Hardware

Wild IBM laptop patents: Telescoping screen, pop-up magnifier, and more

By // September 20, 2010, 11:59 AM PST // billdetwiler

Image 1 of 44

  • Portable computer - Figure 2 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    For decades, IBM was a pioneer in the portable computer market, introducing the venerable ThinkPad laptop brand--sold to Lenovo in 2005. And when Big Blue was still designing laptops, its engineers and designers came up with some pretty strange ideas.

    The U.S. patent drawings in this gallery showcase four of those ideas:

    A telescoping display designed for frequent fliers
    A self-contained, pop-up magnifier to make the display larger
    A scissor-hinge lid for the ultimate in display flexibility
    A collapsible glare shield that looked like a giant, square ice cream cone.

    While none of these ideas made it to market in their original form, they illustrate the creativity of IBM employees. They also provide a glimpse of current technologies that were being toyed with years ago--such flippable displays (found in many convertible, tablet laptops).

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    In 2001, inventors from IBM designed a very unique laptop with a telescoping display.

    According to the patent document:

    "In consideration of the above described facts, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable computer which is intended to be capable of adjusting the display's height and angle without deteriorating the keyboard's operability, and to make the operability be more favorable for a user in the adjustment of the display's height even when the place for installing the portable computer is restricted int eh rear space or the upper space. "

    Figure 2 of the patent document illustrates how the display screen would extend up from the laptop's lid.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 1 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 1 shows the laptop with the display screen in the open, but retracted position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 3 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 3 shows the internal workings of the extending display screen (in the closed position) from the back of the laptop.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 4 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 4 shows the internal workings of the extending display screen (in the open position) from the back of the laptop.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 5 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 5 shows locking mechanism for the laptop's lid in both the closed and open positions.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 6 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 6 is a side view of the laptop with the lid open but with the telescoping display screen retracted.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 7 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 7 shows the laptop lid open and the display screen starting to move from a retracted position to an extended position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 8 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 8 shows display screen as it begins to extend from the laptop lid.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 9 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 9 shows the display screen when fully extended from the laptop lid.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 10 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    ?U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 10 shows how the display screen can be tilted once it has been extended from the laptop lid.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Portable computer - Figure 11 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    What type of user did IBM think would want such a strange display? Thanks to Figure 11 we know. As shown here, the designers thought their innovation would make it easier to use a laptop in cramped spaces--such as those found on the seat-back trays on an airplane.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 1 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 5,991,150
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    In 1997, inventors from IBM designed a magnifier for people who have trouble seeing the information shown on laptop screens. What made this device unique? It was built into the laptop's lid and "popped out" when the user opened the lid.

    According to the patent document:

    "The invention positions a flat optical magnifier such as a lens of the fresnel type in an optically enhancing position between the operator of the portable computer and the display screen so that th eimage at the computer operator side of the elens is greater than that present on the display screen."

    Figure 1 of the patent document illustrates how the magnifier would look with the display screen open.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 2 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 2 is a side view of the fresnel lens type magnifier that the invention would use.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 3 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 3 is a large scale view of the magnifier's hinge mechanism and its relationship to the laptop display screen.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 4 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 4 is a side view of the magnifier with the laptop in the open position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 5 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 5 is a view of just the magnifier (separate from the laptop) with the hinges in the "open" position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 6 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 6 is a view of just the magnifier (separate from the laptop) with the hinges in the "closed" position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 7 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 7 is a larger side view of the magnifier (attached to the laptop) in the "open" position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 8 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 8 is a larger side view of the magnifier (attached to the laptop) in the "closed" position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 9 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 9 is a side view of the magnifier (attached to the laptop) as the lid is being opened.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 10 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 10 is another side view of the magnifier (attached to the laptop) as the lid is being opened.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 11 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 11 is a side view of the magnifier (attached to the laptop) as the lid reaches the point when the magnifier begins to deploy.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Self deploying magnifier for a portable computer display screen - Figure 12 (U.S. Patent 5991150)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: Sep. 9, 1997
    Issued: Nov. 23, 1999
    Inventors: George Liang-Tai Chiu, Thomas Mario Cipolla, Fuad Elias Doany, John Peter Karidis, Rama Nand Singh
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 12 is a side view of the magnifier (attached to the laptop) with the lid in the fully open position.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 5,991,150 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 1 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    In 1999, inventor Arthur Christ designed a laptop with a very interesting lid. Using two different hinge configurations, Christ's design allowed the lid to flip completely around. This meant you could use the screen with the lid closed.

    According to the patent document:

    "A portable computer is provided which has a display screen mounted to a base by one or more flexible hinges, such as scissors type hinges or telescoping hinges, to provide flexibility of the operable positions of the display screen in relation to the base."

