Personal digital assistant with a replaceable peripheral module at one of its corners

• US 20030137493A1
• Filed: 05/11/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Compal Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chuang, Wei-Pin
• Granted Patent: US 6,914,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1632 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: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

A rectangular personal digital assistant (PDA) includes a rectangular housing having a front side facing towards users and four corners, a computer circuit installed in the housing for providing data processing services, a socket installed in one of the four corners and electrically connected to the computer circuit, and a peripheral module having a case and an input/output peripheral circuit removably and electrically connected to the socket. When the peripheral module is installed in the socket, the case of the peripheral module coupled to the corner of the PDA housing will form an integrated corner of the PDA housing.

Claims

1. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a rectangular housing having four cornersand a front side facing towards a user;

a computer circuit comprising a processor and a memory installed in thehousing for providing data processing services;

a touch screen installed on the front side of the housing and electrically connected to the computer circuit for receiving a signal inputted by the user and for displaying pictures;

a socket installed at one of the four corners and electrically connected to the computer circuit; and

a peripheral module comprising a case and an input/output (I/O) peripheral circuit removably and electrically connected to the socket;

wherein when the peripheral module is installed in the socket, the case of the peripheral module couples with the corner of the housing to form an integrated corner of the housing.

2. The personal digital assistant of claim 1 wherein the peripheral module is installed at a left corner of an upper side or a right corner of an upper side of the housing.

3. The personal digital assistant of claim 2 wherein the peripheral module is an image input module for sensing an image in front of the PDA and inputting the image into the computer circuit.

4. The personal digital assistant of claim 3 wherein the image input module comprises a camera lens and an image sensor, and the image sensor comprises a charge coupled device (CCD).

5. The personal digital assistantof claim 2 wherein the peripheral module is a radio frequency module for transmitting a radio signal.

6. The personal digital assistant of claim 1 further comprising a control key for allowing the user to control the PDA.