DOCKING STATION, AND ASSOCIATED METHODOLOGY, FOR A MINI PERSONAL COMPUTER

• US 20090231801A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: CUMMINS, FRED A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A docking station for a mini personal computer. The docking station formed of the shell of a laptop computer at which a user keyboard and a display screen are supported at the docking station. Additional elements, such as a computer hard drive or computer mass storage device are also supported at the docking station. When the mini personal computer is received at a docking port of the docking station, the processor of the mini personal computer is able to make use of the elements supported at the docking station.

Claims

1. A docking station, for a Mini Personal Computer, MPC, said docking station comprising:

a support frame;

an MPC receiving port formed at said support frame, said MPC receiving port configured to receive the MPC;

a user interface supported at said support frame and electrically connectable to the MPC when received at said MPC receiving port, said user interface configured to provide interface for the MPC during operation thereof while received at said MPC receiving port.

2. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said support frame comprises a laptop computer shell.

3. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising a network connector configured to form a network connection to provide network connectivity to the MPC when received at said MPC receiving port.

4. The docking station of claim 3 wherein said network connector comprises a laptop-dock connector.

5. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises an input keyboard.

6. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises a display screen.

7. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said docking station further comprises a storage element electrically connectable to the MPC when received at said MPC receiving port.

8. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said docking station further comprises a power supplier configured to supply operative power to the MPC when received at said MPC receiving port.

9. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said user interface is configured to provide the interface for the MPC free of synchronization therewith when the MPC is received at said MPC receiving port.

10. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said docking station further comprises a peripheral device electrically connectable to the MPC when received at said MPC receiving port.

11. A method of using a Mini Personal Computer, MPC, said method comprising:

positioning the MPC at an MPC receiving port formed at a support frame that supports a user interface;

electrically connecting the MPC with the user interface; and

interfacing operations of the MPC via the user interface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said positioning comprises positioning the MPC at an MPC receiving port formed at a laptop computer shell.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising forming a network connection that provides network connectivity to the MPC when received at the MPC receiving port.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the network connection is provided via a laptop-dock connector.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said electrically connecting comprises electrically connecting the MPC with an input keyboard.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said electrically connecting comprises electrically connecting the MPC with a display screen.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said positioning further comprises positioning the MPC at an MPC receiving port formed at a support frame that further supports a storage element.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said electrically connecting further comprises electrically connecting the MPC with the storage element.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing operative power to the MPC by way of the support frame when the MPC is positioned at the MPC receiving port.

20. A computer assembly network, comprising:

a Mini Personal Computer component part including at least a processor;

a docking station having a docking port configured to receive the mini personal computer component part; and

a computer component supported at said docking station and electrically connectable to the mini personal computer component part when received at the docking port of said docking station, said computer component configured to operate together with the processor of said mini personal computer.