PORTABLE COMPUTING SYSTEM AND PORTABLE COMPUTER FOR USE WITH SAME

• US 20110240728A9
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Arnouse
• Original Assignee: Michael Arnouse
• Inventors: Arnouse, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,010,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/02 manually operated with input through keyboard and computation using a built-in program, e.g. pocket calculators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44236 Monitoring of piracy processes or activities protecting computer platforms against harmful, malicious or unexpected behaviour or activities using intrusion detection and counter measures G06F21/566; computer virus detection and handling G06F21/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04

Abstract

A computing system comprising a pocket personal computer and a reader are disclosed. The pocket PC is pocket-sized and comprises flash memory, and optionally a processor and a GPS chip. The reader includes a monitor, a keyboard with docking port and an optional processor and at least one input/output USB connector. A user cannot interact with the pocket PC without the reader. The reader is a non-functioning “shell” without the pocket PC, however, when they are connected the system becomes a fully functional personal computer. To log on, a user provides security information, for example, a password or biometrics, such as fingerprints. The credit card size and capabilities of the pocket PC allows a user to easily carry virtually their entire computer in a pocket for use anywhere there is a reader. In addition, the pocket PC provides security against unauthorized use, even if lost or stolen. A password or fingerprints are required to access to the device, the circuit board may be coated with a protective coating and the system may include an RFID tag and RFID reader.

Claims

1. A computing system comprising:

a portable computer comprising;

at least one storage component;

a printed circuit board comprising at least one integrated circuit;

a coating covering the at least one integrated circuit; and

at least one connector adapted to connect to at least one reader;

one or more readers each comprising;

a housing; and

at least one connector for connecting to the portable computer,

wherein the portable computer excludes means for a user to interact directly with the portable computer,

wherein the housing comprises at least one input and at least one output device that facilitates direct user interaction with the portable computer,

wherein the readers are non-functioning shells when not connected to a portable computer, and

wherein the readers become fully functional general purpose computers substantially immediately after being connected with a portable computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computer comprises substantially all of the components of a fully functional general purpose computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computer comprises a processor and at least one controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one readers comprise a power generating unit.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an RFID reader and wherein the portable computer comprises an RFID tag configured to interact with the RFID reader.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is selected from the group consisting of:

a keyboard, a keypad, a touch screen, a microphone, and a PDA and the output device is selected from the group consisting of;

a display and at least one speaker.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the readers are configured so that they will not operate with a computer other than a portable computer of the system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computer is capable of being used with every reader in the system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the connector of the portable computer is a grid of conductive targets.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the readers comprise at least one biometric scanner selected from the group consisting of:

a fingerprint reader, retinal scanner, and pulse reader.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an operating system support for dynamic hardware components and wherein the housing and the portable computer execute an un-dock command to release drivers, which are no longer needed once a portable computer is detached from a reader.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the readers comprise at least one electrical interface for transmitting power to at least one portable computer and wherein the portable computer comprises an electrical interface for receiving power from at least one reader.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the electrical interface of the portable computer is a plurality of gold-plated pads and wherein the electrical interface of the reader is a plurality of pins.

36. The computing system of claim 1, wherein when the portable computer is connected to the reader, the computing system is configured to access the internet and stream or download to the portable computer, music, movies or television shows.

37. The computing system of claim 36, wherein the reader comprises a display and speakers.

38. The computing system of claim 36, wherein the reader comprises a television screen.

14. A portable computer for use with a reader, the portable computer comprising:

at least one storage component;

at least one processor;

at least one controller hub;

at least one printed circuit board comprising at least one integrated circuit;

at least one connector adapted to connect to at least one reader;

a substantially rigid casing comprised of an electrically-conductive material and substantially enclosing the at least one storage component, the at least one processor, the at least one controller hub and the at least the printed circuit board, the substantially rigid casing having at least one window for exposing the connector,

wherein the portable computer excludes means for a user to interact with the portable computer independent of a reader.

15. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the storage is comprised of at least one single-level cell solid state memory.

16. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the storage is comprised of at least one multi-level cell solid state memory.

17. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the storage is comprised of at least one volatile memory.

18. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the processor is procured in bare die form.

19. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the printed circuit board is configured as an eight layer stack-up.

20. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the integrated circuits are connected in a flip chip configuration.

21. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the system controller hub is mounted in a flip chip ball grid array configuration and comprises 1249 pins.

22. The portable computer of claim 14, wherein the portable computer is about 4 mm in height, about 83 mm in length and about 52 mm in width.

23. The portable computer of claim 14, further comprising a coating substantially covering the at least one integrated circuit, the coating selected from the group consisting of silicone, epoxy, acrylic, urethane and paraxylene.

24. The portable computer of claim 17, wherein the portable computer comprises only volatile memory and is configured to save the contents of its volatile memory to flash memory in a hibernation process.

25. The portable computer of claim 17, wherein the volatile memory is dynamic random access memory.

26. The portable computer of claim 17, wherein the printed circuit board has a density of about 8 GB to about 128 GB.

27. The portable computer of claim 25, wherein the dynamic random access memory is DDR2.

28. A portable smartcard comprising:

at least one printed circuit board containing at least one integrated circuit for storing data;

security for restricting access to the stored data; and

a coating substantially covering the at least one integrated circuit;

wherein the coating operates to;

inhibit tampering, as attempts to improperly gain access to the stored data will damage the at least one integrated circuit;

dissipate heat generated by the at least integrated circuit; and

waterproof the at least one integrated circuit.

29. The portable smartcard of claim 28, wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of silicone, epoxy, acrylic, urethane and paraxylene.

30. The portable smartcard of claim 28, wherein the storage is comprised of at least one single-level cell solid state memory.

31. The portable smartcard of claim 28, wherein the storage is comprised of at least one multi-level cell solid state memory.

32. The portable smartcard of claim 28, wherein the storage is comprised of at least one volatile memory.

33. The portable smartcard of claim 28, further comprising a processor procured in bare die form.

34. The portable smartcard of claim 28, wherein the printed circuit board is configured as a multi layer stack-up.

35. The portable smartcard of claim 28, wherein the integrated circuits are connected in a flip chip configuration.

39. A processing system comprising:

a portable computer comprising;

at least one storage component;

a printed circuit board comprising at least one integrated circuit; and

at least one connector adapted to connect to at least one reader;

one or more readers comprising;

a housing; and

at least one connector for connecting to the portable computer;

wherein the portable computer, when connected to the reader, is configured to access a network.

40. The processing system of claim 39, wherein the network comprises the internet.

41. The processing system of claim 40, wherein the portable computer when connected to the reader accesses content available over the internet.

42. The processing system of claim 41, wherein the reader comprises a display and speakers.

43. The processing system of claim 41, wherein content is streamed or downloaded to the portable computer.

44. The processing system of claim 41, wherein the content comprises music, movies or television shows.