ACCESSORY FOR A PORTABLE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20110167181A1
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ananny, John M., Loo, Kenneth, Lydon, Gregory T., Yepez, Roberto G., Bolton, Lawrence G., Minoo, Jahan
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/73
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips

Abstract

An accessory for use with a portable computing device is provided. The accessory includes a keypad and a pedestal to house the control circuitry and provide mechanical stability for the accessory. The accessory includes a metal mass that performs dual functions of providing the mass for stability as well as acting as a ground connection for the keypad and other control circuitry. The accessory includes a connector for interfacing with a portable computing device and an additional connector for interfacing with an additional accessory.

Claims

1. An accessory for use with a portable computing device, the accessory comprising:

an accessory interface configured to connect to an additional accessory and to provide power to the additional accessory;

a portable computing device interface configured to connect to the portable computing device and to receive power from the portable computing device; and

circuitry configured to operate at either of a first operating voltage or a second operating voltage, the first operating voltage corresponding to the accessory and the second operating voltage corresponding to the additional accessory;

wherein the circuitry is further configured to operate at the second operating voltage when the additional accessory is connected to the accessory interface and to operate at the first operating voltage otherwise.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the second operating voltage is higher than the first operating voltage.

3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is further configured to determine a resistance value corresponding to the second power requirement and communicate the resistance value to the portable computing device.

4. The accessory of claim 1 further including a metal mass configured to provide stability to the accessory and provide a ground path for the keypad and the circuitry.

5. The accessory of claim 4 wherein the metal mass consists primarily of zinc.

6. The accessory of claim 4 wherein the metal mass occupies between 45% and 55% of a volume of the pedestal.

7. A method for operating an accessory having a first operating power requirement, the method comprising, by the accessory:

receiving, from an additional accessory connected to the accessory, information associated with a second operating power requirement for operating the additional accessory;

communicating the information associated with second operating power requirement to a portable computing device connected to the accessory, wherein the second operating power requirement is different from the first operating power requirement; and

receiving, from the portable computing device, a voltage corresponding to the second operating power requirement; and

operating using the voltage corresponding to the second operating power requirement.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first operating power requirement is lower than the second operating power requirement.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the information associated with the second operating power requirement includes determining a resistance value associated with the second operating power requirement.

10. An accessory for use with a portable computing device, the accessory comprising:

a user input device including associated circuitry;

a control section connected to the keypad, the control section including;

a first interface configured to accept a portable computing device;

a second interface configured to accept another accessory;

control circuitry coupled to the first and second interfaces; and

a metal mass constituting greater than 50% of a total mass of the accessory, the metal mass configured to provide a ground connection for the keypad circuitry and for the control circuitry.

11. The accessory of claim 10 wherein the user input device is a keyboard.

12. The accessory of claim 10 wherein the accessory is configured to communicate with the portable computing device using a set of commands, the set of commands including:

a first command sendable by the accessory to the portable computing device, the first command including configuration information about the accessory; and

a second command sendable by the accessory to the portable computing device, the second command including a USB HID report associated with one or more key press events on the keypad.

13. The accessory of claim 10 further configured to:

determine a resistance value associated with a power requirement of the another accessory connected to the second interface; and

communicate the resistance value to the portable computing device.

14. An accessory for use with a portable computing device, the accessory comprising:

a keypad including one or more keys;

a portable computing device interface configured to communicate with the portable computing device using a device specific protocol customized for the portable computing device, the protocol including a defined set of commands; and

a controller coupled to the keypad and the portable computing device interface and configured to generate commands of the device specific protocol to be communicated to the portable computing device, wherein the set of commands includes;

a first command sendable by the accessory to the portable computing device, the first command including configuration information about the accessory; and

a second command sendable by the accessory to the portable computing device in response to user operation of a key of the keypad, the second command including information identifying one or more of the keys of the keypad as being operated.

15. The accessory of claim 14 wherein the set of commands further includes:

a third command receivable by the accessory, the third command instructing the accessory to illuminate an indicator associated with the key.

16. The accessory of claim 14 wherein the configuration information includes HID descriptor for the accessory, a country code, a USB vendor ID, and a USB product ID.

17. The accessory of claim 14 wherein the information identifying one or more of the keys of the keypad is a USB HID report.

18. An accessory for use with a portable computing device, the accessory comprising:

a base section having a front surface, a back surface, a top surface, a substantially planar bottom surface, and at least one narrow support portion protruding below the bottom surface, the support portion extending across substantially the entire width of the base section and disposed near a first end of the bottom surface that is farther from the front surface;

a docking connector extending upward from the top surface of the base section, the docking connector adapted to connect to a portable computing device; and

a keypad section having a keypad, the keypad section being joined to the base section near a top edge of the front surface and extending diagonally forward and downward from the front surface, the keypad section having a first support near a first lower corner and a second support near a second lower corner,

wherein the support portion of the base section and the first and second supports of the keypad section are disposed such that when the keyboard accessory rests on a substantially planar resting surface, the support portion of the base section and the first and second supports of the keypad section are in contact with the resting surface and the substantially planar bottom surface of the base section is held away from the resting surface.

19. The accessory of claim 18 wherein the base section includes zinc mass.

20. The accessory of claim 19 wherein the base section includes a control board for controlling the operation of the keyboard accessory and the control board is connected to ground via the zinc mass.

21. The accessory of claim 18 further including an accessory connector disposed on the back surface, the accessory connector configured to accept an additional accessory and couple the additional accessory to the portable computing device.

22. A method for communication between an accessory and a portable computing device, the method comprising, by the portable computing device:

receiving a command from the accessory, the command conforming to a PCD accessory protocol customized to facilitate communication between the portable computing device and an accessory and including information related to a key press event;

analyzing the command to determine the key press event included in the command; and

performing an action based on the key press event.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein analyzing the command includes:

communicating the information related to the key press event to a software stack within the portable computing device; and

determining a key press event based at least in part on the information related to the key press event.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein information related to the key press event is a accessory HID report.