GB2565196A

GB2565196A - Display device

Info

Publication number: GB2565196A
Application number: GB1808823.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Clements Robert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-05-31
Filing date: 2018-05-30
Publication date: 2019-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2038-05-30
Also published as: GB201708710D0; GB201808823D0; GB2565196B

Abstract

Disclosed is a work system, with two work areas 100, 101, and a display device 99 with two interdependent display screens 1, 2, on opposite sides. The two screens are to serve the two work areas, with the two display screens in a vertical or portrait orientation, with the shortest edges of the display screens being horizontal. The work areas may be horizontal co-planar work surfaces. The screens may share a single common housing 73. The screens may be tilt-able about a horizontal axis, near one of the shortest edges, relative to each other. The screens may be horizontally and vertically tilt-able about a ball joint between the centre of the screens. The screens may have a scroll wheel in the side edge of the housing to allow the user to move the operational area of their screen up and down, relative to the housing.

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE

The present application relates to electronic display devices,, in particular display devices of the kind employed by users working in a seated or standing position.

There is hereby provided a work system, comprising: first and second work areas; and a display device comprising first and second positionally interdependent display screens at opposite sides thereof to serve said first and second work, areas, respectively; wherein the first and second display screens are in a substantially vertical orientation with the shortest edges of both display screens orientated substantially horizontally.

According to one embodiment, the first and second work areas comprise substantially horizontal co-planar work surfaces.

According to one embodiment, said work surfaces are configured for use by seated users or for use by standing users.

According to one embodiment, the first display screen is tillable relative to the second display screen about at least one axis parallel to the surface of the first display screen.

According to one embodiment, the first and second display screens are tillable relative to one another about a substantially horizontal axis in the region of corresponding shortest edges of the two display screens and parallel to the shortest edges of the two display screens.

According to one embodiment, the first and second display screens are horizontally and vertically tiltable relative to one another.

According to one embodiment, the two display screens are tiltable relative to one another via at least one ball joint located between substantially central portions of the display screens.

According to one embodiment, the display device comprises user operable means for moving a primary output of the first display screen vertically within the whole area of the first display screen.

According to one embodiment, said user operable means comprises a scroll wheel at a long edge of the first display screen.

According to one embodiment, the first and second display screens share a common housing.

There is also hereby provided a display device comprising: positionally interdependent first and second display screens, configured for use in a substantially vertical orientation with the shortest edges of both display screens oriented substantially horizontally.

According to one embodiment, the display device further comprises at least one actuator operable by a user and labelled 'with visual indicator text arranged substantially parallel to a shortest edge of the first display screen.

According to one embodiment, the display device further comprises mounting means for mounting the display screens in a substantially vertical orientation with the shortest edges of both screens oriented substantially horizontally.

According to one embodiment, the mounting means comprises a stand extending away from corresponding shortest edges of the first and second display screens.

According to one embodiment, the first display screen is til table relative to the second display screen about at least one axis parallel to the surface of the first display screen.

According to one embodiment, the two display screens are tiltable relative to one another via at least one bail joint located between substantially centra! portions of the display screens.

An embodiment is described in detaii hereunder, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an example of a work system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a front view of the display device of the work system of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows an exploded isometric view of the display device of the work system of

Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows an isometric view of the display device of the work system of Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows a reverse isometric view of the display device of the work system of Figure 1;

Figure 6 shows a side view of the display device of the work system of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

With reference to the drawings, an example of a work system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes two work areas comprising respective work surfaces 100,101 configured to be used by respective seated users. In one variation, the work surfaces 100,101 may be configured to be used by respective standing users. The work surfaces 100,101 may be defined by e.g. one or more desks or tables at a height suitable for users to perform one or more operations (e.g. actuation of a keyboard or other user interface, with visual feedback from an electronic display of the kind described below) in a seated or standing position.

Between the work areas is located a multi-screen electronic display device 99. The display device 99 may be e.g. a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a light-emitting diode (LED) device. The display device 99 comprises a housing 73 accommodating two operably independent display screens 1,. 2 facing in opposite directions, and each serving a respective one of the two work areas 100,10Ί. In this example, the two display screens are both positionally and orientably interdependent; the position and orientation of the two display screens 1,2 are fixed both relative to each other and relative to the housing 73; but a variation in which the display screens are positionally interdependent, but have a degree of orientational independence is described further below.

Each display screen 1,2 has four edges, two relatively short edges and two relatively long edges.

