Control Panel System

• US 20120154851A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gutkowski, Lawrence J., Rothery, Joseph, Kaplan, Ronald J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,699,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

In one example, a control panel system for a printer includes a portable control panel configured to receive user input to control printer functions and a stationary control panel configured to receive user input to control printer functions. In this example, the portable control panel has a wireless connector for making a wireless connection to the printer. In another example, a control panel system for a device (for example a printer) includes: a portable control panel; a stationary control touch panel; a dock configured to receive the portable control panel; and a feature configured to inhibit the portable control panel from triggering touch sensitive buttons on the stationary control panel during docking and undocking. In this example, the stationary control touch panel is hidden from view by the portable control panel and inaccessible to the user when the portable control panel is docked.

Claims

1. A control panel system for a printer, comprising:

a portable control panel configured to receive user input to control printer functions, the portable control panel having a wireless connector for making a wireless connection to the printer; and

a stationary control panel configured to receive user input to control printer functions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dock for holding the portable control panel, the stationary control panel inaccessible to a user when the portable control panel is docked and the stationary control panel accessible to a user when the portable control panel is not docked.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dock for holding the portable control panel, the stationary control panel hidden from view by the portable control panel when the portable control panel is docked and the stationary control panel exposed to view when the portable control panel is not docked.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dock for holding the portable control panel, the stationary control panel disabled from receiving user input to control printer functions when the portable control panel is docked.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dock for holding the portable control panel, the stationary control panel hidden from view by the portable control panel and inaccessible to a user when the portable control panel is docked and the stationary control panel exposed to view and accessible to a user when the portable control panel is not docked.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the stationary control panel is disabled from receiving user input to control printer functions when the portable control panel is docked.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable control panel includes a wired connector and the system further comprises a dock configured to hold the portable control panel and to electrically connect to the portable control panel wired connector.

8. A control panel system for a device, comprising:

a portable control panel configured to receiver user input to control device functions, the portable control panel having a wired connector for making a wired connection to the device and a wireless connector for making a wireless connection to the device;

a stationary control touch panel having touch sensitive first buttons for receiving user input to control device functions;

a dock configured to receive the portable control panel and to electrically connect to the portable control panel wired connector, the stationary control touch panel hidden from view by the portable control panel and inaccessible to the a user when the portable control panel is docked and the stationary control touch panel exposed to view and accessible to a user when the portable control panel is not docked; and

a feature configured to inhibit the portable control panel from triggering the touch sensitive first buttons during docking and undocking.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the feature configured to inhibit the portable control panel from triggering the touch sensitive first buttons during docking and undocking comprises a feature configured to physically isolate the touch sensitive first buttons from the portable control panel and to reduce the sensitivity of the touch sensitive first buttons to the presence of the portable control panel.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the feature configured to physically isolate the touch sensitive first buttons from the portable control panel and to reduce the sensitivity of the touch sensitive first buttons to the presence of the portable control panel comprises the touch sensitive first buttons recessed into a face of the stationary control panel, the face to abut the portable control panel during docking and undocking and the recess to allow an air space between the portable control panel and the touch sensitive first buttons.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a touch sensitive second button on the face of the stationary control panel, the touch sensitive second button configured to disable the touch sensitive first buttons if triggered by the portable control panel during docking and undocking.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the touch sensitive second buttons comprises a pair of touch sensitive second buttons positioned opposite one another on either side of the recess.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising an electrically non-conductive lens covering the touch sensitive first buttons, the lens defining the recess and the face.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising an electrically non-conductive lens covering the touch sensitive first buttons and wherein the feature configured to physically isolate the touch sensitive first buttons from the portable control panel and to reduce the sensitivity of the touch sensitive first buttons to the presence of the portable control panel comprises a composite gap defined by a thickness of the lens and an air space between the lens and the portable control panel when the portable control panel is docked.

15. A printer, comprising:

a print engine;

a controller operatively connected to the print engine;

a portable control panel configured to receive user input to control printer functions, the portable control panel having a wireless connector for making a wireless connection to the controller;

a stationary control panel operatively connected to the controller and configured to receive user input to control printer functions; and

a dock configured to receive the portable control panel, the stationary control panel hidden from view by the portable control panel and inaccessible to a user when the portable control panel is docked and the stationary control panel exposed to view and accessible to a user when the portable control panel is not docked.

16. The printer of claim 15, wherein the stationary control panel is disabled when the portable control panel is docked.

17. The printer of claim 15, wherein the portable control panel includes a wired connector and the dock is further configured to electrically connect to the portable control panel wired connector.

18. The printer of claim 15, wherein:

the stationary control panel includes a touch panel for receiving user input to control printer functions; and

the touch panel is hidden from view by the portable control panel and inaccessible to the a user when the portable control panel is docked and the touch panel is exposed to view and accessible to a user when the portable control panel is not docked.

19. The printer of claim 15, wherein the stationary control panel includes:

a touch panel having touch sensitive buttons for receiving user input to control printer functions; and

a feature configured to inhibit the portable control panel from triggering the touch sensitive buttons during docking and undocking.

20. The printer of claim 19, wherein the feature configured to inhibit the portable control panel from triggering the touch sensitive buttons during docking and undocking comprises the touch sensitive buttons recessed into a face of the stationary control panel, the face to abut the portable control panel during docking and undocking and the recess to allow an air space between the portable control panel and the touch sensitive buttons.