Portable computer with docking connector for peripheral devices

• US 5,187,645 A
• Filed: 06/07/1991
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Computer Docking Station Corporation (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ergo Computing, Inc.
• Inventors: Thrailkill, John E., Kowal, Keith E., Bleck, James H., Wakefield, Scott H., Spalding, Tom J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US07/711,816
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 439/135, 439/136, 439/218, 439/222, 439/159, 439/160, 439/502, 439/638, 439/639, 439/650, 439/651, 439/929, 439/680, 364/708, 361/380, 361/381, 361/382, 361/385, 361/386, 361/388, 361/389, 361/390, 361/391, 361/392, 361/393, 361/394, 361/395, 361/399, 361/415, 312/223.2
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203

Abstract

A microcomputer system includes a microprocessor and a housing for holding the microprocessor. The housing includes sets of conectors preferably comprised of two alternative sets of connectors. The microcomputer system is light weight, small and portable. Connections to external components such as peripheral devices are achieved with one embodiment via a docking connector. This docking connector includes a set of pin connectors that can be coupled to connectors on the housing. It also includes an ejector mechanism. The ejector mechanism enables decoupling by depression of the ejector. The use of the docking connector allows all peripheral connections to be realized through a single connector.

Claims

1. A portable computer microprocessing system comprising:

a) a microprocessor for processing instructions;

b) a housing containing the microprocessor;

c) a plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessor such that each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connections provides a computer-peripheral-device-specific data link to said microprocessor, said connectors for connecting the microprocessor to specific computer peripheral devices and being mounted on the housing; and

d) another single connector on the housing, said single connector comprising a set of pins, said set further comprising a plurality of subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins being in electrical communication with said microprocessor such that one of each of said subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins provides the same computer-peripheral-device-specific data link as said each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors, said single connector for making all connections from the microprocessor to said specific computer peripheral devices; and

e) a docking connection means holding the housing to connect the microprocessor with the at least one computer peripheral device, said docking connection means being comprised of;

a connector mating with the single connector on the housing; and

a support holding the housing in a vertical position.

2. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein the housing is at most 12.0 inches in length, at most 9.0 inches in width, and at most 4.0 inches in height.

3. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein the docking connection means is coupled to a peripheral device interface that provides an interface to connect the peripheral devices and a power source to the docking connection means.

4. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein all connections to peripheral devices from the microprocessor are made through the docking connection means.

5. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein the docking connection means further comprises a network integrated circuit card for facilitating connection of the microprocessing system to a network.

6. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a disk drive built into the housing.

7. A microprocessor system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a battery pack for powering the microprocessing system.

8. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a hard disc for providing memory space, said hard disc being located inside the housing.

9. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of computer peripheral-device-specific connectors is for a keyboard for communicating with the microprocessor.

10. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of computer-peripheral device-specific-device connectors is for a visual display.

11. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an ejector for ejecting the housing from the docking connection means.

12. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of computer-device-specific connectors include communications port, keyboard, display, and power connections.

13. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a liquid-filled thermal heat sink pouch positioned between the microprocessor and the housing.

14. A portable computer microprocessing system comprising:

a) a microprocessor for processing instructions;

b) a housing containing the microprocessor;

c) a plurality of computer peripheral devices in communication with the microprocessor;

d) a plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessor such that each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors provides a computer-peripheral-device-specific data link to said microprocessor, said connectors for connecting the microprocessor to specific computer peripheral devices and being mounted on the housing;

e) another single connector on the housing, said single connector comprising a set of pins, said set further comprising a plurality of subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins being in electrical communication with said microprocessor such that one of each of said subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins provides the same computer-peripheral-device-specific data link as said each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors, said single connector for making all connections from the microprocessor to said specific computer peripheral devices; and

f) a docking connection means in which the housing rests so as to connect the microprocessor with the computer peripheral devices, said docking connection means being comprised of;

a connector mating with the single connector on the housing;

a support holding the housing in a vertical position; and

an ejector for ejecting the housing from the docking connection means.

15. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a network card coupled to the docking connection means to facilitate connection of the microprocessing system to a network.

16. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a hard disc for providing added memory space.

17. In a portable computer, a method of interfacing a microprocessor with a plurality of computer peripheral devices comprising the steps of:

a) containing the microprocessor within a housing;

b) providing on the housing a plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessor such that each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors provides a computer-peripheral-device-specific data link to said microprocessor, said connectors for connecting the microprocessor to specific computer peripheral devices and being mounted on the housing; and

c) providing another single connector on the housing, said single connector comprising a set of pins, said set further comprising a plurality of subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins being in electrical communication with said microprocessor such that one of each of said subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins provides the same computer-peripheral-device-specific data link as said each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors, said single connector for making all connections from the microprocessor to said specific computer peripheral devices

d) providing a docking connection means having an additional connector;

e) supporting the housing of the microprocessor in position relative to said docking connection means so that the single connector on the housing is coupled with said additional connector provided in the docking connection means; and

f) making connections between said docking connection means and said peripheral devices.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising the step of ejecting the housing from the connection means to terminate the connections between the peripheral devices and the microprocessor.

19. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising providing a network integrated circuit card held within the docking connection means for facilitating connection of the microprocessor to a network.

20. A portable computer microprocessing system comprising:

a) a microprocessor for processing instructions;

b) a housing containing the microprocessor;

c) a plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessor such that each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors provides a computer-peripheral-device-specific data link to said microprocessor, said connectors for connecting the microprocessor to specific computer peripheral devices and being mounted on the housing; and

d) another single connector on the housing, said single connector comprising a set of pins, said set further comprising a plurality of subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins being in electrical communication with said microprocessor such that one of each of said subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins provides the same computer-peripheral-device-specific data link as said each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors, said single connector for making all connections from the microprocessor to said specific computer peripheral devices; and

e) a docking connection means in which the housing rests for connecting the microprocessor with computer peripheral devices, said docking connection means comprising a single connector which mates with the single connector on the housing.

21. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 wherein the docking connection means further comprises a support for holding the housing in a vertical position such that the weight of the housing maintains the connections to the connector.

22. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 wherein the housing is at most 12.0 inches in length, at most 9.0 inches in width, and at most 4.0 inches in height.

23. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 wherein the docking connection means is coupled to a peripheral device interface that provides an interface to connect the peripheral devices and a power source to the docking connection means.

24. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 wherein the docking connection means further comprises a network integrated circuit card for facilitating connection of the microprocessing system to a network.

25. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 further comprising a liquid-filled thermal heat sink pouch positioned between the microprocessor and the housing.

26. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 further comprising an ejector for ejecting the housing from the docking connection means.

27. A microprocessing system as recited in claim 20 wherein the plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors are for providing connections between the microprocessor and peripheral devices including, keyboard, display, and power supply.

28. A portable computer comprising:

a) a microprocessor for processing instructions;

b) a housing containing the microprocessor;

c) a plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors in electrical communication with the microprocessor such that each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors provides a computer-peripheral-device-specific data link to said microprocessors, said connectors for connecting the microprocessor to specific computer peripheral devices and being mounted on the housing; and

d) another single connector on the housing, said single connector comprising a set of pins, said set further comprising a plurality of subsets of computer-peripheral-devices-specific pins being in electrical communication with said microprocessor such that one of each of said subsets of computer-peripheral-device-specific pins provides the same computer-peripheral-device-specific data link as said each of said plurality of computer-peripheral-device-specific connectors, said single connector for making all connections from the microprocessor to said specific computer peripheral devices.