Obviousness

Obviousness Analysis of U.S. Patent 11,048,300 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis assesses the obviousness of the claims of U.S. Patent 11,048,300, titled "Flexible and rigid touch screen display computing devices," under 35 U.S.C. § 103. The analysis relies on the "Prior art keywords" provided within the patent document (OLED display, flexible touch, structural support, support segment, sensitive OLED) and assumes these represent technologies and concepts generally known to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the patent's priority date of August 10, 2010.

Person Having Ordinary Skill in the Art (PHOSITA)

A PHOSITA in the context of this patent, at the priority date of August 10, 2010, would be an engineer or designer with expertise in mobile computing device hardware and software, display technologies, flexible electronics, and user interface development. This individual would be knowledgeable about various display types (e.g., LCD, OLED), touch input mechanisms (e.g., capacitive, resistive), flexible circuit design, mechanical engineering principles for portable devices (e.g., hinges, latches, structural reinforcement), and software development for adapting user interfaces to different screen configurations.

Motivation to Combine Prior Art Elements

At the priority date, the mobile computing market was rapidly evolving, with a clear demand for devices that offered larger display areas without sacrificing portability. The patent itself acknowledges this market need, stating, "One of the great difficulties in using a small-scale touch screen device, however, is in the fact that it can often be cumbersome to physically interact with." and "There is therefore a need for touch screen displays having increased size without sacrificing the convenience of a small device." Furthermore, the patent notes that "variations on flexible displays and the implementation of multiple screen displays have been proposed to enable the transformation of a display from a compact state to an expanded state."

This background establishes a strong motivation for a PHOSITA to combine existing technologies to address the problem of limited screen size in portable devices. The objective would be to create a reconfigurable device that could provide a compact form factor for handheld use and an expanded form factor for enhanced viewing and interaction, analogous to a tablet or laptop. The individual concepts represented by the prior art keywords—"OLED display," "flexible touch," "structural support," "support segment," and "sensitive OLED"—would be recognized as relevant tools and technologies to achieve this goal.

Obviousness Analysis by Independent Claim

Given the aforementioned motivation, the independent claims of U.S. Patent 11,048,300 would likely be considered obvious combinations of known prior art elements.

Claim 1: Reconfigurable Computing Device

Claim 1 describes a computing device comprising a reconfigurable touch screen display made up of a plurality of segments. The device transitions between a compact state (single active display, protective back) and an expanded state (multiple segments forming a single larger display). It includes sensors to indicate the configuration state, a processor to adjust display content, and a module with core electronics within at least one segment, usable in both states.

A PHOSITA, motivated to create a larger, portable display, would find it obvious to combine the following known concepts:

• Multiple display segments: The concept of using multiple display segments to form a larger display was known, as indicated by the patent's own acknowledgment of "implementation of multiple screen displays" in the prior art.
• Flexible touch/sensitive OLED/OLED display: These keywords suggest that flexible, touch-sensitive OLED displays were known. A PHOSITA would naturally consider using such displays for segments in a reconfigurable device due to their thinness and potential for flexibility, which the patent highlights as advantageous.
• Structural support/support segment: To make a multi-segment display robust and functional, particularly one that reconfigures, providing "structural support" to each "segment" would be a fundamental engineering consideration. The patent itself highlights the need for a "reconfigurable structure and an alignment locking mechanism" as advantageous for flexible touch screens.
• Compact and expanded states: The problem driving the invention was the limitation of small screens. Therefore, designing a device to have both a smaller, portable state and a larger, expanded state would be the direct solution to that problem, as acknowledged in the background of the invention.
• Sensors and processor for content adjustment: Once a reconfigurable display is envisioned, it would be an obvious design choice to incorporate sensors to detect its physical configuration. Furthermore, it would be a routine software engineering task to have a processor, upon detecting a change in configuration, rescale or adapt the displayed content for the new screen size and aspect ratio, similar to how operating systems adapt to external monitors or resolution changes.
• Core electronics module in one segment: For modularity, ease of assembly, and to minimize interference during folding, a PHOSITA would logically house the primary processing, memory, and communication components in a dedicated segment. The patent describes placing "substantially all processing, peripheral ports, communications circuitry, battery and additional core electronics" in one segment to allow for smooth folding and access to ports.

