Personal digital assistant including a keyboard which also acts as a cover

• US 6,774,888 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenovo International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Genduso, Thomas Basilio
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/596,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/169, 200/5.R, 200/5.B, 200/5.EA, 200/5.EB, 200/52.R, 235/145.R, 235/145.A, 235/146, 341/21-23, 361/680-683, 361/724-728, 400/472, 400/473, 400/478, 400/492
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0221 Arrangements for reducing keyboard size for transport or storage, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F3/0216 takes precedence; for keyboards integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/1666
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/86 characterised by the casing, e.g. sealed casings or casings reducible in size
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/05 composed of hingedly connected sections

Abstract

A personal digital assistant (PDA) which includes a body portion and a keyboard adapted to be coupled to the body portion. The keyboard is a standard keyboard size when in use. The keyboard is also foldable to act as a cover for the body portion. In a preferred embodiment, the keyboard attaches directly to the PDA and when not in use acts as a cover for the display of the PDA. When the keyboard is unfolded and the PDA is placed onto a flat surface, the user is able to input information using their familiar touch-typing skills with a full-size keyboard.

Claims

1. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a body portion; and

a keyboard adapted to be coupled to the body portion and being of standard keyboard size when in use, the keyboard being divided into two outer sections and a middle section, the two outer sections and the middle section having keys, wherein at least one of the outer sections includes a slide control arm and a slideable key row, wherein the slide control arm is coupled to the slideable key row, and wherein the slide control arm moves the slideable key row adjacent to the keys of the middle section, the keyboard being foldable to act as a cover for the body portion.

2. The PDA of claim 1 wherein the keyboard is in the QWERT configuration.

3. The PDA of claim 1 wherein the keyboard is foldable utilizing a plurality of slideable key rows.

4. The PDA of claim 3 wherein when the keyboard is folded the keyboard is substantially the same width and height of the body portion of the PDA.

5. The PDA of claim 4 wherein at least one of the keys on the keyboard is indented to allow the slideable key rows to slide over the at least one indented key.

6. The PDA of claim 1 wherein the body portion includes a display.

7. The PDA of claim 1 wherein a plurality of hinges are coupled between the keyboard and the body portion to allow the keyboard to act as a cover.

8. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a body portion; and

a keyboard adapted to be coupled to the body portion, the keyboard being divided into two outer sections and a middle section, wherein each of the two outer sections includes a slide control arm and a slideable key row, wherein the slide control arm is coupled to the slideable key row, and wherein the slide control arm moves the slideable key row adjacent to the keys of the middle section.

9. A personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

a body portion, the body portion including a display; and

a keyboard adapted to be coupled to the body portion, the keyboard being divided into two outer sections and a middle section, wherein each of the outer sections includes a slide control arm and a slideable key row, wherein the slide control arm is coupled to the slideable key row, and wherein the slide control arm moves the slideable key row of the outer section adjacent to the keys of the middle section, the keyboard being foldable to act as a cover for the body portion.

10. The PDA of claim 9 wherein the keyboard is in the QWERT configuration.

11. The PDA of claim 9 wherein the keyboard is foldable utilizing a plurality of slideable key rows.

12. The PDA of claim 11 wherein when the keyboard is folded the keyboard is substantially the same width and height of the body portion of the PDA.

13. The PDA of claim 9 wherein a plurality of hinges are coupled between the keyboard and the body portion to allow the keyboard to act as a cover.