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Personal digital assistant module having a multi-portion keyboard with inductive coupling

  • US 5,590,382 A
  • Filed: 09/20/1994
  • Issued: 12/31/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A digital assistant system comprising:

  • an enclosure;

    a CPU within the enclosure;

    a memory coupled to the CPU;

    a video display coupled to and operable by the CPU, implemented on a surface of the enclosure; and

    a keyboard separate from the enclosure;

    wherein the keyboard comprises;

    a first keyboard portion having a first group of keys electrically connected to a first portion of an electrical connector;

    a second keyboard portion having a second group of keys electrically connected to a second portion of the electrical connector;

    a controller electrically connected for monitoring keystrokes and managing operations of the keyboard;

    a magnetic field generator in the second keyboard portion connected to the controller for generating a variable magnetic field; and

    a power supply in the second keyboard portion connected for supplying electrical power to power-using elements of the keyboard;

    wherein the first and second keyboard portions joined by the electrical connector form a contiguous keyboard, and wherein the power supply, controller, keys, and magnetic field generator are electrically interconnected with the controller, and the controller is adapted to drive the magnetic field generator to code keystrokes as variations in the variable magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator.

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