Prior art

The most relevant prior art for US patent 11520377, based on a review of the "References" section on Google Patents and prioritizing earlier publication dates, includes patents disclosing foldable or flexible displays in reconfigurable computing devices. It is important to note that a full anticipation analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 102 requires a detailed review of each prior art reference's complete specification to confirm that every limitation of the asserted claims is disclosed, either explicitly or inherently. The following represents a high-level assessment of potential anticipation based on the provided information (titles and general descriptions).

The effective priority date for US11520377 is August 10, 2010, derived from its lineage tracing back to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/372,391. Therefore, only patents published or filed before this date can serve as prior art for anticipation purposes. Patents identified as direct family members (e.g., continuations or continuations-in-part of the same lineage) are generally excluded from this "prior art" analysis in the anticipation sense.

Here are three illustrative examples of prior art patents cited by US11520377 that predate its priority date:

1. US6714247B1

• Full Citation: US6714247B1, "Foldable information device with multiple screens", invented by Haruyoshi Takagi, Takeshi Yamamoto, Kouichi Yamauchi, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, and Kazuto Oohata, and assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued March 30, 2004; filed February 6, 2003 (as US20030025738A1).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a foldable information device equipped with multiple display screens that can be folded along a hinge. The device is designed to transition between an open, expanded display state and a compact, folded state. It addresses the mechanical aspects of folding and user interface management across the multiple screens.
• Potential Anticipation (under 35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Claims 1 & 10: This patent potentially anticipates the core concept of a computing device with multiple display "segments" that can be reconfigured between a compact (phone-sized) and expanded (tablet-sized) state. The "multiple screens" and "foldable" nature align with the general structural and functional aspects of these claims. The patent describes hinge mechanisms for folding and managing the display area. While it does not explicitly use terms like "flexible touch screen display" or detail specific "alignment and locking mechanisms" or "sensors" as recited in US11520377, the foundational idea of a reconfigurable multi-screen device is present. A touch screen interface was becoming common technology around the priority date of US11520377.
  • Claim 19: US6714247B1 discusses managing the user interface on multiple screens, implying the need for content adaptation during configuration changes. However, it is unlikely to explicitly disclose the detailed method steps of using sensors to confirm segments are fully open, checking for one or multiple content areas, and then automatically resizing content as specifically described in Claim 19 of US11520377.

2. US7068508B2

• Full Citation: US7068508B2, "Electronic device with a flexible display", invented by Makoto Iwai, Masaru Komaki, and Kengo Fujino, and assigned to Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued June 27, 2006; filed July 15, 2003 (claiming priority to earlier Japanese applications).
• Brief Description: This patent discloses an electronic device featuring a flexible display that can be rolled up or folded. This allows the device to transition between a compact storage state and an expanded display area. The primary focus is on the flexible nature of the display itself and its application in a portable device.
• Potential Anticipation (under 35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Claims 1 & 10: This patent directly describes an "electronic device with a flexible display" that is "reconfigurable" between compact (rolled up/folded) and expanded states. The term "segments" in US11520377, when referring to a flexible display, could be interpreted as functional sections of a continuous flexible display. The flexible display itself inherently utilizes a flexible circuit. While it might not explicitly detail the specific "structural housing," "alignment and locking mechanisms," or "sensors" in the exact manner of US11520377, the core concept of a flexible display enabling state reconfiguration is present.
  • Claim 19: While this patent describes a flexible display that can be expanded, the detailed method of content management in Claim 19, involving specific sensor inputs for segment states and automatic resizing logic for one or multiple content areas, is not explicitly disclosed in the general description of US7068508B2.

3. US7453697B2

• Full Citation: US7453697B2, "Foldable electronic apparatus", invented by Atsushi Nagase, Toru Yamagishi, and Takehiro Tanaka, and assigned to Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
• Publication/Filing Date: Issued November 18, 2008; filed October 20, 2005 (claiming priority to earlier Japanese applications).
• Brief Description: This patent describes a foldable electronic apparatus, such as a mobile phone, comprising multiple display units arranged to fold. The patent focuses on the mechanical structure that facilitates folding and unfolding, enabling the device to switch between a compact folded configuration and an expanded open configuration.
• Potential Anticipation (under 35 U.S.C. § 102):
  • Claims 1 & 10: US7453697B2 potentially anticipates the general structure of a "foldable electronic apparatus" with "multiple display units" (segments) that can be reconfigured from a compact to an expanded state. The patent discusses the mechanical structure for folding, which would include inherent structural support for the display units. While the description doesn't explicitly state "flexible touch screen display" or elaborate on "alignment locking mechanisms" and "sensors" in the specific detail of US11520377, the fundamental concept of a device with multiple, foldable display segments for reconfigurability is disclosed.
  • Claim 19: This patent likely implies content display across its multiple units and thus the need for some form of content management upon configuration changes. However, similar to the other references, it is unlikely to explicitly detail the precise method steps of sensor-driven state detection, content area determination, and automatic resizing as defined in Claim 19 of US11520377.