System for adapting a personal computer for radio communication

• US 5,640,301 A
• Filed: 04/26/1994
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: McKesson Information Solutions LLC (McKesson Corp.)
• Original Assignee: CliniCom, Inc. (McKesson Corp.)
• Inventors: Morris, Richard W., Keen, James E., Roecker, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/233,055
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 70/58, 70/279, 248/551, 248/553, 361/680-686, 439/928, 439/929
• US Class Current: 361/679.43
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7136 Arrangements for generation of hop frequencies, e.g. using a bank of frequency sources, using continuous tuning or using a transform
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/7156 Arrangements for sequence synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/71365 using continuous tuning of a single frequency source

Abstract

A system (10) for providing radio communication of data between a central processing computer (18) having a first transceiver (20) electrically connected thereto and a remotely located hand held personal computer (12). The personal computer includes an input and output device (28) mounted to the housing to allow interaction by a user. A second transceiver (102) is provided in a transceiver/handle housing (16). The transceiver/handle housing (16) is configured to be grasped by a single hand of a user. A spacing bracket (126) joins the second housing to the housing of the personal computer. An electrical connection provides for electric communication between the personal computer (12) and the second transceiver (102) so that data can be transmitted between the central processing computer (18) and the personal computer (12) by the first and second transceivers.

Claims

1. A system for providing radio communication of data between a central processing computer and a remote user interface, the central processing computer residing at a central location and having a first transceiver electrically connected thereto, the system comprising:

a user interface remote from the central processing computer, the user interface including a first housing and means for input and output of data, the input and output means being mounted to the first housing to allow interaction by a user;

a second transceiver;

means for electronic communication between the user interface and the second transceiver;

a second housing defining a receptacle receiving the second transceiver;

the second housing comprising a rigid casing defining the user interface receiving receptacle, the rigid casing further including a top, a bottom, a front, and a back, there being a lengthwise slot in the front spaced from the top;

the second housing further including a handle having two spaced legs joined at their proximal ends by a transverse gripping bar, the distal ends of the spaced legs being pivotably attached to the rigid casing proximate the top of the rigid casing, the handle being configured to pivot onto the front of the rigid casing with the gripping bar received in the lengthwise slot in the front of the casing; and

means for mounting the second housing to the first housing so that a user may grasp the second housing with one hand and access the input and output means with the other hand.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first housing includes a front and a back surface, and a top and a bottom, the input and output means being mounted to the front surface, and the second housing being mounted to the first housing with the back of the rigid casing abutting the back surface of the first housing proximate the top of the first housing.

3. A system for providing radio communication of data between a central processing computer and a remote user interface, the central processing computer residing at a central location and having a first transceiver electrically connected thereto, the system comprising:

a user interface remote from the central processing computer, the user interface including a first housing and means for input and output of data, the input and output means being mounted to the first housing to allow interaction by a user;

a second transceiver;

means for electronic communication between the user interface and the second transceiver;

a second housing defining a receptacle receiving the second transceiver, the housing being configured to be grasped by a single hand of a user;

means for mounting the second housing to the first housing so that a user may grasp the second housing with one hand and access the input and output means with the other hand; and

a fixture attachment, the fixture attachment including means for attaching the fixture attachment to a fixture and means for releasably engaging the mounting means with the input and output means accessible by a user.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the fixture attachment includes a base plate, means for attaching the base plate to a vertical surface, a carrier plate, and means between the carrier plate and the base plate for inclining the carrier plate relative to the base plate from a vertical storage position to an inclined position, the first housing resting upon the carrier plate with the releasably engaging means engaging the mounting means, so that with the carrier plate inclined access by a user to the input and output means of the user interface is facilitated.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the inclining means comprises a first pair of spaced parallel legs each having first and second ends, each leg being pivotably attached at the first end to the carrier plate and at the second end to the base plate, and the second pair of parallel legs each having first and second ends, each leg being pivotably attached to the carrier plate and the base plate below the first pair of legs, the second pair of legs being longer than the first pair of legs.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising a release bar pivotably mounted to the fixture attachment for pivotal movement between a first and a second position and release means connected between the release bar and the inclining means for enabling the inclining means to incline the carrier plate from the vertical storage position upon pivoting of the release bar from the first to the second positions.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the mounting means comprises a spacing bracket attached between the first and second housings, the spacing bracket having a leading edge and the releasably engaging means comprises an engaging edge of the carrier plate, there being interlocking teeth between the leading edge of the spacing bracket and the engaging edge of the carrier plate, the user interface being attached to the carrier plate by sliding the spacing bracket teeth into engagement with the carrier plate teeth.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the releasably engaging means includes a locking means on the carrier plate for securing a user interface on the carrier plate, the locking means being movable between a first position preventing disengagement of the user interface, and a second position for allowing disengagement of the user interface actuating means responsive to an electric signal for moving the locking means between the first and second positions, means for electrical communication between the actuating means and the user interface and means within the user interface for generating the electric signal causing the actuating means to move the locking means between the first and second positions upon entry by a user of a select code into the input output means of the user interface.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the locking means comprises a latch pivotably attached to the carrier plate and movable between the first and second positions and a notch in the second housing, the latch engaging the notch in the first position and not engaging the notch when pivoted from the first position.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein user interface includes a rechargeable battery and the fixture attachment includes a battery recharger, there being means for electrical communication between the battery recharger and the rechargeable battery with the mounting means engaged by the releasable engaging means.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein means for electrical communication between the battery recharger and the rechargeable battery comprises a first plurality of electrical contacts on the second housing and a second plurality of electrical contacts on the carrier plate, the first and second pluralities of contacts abutting each other with the mounting means engaged by the releasable engaging means.

12. The system of claim 3 wherein the user interface is a personal computer and the means for electronic communication between the personal computer and the second transceiver comprises any standard off the shelf communications adapter.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the user interface is a pen based personal computer.

14. A security device for releasably anchoring a personal computer to a fixture comprising:

a personal computer assembly including a personal computer and an attached handle housing;

a fixture attachment including means for attaching the fixture attachment to a fixture;

receiving means on the fixture attachment for captively receiving a portion of the personal computer assembly;

locking means on the fixture attachment having a first position for locking the portion of the personal computer assembly received within the receiving means so as to prevent removal of the personal computer assembly from the receiving means, and a second position for releasing the portion of the personal computer assembly to permit removal of the personal computer assembly from the receiving means;

actuating means operatively associated with the locking means for moving the locking means between the first and second positions in response to a select signal from the personal computer assembly received within the receiving means;

communication means between the actuating means and and the personal computer assembly received within the receiving means for conveying the select signal between the personal computer assembly and the actuating means; and

the fixture attachment further comprising a base plate;

means for attaching the base plate to a vertical surface;

a carrier plate, the carrier plate including the receiving means; and

means between the carrier plate and base plate for inclining the carrier plate relative to the base plate from a storage position with the carrier plate parallel to the base plate to an inclined position so as to facilitate easy access to the input and output means on the personal computer.

15. The security device of claim 14 wherein the inclining means comprises a first pair of parallel legs each having first and second ends, each leg being pivotably attached at the first end to the carrier plate and at the second end to the base plate, and the second pair of parallel legs each having first and second ends, each, end being pivotably attached to the carrier plate and the base plate below the first pair of legs and the second pair of legs being longer than the first pair of legs.

16. (amended) The security device of claim 14 wherein the fixture attachment further includes a battery recharger that may electrically communicate with a rechargeable battery of the personal computer.

17. The security device of claim 14 wherein the receiving means slidably receives the personal computer assembly and the locking means in the first position prevents sliding of the personal computer assembly received in the receiving means from the receiving means.