Apparatus and method for integrating touch input and portable media player module of notebook computers

• US 20060050060A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Mitac Technology Corporation (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Chang, Chih-Ching
• Application Number:
  US11/128,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels

Abstract

A module integrating a touch input and a portable multimedia player is provided, including a micro controller, a data transmission interface, a touch display module, an audiovisual data storage, an audio player, and a power supply. The data transmission interface is connected to the micro controller so that the micro controller can download the selected audiovisual data through data transmission interface from the notebook computer when the module is engaged in the slot of the notebook computer. The touch display module includes a touch panel and a display unit. The audiovisual data storage is for storing the audiovisual data of certain format downloaded from the notebook computer. The audio player is connected to the micro controller, and can play the audio under the control of the micro controller. When the integrated module is disengaged from the slot of the notebook computer, the power supply provides the operating power to the integrated module.

Claims

1. An integrated module integrating a touch input of a computer and a portable multimedia player for engaging in a slot of a notebook computer or disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, said module comprising:

a micro controller, for operating in a cursor control mode or an audiovisual playing mode;

a data transmission interface, connected to said micro controller, for said micro controller to download audiovisual data from said notebook computer through said data transmission interface when said integrated module engaged in said slot of said notebook computer;

a touch display module, located on said integrated module and connected to said micro controller, said touch display module further comprising a touch panel and a display unit;

a set of buttons, comprising at least a control button, when said micro controller operating in said cursor control mode, said control button being defined as function button of a touch panel, when said micro controller operating in said audiovisual playing mode, said control button being defined as function button of a multimedia player;

an audiovisual data storage, for storing audiovisual data downloaded from said notebook computer;

an audio player, connected to said micro controller, for playing audio under the control of said micro controller; and

a power supply, for providing operating power to said integrated module when said integrated module disengaged from said notebook computer;

where said micro controller operating in said cursor control mode when said integrated module being engaged to said slot of said notebook computer, said touch panel of said touch display module controlling the cursor movement or function selection on the screen of said notebook computer through said data transmission interface; and

said micro controller operating in said audiovisual playing mode when said integrated module being disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, under the control of said control button set and said micro controller, said audio player playing audio data stored in said audiovisual data storage, and said display unit of said touch display module displaying visual data.

2. The integrated module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said data transmission interface further comprises a first connector formed in said integrated module, and a second connector formed in said slot of said notebook computer.

3. The integrated module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch panel of said touch display module uses a multiplexer, an A/D converter, a coordination calculating circuit to transmit the (X, Y) location signal of a touched spot of said touch panel to said micro controller.

4. The integrated module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data stored in said audiovisual data storage is of digital format.

5. The integrated module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said audio player further comprises an audio data decoding circuit for decoding said audiovisual data stored in said audiovisual data storage into audio signal, and an audio playing circuit for playing said decoded audio signal through an audio generation unit.

6. The integrated module as claimed in claim 5, wherein said audio player further comprises an earphone outlet, located at a specific location of said integrated module.

7. The integrated module as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a re-charging circuit and said power supply comprises at least a re-chargeable battery for recharging through said re-charging circuit.

8. The integrated module as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a mode selection unit, connected to said micro controller, for detecting whether said integrated module being engaged to or disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, and generating a mode switch signal to said micro controller so that said micro controller being able to decide whether to operate in said cursor control mode or in said audiovisual playing mode.

9. An integrated module integrating a touch input of a computer and a portable multimedia player for engaging in a slot of a notebook computer or disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, said module comprising:

a micro controller, for operating in a cursor control mode or an audiovisual playing mode;

a data transmission interface, connected to said micro controller, for said micro controller to download audiovisual data from said notebook computer through said data transmission interface when said integrated module engaged in said slot of said notebook computer;

a touch display module, located on said integrated module and connected to said micro controller, said touch display module further comprising a touch panel and a display unit;

a touch command decoding circuit, connected to said micro controller for receiving location signal of said touch display module and for decoding said location signal into a corresponding command, and then sending said command to said micro controller;

an audiovisual data storage, for storing audiovisual data downloaded from said notebook computer;

an audio player, connected to said micro controller, for playing audio under the control of said micro controller; and

a power supply, for providing operating power to said integrated module when said integrated module disengaged from said notebook computer;

where said micro controller operating in said cursor control mode when said integrated module being engaged to said slot of said notebook computer, said touch panel of said touch display module controlling the cursor movement or function selection on the screen of said notebook computer through said data transmission interface; and

said micro controller operating in said audiovisual playing mode when said integrated module being disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, under the control of said touch display module and said micro controller, said audio player playing audio data stored in said audiovisual data storage, and said display unit of said touch display module displaying visual data.

10. The integrated module as claimed in claim 9, wherein said data transmission interface further comprises a first connector formed in said integrated module, and a second connector formed in said slot of said notebook computer.

11. The integrated module as claimed in claim 9, wherein said touch panel of said touch display module uses a multiplexer, an A/D converter, a coordination calculating circuit to transmit the (X, Y) location signal of a touched spot of said touch panel to said micro controller.

12. The integrated module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the data stored in said audiovisual data storage is of digital format.

13. The integrated module as claimed in claim 9, wherein said audio player further comprises an audio data decoding circuit for decoding said audiovisual data stored in said audiovisual data storage into audio signal, and an audio playing circuit for playing said decoded audio signal through an audio generation unit.

14. The integrated module as claimed in claim 13, wherein said audio player further comprises an earphone outlet, located at a specific location of said integrated module.

15. The integrated module as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a re-charging circuit and said power supply comprises at least a re-chargeable battery for recharging through said re-charging circuit.

16. The integrated module as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a mode selection unit, connected to said micro controller, for detecting whether said integrated module being engaged to or disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, and generating a mode switch signal to said micro controller so that said micro controller being able to decide whether to operate in said cursor control mode or in said audiovisual playing mode.

17. A method for controlling an integrated module integrating a touch input of a computer and a portable multimedia player for engaging in a slot of a notebook computer or disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting whether said integrated module being engaged to or disengaged from said slot of said notebook computer;

(b) said integrated module entering a cursor control mode when detecting said integrated module being engaged to said notebook computer, or said integrated module entering an audiovisual playing mode when detecting said integrated module being disengaged from said notebook computer;

(c) said integrated module completing hardware connection and driving with said notebook computer, and setting a touch display module as cursor movement control and function selection of a touch panel after said integrated module entering said cursor control mode, said touch display module controlling cursor movement and function selection of said notebook computer; and

(d) said integrated module being able to play an audiovisual data stored in said audiovisual data storage after said integrated module entering said audiovisual playing mode.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a step of:

(c1) when said integrated module operating in said cursor control mode, said integrated module downloading audiovisual data from said notebook computer through a data transmission interface and storing said downloaded data in a audiovisual data storage in said integrated module.

19. The method as claimed as claim 17, wherein in said step (c), said touch display module can send the coordinate location signal of a pressed spot on said touch display module to said integrated module.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said touch display module further comprises a step of receiving location signal of said pressed spot on said touch display module, decoding said location signal into a corresponding touch command, and sending said command to said integrated module.