Personal electronic book providing keypad and readable and writable CD drives

• US 6,642,909 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony R. Oliva
• Original Assignee: Anthony R. Oliva
• Inventors: Oliva, Anthony R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Duc Q
• Application Number:
  US09/633,605
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1-3, 345/901, 345/903, 345/905, D14/315
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/903 Modular display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device for the display and input of text and data. The present invention provides a flat screen, which displays textual information, hinged to a keypad, which provides data entry. The electronic book also has two CD drives. The first of these drives is read only and its purpose is to read CD'"'"'s that provide several textbooks for display on the screen. The second drive is writable and provides data entry storage. Students may use the keypad and writable CD drive to take notes in class and store them on a CD.

Claims

1. An electronic book comprising:

a) a first housing having a front, a back and sides;

b) a second housing having a front, a back and sides, wherein a side of said second housing is coupled to a side of said first housing;

c) a flat display screen disposed in said front of said a first housing;

d) an alphanumeric keypad disposed in said front of said second housing, wherein said alphanumeric keypad allows a user to enter text so that it may appear on said flat display screen;

e) a hinge that couples said first housing to said second housing, wherein said hinge is spaced outwardly from said sides of said first housing and second housing, permitting the electronic book to take a closed position, a word processing position or a reading position by revolving around said hinge from a position where said fronts of said first housing and said second housing lie flush against one another to a position where said backs of said first housing and said second housing lie flush against one another;

f) an electronic processing means disposed in said second housing that controls and monitors the operations of said electronic book in accordance with user requests;

g) a CD-ROM drive coupled to said electronic processing means, wherein said CD-ROM drive reads CDs for textual display on said flat display screen; and

h) a writable CD drive coupled to said electronic processing means, wherein said writable CD drive saves data typed to said flat display screen through said alphanumeric keypad, or copied from material read from said CD-ROM drive;

i) a protective flap, hinged to one of said sides of said second housing other than sad side that said first housing is hinged to, wherein said protective flap covers said alphanumeric keypad when in said closed position or said reading position; and

j) a second smaller screen on said first housing that displays book and chapter information;

wherein the electronic book is in a closed position when said fronts of said at least two housings lie flush with one another so that said flat display screen and said alphanumeric keypad are inaccessible;

wherein said flat display screen and said alphanumeric keypad are simultaneously viewable by a user when the electronic book is in said word processing position;

wherein said backs of said at least two housings lie flush against one another when the electronic book is in said reading position and making only said flat display screen accessible to said user; and

wherein said alphanumeric keypad is inactive and protected by said protective flap when the electronic book is in said reading position.

2. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a navigational control coupled to said electronic processing means, wherein said navigational control comprises:

a) a first scroll button providing downward scrolling of material on said flat display screen;

b) a second scroll button providing upward scrolling of material on said flat display screen.

c) a forward button that allows a user to quickly move through the material displayed on said flat display screen; and

d) a reverse button that allows a user to quickly move backward through the chapters of the material displayed on said flat display screen.

3. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a large print button that allows the user to enlarge the text displayed on said flat display screen and return enlarged text to its original size.

4. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a memory button that allows the user to highlight words or sentences for later review or writing to a CD.

5. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising at least one button that allows the user to choose a specific item from said second smaller screen.

6. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a first CD button that activates said CD-ROM drive.

7. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a second CD button that activates said writable CD drive.

8. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a down and up button that provides for forward and backward movement through chapters displayed on said second smaller screen.

9. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a power button that activates said flat display screen and said alphanumeric keypad.

10. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising:

a flat flexible circuit electronically connecting said flat display screen with said alphanumeric keypad;

and a connecting strip holding said protective flap in place when positioned over said alphanumeric keypad.

11. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks said alphanumeric keypad on top of said flat display screen when not in use and comprising:

a) at least one hooked latch disposed on said first housing; and

b) at least one receiving hole embedded in said second housing.

12. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a power supply that provides power to the electronic book and comprises:

a) a rechargeable battery within said first housing of said electronic book; and

b) an electronic adaptor that connects said electronic book to an outlet to provide power and recharge said rechargeable battery.

13. The electronic book of claim 1, further comprising a video output hookup that provides for television linkup and power conservation.