Claim 9: Method for Transitioning Display Content

Claim 9 describes a method for operating such a computing device, including detecting the transition between compact and expanded states via sensors and rescaling content based on the detected state.

This method would be an obvious application of known principles in user interface (UI) design and sensor integration, building upon the structural elements discussed in Claim 1:

• Detecting transition via sensors: As noted for Claim 1, integrating sensors to detect the physical state of a reconfigurable device is a predictable engineering step. The patent describes "segment sensors" and "folded state sensors" performing this function.
• Rescaling content for new screen size: Once the change in screen dimensions is detected, adapting the display's content to fit the new layout is a routine and well-understood UI development task. Software was already capable of adjusting layouts and content for various screen sizes and orientations. A PHOSITA would be motivated to provide a seamless visual experience for the user transitioning between display states.

Claim 14: Flexible Circuit and Alignment Locking Mechanism

Claim 14 focuses on the physical mechanisms: a flexible circuit coupling segments and an alignment locking mechanism.

These elements address predictable engineering challenges in creating a multi-segment, reconfigurable display:

• Flexible circuit coupling segments: Given "flexible touch" and "OLED display" (which can be thin and flexible), using a "flexible circuit" to electrically connect moving display "segments" is a direct and obvious solution to maintain electrical continuity during reconfiguration. The patent illustrates such flexible circuits and sliding connectors between segments.
• Alignment locking mechanism: For multiple segments to form a seemingly continuous and flat touch screen in an expanded state, precise alignment and stability are critical for both visual appearance and touch functionality. A PHOSITA would naturally employ an "alignment locking mechanism" to ensure the segments are held together rigidly and accurately. The patent describes various mechanisms including latches, magnets, and alignment plates to provide "structural support between each segment."

Claim 19: Frame with Hinges, Sensors, Magnets, Speaker/Mic

Claim 19 details a device with a frame including hinges supporting segments, sensors, magnets for securing positions, and functional speakers and microphones in both states.

This claim represents a known combination of mechanical and electronic features:

• Frame with hinges supporting segments: Using frames and hinges to connect and support components of foldable electronic devices (e.g., laptops, flip phones) was a long-standing practice. Applying this to display "segments" to enable folding and unfolding, while providing "structural support," would be an obvious mechanical design choice for a PHOSITA.
• Sensors to indicate configuration state: As discussed for Claims 1 and 9, integrating sensors to detect the device's physical state is a logical inclusion for interactive reconfigurable devices.
• Magnets to secure device in folded positions: Magnets were commonly used in portable electronics (e.g., tablet covers, convertible laptops) to secure parts in desired configurations, offering a simple and effective locking mechanism without bulky hardware. The patent mentions magnets for "connecting and aligning each of the segments as they are folded flat against each other."
• Speaker and microphone functional in both states: Integrating audio components (speaker, microphone) into mobile phones and computing devices was standard. Designing their placement such that they remain functional across different form factors (compact phone state, expanded tablet/laptop state) would be a routine design optimization for a PHOSITA to ensure continuous functionality. The patent describes the integration of a speaker and microphone in the compact phone state.

In conclusion, a PHOSITA in 2010, motivated by the clear market demand for larger, yet portable, display solutions, would have found it obvious to combine the known concepts and technologies represented by the "prior art keywords" (OLED display, flexible touch, structural support, support segment, sensitive OLED) to arrive at the inventions claimed in U.S. Patent 11,048,300. The individual elements perform their known functions to achieve predictable results in addressing a known problem, with additional features representing routine design choices and optimizations.