Portable computer using a stylus for power control

• US 6,681,333 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cho, Young-Tack
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): DU, THUAN N
• Application Number:
  US09/544,207
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/310, 713/320, 713/323, 345/173, 345/179, 455/90, 455/556, 455/574, 455/575, 361/683, 361/686, 70/63, 178/19.01, 178/19.05
• US Class Current: 713/300
• 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 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle

Abstract

A portable computer using a stylus for power control comprises a main body of the computer contained in a housing and provided with a stylus-holding means, a stylus for inputting data, and a means for detecting the combination and separation of the stylus and for controlling power supply to a system unit. The detecting and controlling means consists of a signal-generating unit and a power control unit. The signal-generating unit is positioned in the main body so as to detect the combination and separation of the stylus and generate a signal. The power control unit controls power supply to the system unit in response to the signal.

Claims

1. A portable computer comprising a power supply and a stylus-holder adapted for holding a stylus, said computer being adapted for receiving input of data by means of the stylus, said portable computer further comprising:

sensor means for detecting insertion of the stylus into the stylus-holder, thereby generating an IN signal, and for detecting extraction of the stylus from the stylus-holder, thereby generating an OUT signal; and

power control means coupled to the sensor means and responsive to said IN and OUT signals of said sensor means, said power control means determining whether said portable computer is in an operating mode or a non-operating mode, and said power control means placing said portable computer into a first power mode in response to the IN signal when said portable computer is in the operating mode and placing said portable computer into a second power mode in response to the OUT signal;

when said portable computer is in the non-operating mode.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the first power mode is at least one of OFF and STANDBY, and the second power mode is ON.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the sensor means is a push button switch activated by motion of the stylus.

4. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising locking means for locking said stylus in place in said stylus-holder once said stylus is fully inserted into said stylus-holder, and wherein said locking means comprises a resilient tongue defined by a cut in a sidewall of said stylus-holder, and an annular groove formed around an external surface of said stylus, said resilient tongue and said annular groove become engaged with each other when said stylus is fully inserted into said stylus-holder.

5. The portable computer of claim 4, said locking means further comprising a locking projection formed linearly on an end portion of a free end of said resilient tongue for engaging said annular groove.

6. The portable computer of claim 5, wherein said stylus has at least one additional annular groove formed on said external surface thereof ahead of said annular groove so that said at least one additional groove passes said locking projection prior to said annular groove engaging said locking projection.

7. The portable computer of claim 1, wherein a flange is formed on an exterior surface of said stylus and a slot is formed on an interior surface of said stylus-holder, said flange and said slot having respective shapes which are complementary, and wherein a user presses an said flange to remove said stylus from said stylus-holder.

8. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising locking means for locking said stylus in place in said stylus-holder once said stylus is fully inserted into said stylus-holder, and wherein said portable computer comprises a top housing and a bottom housing, said stylus-holder comprising a holding trough disposed between said top and bottom housings and said locking means comprising a plurality of ribs formed in said bottom housing for retaining said stylus in place when said stylus is inserted into said stylus-holder.

9. The portable computer of claim 1, further comprising locking means for locking said stylus in place in said stylus-holder once said stylus is fully inserted into said stylus-holder, and wherein said portable computer comprises a top housing and a bottom housing, said stylus-holder comprising a holding trough disposed between said top and bottom housings, and said locking means comprising a projection formed on said holding trough and an annular groove formed on an exterior surface of said stylus, said projection becoming engaged with said annular groove when said stylus is inserted into said stylus-holder.

10. The portable computer of claim 9, said locking means further comprising a resilient portion and a cut formed in said holding trough, said resilient portion being defined by said cut to have a free end so that said resilient portion moves backward and forward resiliently, said projection being formed on said free end of said resilient portion.

