Portable processor-based system

• US 6,823,222 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: White, Philip, Chen, Clark, Jeli, Richard, Brown, Stephen R., Rodden, Steven, Cho, Masahito
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/870,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20020183862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 345/156, 345/184
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer

Abstract

A portable processor-based system may include a display that is controlled by a scroll wheel. The scroll wheel extends completely through the display housing so that it can be manipulated between the thumb and forefinger of the user. This scrolling operation may be done at the same time the display itself is held in the user'"'"'s hand.

Claims

1. A portable processor-based system comprising:

a housing having top and bottom sides;

a display formed in said housing; and

a scroll wheel to control said display, said wheel extending through the top and bottom sides of said housing.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said system is a web tablet.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said web tablet is a wireless web tablet.

4. The system of claim 1, said scroll wheel to scroll said display up and down.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said housing has edges around said opposed top and bottom sides, said wheel is positioned near an the edge of said housing such that said scroll wheel may be manipulated between a user'"'"'s thumb and forefinger.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said scroll wheel is positioned so that the scroll wheel may be manipulated by the user'"'"'s thumb and forefinger at the same time that the user'"'"'s hand holds the system.

7. A method comprising:

providing a housing having top and bottom sides;

providing a display in said housing; and

providing a scroll wheel that extends completely through the top and bottom sides to be manipulated between a user'"'"'s thumb and forefinger at the same time the housing is held in a user'"'"'s hand.

8. The method of claim 7 including providing an Internet connection.

9. The method of claim 7 including scrolling said scroll wheel between the user'"'"'s thumb and forefinger to adjust the display vertically.