Modular tablet computer system

• US 6,157,958 A
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ADT Security Services SA (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qubit LLC
• Inventors: Armitage, David L., Greenwald, Jerry, Roecker, David, Kapushion, Joe, Leander, Randy, Keen, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/127,547
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 361/680, 361/681, 361/682, 361/683, 361/686, 709/200, 709/217, 709/218, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/250
• 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 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266

Abstract

A computer housing or case contains computer system components including a display unit, a processor, and a computer power supply unit. One or more handles are positioned at a side of the case to allow a user to hold the encased computer system while viewing the display. A case has a support interface structure to hold the case steady in an upright position. The support interface structure of the case mates with a complimentary support interface in the weight-supporting base unit and mates with guides to align a power supply port in the case to contact a power supply port in the base unit. A base unit has a drawer guide to receive a keyboard by lifting the keyboard above a support surface. A modular computer system comprises a tablet computer, a base unit, and a remote keyboard. A first infrared communication device couples the tablet computer to the remote keyboard and other input peripherals. A second infrared communication device couples the tablet computer to a remote printer. A radio frequency network adapter couples the tablet computer to the base unit, which provides additional communications to an external communications network.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a case having a see-through portion in a front face thereof;

a case support interface formed in said case;

a computer power supply unit disposed within said case;

a display screen assembly disposed within said case adjacent to said front face so that said display screen assembly is viewable through said see-through portion;

a printed circuit board disposed within said case and coupled to said display screen assembly;

a display controller coupled to said printed circuit board and said display screen assembly;

a processor coupled to said printed circuit board and said display controller;

an address bus coupled to said processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor;

a power module coupled to said computer power supply unit;

a storage device that contains operating system code and is coupled to said processor;

a first wireless communication device disposed in said case and coupled to said processor;

a base unit having a base support interface being complementary to said case support interface and capable of detachably engaging said case support interface to hold said case steady in an upright position; and

a second wireless communication device disposed in said weight-supporting base unit for communicating with said first wireless communication device.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said case includes a case power supply port formed in said case and operably attached to said computer power supply unit, said base unit includes a base power supply unit coupled to a base power supply port, and said base support interface aligns said base power supply port to correspond with said case power supply port.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said power module comprises at least one battery coupled to said computer power supply unit.

4. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said power module comprises a connection to an external power supply and ports for interfacing to external peripheral devices.

5. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said power module is detachably engaged to said case.

6. The computer system of claim 1 wherein said case provides a barrier preventing wired data communications between said processor and said base unit.

7. A modular computer system for interfacing with a communications network, said computer system comprising:

a tablet computer having a display screen, a storage medium containing operating system code, and a processor coupled to said display screen and said storage medium for executing said operating system code;

a tablet support interface positioned on said tablet computer;

a tablet wireless communication interface disposed within said tablet computer and coupled to said processor;

a weight-supporting base unit;

a base wireless communication interface disposed within said base unit for communicating with said tablet wireless communication interface;

a base support interface positioned on said base unit and being complementary to said tablet support interface, said base support interface being capable of detachably engaging said tablet support interface to hold said tablet computer steady in an upright position; and

an external communication interface disposed within said base unit and coupled between said base wireless communication interface and said communications network to transfer data between said tablet computer and said communications network.

8. A computer system for communicating with a first peripheral device and a second peripheral device, said computer system comprising:

a case having a see-through portion in a front face thereof;

a computer power supply unit disposed within said case;

a display screen assembly disposed within said case adjacent to said front face so that said display screen assembly is viewable through said see-through portion;

a printed circuit board disposed within said case and coupled to said display screen assembly;

a display controller coupled to said printed circuit board and said display screen assembly;

a processor coupled to said printed circuit board and said display controller;

an address bus coupled to said processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor;

an adapter module coupled to said computer power supply unit;

a storage device that contains operating system code and is coupled to said processor;

a plurality of wireless communication interfaces coupled to said processor; and

a plurality of wireless communication ports formed in said case, each port coupled to at least one of said wireless communication interfaces, a first of said ports located in the lower half of said case to perform wireless communication with said first peripheral device facing said front face, a second of said ports located in the upper half of said case to perform wireless communication with said second peripheral device obscured from said front face.

9. The computer system of claim 8 wherein greater than 50% of the weight of said computer system is distributed in the lower half of said computer system.

10. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the weight of said computer system is distributed substantially symmetrically about the center vertical axis of said computer system.

11. The computer system of claim 8 wherein greater than 50% of the weight of said computer system is horizontally distributed in the center four-fifths of said computer system.

12. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said adapter module comprises a battery assembly having at least one battery, a first lead coupled to said computer power supply unit, and a second lead capable of coupling to an external power source.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein said battery assembly is detachably engaged into a recess positioned in the bottom half of said case.

14. The computer system of claim 8 wherein said adapter module comprises an interface assembly having a first lead coupled to said computer power supply unit, a second lead to couple an external power source, and interface ports to couple said computer system to external devices, said interface assembly being detachably engaged to said case.

