Apparatus and method for a combination personal digital assistant and network portable device

• US 6,735,708 B2
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Watts, La Vaughn F. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heckler, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SURYAWANSHI, SURESH
• Application Number:
  US09/415,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20030191972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 713/323, 713/322, 713/320, 713/500, 713/600, 710/1, 712/35
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3293 by switching to a less power-consuming processor, e.g. sub-CPU
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A portable system is provided with both an ISPCA processing section, a non-standard personal computer architecture (NSPCA) processing section and a common section including apparatus common to both processing sections. The NSPCA processing section operates under an operating system such as the WINDOWS® CE operating system, having reduced functionality, but being capable of “instant-on” operation. The data processing system includes controllable reduced power (and reduced functionality) mode wherein only the NSPCA processing is activated. The data processing system can controllably be transferred to a higher power (and full functionality) mode operating by activating the ISPCA processing section. In this manner, the processing section that is not an integral part of the data processing system can be detachably coupled thereto.

Claims

1. A portable data processing computer, comprising:

an industry standard personal computer architecture (ISPCA) data processing section within said computer including at least an ISPCA central processing unit;

a non-industry standard personal computer architecture (NSPCA) data processing section within said computer including at least an NSPCA central processing unit; and

a common section having apparatus used by both the ISPCA data processing section and the NSPCA data processing section, wherein the ISPCA data processing unit and the NSPCA data processing unit are detachably coupled, and wherein the common section includes at least a power supply/battery unit, the power supply/battery unit having a first mode of operation wherein only the NSPCA data processing system and the common section have power applied thereto;

wherein the power supply has a second user selected mode of operation wherein the ISPCA data processing unit and the common section have power applied thereto.

2. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable data processing unit automatically enters the first mode of operation when initially activated.

3. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 1, wherein the transition between the two modes can occur during the power-up of the portable processing system or during operation of the processing system.

4. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 1, wherein the common section is scaleable.

5. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 1, wherein the common section includes a display, wherein at least one control signal determines whether the image on the display unit originates from the ISPCA central processing unit or from the NSPCA central processing unit.

6. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 1, wherein the common section includes an input device control unit, at least one control signal determining whether signals from the input device control unit are applied to the ISPCA central processing unit or to the NSPCA central processing unit.

7. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 1, wherein apparatus shared by the ISPCA processing section and the NSPCA processing section is located in the common section.

8. The portable data processing computer as recited in claim 7, wherein the common section includes a display unit and control apparatus for user-input devices.

9. The portable processing computer as recited in claim 1 wherein the portable processing unit includes a mode of operation for exchanging data and information between the (ISPCA) data processing section and the (NSPCA) data processing section.

10. The portable processing computer as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a motherboard, wherein the NSPCA section is located on the motherboard, the motherboard including a first connector, the ISPCA section having a second connector, wherein the first connector can be detachably coupled to the second connector, the first and second connectors permitting the ISPCA section and the NSPCA section to exchange signals.

11. The portable processing computer as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a motherboard, wherein the ISPCA section is located on the motherboard, the motherboard including a first connector, the NSPCA section having a second connector, wherein the first connector can be detachably coupled to the second connector, the first and second connectors permitting the ISPCA section and the NSPCA section to exchange signals.

12. The portable processing computer as recited in claim 1 wherein the ISPCA section, the NSPCA section, and the common section are located on the same motherboard.

13. A portable computer, comprising:

a central processing unit and associated apparatus within said computer having a unit selected from the group consisting of an industry standard personal computer architecture (ISPCA) unit and a non-standard personal computer architecture (NSPCA) unit;

a common section including at least a power supply/battery unit for energizing, by a user, the central processing unit wherein the non-selected architecture device is detachably coupled to the selected architecture device; and

a connector for coupling the non-selected unit to the common section and to the central processing unit and associated apparatus.

14. The portable computer as recited in claim 13 wherein the power supply/battery energizes the non-selected architecture device in response to control signals.

15. The portable computer as recited in claim 13, wherein the common section includes a display unit and a controller for the user-input device, wherein the display unit and the controller for the user-input device can be coupled to the non-selected device in response to control signals.

16. The portable computer system as recited in claim 13 wherein the selected and the non-selected architecture device can exchange signal for coordination of data files.

17. The portable computer as recited in claim 13 further comprising:

a motherboard, wherein the selected section is located on the motherboard, the motherboard including;

a first connector, the non-selected section having a second connector, wherein the first connector can be detachably coupled to the second connector, the first and second connectors permitting the selected unit and the non-selected unit to exchange signals.

18. The portable computer as recited in claim 13 wherein the selected unit is an ISPCA unit.

19. The portable computer as recited in claim 13 wherein the selected unit is an NSPCA unit.

20. A portable computer, comprising:

a central processing unit and associated apparatus within said computer having a unit selected from the group consisting of an industry standard personal computer architecture (ISPCA) unit and a non-standard personal computer architecture (NSPCA) unit; and

a detachable connector for coupling and decoupling the non-selected unit to the selected unit;

the non-selected unit including a common unit, the common unit determining to which of the selected and not selected unit power is applied, the selection unit being selected by a user.

21. The portable computer system as recited in claim 20 wherein the selected unit is an ISPCA unit.

22. The portable computer as recited in claim 20 wherein the selected unit is an NSPCA unit.

23. A method of providing an instant-on capability and increased battery-operated lifetime in an industry standard (ISPCA) portable processing system within a computer, the method comprising:

in the portable processing system, detachably adding a non-industry standard processing (NSPCA) unit;

providing a common section, the common section including components used by both the ISPCA unit and the NSPCA unit; and

providing a power unit controllably applying power by a user to at least one of the ISPCA along with the common section unit and the NSPCA unit along with the common section.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

during power up of the processing system, applying power to the NSPCA unit and the common section.

25. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

coordinating files between the NSPCA unit and the ISPCA unit when power is switched from one unit to the other.

26. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

locating the NSPCA unit and the ISPCA unit on the same motherboard.

27. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

increasing the functionality of the portable processing system by adding components to the common section.