Portable computer with removable input mechanism

• US 6,788,285 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: EsCande, Thierry, Cheri, Yann, Baraban, Matthieu, Paolucci, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/832,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/160, 345/161, 345/163, 345/173, 345/167-169, 345/184, 345/901, 200/5.R, 200/5.E, 200/5.EA, 200/5.EB, 200/176-178, 200/6.R, 200/43.02, 200/43.04, 200/50.01, 200/50.04, 341/20, 341/22, 463/37, 463/46
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1669 Detachable keyboards

Abstract

An embodiment of invention includes a handheld computer having a display. The display provides an output to a user-input. A housing includes a front panel that provides access to the display. A plurality of user-interactive mechanisms are provided on the housing. The user-input mechanisms include a first mechanism that is removably coupled to the housing.

Claims

1. A portable computer assembly comprising:

a display;

a portable computer comprising;

a-housing including a front panel and a back panel opposite the front panel, the front panel providing access to the display;

a first set of user-interactive mechanisms provided on the front panel, each of the first set of user-interactive mechanisms being actuatable by a user to enter input and to cause output to be indicated on the display, and wherein at least a first mechanism in the first set user-interactive mechanisms is insertable in order to actuate;

an accessory device that is removeably coupleable to the housing, the accessory device being slideable over a bottom segment of the housing into an operable position, wherein in the operable position, the accessory device encases the bottom segment of the housing by overlaying a portion of both the front and back panels of the portable computer, wherein the accessory device further comprises;

a second set of user-interactive mechanisms provided on the front surface of the accessory device;

a first member connected to one or more of the user-interactive mechanisms in the second set, the member being moveable by the user'"'"'s operation of the one or more user-interactive mechanisms in the second set

wherein when the accessory device is in the operable position, the second set of user-interactive mechanisms are positioned over the first set of user-interactive mechanisms; and

wherein the one or more user-interactive mechanisms in the second set is operable to cause the member to move and sufficiently insert the at least first mechanism in the first set of user-interactive mechanisms to cause the at least first mechanism to actuate.

2. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, wherein the second set of user-interactive mechanisms includes a plurality of buttons.

3. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, wherein the accessory device is slideably coupleable to the housing in order to encase the housing.

4. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second set of user-interactive mechanisms each include one or more buttons.

5. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, wherein the display is touch-sensitive, and wherein the accessory device overlays at least a portion of the display when the accessory device is coupled to the housing.

6. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, wherein the first set of user-interactive mechanisms includes a first plurality of buttons having a first configuration, and wherein the second set of user-interactive mechanisms includes a second plurality of buttons having a second configuration that is different from the first configuration.

7. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, wherein the first set of user-interactive mechanisms includes a first plurality of buttons, and wherein the second set of user-interactive mechanisms includes a user-input device that controls the member into contacting any one of at least two buttons in the first plurality of buttons.

8. The portable computer assembly of claim 7, wherein the user-input device corresponds to a component for one of a joy-stick or a multi-directional pad.

9. The portable computer assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second mechanism in the second set of user-interactive mechanisms that is controllable by the user to contact a digital input area provided on the portable computer housing.

10. The portable computer assembly of claim 9, wherein the digital input area corresponds to a handwriting recognition area provided on the portable computer.

11. The portable computer assembly of claim 9, wherein the first mechanism is a multi-directional input mechanism that includes a section that extends to a side opposite the front surface on the accessory device in order to make contact with the corresponding one or more mechanisms.

12. An accessory input device coupleable to a portable computer, the portable computer including a display and a first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms, each of the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms being actuatable by a user to enter an input, the portable computer including a housing having (i) a front panel that provides the display and the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms, and (ii) a back panel that opposes the front panel, wherein at least a first mechanism in the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms is insertable in order to actuate;

and wherein the accessory input device comprising;

an accessory device housing that is removeably coupleable to a bottom segment of the housing of the portable computer, the accessory device housing being structured to encase the bottom segment by overlaying a portion of both the front panel and the back panel of the portable computer;

a second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms disposed on a front surface of the accessory device housing;

a first member connected to one or more of the user-interactive mechanisms in the second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms, the member being moveable by a user'"'"'s operation of the one or more user-interactive mechanisms in the second plurality;

wherein when the accessory device housing is coupled, one or more of the second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms overlays the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms and are operable by the user to direct the first member into contact with the first mechanism in the first plurality, and to cause the first mechanism in the first plurality to insert and actuate.

13. The accessory input device of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms are distributed on the front panel according to a first configuration, and wherein the second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms are distributed on the front surface of the accessory device housing according to a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.

14. The accessory input device of claim 12, wherein a quantity of the second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms is more than a quantity of the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms.

15. The accessory input device of claim 12, wherein a spacing between adjacent mechanisms in the second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms differs from a spacing between adjacent mechanisms in the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms.

16. The accessory input device of claim 12, wherein the first and second plurality of user-interactive mechanisms include one or more buttons.

17. The accessory input device of claim 12, wherein the display is touch-sensitive, and wherein the accessory device overlays at least a portion of the display when the accessory device is coupled to the housing.

18. The accessory input device of claim 12, wherein the first plurality of user-interactive mechanisms includes a first plurality of buttons having a first configuration, and wherein the second set of user-interactive mechanisms includes a second plurality of buttons having a second configuration that is different from the first configuration.