US 11520377

US Patent 11520377, titled "Flexible touch screen display computing devices," was issued to current assignee Lepton Computing LLC. The sole inventor listed is Stephen E. Delaporte. The patent was filed on August 23, 2021, and granted (issued) on December 6, 2022.

Abstract:
The patent describes reconfigurable touch screen computing devices that feature folding configurations with flexible displays made up of segments. These devices can transition from a compact state, roughly the size of a handheld phone with an integrated speaker and microphone, to an expanded state, approximately the size of a tablet. Both states maintain a touch screen display on the front and a protective housing on the back. The computing devices incorporate sensors to indicate their configuration state and include mechanisms for alignment, locking, and structural support. In some embodiments, a module containing all or most processing, memory, and communication systems is situated within or associated with at least one segment, usable in both states.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a computing device featuring a flexible touch screen display made of multiple segments. Each segment is supported by a structural housing that includes a mechanism to align and lock the segments. A flexible circuit connects these display segments to a processor. The processor receives data from sensors to determine the device's configuration state. The device can transform from a compact "phone-sized" state to an expanded "tablet-sized" state.

• Independent Claim 10: This claim outlines a reconfigurable computing device with a flexible touch screen display composed of several segments. Each segment has a structural support that includes an alignment locking mechanism to connect and secure the segments. The device also includes a processor. Like Claim 1, this device can change between a compact phone-sized form factor and an expanded tablet-sized form factor.

• Independent Claim 19: This claim details a method for managing content on a flexible touch screen display during configuration changes. The method involves: recognizing a user's command to switch from a compact to an expanded view; using sensors to confirm the display segments are fully open; checking if one or multiple content areas were shown in the compact state; and then automatically resizing either the single content area to fill all segments, or multiple content areas to fit their respective segments in the expanded view.

Litigation Status:
The patent family related to US11520377 is currently involved in litigation. A U.S. case has been filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (case 2:26-cv-00338). This patent is specifically cited in "Secure Communication Technologies, LLC v. Samsung Electronics," an ongoing case in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. No specific CAFC 2026 docket information for patent 11520377 was found.