Portable data entry device with a detachable host pda

• US 20060105722A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Khyber Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Khyber Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Kumar, Rajendra
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.300
• 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 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed that can adapt off-the shelf PDA devices (90) to user input/output applications such as data entry applications and cellular phone applications. The resulting apparatus (10) may be sized and shaped to be durable and facilitate handheld operation when the user is mobile during use. The apparatus provides features required for portable data entry such as key entry, barcode scanning, radio frequency identification, and wireless local area network (LAN) as well as wide area network (WAN) communications. The apparatus may be operated (a) in a slave mode with inclusion of a PDA device (90) for use in certain input/output operations that are processor intensive as well as (b) in a stand-alone mode without inclusion of a PDA device (90) for use in certain other input/output operations that are not processor intensive.

Claims

1-30. -30. (canceled)

31. An apparatus to provide input/output functionality in conjunction with an off-the-shelf portable computing device, said apparatus comprising:

a portable housing having at least one selectable docking port such that the apparatus is capable of mechanically docking and electronically interfacing to a portable computing device in at least two operable configurations relative to the portable computing device.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the input/output unit is a cellular telephone, and is selectively docked to the portable computing device to provide communication capabilities for the integrated system formed when docked therewith.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the cellular telephone includes a user interface keypad, a display, and a docking connector for mating with a standard electrical connector associated with the portable computing device.

34. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the portable housing includes an additional keypad interface which is accessible when docked to the portable computing device in at least one operable configuration.

35. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the cellular telephone is docked to the front of the portable computing device such that an electrical connector of the portable computing device mates with a docking connector on the cellular telephone, with the front of the cellular telephone facing outward and the back of the cellular telephone covering the front of the portable computing device to act as a lid for the portable computing device.

36. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the cellular telephone is fully operational when docked to the portable computing device, and data may be exchanged between the portable computing device and the cellular telephone via a docking connector.

37. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the cellular telephone includes a first side having at least a first interface keypad, a display and a first docking connector, and a back side having at least a second docking connector for mating with an electrical connector associated with the portable computing device.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the back side of the cellular telephone further comprises a second keypad for data entry, wherein the cellular telephone may be docked with its front side or back side facing the portable computing device.

39. The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the first and second docking connectors allow the cellular telephone to be coupled to the portable computing device in different orientations.

40. The apparatus according to claim 39, wherein one of the orientations is such that the front of the cellular telephone covers the bottom portion of the front of the portable computing device, such that the display associated with the portable computing device is visible to the user, and the second keyboard associated with the cellular telephone is accessible.