The display device 99 includes at least one external audiovisual (AV) input connector 38. In this example, the device includes at least one external AV input connector 38 for each display screen, for e.g. connection to one or more AV output connectors of a respective control device, such as a personal computer (not shown). In this example, the display device 99 includes four universal serial bus (USB) input connectors 38. The displaydevice 99 includes circuitry (driver chips etc.) for controlling the output of the display screens in accordance with the input signals received via the AV input connectors 38.

As mentioned above, the two display screens 1, 2 are operably independent, but the display device also includes control means 18 by which to switch the output of one display screen 1, 2 to exactly match the output of the other display screen 1,2. In this example, this control means 18 comprises screen share buttons 18 (prominently positioned physical buttons or on-screen icons if the display screens have touch screen functionality) on each side of the display device 99, which are actuatable by a user in one work area 100, 101 to view the output of the other of the two display screens 1, 2 on his/her own one of the two display screens 1,2. in one example, this screen share function additionally requires the user of the other display screen 1, 2 in the other work area 100, 101 to provide consent by activating the screen share button 18 on his/her side of the display device 99, in response to some visual and/or audio indicator (e.g. change of output colour, for the exampie of a back-lit physical button 18) of the activation of the screen share button 18 on the opposite side of the display device 99.

The display device 99 includes a support stand 48, for supporting the display device 99 with the plane of the display screens 1, 2 in a substantially vertical orientation and the short edges of the display screens 1,2 in a substantially horizontal orientation. The stand includes a proximal portion extending at least partially substantially parallel to the plane of the display screens 1,2, and a distal portion (feet) extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the display screens 1,2.

The display device 99 Is provided with one or more visual indicators that guide one or more operations of the display device 99 by the users. One or more of the visual indicators comprises e.g. text and/or other icons in a configuration matched to having the display screens 1,2 in a substantially vertical orientation with the short edges in a substantially horizontal orientation. For example, one or more of the visual indicators may comprise text oriented substantially parallel to the short edges of the display screens 1,2.

The display device 99 is provided with a scroll wheel 39 (or other actuator that can be actuated in two opposite directions} for each display screen 1,2, by which a user can control the height of the position of the primary output of the respective display screen (within the whole area of the respective display screen) for alignment with the user's eye-line 110. The primary output of the respective display screen may be the visual output for the foreground application (e.g. word processor application, browser application etc.) in which the user is currently working, with secondary'visual outputs (e.g. visual outputs of background applications, notes, calendars, notifications etc.) automatically moved to parts of the display screen further away from the position of the eyeline 110 of the user, as input to the display device by the user using the scroll wheel 39. The scroll wheel 39 may comprise a soft-rubber over-mould.

The display screens 1, 2 may both have touchscreen functionality.

The housing 73 may comprise a portable electronic device frame.

The display device 99 may comprise a lifting mechanism to simultaneously adjust the height of both display screens 1,2 relative to the feet of the stand 48, and a locking mechanism to then hold the display screens 1,2 at the adjusted height.

One or more optical output parameters (e.g. resolution, colour management) may be controlled independently for each of the two display screens 1, 2, by e.g. means of activation of respective physical screen option control buttons arranged e.g. along the bottom edges of the display screens 1,2.

The input connector ports have identifiable icons embossed into the surface of the housing 73, and each display screen 1, 2 has its own set of ports and connectors on the respective side of the housing 73.

The reference numerals used in the drawings indicate the following elements.

38: USB port (x4)

44: 3.5mm audio jack for headphones

45: Bluetooth (RTM) activation button

47: Power cable port location icon and connection

46: DVI-I dual link port location icon and connection

18: screen share activation button

39: silicon coated adjustable screen height operating scroll wheel

83: stainless steel speaker and fan casing

40: Input/source setting control button

41: screen modes setting control button

42, 43: Up and Down navigation settings buttons

50: screen power button

37: Built-in camera

67, 68, 69: cable management slot for hiding cable ends

48: Bipartite leg brushed steel look plastic stand

Each screen option button is provided with an icon (e.g. text icon) that is configured in a way that matches use of the display screens in a substantially vertical orientation with the shorter edges in a substantially horizontal orientation (e.g. text oriented parallel to the bottom short edge of the display screens 1, 2). These icons are light-emitting icons to allow the icons to be identifiable even in low light environments/work areas. The power button 50 is also back-lit, and changes colour according to the power status of the display device 99.

The display device 99 includes in-built camera functionality. Cameras 37 are arranged at the top short edge of each display screen 1, 2, and are angled downwards towards the respective user.

The housing 73 defines a slot/recess in between bottom portions of the two display screens 1,2, which is configured to tidily house cables; and cable ports are located out of sight within the slot/recess to hide cable ends and help with organising and identifying cables.

