Tablet computer with interface channels

• US 10,191,514 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Bidwell, Dean Jeffrey, Walston, Andrew Lyle, Wells, Michael James, Bandringa, John Spencer, Willkens, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaker, Nidhi
• Application Number:
  US14/974,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20160179143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 36167901-67945, 36167955-67959
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

A modular interface and attachment system for integration with, or use with, a tablet computer is disclosed. The system allows for the modular attachment of ergonomic features, specialty I/O devices, and specialty data entry hardware. Interface channels may be built into the rear surface of the tablet housing, while the accompanying accessories are provided with mating splines. The interface channels can also include electrical contacts to provide power to accessories that are mounted, or to facilitate the mounting of an auxiliary battery. Accessories that require a physical data or I/O interface with the tablet can be mounted at either end of the tablet at positions where data connectors are provided.

Claims

1. A modular system for a tablet computer, comprising:

channels affixed to a rear surface of a substantially rectangular housing of a tablet computer, the channels beginning at an edge of the rear surface and extending the length of the rear surface in the long direction of the housing between opposite edges of the rear surface;

wherein the channels (i) slidably receive a plurality of accessories at the edges of the rear surface, and (ii) mount the accessories in series;

wherein the channels affixed to the rear surface of the substantially rectangular housing of the tablet computer include an electrical contact;

wherein the tablet computer includes a mating data connector located on a side portion of one of the edges of the housing from which the channels extend;

wherein the mating data connector is configured to engage with one of the accessories to provide for data transmission when mounted; and

wherein the electrical contact of the channels is configured for transmitting power to the plurality of accessories when mounted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the channels are integrally formed in a rear panel of the tablet computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the channels are formed in a channel housing that is affixed to the tablet computer.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the channel housing includes an accessory battery for the tablet computer mounted within the channel housing.

5. The system of claim 3, comprising two spaced-apart channels.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the channels have a profile selected from the group consisting of:

T-shaped cross section, an L-shaped cross-section, triangular cross-section, dovetail cross-section, and wedge-shaped cross-section.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the accessories are selected from the group consisting of:

auxiliary batteries, barcode scanners, accessory keyboards, grips, handles, card scanners, card readers, and RFID scanners.

8. A tablet computer and accessory system, comprising:

a tablet computer having a substantially rectangular housing with a rear surface, the rear surface having two parallel spaced apart interface channels affixed to the rear surface of the substantially rectangular housing of the tablet computer, and that extend the length of the rear surface in the long direction of the housing between opposing edges of the rear surface; and

a plurality of tablet accessories having a housing with a mounting surface, the mounting surface having two parallel spaced apart splines;

wherein the splines are slidably receivable in the interface channels at the edges of the rear surface to affix the tablet accessories to the tablet computer housing in series;

wherein the interface channels affixed to the rear surface of the substantially rectangular housing of the tablet computer include an electrical contact;

wherein the tablet computer and one of the tablet accessories include mating data connectors to provide for data communication;

wherein the tablet computer mating data connector is located on a side portion of one of the edges of the housing from which the channels extend;

wherein the mating data connectors are configured to engage to provide for data transmission when the one tablet accessory is affixed to the tablet computer housing; and

wherein the interface channels and the splines of another of the tablet accessories include mating electrical contacts to transmit and/or receive power when the another of the tablet accessories is affixed.

9. A tablet computer, comprising:

a substantially rectangular housing having a rear surface;

two parallel spaced apart interface channels formed in the rear surface of the housing, the channels extending the length of the rear surface in the long direction of the housing between opposing edges of the rear surface, and the channels including electrical contacts; and

an electrical data connector on a side portion of one of the edges of the housing from which the channels extend;

wherein the channels are configured to (i) slidably receive two or more accessories at the edges of the rear surface, and (ii) mount the accessories in series;

wherein the electrical data connector is configured to engage with one of the accessories to provide for data transmission when the accessories are mounted; and

wherein the electrical contacts transmit and/or receive power with at least one of the accessories when mounted.