Patent attributes
A reconfigurable touch screen computing device with folding configurations and an alignment locking mechanism. The touch screen display is made up of segments coupled to a flexible circuit and can be reconfigured from a compact state to an expanded state. The form factor of the compact state is roughly the size of a typical handheld phone, with an integrated speaker and microphone. The form factor of the expanded state is roughly the size of a tablet computer which may also include the mechanical functionality of a laptop. Both states provide a configuration which includes a touch screen display on a front side and a protective housing on a back side. The computing device may further include sensors to indicate the state of configuration. In one embodiment, a module attached to, situated within, or otherwise associated with at least one segment may contain all or substantially all processing and memory, along with a communications system, all of which may be used in either state.
