Portable computer having a common connector coupled to a wireless antenna and a modem connector

• US 6,814,593 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2002
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transpacific Avartar, LLC (Transpacific IP Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Kyun-hoe, Wang, Houk
• Primary Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/166,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20030040206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 439/131, 439/955, 439/489, 439/946, 439/676
• US Class Current: 439/131
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1635 Stackable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals

Abstract

A portable computer having a main body provided with a modem signal processing part and a wireless network communication module includes an external antenna transmitting a radio signal for a wireless data communication with the wireless network communication module, an external modem connector transmitting a modem signal for a modem communication with the modern signal processing part, and a common connector coupling the external modem-connector to the modem signal processing part and the external antenna to the wireless network communication module. With this configuration, the portable computer has a good efficiency of a radio signal transmission and provides an installation space for another hardware components.

Claims

1. A portable computer having a main body provided with a modem signal processing part and a wireless network communication module, comprising:

an external modem connector through which a modem signal is transmitted for a modem communication with the modem signal processing part;

an external antenna through which a radio signal is transmitted for a wireless data communication with the wireless network communication module; and

a common connector mounted in the main body to couple the external modem-connector to the modem signal processing part and the external antenna to the wireless network communication module,

wherein the common connector is externally exposed with respect to the main body and is shaped such that;

the external modem connector is detachably connectable to the common connector when the external antenna is not coupled to the common connector, and

the external antenna is detachably connectable to the common connector when the external modem connector is not coupled to the common connector.

2. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the external antenna comprises one of a Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna.

3. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the external antenna comprises:

a connector connection part detachably attached to the common connector;

a signal receiving and transmitting part receiving and transmitting the radio signal to the wireless network communication module of the main body, and

a modem connection part provided in the connector connection part and inserted into the common connector to be coupled to the external modem-connector therein to transmit the modem signal from the external modem-connector to the modem signal processing part of the main body.

4. The portable computer according to claim 3, wherein the external antenna comprises one of a Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna.

5. The portable computer according to claim 1, wherein the common connector comprises an RJ11 connector.

6. The portable computer according to claim 5, wherein the external antenna comprises one of a Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna.

7. A portable computer having a main body provided with a modem signal processing part and a wireless network communication module, comprising:

an external modem connector transmitting a modem signal for a modem communication;

an external antenna transmitting a radio signal for a wireless data communication; and

a common connector having a first terminal coupled to the wireless network communication module and second and third terminals coupled to the modem signal processing part such that, when the external modem connector is coupled to the common connector, the external modem connector transmits the modem signal to the modem signal processing part through the second and third terminals, and when the external antenna is coupled to the common connector, the external antenna transmits the radio signal to the wireless communication module through the first terminal,

wherein the common connector is externally exposed with respect to the main body and is shaped such that;

the external modem connector is detachably connectable to the common connector when the external antenna is not coupled to the common connector, and

the external antenna is detachably connectable to the common connector when the external modem connector is not coupled to the common connector.

8. The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein the common connector comprises a fourth terminal, and the external antenna comprises a first pin and a second pin coupled to the first and fourth terminals when the external antenna is coupled to the common connector.

9. The portable computer according to claim 8, wherein the second and third terminals are disposed between the first and fourth terminals.

10. The portable computer according to claim 8, wherein the first and fourth terminals are spaced-apart from each other by a distance while the second and third terminals are disposed between the first and fourth terminals, and the first and second pins of the external antenna are spaced-apart from each other by the distance.

11. The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein the external antenna comprises one of a Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna, and the first terminal of the common connector is coupled to the one of the Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna of the external antenna when the external antenna is coupled to the common connector.

12. The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein the external antenna comprises modem pins coupled to the second and third terminals of the common connector when the external antenna is coupled to the common connector.

13. The portable computer according to claim 12, wherein first ends of the modem pins are coupled to the second and third terminals while second ends of the modem pins are coupled to the external modem connector.

14. The portable computer according to claim 13, wherein the external modem connector is coupled to the modem pins of the external antenna while the external antenna is coupled to the common connector.

15. The portable computer according to claim 14, wherein the external modem connector is coupled to the second and third terminals of the common connector through the modem pins of the external antenna.