15. A computer system comprising:

a case having a see-through portion in a front face thereof;

a computer power supply unit disposed within said case;

a display screen assembly disposed within said case adjacent to said front face so that said display screen assembly is viewable through said see-through portion;

a printed circuit board disposed within said case and coupled to said display screen assembly;

a display controller coupled to said printed circuit board and said display screen assembly;

a processor coupled to said printed circuit board and said display controller;

an address bus coupled to said processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor;

an adapter module coupled to said computer power supply unit;

a storage device that contains operating system code and is coupled to said processor;

an infrared communication interface coupled to said processor to communicate with a peripheral device; and

a radio frequency communication interface coupled to said processor to couple said computer system to a communications network.

16. A computer system for interfacing with a computer network a first peripheral device, and a second peripheral device, said computer system comprising:

a case including a front face having a see-through portion;

a display screen assembly adjacent to said front panel so that said display screen is viewable through said see-through portion, said display screen assembly including a 5-wire touch screen and a display screen;

a computer power supply unit disposed within said case;

a printed circuit board disposed within said case and coupled to said display screen assembly;

a display controller coupled to said printed circuit board and said display screen assembly;

a processor coupled to said printed circuit board and said display controller;

an address bus coupled to said processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor;

an adapter module coupled to said computer power supply unit;

a storage device that contains operating system code and is coupled to said processor;

a plurality of narrow bandwidth wireless communications devices coupled to said processor;

a plurality of wireless communication ports formed in said case, each port coupled to at least one of said narrow bandwidth wireless communication devices, a first of said ports located in the lower half of said case to perform wireless communications with said first peripheral device facing said front face, a second of said ports located in the upper half of said case to perform wireless communications with said second peripheral device obscured from said front face;

a radio frequency wireless communication interface disposed in said case and coupled to said processor; and

an antenna disposed in said case and coupled to said radio frequency wireless communication device.

17. The computer system of claim 16 comprising:

a case support interface formed in said case; and

a base unit having a base support interface being complementary to said case support interface and being capable of detachably engaging said case support interface to hold said case steady in an upright position.

18. The computer system of claim 16 further comprising a wireless keyboard that communicates with at least one of said narrow bandwidth wireless communication devices.

19. The computer system of claim 17 further comprising a base wireless communication interface disposed in said base unit for communicating with said radio frequency wireless communication interface in said case.

20. A base unit for interfacing to a tablet-shaped computer system to a communications network, said computer system including a processor, a display unit, a screen input device, a computer power supply unit, a computer power supply port, and a computer wireless communications device detachably connected to said computer adapter interface, said base unit comprising:

a base power supply unit disposed within said base unit;

a base power supply port formed in said base unit and operably attached to said base power supply unit;

a weight-supporting interface located on said base unit to engage said computer system and align said computer power supply port with said base power supply port;

a first base adapter interface disposed within said base unit capable of detachably engaging a base wireless communication device for communicating with said computer system wireless communications device;

a second base adapter interface disposed within said base unit device coupled to said second wireless communications device and for detachably engaging a wired communications and communicating with said communications network;

a microprocessor coupled to said first and second base adapter interfaces to communicate data between said base adapter interfaces; and

a digital signal processor coupled to said microprocessor.

21. A computer system for interfacing with a computer network, a first peripheral device, and a second peripheral device, said computer system comprising:

a tablet-shaped computer including;

a case having a see-through portion in a front face thereof,

a computer power supply unit disposed within said case,

a display screen assembly disposed within said case adjacent to said front panel so that said display screen assembly is viewable through said see-through portion, said display screen assembly including a 5-wire touch screen and a display screen,

a printed circuit board disposed within said case and coupled to said display screen assembly,

a display controller coupled to said printed circuit board and said display screen assembly,

a processor coupled to said printed circuit board and said display controller,

an address bus coupled to said processor,

a data bus coupled to said processor,

an adapter module coupled to said computer power supply unit,

a storage device that contains operating system code and is coupled to said processor,

a plurality of narrow bandwidth wireless communications devices coupled to said processor,

a plurality of wireless communication ports formed in said case, each port coupled to at least one of said narrow bandwidth wireless communication devices, a first of said ports located in the lower half of said case to perform wireless communications with said first peripheral device facing said front face, a second of said ports located in the upper half of said case to perform wireless communications with said second peripheral device obscured from said front face,

a radio frequency wireless communication device disposed in said case and coupled to said processor, and

an antenna disposed in said case and coupled to said radio frequency wireless communication device;

a base unit comprising;

a base power supply unit disposed within said base unit,

a base power supply port formed in said base unit and coupled to said base power supply unit,

a weight-supporting interface located on said base unit to engage said computer system and align said computer power supply port with said base power supply port,

a first base adapter interface disposed within said base unit that detachably engages a base wireless communication device for communicating with said computer system wireless communications device,

a second base adapter interface disposed within said base unit for detachably engaging a wired communications device coupled to said second wireless communications device and capable of communicating with said communications network,

a microprocessor coupled to said first and second base adapter interfaces to communicate data between said base adapter interfaces, and

a digital signal processor coupled to said microprocessor; and

a remote keyboard having a wireless communication device for communicating with said tablet-shaped computer, said keyboard being storable in said base unit.

22. The computer system of claim 21 further comprising a scroll wheel coupled to said microprocessor and attached to said computer system for controlling movement of scrolling windows.