VARIABLE CONFIGURATION APPARATUS

• US 20100285672A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jm Stanneck LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Symons, Peter, Ward, Timothy, Keen, Ian, Lamacraft, Kevin, Underwood, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/8
• 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 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom

Abstract

A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a first component comprising a socket coupling element; and

a second component comprising a ball coupling element, the ball coupling element movably received in the socket coupling element and mechanically coupling the second component to the first component;

wherein the ball coupling element is electrically conductive and the socket coupling element is electrically conductive and the ball coupling element and socket coupling element are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first component and the second component.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the outer surface of the ball coupling element comprises an electrically conductive coating and the inner surface of the socket coupling element comprises an electrically conductive coating.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the ball coupling element is formed from an electrically conductive material and the socket coupling element is formed from an electrically conductive material.

25. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the ball coupling element comprises a first capacitive coupling element formed therein and the socket coupling element comprises a second capacitive coupling element formed therein, and further wherein the first capacitive coupling element overlaps with the second capacitive coupling element.

26. The electronic device of claim 25, wherein the ball coupling element is moveable in three dimensions relative to the socket coupling element, and wherein the first capacitive coupling element overlaps with the second capacitive coupling element throughout a desired range of movement.

27. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the ball coupling element is movable in three dimensions relative to the socket coupling element.

28. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the second component is a display screen.

29. The electronic device of claim 22, further comprising a dielectric formed between the ball coupling element and the socket coupling element.

30. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the ball coupling element and the socket coupling element form a capacitive coupling.

31. The electronic device of claim 22,

wherein the first component further comprises a second socket coupling element,

wherein the second component further comprises a second ball coupling element, the second ball coupling element movably received in the second socket coupling element and mechanically coupling the second component to the first component,

wherein the second ball coupling element is electrically conductive and the second socket coupling element is electrically conductive and the second ball coupling element and second socket coupling element are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first component and the second component, and

wherein the socket coupling element and the ball coupling element communicate data from the first component to the second component, and the second socket coupling element and the second ball coupling element communicate date from the second component to the first component.

32. An electronic device, comprising:

a socket mechanically coupled to a first electrical component; and

a ball mechanically coupled to a second electrical component, the ball movably received in the socket and mechanically coupling the second electrical component to the first electrical component;

wherein the ball is electrically conductive and the socket is electrically conductive and the ball and socket are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first component and the second component.

33. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein the outer surface of the ball comprises an electrically conductive coating and the inner surface of the socket comprises an electrically conductive coating.

34. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein the ball is formed from an electrically conductive material and the socket is formed from an electrically conductive material.

35. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein the ball comprises a first capacitive coupling element formed therein and the socket comprises a second capacitive coupling element formed therein, and further wherein the first capacitive coupling element overlaps with the second capacitive coupling element.

36. The electronic device of claim 35 wherein the ball is moveable in three dimensions relative to the socket, and wherein the first capacitive coupling element overlaps with the second capacitive coupling element throughout a desired range of movement.

37. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein the ball is movable in three dimensions relative to the socket.

38. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein the second component is a display screen.

39. The electronic device of claim 32, further comprising a dielectric formed between the ball and the socket.

40. The electronic device of claim 32, wherein the ball and the socket form a capacitive coupling.

41. The electronic device of claim 32, further comprising:

a second socket mechanically coupled to the first electrical component;

a second ball mechanically coupled to the second electrical component, the second ball moveably received in the second socket,

wherein the second ball is electrically conductive and the second socket is electrically conductive and second ball and second socket are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first electrical component and the second electrical component, and

wherein the socket and the ball communicate data from the first electrical component to the second electrical component, and the second and the second ball communicate date from the second electrical component to the first electrical component.

42. A method of coupling a wireless signal in an electronic device, comprising:

providing a socket mechanically coupled to a first electrical component, the socket being electrically conductive;

providing a ball mechanically coupled to a second electrical component, the ball being electrically conductive, movably received in the socket, and mechanically coupling the second electrical component to the first electrical component; and

wirelessly coupling a signal from the first electrical component to the second electrical component via the socket and the ball.