Remote pluggable system having bays for attachment of computer peripherals

• US 6,526,515 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mobility Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Charles, Paul, Marsh, David, Hoendervoogt, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/461,311
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340, 710/62
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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

Abstract

A system and method are provided for interconnecting computer peripherals with portable and desktop computers and other digital devices. More specifically, the present invention includes a system and method for simultaneously connecting multiple portable computer peripherals to a single portable computer interface slot, for connecting portable computer peripherals to a desktop computer, and for connecting a portable ZIP™ drive to a portable computer. A system for providing a supplemental power supply for the computer peripheral is also provided.

Claims

1. A system for providing power to a digital peripheral device via a computer port when the primary power source provides insufficient instantaneous power for powering the digital peripheral device, but otherwise having sufficient average power for powering the digital peripheral device, the system comprising:

means for removably housing the peripheral device, the peripheral device including at least a first electrical connector for carrying a first electrical signal from the peripheral device to a computer device;

means for coupling the first electrical signal between the peripheral device and a computing device, the computing device including a primary power supply;

means for conveying electrical power from the primary power supply to the peripheral device;

means for storing electrical power, the means for storing electrical power positioned outside of the computing device; and

a power management circuit being capable of detecting when the current drawn by the peripheral device exceeds a predetermined threshold and being capable of supplying supplementary power to the peripheral device only when the current drawn by the peripheral device exceeds the predetermined threshold such that the operation of the peripheral device is maintained.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for removably housing the peripheral device comprises at least one of a remote docking bay for a computer device and a computer I/O docking bay.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 wherein the computing device comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a palmtop computer, a personal digital assistant, a digital camera; and

wherein the peripheral device comprises one selected from the group consisting of;

a magnetic storage device and an optical storage device.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for coupling the first electrical signal between the peripheral device and the computing device comprises a cable.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the power supply provides 5, 3.3, or 2.7 volts DC.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for conveying electrical power from the primary power supply to the peripheral device comprises a cable.

7. A system as defined in claim 1 further comprising an enclosure within which the peripheral device is housed and wherein the means for storing electrical energy comprise a capacitor or other energy storage device and an alkaline battery positioned within the enclosure.

8. A system as defined in claim 1 further comprising an enclosure within which the peripheral device is housed and wherein the means for storing electrical energy comprise a capacitor or other energy storage device within the enclosure and an alkaline battery positioned without the enclosure.

9. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for limiting the current drawn from the computing device by the peripheral device is set to a predetermined value of one ampere.

10. A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the first electrical connector comprises a forty conductor connector.

11. A system for electrically coupling a peripheral device to a computing device, the computing device having an interface compliant with a first interface standard, said system comprising:

a first peripheral bay comprising means for making physical and electrical connection with the peripheral device, the peripheral device being compliant with a second interface standard; and

means for translating communications between the computer in accordance with the first interface standard and the first peripheral bay in compliance with the second interface standard such that an operative link between the computer and the computer peripheral is established when a computer peripheral is nested in the first peripheral bay.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein the first peripheral bay is positioned external to the computing device.

13. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein the first peripheral bay is positioned internally in the computing device.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 or 13 wherein the first peripheral bay comprises:

a housing;

an opening in the housing which receives the peripheral device into the housing, including a lip provided on the peripheral device enclosure.

15. The system as defined in claim 12 or 13 further comprising a second peripheral bay operatively connected to the computing device.

16. The system as defined in claim 12 or 13 wherein the means for making physical and electrical connection with a computer peripheral comprises a fifty conductor connector and a cable.

17. The system as defined in claim 12 or 13 wherein the computer peripheral comprises an enclosure having first, second, third, and fourth sides, the enclosure having a substantially rectangular shape having a lip extending from the first side thereof.

18. The system as defined in claim 12 or 13 wherein the first interface standard is selected from the group consisting of:

USB, IDE, ATAPI, FireWire(IEEE1394), and PCMCIA interfaces.

19. The system as defined in claim 12 or 13 wherein the second interface standard is selected from the group consisting of:

IDE, ATAPI, FDD, USB, Firewire(IEEE1394), and SCSI interfaces.

