Combined high-speed and low-speed infrared transceiver on computer display panel housing

• US 5,781,177 A
• Filed: 10/29/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Wyatt, Peter J., Derocher, Michael D., Esterberg, Dennis R., Helot, Jacques H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US08/739,335
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 359/154
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment

Abstract

A high-speed infrared ("IR") port and a low-speed IR port are co-located at a notebook computer display panel housing. Both IR ports are directional with a different sensing direction. The high-speed IR port is located along an upper side edge of the display panel housing. The low-speed IR port is located above the display panel along the viewing face of the display panel housing adjacent to the high-speed IR port. The low-speed IR port is disabled while the notebook computer display panel is in the closed position, and is enabled when out of the closed position. Conversely, the high-speed IR port is enabled while the notebook computer display panel is in the closed position and is disabled when out of the closed position. Collocating the ports allows convenient access to each port. The ports share a common electrical interface thereby reducing circuitry.

Claims

1. A portable computing apparatus, comprising:

a system unit having a processing unit;

a display unit attached to the system unit, the display unit comprising a display housing and a display panel, the display unit folding relative to the system unit between an open position for viewing the display panel and a closed position at which the display panel is blocked from viewing and covers a portion of the system unit, wherein the display panel defines a viewing plane;

a first infrared transceiving port positioned at the display unit and operable at a first throughput rate; and

a second infrared sensing port positioned at the display unit and operable at a second throughput rate less than the first throughput rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the second infrared sensing port is located adjacent to the first infrared transceiving port.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising an infrared lens in common to the first infrared transceiving port and the second infrared sensing port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the display housing defines an upper side edge and a viewing face, the viewing face corresponding to the viewing plane of the display panel;

and wherein the first infrared transceiving port is located along the upper side edge and the second infrared sensing port is located above the display panel along the viewing face of the display housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the first infrared transceiving port and the second infrared sensing port share a common electrical interface for routing electrical signals to the processing unit.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first port enable signal which when active enables operation of the first infrared transceiving port; and

a second port enable signal which when active enables operation of the second infrared sensing port; and

wherein at most one of the first port enable signal and second port enable signal are active at the same time.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a switch having a first state while the display unit is in the closed position and wherein the first port enable signal is active while the switch is in the first state.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a switch having a second state while the display unit is in the open position, and wherein the second port enable signal is active while the switch is in the second state.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, in which the display unit further comprises a first connector, and further comprising an IR port housing within which are located the first infrared transceiving port and the second infrared sensing port;

and wherein the IR port housing defines a second connector for detachably mating to the first connector of the display unit, the first connector and second connector serving as an electrical and a mechanical interface between the display unit and the first and second IR ports, and wherein while connected the first infrared transceiving port is oriented outward from an upper side edge of the display panel housing and the second infrared sensing port is oriented outward from the display housing viewing face.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which at least a portion of the IR port housing is adjustable to change orientation of the first and second IR ports relative to the display housing.

11. A portable computing apparatus, comprising:

a system unit having a processing unit;

a display unit attached to the system unit, the display unit comprising a display housing and a display panel, the display unit folding relative to the system unit between an open position for viewing the display panel and a closed position at which the display panel is blocked from viewing and covers a portion of the system unit, the display panel mounted to the display housing and defining a viewing plane, the display unit housing defining an upper side edge and a viewing face, the viewing face corresponding to the viewing plane of the display panel;

a first infrared transceiving port operable at a first throughput rate;

a second infrared sensing port operable at a second throughput rate less than the first throughput rate, wherein the second infrared sensing port is located adjacent to the first infrared transceiving port;

an infrared lens in common to the first infrared transceiving port and the second infrared sensing port; and

wherein the first infrared transceiving port and second infrared sensing port move with the display unit as the display unit folds between the open position and closed position.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the display housing defines an upper side edge and a viewing face, the viewing face corresponding to the viewing plane of the display panel;

and wherein the first infrared transceiving port is located along the upper side edge and the second infrared sensing port is located above the display panel along the viewing face of the display housing.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a first port enable signal which when active enables operation of the first infrared transceiving port;

a second port enable signal which when active enables operation of the second infrared sensing port; and

wherein at most one of the first port enable signal and second port enable signal are active at the same time.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the display unit further comprises a first connector, and further comprising an IR port housing within which are located the first infrared transceiving port and the second infrared sensing port;

and wherein the IR port housing defines a second connector for detachably mating to the first connector of the display unit, the first connector and second connector serving as an electrical and a mechanical interface between the display unit and the first and second IR ports.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, in which at least a portion of the IR port housing is adjustable to change orientation of the first and second IR ports relative to the display housing.

16. A method for communicating with a notebook computer, the notebook computer comprising a system unit, a display unit, a first infrared transceiving port and a second infrared sensing port, the system unit having a processing unit, the display unit having a display housing and a display panel, the display unit attached to the system unit, the display unit folding relative to the system unit between an open position for viewing the display panel and a closed position at which the display panel is blocked from viewing and covers a portion of the system unit, the display panel being mounted to the display housing and defining a viewing plane, the first infrared transceiving port and second infrared sensing port moving with the display unit as the display unit folds between the open position and closed position, the first infrared transceiving port operable at a first throughput rate, and the second infrared sensing port operable at a second throughput rate less than the first throughput rate, the method comprising the steps of:

remotely controlling an operation of the notebook computer via a command sensed at the second infrared sensing port while the display unit is in the open position; and

moving data either one of into or out of the notebook computer via the first infrared transceiving port while the display unit is in the closed position.

17. The method of claim 16, in which the first infrared transceiving port is disabled during the controlling step.

18. The method of claim 16, in which the second infrared transceiving port is disabled during the moving step.

19. The method of claim 16, in which the second infrared sensing port is located adjacent to the first infrared transceiving port;

wherein the display unit housing defines an upper side edge and a viewing face, the viewing face corresponding to the viewing plane of the display panel; and

wherein the first infrared transceiving port is located along the upper side edge and the second infrared sensing port is located above the display panel along the viewing face of the display panel housing.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein at most one of the first infrared transceiving port and second infrared sensing port are active at the same time, and further comprising the step of enabling the second infrared sensing port prior to the step of controlling and the step of enabling the first infrared transceiving port prior to the step of moving data.