16. The portable computer according to claim 13, wherein the external modem comprises a first side facing the common connector and a second side facing the external modem connector.

17. The portable computer according to claim 16, wherein the first ends of the modem pins are jutted to the first side, and the second ends of the modem pins are jutted to the second side.

18. The portable computer according to claim 16, wherein the modem pins are coupled between the external modem connector and the common connector.

19. The portable computer according to claim 16, wherein the modem pins comprise two pins corresponding to the second and third terminals of the common connectors.

20. The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein external modem connector and the external antenna are simultaneously coupled to the common connector.

21. The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein the external modem connector and the external antenna are coupled to the modem signal processing part and the wireless network communication module of the main body, respectively, through the same common connector.

22. The portable computer according to claim 7, wherein the external modem connector and the external antenna are exclusively coupled to the common connector.

23. A portable computer having a main body provided with a modem signal processing part and a wireless network communication module, comprising:

an external modem connector transmitting a modem signal for a modem communication with the modem signal processing part;

an external antenna transmitting a radio signal for a wireless data communication with the wireless network communication module, having modem pins coupled to the external modem connector when the external modem connector is coupled to the external antenna, and having a first pin; and

a common connector having a first terminal coupled to the wireless network communication module and second and third terminals coupled to the modem signal processing part, the modem pins and the first pin of the external antenna being coupled to the second and third terminals and the first terminal, respectively, when the external antenna is coupled to the common connector while the external modem connector is coupled to the external antenna and the common connector is shaped to be connectable to the external modem connector when the external antenna is not coupled to the common connector.

24. An external antenna coupled to a portable computer, comprising:

a first side and a second side;

modem pins disposed between and exposed to the first side and the second side;

a first pin exposed to the first side; and

a wireless antenna coupled to the first pin,

wherein the external antenna is shaped to be received at a common connector of the portable computer which is externally exposed with respect to a main body of the portable computer and is shaped such that;

an external modem connector is detachably connectable to the common connector when the external antenna is not coupled to the common connector, and

the external antenna is detachably connectable to the common connector when the external modem connector is not coupled to the common connector.

25. The external antenna according to claim 24, wherein the first and second sides, the modem pins, first pin and the wireless antenna are formed in an integrated single body.

26. The external antenna according to claim 24, wherein the wireless antenna is one of a Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna.

27. The external antenna according to claim 24, wherein the wireless antenna is not shielded to increase a radio signal transmission.

28. The external antenna according to claim 24, wherein the first side and the second side are opposite to each other.

29. The external antenna according to claim 24, further comprising a second pin disposed adjacent to the modem pins opposite to the first pin, and the wireless antenna comprises two different wireless antennas coupled to the first and second pins, respectively.

30. The external antenna according to claim 29, wherein the two different wireless antennas are a Bluetooth antenna and a wireless LAN antenna.

31. The external antenna according to claim 29, wherein the two different wireless antenna are not shielded to increase a radio signal transmission.

32. The external antenna according to claim 29, wherein the modem pins are disposed between the two different wireless antennas.

33. The external antenna according to claim 29, wherein:

the common connector comprises first, second, third, and fourth terminals in order, and

the modem pins are coupled to the second and third terminals while the first pins are coupled to the first terminal when the external antenna is coupled to the computer.

34. The external antenna according to claim 29, wherein the first pin and the second pin are disposed opposite side of the modem pins.

35. The external antenna according to claim 24, further comprising an external modem connector coupled to the second side of the external antenna, having two pins coupled to the modem pins.

36. The external antenna according to claim 35, wherein:

the common connector comprises three terminals, and

the modem pins are coupled to the second and third terminals while the first pins coupled to the first terminal when the external antenna is coupled to the computer.

37. The external antenna according to claim 35, wherein the second side comprises a modem connection part having a modem connector accommodating an insertion of the external modem connector.

38. The external antenna according to claim 35, wherein the modem pins are disposed in the modem connection part.

39. The external antenna according to claim 35, wherein the modem pins are coupled to the two pins when the external modem connector is coupled to the modem connection part.

40. The external antenna according to claim 35, wherein the first side is coupled to the portable computer, and the second side is coupled to the external modem connector.