Interactive display user interface computer and method

• US 6,266,045 B1
• Filed: 11/17/1994
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Telxon Corporation (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Kochis, Gary, Myerson, Robert F., Chang, Yung-Fu, Embree, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHANH DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/341,429
• Time in Patent Office: 2,441 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169-183, 345/901, 178/18-20, 364/900, 340/825.26, 340/825-7-8, 248/917, 248/918, 248/919, 341/22, 341/23, 341/32, 341/33, 455/347-351, D14/100, D14/106, D14/113, D14/115, 367/708, 367/709.1, 379/440, 379/428, 368/10, 368/13, 368/203, 368/204
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1656 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/02 Constructional features of telephone sets
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display

Abstract

A hand-held portable computer is disclosed. The computer includes a housing at least partially enclosing computer electronics, a visible display screen supported by the computer housing and a handle assembly connected to the computer housing. The handle assembly includes a handle support, a support retainer affixed to the housing at a location opposite the screen and a handle supported by the handle support. The support retainer adjustably connects the handle support to the computer housing. In the preferred embodiment, the handle support is rotatably adjustable with respect to the computer housing. The handle support includes an annular ring having a plurality of indentations on one surface and the support retainer includes a detent which engages a selected one of the indentations to secure the handle support in a desired rotational orientation.

Claims

1. A hand-held computer for supplying data to and receiving data from a user, the computer comprising:

a) a display screen housing for supporting an interactive display screen having a generally planar visible display surface;

b) a computer housing and handle assembly rotatably connected to the display screen housing for rotation with respect to the interactive display about an axis substantially perpendicular to the display surface, the computer housing and handle assembly defining an internal space for housing computer components for providing displays on the screen and receiving and processing user provided information input via the screen; and

c) the computer housing and handle assembly including a handle subassembly for use by a user in supporting the computer, a relative rotational movement between the display screen housing and the computer housing and handle assembly permitting a user to relatively position the handle and the screen to an ergonomically acceptable position for support of the computer with one hand and data input with a user'"'"'s other hand.

2. The hand-held computer of claim 1 wherein the handle subassembly further includes a handle attachment extension, one end of the handle attachment extension pivotably coupled to the computer housing and handle assembly and an opposite end of the handle attachment extension coupled to and supporting the handle.

3. The hand-held computer of claim 1 wherein the handle subassembly includes a peripheral surface comprising a portion of a lower surface of the computer housing and handle assembly and further includes a pair of spaced apart handle attachment extensions, each of the handle attachment extensions having one end pivotably connected to the handle subassembly peripheral surface and the opposite ends of the spaced apart handle attachment extensions supporting the handle.

4. The hand-held computer of claim 1 wherein a portion of an outer surface of the display screen housing and a portion of an outer surface of the computer housing and handle assembly are adjacent and include a cam latching mechanism to secure the display screen housing in a selected one of a plurality of rotational orientations with respect to the computer housing and handle assembly.

5. The hand-held computer of claim 1 wherein the computer is a touch screen computer having a touch sensitive display screen.

6. A hand-held portable computer comprising:

a) a computer housing at least partially enclosing computer electronics;

b) a visible display screen supported by a display screen housing the computer housing rotatably connected to the display screen housing for rotation with respect to the display screen about an axis substantially perpendicular to a generally planar visible display surface of the display screen;

c) a handle assembly extending from the computer housing in a direction away from the display screen housing and rotating with the computer housing, the handle assembly including;

i) a handle attachment extension, one end of the handle attachment extension being coupled to the computer housing for pivoting movement with respect to the housing; and

ii) a handle supported by the handle attachment extension.

7. The hand-held portable computer of claim 6, wherein the display screen is interactive.

8. The hand-held portable computer of claim 6 wherein a portion of an outer surface of the handle attachment extension and a portion of an outer surface of the computer housing are adjacent and include a cam latching mechanism to secure the handle attachment extension in a selected one of a plurality of pivoting orientations with respect to the computer housing.

9. The hand-held portable computer of claim 6 wherein a portion of an outer surface of the display screen housing and a portion of an outer surface of the computer housing are adjacent and include a cam latching mechanism to secure the display screen housing in a selected one of a plurality of rotational orientations with respect to the computer housing.

10. A hand-held portable computer comprising:

a) a display screen housing supporting a generally planar visible display screen;

b) a computer housing and handle assembly rotatably affixed to the display screen housing for rotation with respect to the display screen about an axis substantially perpendicular to the visible display screen, the computer housing and handle assembly including;

i) a computer housing at least partially enclosing computer electronics,

ii) a handle subassembly coupled to the computer housing and including a handle for holding the computer; and

iii) a latching mechanism to secure the computer housing and handle assembly in a desired rotational orientation with respect to the display screen housing.

11. The hand-held portable computer of claim 10 wherein the housing and handle assembly latching mechanism comprises a cam latching mechanism including a plurality of indentations on one of the display screen housing and the computer housing and handle assembly and the other of the display housing and the computer housing and handle assembly having a detent which releasably engages an aligned one of the indentations to secure the computer housing and handle assembly in the desired rotational orientation with respect to the display screen housing.

12. The hand-held portable computer of claim 11 wherein the computer housing and handle assembly cam latching mechanism includes a detent biasing means for biasing the detent toward engagement with the aligned indention.

13. A method of inputting data into a hand-held portable computer by a user of the computer, the computer including an interactive display screen supported by a display screen housing and a computer housing rotatably coupled to the display screen housing for an with respect to the display screen about an axis substantially perpendicular to a generally planar visible surface of the display screen the display screen adapted to receive data via contact with an exposed surface of the screen, the computer housing including a handle assembly extending from a portion of the computer housing facing away from the display screen, the handle assembly including a handle for holding the computer, the steps of the method comb:

a) rotating the display screen housing with respect to the computer housing until the display screen and computer housing are in an ergonomically comfortable relative position;

b) gasping the handle with one hand to position the display screen in a desired position for imputing data; and

,

c) contacting the exposed surface of the display screen using another hand to input data as the screen is hold in the desired position.

14. The method of inputting data into the portable hand-held computer set forth in claim 13 wherein the handle is selectively pivotable, between a plurality of positions with respect to the computer housing and in step (b) the method further includes the substep of pivoting the handle until the display screen is in a desired position.