Storing a structure within an electronic device

• US 20060023415A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Homer, Steven S., Moore, Earl, Rankins, Walter James
• Granted Patent: US 7,280,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.180
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An exemplary rechargeable mouse is adapted to be insertable into and removable from a bay of an electronic device. An electrical connection of the mouse electrically couples only to a power connection of an electrical interface in the device bay that also has a data connection such that the mouse is charged when inserted in the device bay.

Claims

1. A rechargeable mouse adapted to be insertable into and removable from a bay of an electronic device, wherein an electrical connection of the mouse electrically couples only to a power connection of an electrical interface in the device bay that also has a data connection such that the mouse is charged when inserted in the device bay.

2. A mouse according to claim 1, wherein the power connection comprises at least two power pins.

3. A mouse according to claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable battery.

4. A mouse according to claim 3, further comprising a battery charger.

5. A mouse according to claim 1, wherein the bay is a peripheral card slot.

6. A mouse according to claim 5 wherein the peripheral card slot is a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card slot.

7. A mouse according to claim 1, further comprising a connection that connects mechanically to said power connection and to said data connection, and wherein part of said connection of said mouse that connects mechanically to said data connection is not electrically connected within said mouse.

8. A mouse according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter for cordless communication from the mouse to an electronic device.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

an apparatus having a bay adapted to receive a removable unit, the bay having an electrical interface therein adapted to engage a connection on the unit to transmit power and data to the unit; and

a rechargeable mouse adapted to reside in the bay, wherein electrical connection of the mouse is configured to couple to a power portion of the electrical interface in the bay such that the mouse is charged when it resides in the bay.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein, when the mouse resides in the bay, a body of the mouse is fully enclosed in the bay such that the body does not protrude from the apparatus.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the mouse comprises a rechargeable battery that recharges while the mouse resides in the bay.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the mouse comprises a battery charger arranged to charge the battery.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the bay is adapted to receive storage media when the mouse is removed from the bay.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the bay comprises at least one PCMCIA card slot.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the mouse comprises a transmitter and the apparatus comprises a corresponding receiver for cordless control of the apparatus by the mouse.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

a bay for receiving at least one of an electrical storage medium or a peripheral card, the bay having an interface therein adapted to connect to one of the electrical storage medium or the peripheral card; and

a mouse adapted to reside in the bay and connect to the interface.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein said interface includes a power part and another part other than said power part, said mouse comprises connection adapted to electrically couple only to said power part to receive power.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the mouse includes a power supply that recharges while the mouse resides in the bay.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the bay comprises at least one peripheral card slot.

20. A mouse, comprising:

power storage means;

means for docking said mouse in a bay of an electronic device;

means for coupling said mouse only to a power connection of an electrical interface in the device bay that includes both the power connection and a separate data connection; and

means for charging said power storage means when said mouse is docked in said device bay.

21. A mouse according to claim 20, wherein said means for docking comprises means for engaging at least one peripheral card slot.

22. A mouse according to claim 20, further comprising means for cordlessly transmitting signals from said mouse to an electronic device being controlled by said mouse.

23. An electronic device, comprising:

first means for receiving a removable unit, said first means having a bay for engaging the unit, said bay comprising second means for transmitting power to the unit and third means for transmitting data between the unit and the electronic device; and

a rechargeable mouse adapted to reside in said bay, said mouse comprising fourth means for coupling to said second means and fifth means for charging the mouse when it resides in the first means, wherein said mouse lacks means for operatively coupling to said third means.

24. An electronic device according to claim 23, wherein said bay is adapted to receive a peripheral card.

25. A method of storing a mouse, comprising:

placing said mouse in a bay of an electronic apparatus that has an interface that is provided for connecting to a corresponding connection in a device other than said mouse, the bay including at least one connection that the mouse does not use but that other devices can use.

26. A method according to claim 25 of storing and charging a rechargeable mouse, comprising providing said interface with a power connection that the mouse can use and at least one other connection that the mouse does not use, connecting the mouse with the power connection, and charging the mouse from the power connection.

27. A method according to claim 25 comprising, when the mouse is not in the bay, placing said other device in the bay and using said at least one connection that the mouse does not use for interaction between said apparatus and said other device.