Smart cover for a handheld computer

• US 6,535,199 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Lunsford, E. Michael, Canova, Francis J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDULSELAM, ABBAS I
• Application Number:
  US09/586,541
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 345/163, 345/169, 345/179, 345/173, 345/156, 345/168, 361/681, 361/683, 361/686
• US Class Current: 345/168
• 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 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer

Abstract

An accessory device for a handheld computer includes a peripheral portion to detachably couple to an accessory rail of a handheld computer. The accessory device includes a cover portion dimensioned to extend over a front surface of the handheld computer including a display when the peripheral portion is coupled to the accessory rail. The cover portion houses one or more electrical components.

Claims

1. An accessory device for a handheld computer, the accessory device comprising:

a peripheral portion to detachably couple to an accessory rail of a handheld computer;

a cover portion dimensioned to extend over a front surface of the handheld computer including a display when the peripheral portion is coupled to the accessory rail; and

one or more electrical components embedded in the cover portion.

2. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical components includes a processor.

3. The accessory device of claim 2, wherein the one or more electrical components includes a memory.

4. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the accessory device includes a power module to power the one or more electrical components.

5. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising an antenna.

6. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral portion is dimensioned to slideably engage an accessory rail of a handheld computer.

7. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral portion is dimensioned to slideably engage and be retained within an accessory rail extending peripherally along a length of the handheld computer.

8. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral portion is dimensioned to slideable engage and be retained within an accessory rail that is adapted to receive a stylus for the handheld computer.

9. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the cover portion includes a rigid casing.

10. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the cover portion includes a flexible casing.

11. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical components include an electrical device selected from a group consisting of 2-way alphanumeric pager, keyboard, solar charger, battery based mini-charger, memory unit, bar code reader, global positioning system unit and/or antenna, digital text reader, vibrating unit with alarm, and laser pointer.

12. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising a flex portion that joins the cover portion to the peripheral portion.

13. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the cover portion is moveable when the peripheral portion is retained within the accessory rail so as to move between a position adjacent to a front face of the handheld computer to a surface adjacent to a back face of the handheld computer.

14. The accessory device of claim 1, further comprising a connector that mates with a connector of the handheld computer to extend communications between the one or more components and a processor of the handheld computer.

15. The accessory device of claim 14, wherein the connector is positioned on a surface of the peripheral portion.

16. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the connector is positioned on a surface of the peripheral portion to mate with a rail connector of the handheld computer.

17. The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the connector includes at least one connector element for signaling an interrupt to a processor of the handheld computer via the slot connector.

18. The accessory device of claim 16, wherein the connector includes at least three connector elements that connect to corresponding elements of the slot connector on the handheld computer, the connector of the accessory device including a first connector element for signaling an interrupt to a processor of the handheld computer, a second connector element to extend a power signal from the handheld computer to components of the accessory device, and a third signal line extending a ground between the accessory device and the handheld computer.

31. The accessory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical components combine to function as an image capturing device.

19. An accessory device for a handheld computer, the accessory comprising:

a cover portion that houses a recorder, the recorder including;

a microphone to receive an audio input;

a converter to convert the audio input from an analog format to a digital format;

a memory to store the audio input in the digital format;

a processor to signal the audio input to the memory; and

a peripheral portion that is extended from the cover portion to detachably couple to an accessory of the handheld computer.

20. The accessory device of claim 19, further comprising a speaker, wherein the processor signals the audio input to the converter to convert the audio input to the analog format, the audio input being signaled in the analog format to the speaker.

21. The accessory device of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of input keys to control the recorder.

22. The accessory device of claim 21, wherein one of the input keys includes a first button to signal the recorder to begin recording a voice input.

23. The accessory device of claim 22, wherein one of the input keys includes a second button to signal the recorder to retrieve and playback an existing file stored in the memory.

24. The accessory device of claim 19, wherein the peripheral portion is dimensioned to slideably engage an accessory rail of a handheld computer.

25. The accessory device of claim 19, wherein the peripheral portion is dimensioned to slideable engage and be retained within an accessory rail that is adapted to receive a stylus for the handheld computer.

26. An accessory device for a handheld computer, the accessory device comprising:

a spine that slideable engages an accessory rail of the handheld computer to detachably couple the accessory device to the handheld computer;

a cover portion that extends over a display of the handheld computer;

one or more electrical components embedded in the cover portion; and

a connector positioned on a surface of the spine to mate with a slot connector of the handheld computer, the slot connector being positioned within the accessory rail of the handheld computer.

27. The accessory device of claim 26, wherein the connector includes a data connector element on the surface of the spine that extends at least an interrupt signal line from a processor of the accessory device to the slot connector of the handheld computer.

28. The accessory device of claim 26, wherein the connector includes a power connector element on the surface of the spine that extends at least a power signal line for powering components of the accessory device, the power signal line extending to couple to the battery of the handheld computer via the slot connector.

29. The accessory device of claim 26, wherein the connector includes a power connector element on the surface of the spine that extends at least a power signal line for powering components of the handheld computer, the power signal line extending to couple to an outlet of the battery of the handheld computer via the slot connector.

30. A handheld computer assembly comprising:

a handheld computer including;

a processor;

an accessory rail peripherally extending along a length of the handheld computer; and

a slot connector positioned with the accessory rail to extend communications to and from the processor;

an accessory device including;

a cover portion;

a processor embedded in the cover portion;

a spine that slideably engages the accessory rail to detachably couple the accessory device to the accessory rail; and

a connector positioned on a surface of the spine to extend communications from the processor of the accessory device to the processor of the handheld computer.

32. The accessory device of claim 30, wherein the image capturing device is a digital text reader.