Method, system, and computer peripheral for docking a handheld computer

• US 20070222758A1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marc Mulcahy, Matthew Mulcahy, Michael Mulcahy
• Original Assignee: Marc Mulcahy, Matthew Mulcahy, Michael Mulcahy
• Inventors: Mulcahy, Marc, Mulcahy, Matthew, Mulcahy, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/386,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20070222758A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner

Abstract

In one embodiment, a computer peripheral, is provided with 1) a human input interface; 2) a first computer interface; 3) a data link to provide data connectivity between the human input interface and first computer interface; and 4) a docking port to substantially encase a handheld computer engaged with the first computer interface.

Claims

1. A computer peripheral, comprising:

a human input interface;

a first computer interface;

a data link to provide data connectivity between the human input interface and first computer interface; and

a docking port to substantially encase a handheld computer engaged with the first computer interface.

2. The computer peripheral of claim 1, wherein the human input interface comprises a keyboard.

3. The computer peripheral of claim 2, wherein the keyboard is a Braille keyboard.

7. The computer peripheral of claim 1, further comprising a human output interface.

8. The computer peripheral of claim 7, wherein the human output interface comprises an audio output interface.

9. The computer peripheral of claim 7, wherein the human output interface comprises a Braille display.

10. The computer peripheral of claim 1, wherein the docking port entirely encases a handheld computer engaged with the first computer interface.

11. The computer peripheral of claim 1, further comprising a second computer interface to communicate with a computer other than a handheld computer engaged with the first computer interface.

12. The computer peripheral of claim 1, wherein the first computer interface further comprises means to deactivate a human interface of a handheld computer while engaged with the first computer interface.

13. The computer peripheral of claim 1, wherein the docking port further comprises an interior form factor to restrict insertion of the handheld computer into the docking port except when the handheld computer is properly oriented to engage the first computer interface.

14. The computer peripheral of claim 1, further comprising a power supply operable to recharge a power supply of a handheld computer engaged with the first computer interface.

4. The computer peripheral of clam 2, further comprising, a wristrest rotationally extending from the computer peripheral.

5. The computer peripheral of claim 4, wherein the wristrest further comprises:

a first contact surface operable to support a human hand or wrist during engagement with the keyboard when the wristrest is rotationally positioned in a first position; and

a second contact surface operable to support a human hand or wrist during engagement with the keyboard when the wristrest is rotationally positioned in a second position.

6. The computer peripheral of claim 5, wherein the first surface has a surface area dissimilar to the surface area of the second surface, the surface area being the area usable to support a human hand or wrist during engagement with the keyboard.

15. A method for communicating with a handheld computer, comprising:

docking a handheld computer with a computer peripheral, the docking

     1) communicatively connecting the handheld computer with the computer peripheral and

     2) substantially encasing the handheld computer within the computer peripheral; and

forwarding input signals from a human input interface of the computer peripheral to the handheld computer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, forwarding output signals from the handheld computer to the human input interface of the computer peripheral.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising, rotating a wristrest to select one of a plurality of dissimilar surfaces to supporting a human hand or wrist engaged with the human input interface.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising;

under control of the computer peripheral,

forwarding input signals from a computer other than the handheld computer to the handheld computer; and

forwarding output signals from the handheld computer to the other computer.

19. A computer system, comprising:

a handheld computer; and

a computer peripheral comprising,

a human input interface;

a computer interface to communicate with the handheld computer;

a docking port having a form factor to substantially encase the handheld computer within the docking port while the handheld computer is engaged with the computer interface; and

a data link, communicatively connecting the human input interface to the computer interface.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the human input interface comprises a keyboard.

21. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the human input interface comprises an audio interface.

22. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the human input interface comprises a Braille interface.

23. The computer system of claim 19, further comprising a second computer interface to communicate with a computer other than a handheld computer engaged with the first computer interface.