Portable information processing apparatus

• US 6,501,429 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Maezawa, Hidekazu, Momose, Akira, Nakamura, Akiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HOANGANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/881,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: H01/Q.124, 343/702, 343/700.MS, 455/90
• US Class Current: 343/702
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/36 relating to the receiver frond end
• 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 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/084 Pivotable antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2266 disposed inside the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a small portable information processing apparatus. A GPS unit (11, 300) is attachable to and detachable from a rear surface of a portable information terminal (10, 350), so that the GPS unit (11, 300) can be mounted on the rear surface of the portable information terminal (10, 350) to make it serviceable only when necessary, thus improving convenience. Power is supplied to the GPS unit (11, 300, 650) only when an antenna unit (112, 500, 613) is set in a serviceable state. This prevents the exhaustion of a battery.

Claims

1. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

a portable information terminal including a display surface on a front surface side thereof;

an antenna unit to receive a signal transmitted from a GPS satellite; and

an attaching/detaching mechanism to attach said antenna unit to or detach said antenna unit from said portable information terminal while maintaining a projection area from the front side of said display surface;

wherein said antenna unit includes a rotating center axis (L) to switch between a folded state wherein said antenna unit has been folded closely against a rear surface of said portable information terminal and an unfolded state wherein said antenna unit has been turned and pulled out from the folded state toward an outer periphery side of said portable information terminal so that said antenna unit is inclined toward the rear surface side with respect to said display surface of said portable information terminal; and

wherein said rotating center axis (L) has an axial direction substantially perpendicular to said display surface.

2. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said antenna unit is folded closely against the rear surface of said portable information terminal, being oriented widthwise, in the folded state as observed from a rotating center position where said antenna unit turns between the folded state and the unfolded state, whereas said antenna unit projects from a distal end side of said portable information terminal when said antenna unit turns substantially 90 degrees to switch from the folded state to the unfolded state.

3. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said rotating center axis (L) is inclined at substantially 45 degrees as observed from a direction for bisecting an angle range of switching between the folded state and the unfolded state so that said antenna unit remains at the same height widthwise whether said antenna unit is in the folded state or the unfolded state.

4. The portable information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a turning portion of said antenna unit comprises a clicking mechanism that switches magnitude of turning torque between the folded state and the unfolded state so as to indicate completion of folding and a position immediately before reaching completion of unfolding.

5. A portable information processing apparatus comprising:

a portable information terminal including a display surface on a front surface side thereof;

an antenna unit supported by said portable information terminal such that said antenna unit extends from said portable information terminal toward an outer periphery thereof to receive a signal transmitted from a GPS satellite, the extending movement of said antenna defining a plane of motion; and

a spring disposed between said antenna unit and said portable information terminal to permit given play in a direction intercepting said plane of motion.

6. The portable information processing apparatus of claim 5, wherein said spring is a leaf spring.