnetic field applied to the Hall element RD by the magnet element 33 decreases and is unable to actuate the Hall element RD to switch on, the Hall element RD is switched off. The connector RD 2 is separated from the grounded connector RD 3 , such that the voltage level on the connector RD 2 becomes a relatively higher voltage level. The CPU 171 detects the relatively higher voltage level through the switch pin SW, and thus switches the first display 13 off through the first enabling pin EN 1 and switches the second display 18 and the third display 35 on through the second enabling pin EN 2 . Thus, the second display 18 and the third display 35 can cooperatively form the multiple display 40 and respectively display corresponding parts of each displayed image.

In the present embodiment, the first display 13 having a smaller size and the multiple display 40 having a larger size can be selectively used. When the portable electronic device 100 is used to call or send messages, it can be closed and the first display 13 can be used to display images, thereby conserving electric power. When the portable electronic device 100 is used to play video files or play games, it can be opened and the multiple display 40 can be used to display images, thereby obtaining better display effect.

It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structures and functions of various embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.