Multi-Purpose Portable Computer with Integrated Devices

• US 20090200378A1
• Filed: 02/08/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Motion Computing Incorporated (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Doherty, John, Collins, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 8,152,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0295 adapted for recording user messages or annotations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/445 Evaluating skin irritation or skin trauma, e.g. rash, eczema, wound, bed sore
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7495 using a reader or scanner device, e.g. barcode scanner
• 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 1/1656 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer

Abstract

A portable computer having multiple modes of connectivity is disclosed. The portable computer may be configured to communicate using several wireless transmission protocols, including WWAN, WiFi, and Bluetooth. The portable computer may also receive input from multiple devices, including a bar code scanner, camera, RFID reader, fingerprint reader, digitizer, and an audio subsystem. The portable computer may also contain an accelerometer, and may be configurable to automatically park its hard drive disk when acceleration of a predetermined magnitude is detected.

Claims

1. A portable computer, comprising:

at least two radios, wherein a first radio is configured to transmit and receive data at a first time, and wherein a second radio is configured to transmit and receive data at a second time; and

at least two image capture devices, wherein a first image capture device is configured to gather data at a third time, and wherein a second image capture device is configured to gather data at a fourth time.

2. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth times are at least partially mutually inclusive of each other.

3. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth times are mutually exclusive of each other.

4. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the at least two radios are selected from a group consisting of a WWAN radio, a Bluetooth radio, a WiFi radio, and an RFID reader.

5. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein the at least two image capture devices are selected from a group consisting of a bar code scanner, a camera, and a fingerprint scanner.

6. The portable computer of claim 4, wherein the at least two image capture devices are selected from a group consisting of a bar code scanner, a camera, and a fingerprint scanner.

7. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two image capture devices comprises a light source that is controllable independently of the one of the at least two image capture devices, and wherein the light source is usable to illuminate a subject.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising a hard disk drive and a shock detection system.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising a solid state memory.

10. A method for capturing data, comprising:

receiving data by a portable computer having two or more radios during a first time via a first radio and during a second time via a second radio; and

receiving data by a portable computer having two or more image capture devices during a third time via a first image capture device and during a fourth time via a second image capture device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth times are at least partially mutually inclusive of each other.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth times are mutually exclusive of each other.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving data from two or more radios is selected from a group consisting of:

receiving data from a WWAN radio;

receiving data from a radio frequency device from a distance of approximately two inches or less; and

receiving data from an 802.11a/b/g radio.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the receiving data from two or more image capture devices is selected from a group consisting of:

receiving data from a bar code scanner;

receiving data from a camera; and

receiving data from a fingerprint scanner.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving data from two or more image capture devices is selected from a group consisting of:

receiving data from a bar code scanner;

receiving data from a camera; and

receiving data from a fingerprint scanner.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

an accelerometer;

a controller;

a memory;

at least two antennas internal to the electronic device; and

at least two image capture devices internal to the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the at least two antennas are configured to operate according to a protocol selected from a group consisting of WWAN radio, Bluetooth, WiFi radio, ISO/IEC 14443A/B, ISO/IEC 15693, and ISO/IEC 18000-3, and wherein the at least two image capture devices are selected from a group consisting of a bar code scanner, a camera, and a fingerprint scanner.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the accelerometer is configured to generate an interrupt signal to the controller when subject to an acceleration of a pre-selected magnitude;

the controller is configured to send a second signal to the hard disk drive upon receiving the interrupt signal from the accelerometer; and

the memory is a hard disk drive, configured to cease movement when it receives the second signal from the controller.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the memory comprises a solid state memory.

20. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein one of the at least two image capture devices comprises an illumination source that may be controlled independently of the one of the at least two image capture devices.