Portable computer and portable docking station arrangement

• US 20050111182A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tatung Company
• Original Assignee: Tatung Company
• Inventors: Lin, Chin-Jen, Chang, Kao-Wen, Yang, Ming-Hsun, Lai, Tzu-Wei
• Granted Patent: US 6,937,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A portable computer and portable docking station arrangement includes a portable docking station equipped with a keyboard, a swinging bracket pivoted to the portable docking station, and a portable computer insertable into the swinging bracket in one of two reversed directions for enabling the arrangement to be used as a notebook computer or a tablet PC. A spare battery pack is provided at the portable docking station, and chargeable by external power supply upon insertion of the portable computer into the swinging bracket. Data transmission between the portable docking station and the portable computer may be achieved by a wired transmission method or wireless transmission method.

Claims

1. A portable computer and portable docking station arrangement comprising:

a portable docking station, said portable docking station comprising a keyboard disposed at a top side thereof and two pivoting devices axially aligned at a rear part of the top side;

a swinging bracket, said swinging bracket comprising two pivoting devices and a receiving open chamber, said two pivoting devices disposed coaxially at two opposite lateral sides thereof and respectively pivoted to the pivoting devices of said portable docking station for enabling said swinging bracket to be rotated relative to said portable docking station; and

a portable computer insertable into the receiving open chamber of said swinging bracket, said portable computer having a display screen on a front side thereof.

2. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said swinging bracket comprises at least one connection port disposed in said receiving open chamber;

said portable computer comprises at least one electric connector disposed at a bottom side thereof for electrical connection to the at least one connection port of said swinging bracket upon insertion of said portable computer into the receiving open chamber of said swinging bracket.

3. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the number of said at least one connection port of said swinging bracket is one, and the connection port of said swinging bracket is disposed in said receiving open chamber at the center;

the number of the at least one electric connector at the bottom side of said portable computer is one, and the electric connector of said portable computer is disposed at the center of the bottom side of said portable computer corresponding to the connection port of said swinging bracket.

4. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein said portable computer further comprises a top side insertable into the receiving open chamber of said swinging bracket, and a second electric connector disposed at the center of said top side and electrically connectable to the connection port in said receiving open chamber.

5. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein the number of said at least one connection port of said swinging bracket is one, and the connection port of said swinging bracket is disposed in said receiving open chamber near one side;

the number of the at least one electric connector at the bottom side of said portable computer is one, and the electric connector of said portable computer is disposed at one lateral side of the bottom side of said portable computer corresponding to the connection port of said swinging bracket.

6. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said portable computer comprises an another electric connector disposed at another lateral side of the bottom side of said portable computer symmetrically opposite to said electric connector and corresponding to the connection port of said swinging bracket, such that the bottom side of said portable computer is insertable into the receiving open chamber of said swinging bracket in one of two reversed directions for enabling one of said electric connector and said another electric connector to be electrically connected to the connection port of said swinging bracket.

7. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable docking station further comprising a first wireless transmission apparatus, said portable computer further comprising a second wireless transmission apparatus for wireless data transmission with said first wireless transmission apparatus.

8. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first wireless transmission apparatus and said second wireless transmission apparatus are infrared transmission apparatus respectively.

9. The portable computer and portable docking station arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable computer is a tablet PC (personal computer).