In the example described above, the two display screens 1 and 2 are both positionally and orientably interdependent. According to one example variation, the two display screens are positionally interdependent but have some orientational independence the two display screens 1, 2 are again not moveable relative to one another in any direction parallel to the surface of the display screens 1, 2, but each display screen 1,2 is tlitabie relative to the other about at least one axis parallel to the surface of that display screen 1, 2. For example, the two display screens may be pivotable relative to each other about a substantially horizontal axis in the region of the upper short edges of the display screens and parallel to the upper short edges of the display screens. Alternatively, the two display screens may be connected by one or more ball joints located between substantially central portions of the display screens 1, 2 to enable horizontal and vertical tilting oft.be two display screens 1,2 relative to each other. The one or more ball joints allow a limited range of smooth tilting movement of the display screens 1,2 relative to one another).

Alternatively or additionally, the display device 99 may comprise ancillary electronic or digital enhancement software or hardware, such as e.g. anti-glare filters or local digital data processing means (e.g. 3D acceleration hardware) to produce an optical output that simulates physical tilting of the display screens.

In the example described above, the display device 99 comprises a stand 48 to seat the display screens on a work surface. According to one variation, the work surface comprises a recess that houses the display device 99 when not in use, and the display device 99 comprises a handle or tab by 'which a user can pull the display device up out of the recess to a required height above the work surface, with mechanical support provided from within the recess.

The work systems and display devices described above may advantageously be used for e.g. improving the efficiency of use of space in an office/business environment, such as an operations room including multiple banks of desks.

In addition to any modifications explicitly mentioned above, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various other modifications of the described embodiment may be made 'within the scope of the invention.

The applicant hereby discloses in isolation each individual feature described herein and any combination of two or more such features, to the extent that such features or combinations are capable of being carried out based on the present specification as a whole in the light of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art, ^respective of whether such features or combinations of features solve any problems disclosed herein,, and without limitation to the scope of the claims. The applicant feature or combination of features.

Claims

1. A work system, comprising: first and second work areas; and a display device comprising firstand second positionally interdependent display screens at opposite sides thereof to serve said first and second work areas, respectively; wherein the first and second display screens are in a substantially vertical orientation with the shortest edges of both display screens orientated substantially horizontally.

2. A work system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second work areas comprise substantially horizontal co-planar work surfaces.

3.

use

A work system according to claim 2, wherein said work surfaces are configured for by seated users or for use by standing users.

A work system according to claim 1, wherein the first display screen is tiltab relative to the second display screen about at least one axis parallel to the surface of the

5. A work system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second display screens are tiltable relative to one another about a substantially horizontal axis in the region of corresponding shortest edges of the two display screens and parallel to the shortest

6. A work system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second display screens are horizontally and vertically tiltable relative to one another.

7. A work system according to claim 6, wherein the two display screens are tiltable relative to one another via at least one ball joint located between substantially central portions of the display screens.

8. A work system according to any preceding claim, wherein the display device comprises user operable means for moving a primary output of the first display screen vertically within the whole area of the first display screen.

9. A work system according to claim 8, wherein said user operable means comprises a scroll wheel at a long edge of the first display screen.

10. A work system according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second display screens share a common housing.

11. A display device comprising: positionally interdependent first and second display screens, configured for use in a substantially vertical orientation with the shortest edges of both display screens oriented substantially horizontally.

12. A display device according to claim 11, further comprising at least one actuator operable by a user and labelled with visual indicator text arranged substantially parallel to a shortest edge of the first display screen.

13. A display device according to claim 12, comprising mounting means for mounting the display screens in a substantially vertical orientation with the shortest edges of both screens oriented substantially horizontally.

14. A display device according to claim 13, wherein the mounting means comprises a stand extending away from corresponding shortest edges of the first and second display screens.

15. A display device according to any of claims 11 to 14, wherein the first display screen is tiltable relative to the second display screen about at least one axis parallel to the surface of the first display screen.

16. A display device according to claim 15. wherein the first and second display screens are tiitable relative to one another about a substantially horizontal axis in the region of corresponding shortest edges of the two display screens and parallel to the shortest edges of the two display screens.

17. A display device according to claim 16, wherein the two display screens are tiitable relative to one another via at least one ball joint located between substantially central portions of the display screens.

18. A display device according to any of claims 11 to 17, wherein the display device comprises user operable means for moving a primary output of the first display screen vertically within the whole area of the first display screen.

19. A display device according to claim 18, wherein said user operable means comprises a scroll wheel at a long edge of the first display screen.

20. A display device according to any of claims 11 to 19, wherein the first and second display screens share a common housing.