20. A system for electrically coupling a first peripheral device to a computing device having an enclosure, the computing device having an interface compliant with a first interface standard and the first peripheral having an interface compliant with a second interface standard, said system comprising:

a first peripheral bay, the peripheral bay comprising;

a housing, the housing positioned outside of the enclosure of the computing device;

an opening at one end of the housing for receiving the first peripheral device into the first peripheral bay and for securing the peripheral device in the first peripheral bay;

an interface connector positioned in the first peripheral bay, the interface connector coupling with a corresponding connector provided on the peripheral device and receiving signals from the peripheral in compliance with the second interface standard;

means for conveying the signals from the peripheral bay to the computing device; and

means for translating the signals of a peripheral device in the first peripheral bay, which are in compliance with the second interface standard, to the first interface standard used by the computing device such that an operative link between the computer and the peripheral device is established when a computer peripheral is received in the first peripheral bay.

21. A system as defined in claim 20 wherein the means for conveying the signals from the peripheral bay to the computing device comprises a cable.

22. The system as defined in claim 21 wherein the first interface standard is selected from the group consisting of:

USB, IDE, ATAPI, FireWire(IEE1394), and PCMCIA interfaces.

23. The system as defined in claim 22 wherein the second interface standard is selected from the group consisting of:

IDE, ATAPI, FDD, USB, FireWire(IEEE1394), and SCSI interfaces.

24. A system for adapting a peripheral device compliant with a second interface standard for operation with a computing device compliant with a first interface standard, said system comprising:

means for removably housing the peripheral device, the peripheral device including at least a first electrical connector for communicating at least a first electrical signal;

means for coupling the first electrical signal between the peripheral device and a computing device, the computing device including a power supply;

means for conveying electrical power from the power supply to the peripheral device;

means for storing electrical power, the means for storing electrical power positioned outside of the computing device;

means for limiting the current drawn from the computing device by the peripheral device to a predetermined value and for supplying supplementary power to the peripheral device from the means for storing electrical power when the current drawn by the peripheral device exceeds the predetermined limiting value such that operation of the peripheral device is maintained; and

means for translating communications between the computer in accordance with the first interface standard and the peripheral device in compliance with the second interface standard such that an operative link between the computer and the peripheral device is established when a computer peripheral is nested in the first peripheral bay.

25. A system as defined in claim 24 wherein the means for removably housing the peripheral device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an external docking bay and an internal docking bay.

26. A system as defined in claim 25 further comprising a cable communicating the first electrical signal to the computing device.

27. A system as defined in claim 26 wherein the power supply provides 5, 3.3, or 2.7 volts DC.

28. A system as defined in claim 24 wherein the means for conveying electrical power from the power supply to the peripheral device comprises a cable.

29. A system as defined in claim 24 further comprising an enclosure within which the peripheral device is housed and wherein the means for storing electrical energy comprise a capacitor or other energy storage device and an alkaline battery positioned within the enclosure.

30. A system as defined in claim 24 further comprising an enclosure within the peripheral device and wherein the means for storing electrical energy comprise a capacitor or other energy storage device positioned within the enclosure and an alkaline battery positioned outside of the enclosure.

31. A system as defined in claim 24 wherein the means for limiting the current drawn from the computing device by the peripheral device is set to a predetermined value of one ampere.

32. The system as defined in claim 24 wherein the first means for removably housing the peripheral device is positioned externally to the computing device.

33. The system as defined in claim 24 wherein the first peripheral bay is positioned internally in the computing device.

34. The system as defined in claim 32 or 33 wherein the means for making physical and electrical connection with a computer peripheral comprises a fifty conductor connector and a cable.

35. The system as defined in claim 32 or 33 wherein the computer peripheral comprises an enclosure having first, second, third, and fourth sides, the enclosure having a substantially rectangular shape having a lip extending from the first side thereof.

36. The system as defined in claim 32 or 33 wherein the first interface standard is the PCMCIA interface standard.

37. The system as defined in claim 24 wherein the second interface standard is ATAPI interface standard.