11. A method of changing a power supply of a portable computer from a first mode to a second mode and vice-versa, said portable computer comprising a stylus-holder adapted for holding a stylus, said portable computer being adapted for receiving input of data by means of the stylus, said method comprising:

determining whether the portable computer is in an operating mode or in a non-operating mode;

generating an IN signal by inserting the stylus into the stylus-holder and generating an OUT signal by extracting the stylus from the stylus-holder; and

when the portable computer is in the operating mode, determining whether the stylus is being held by the stylus-holder;

automatically placing the portable computer into a first power mode when the portable computer is in the operating mode and the stylus is being held by the stylus-holder;

when the portable computer is in the non-operating mode, determining whether the stylus is out of the stylus-holder; and

automatically placing the portable computer into a second power mode when the portable computer is in the non-operating mode and the stylus is out of the stylus-holder.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first power mode is at least one of OFF and STANDBY, and the second power mode is ON.

13. A stylus-holder for a portable computer, said stylus-holder comprising:

a receptacle for receiving and holding the stylus; and

locking means for locking said stylus in place in said receptacle once said stylus is fully inserted into said receptacles;

wherein said locking means comprises a resilient tongue defined by a cut in a sidewall of said stylus-holder, and an annular groove formed around an external surface of said stylus, said resilient tongue and said annular groove become engaged with each other when said stylus is fully inserted into said stvlus-holder.

14. The stylus-holder of claim 13, said locking means further comprising a locking projection formed linearly on an end portion of a free end of said resilient tongue for engaging said annular groove.

15. The stylus-holder of claim 14, wherein said stylus has at least one additional annular groove formed on said external surface thereof ahead of said annular groove so that said at least one additional groove passes said locking projection prior to said annular groove engaging said locking projection.

16. A stylus-holder for a portable computer, said stylus-holder comprising:

a receptacle for receiving and holding the stylus; and

locking means for locking said stylus in place in said receptacle once said stylus is fully inserted into said receptacle;

wherein a flange is formed on an exterior surface of said stylus and a slot is formed on an interior surface of said stylus-holder, said flange and said slot having respective shapes which are complementary, and wherein a user presses an said flange to remove said stylus from said stylus-holder.

17. A stylus-holder for a portable computer, said stylus-holder comprising:

a receptacle for receiving and holding the stylus; and

locking means for locking said stylus in place in said receptacle once said stylus is fully inserted into said receptacle;

wherein said portable computer comprises a top housing and a bottom housing, said stylus-holder comprising a holding trough disposed between said top and bottom housings and said locking means comprising a plurality of ribs formed in said bottom housing for retaining said stylus in place when said stylus is inserted into said stylus-holder.

18. A stylus-holder for a portable computer, said stylus-holder comprising:

a receptacle for receiving and holding the stylus; and

locking means for locking said stylus in place in said receptacle once said stylus is fully inserted into said receptacle;

wherein said portable computer comprises a top housing and a bottom housing, said stylus-holder comprising a holding trough disposed between said top and bottom housings, and said locking means comprising a projection formed on said holding trough and an annular groove formed on an exterior surface of said stylus, said projection becoming engaged with said annular groove when said stylus is inserted into said stylus-holder.

19. The stylus-holder of claim 18, said locking means further comprising a resilient portion and a cut formed in said holding trough, said resilient portion being defined by said cut to have a free end so that said resilient portion moves backward and forward resiliently, said projection being formed on said free end of said resilient portion.

20. A portable computer, comprising:

a stylus-holder adapted for holding a stylus, said portable computer being adapted for receiving input of data by means of the stylus;

determining means for determining whether the portable computer is in an operating mode or in a non-operating mode; and

generating means for generating an IN signal when the stylus is inserted into the stylus-holder and for generating an OUT signal when the stylus is withdrawn from the stylus-holder;

wherein, when the portable computer is in the operating mode, said determining means determines whether the stylus is being held by the stylus-holder, and automatically places the portable computer into a first power mode when the portable computer is in the operating mode and the stylus is being held by the stylus-holder; and

wherein, when the portable computer is in the non-operating mode, said determining means determines whether the stylus is out of the stylus-holder, and automatically places the portable computer into a second power mode when the portable computer is in the non-operating mode and the stylus is out of the stylus-holder.

21. The portable computer of claim 20, wherein the first power mode is at least one of OFF and STANDBY, and the second power mode is ON.