    Although Christ's scissor hinges were impractical, the concept would eventually catch on. Convertible tablet/laptops would eventually adopt a rotating display lid that let people use the screen with the lid closed. And in September 2010, Dell introduced a Netbook with a touch-screen display that flips within traditionally hinged lid--like a picture in a frame.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 2 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 2 shows the laptop from the side with the lid closed. The scissor hinges are clearly visible and take up a significant amount of space on both the laptop base and lid.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figures 3a and 3b (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figures 3a shows the scissor hinges with the laptop lid open. Figure 3b shows the sliding portion of the scissor hinge that attaches to the front of the laptop's base.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 4 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 4 provides a cross-section side view of the laptop's base, showing the channel in which the scissor hinge pivot is housed.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 5 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 5 shows the laptop with the lid completely open.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 6 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 6 shows the laptop with the lid flipped so that the display screen can be used with the lid closed.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 7 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 7 shows Christ's second hinge design--a telescoping hinge. In this drawing, the lid is closed and, unlike his scissor hinge, this hinge is located within the laptop base and lid.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 8 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 8 shows the telescoping hinge with the lid open and the hinge collapsed.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 9 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 9 shows the telescoping hinge with the lid open and the hinge extended.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 10 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 10 shows how the laptop lid can rotate with the lid open and the hinge extended.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 11 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 11 shows the laptop display in a "standard" position with the lid open and the hinge extended.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Flexible monitor/display on mobile device - Figure 12 (U.S. Patent 6532147)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,532,147
    Filed: Sep. 24, 1999
    Issued: Mar. 11, 2003
    Inventor: Arthur R. Christ, Jr.
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 12 shows the laptop display in an alternate "forward" position with the lid open and the hinge extended.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,532,147 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 1 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    In 2002, inventors from IBM designed a "collapsible-light shield" for laptops.

    According to the patent document:

    "The light shield has four flexible panels that form a tubular shape when in use. One end of the light shield has a contoured viewing port through which the user may view the screen. The other end of the light shield has a ring-like elastic fastener that detachably secures to three sides of the computer display. Each panel has two bisecting fold lines about which the tubular light shield may be collapsed into a substantially flat profile that is a small fraction of its original size."

    Figure 1 of the patent document, shown here, illustrates how someone would typically use a laptop in a "brightly let environment."

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 2 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 2 illustrates how the sunshade or ambient light shield would look (from the front) when attached to a laptop.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 3 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 3 illustrates what the shield would look like from the rear.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 4 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 4 sows the view when a user looks through the shield at the laptop display.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 5 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 5 is a top-down view of the shield attached to a laptop.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 6 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 6 is another view of someone using the laptop in a brightly-lit environment, but this time with the shield attached.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 7 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 7 shows the first step in folding the collapsible shield.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 8 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 8 shows the second step in folding the collapsible shield.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

  • Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display... - Figure 9 (U.S. Patent 6394615)

    U.S. Patent number: 6,394,615
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Issued: May 28, 2002
    Inventors: David Wayne Hill, David Andrew Sawin, and Tomoyuki Takahashi
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

    Figure 9 shows the collapsed shield and closed laptop.

    Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,394,615 - Digitized by Google

Portable computer - Figure 2 (U.S. Patent 6504707)

For decades, IBM was a pioneer in the portable computer market, introducing the venerable ThinkPad laptop brand--sold to Lenovo in 2005. And when Big Blue was still designing laptops, its engineers and designers came up with some pretty strange ideas.

The U.S. patent drawings in this gallery showcase four of those ideas:

A telescoping display designed for frequent fliers
A self-contained, pop-up magnifier to make the display larger
A scissor-hinge lid for the ultimate in display flexibility
A collapsible glare shield that looked like a giant, square ice cream cone.

While none of these ideas made it to market in their original form, they illustrate the creativity of IBM employees. They also provide a glimpse of current technologies that were being toyed with years ago--such flippable displays (found in many convertible, tablet laptops).

U.S. Patent number: 6,504,707
Filed: May 11, 2001
Issued: Jan. 7, 2003
Inventors: Hiroaki Agata, Kenshin Yonemochi, Takehiko Noguchi, Hisashi Shima, and John Peter Karidis
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

In 2001, inventors from IBM designed a very unique laptop with a telescoping display.

According to the patent document:

"In consideration of the above described facts, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable computer which is intended to be capable of adjusting the display's height and angle without deteriorating the keyboard's operability, and to make the operability be more favorable for a user in the adjustment of the display's height even when the place for installing the portable computer is restricted int eh rear space or the upper space. "

Figure 2 of the patent document illustrates how the display screen would extend up from the laptop's lid.

Image taken from U.S. Patent 6,504,707 - Digitized by Google

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By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...