Tablet computer keyboard and system and method incorporating same

• US 6,944,012 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Homer, Steven S., Doczy, Paul J., Solomon, Mark C., Wolff, Stacy
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US10/875,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 361724-727, 361679-687, 345168-169, 345/905, 400/489, 400/682, 400691-693, 312/208.1, 312/208.4, 341/22, 364/708.1
• US Class Current: 361/679.15
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

The present technique provides a tablet computer keyboard that is attachable and detachable to a tablet computer in both operable and stored positions, while a display screen of the tablet computer remains accessible by the user. The tablet computer keyboard is attachable and detachable with a rear face of the tablet computer. However, the user may continue interacting with the tablet computer via the display screen even when the tablet computer keyboard is not in a position for operation. The tablet computer keyboard is also attachable and detachable with an edge of the tablet computer, such that the tablet computer keyboard and the display screen are both accessible for user interaction.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a tablet computer keyboard, comprising:

mounting a rotatable disk structure to a topside of the tablet computer keyboard; and

coupling a tablet computer mount to an outer portion of the rotatable disk structure, such that the tablet computer mount is rotatable with the rotatable disk structure between a rear portion and an interior portion of the tablet computer keyboard.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting the rotatable disk structure comprises positioning the rotatable disk structure behind a user input section having a plurality of keys.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the tablet computer mount comprises hingedly connecting the tablet computer mount to the rotatable disk structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein coupling the tablet computer mount comprises wiring a connector on the tablet computer mount, wherein the connector is adapted to hot-plug with a mating port of a tablet computer.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising forming the tablet computer mount to include a mounting base and a plurality of latch members disposed on the mounting base, wherein the plurality of latch members are adapted to connect with a plurality of mount structures disposed on a tablet computer.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising forming a docking slot through the tablet computer keyboard.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising forming a plurality of docking grooves along outer edges of the tablet computer keyboard.

8. A method of manufacturing a tablet computer system, comprising:

providing a keyboard comprising a tablet computer mount having a hinge coupled to a rotatable disk structure; and

providing a tablet computer having a keyboard mount adapted to connect with the tablet computer mount.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the keyboard comprises providing the tablet computer mount with a tool-free mounting mechanism and a hot-plug connector.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the keyboard comprises providing the tablet computer mount at an outer portion of the rotatable disk structure.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the keyboard comprises providing a keyboard housing having a docking slot.

12. The method of claim 8, comprising providing a docking device having a support section adapted to support the tablet computer and the keyboard in a stored position behind the tablet computer.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising providing the keyboard and the tablet computer to be connectable in a plurality of configurations, including a stored configuration in which the keyboard is disposed at a backside of the tablet computer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the docking device comprises providing the support section having a plurality of tabs, wherein the plurality of tabs are adapted to pass through grooves in the keyboard.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein providing the docking device comprises providing the support section having a docking connector, wherein the docking connector is adapted to pass through a docking slot in the keyboard and to connect with a mating connector disposed on the tablet computer.

16. A method of operating a tablet computer keyboard, comprising:

hingedly supporting a tablet computer on a hinged mount having a first rotational axis that is substantially parallel to a topside of the tablet computer keyboard; and

rotatably supporting the tablet computer supported by the hinged mount on a rotatable mechanism having a second rotational axis that is substantially perpendicular to the topside of the tablet computer keyboard.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein hingedly supporting comprises providing a range of hinged rotation, including an angular position at which the tablet computer keyboard is disposed against a back face of the tablet computer.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein hingedly supporting comprises providing a range of hinged rotation, including an angular position at which the tablet computer is disposed upright at the topside of the tablet computer.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein rotatably supporting comprises providing a range of rotation to position a display screen of the tablet computer either facing away from or toward a user input section of the tablet computer keyboard.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein rotatably supporting comprises providing a range of orbital rotation about the second rotational axis to position the tablet computer either at an interior portion or a rear portion of the tablet computer keyboard.

21. A tablet computer keyboard, comprising:

a keyboard housing comprising a user input section having a plurality of keys;

a first rotational structure coupled to the keyboard housing adjacent the user input section;

a second rotational structure coupled to the first rotational structure, wherein the first and second rotational structures have axes of rotation that are substantially different from one another; and

a tablet computer mount coupled to the second rotational structure.

22. The tablet computer keyboard of claim 21, wherein the user input section is disposed in a front portion of the keyboard housing, and the second rotational structure is disposed in a rear interior portion of the keyboard housing.

23. The tablet computer keyboard of claim 21, wherein the second rotational structure is offset from the axis of rotation of the first rotational structure.

24. The tablet computer keyboard of claim 21, wherein the first rotational structure comprises a rotatable disk.

25. The tablet computer keyboard of claim 24, wherein the second rotational structure comprises a hinge disposed on an outer portion of the rotatable disk.

26. A tablet computer system, comprising:

a tablet computer keyboard, comprising;

a housing;

a user input section disposed on a topside of the housing;

a tablet computer mount coupled to the housing; and

a docking slot disposed through the housing from the topside to a bottom side of the housing, wherein the docking slot is adapted to enable a docking connector of a tablet computer to mate with a mating connector of a docking unit when the tablet computer and the docking unit are disposed on opposite sides of the tablet computer keyboard.

27. The tablet computer system of claim 26, wherein the docking slot is adapted to receive a protruding structure of the docking unit when the tablet computer is docked with the docking unit.

28. The tablet computer system of claim 26, wherein the docking slot is positioned in an asymmetrical location on the housing, such that the docking slot is adapted to ensure a proper docking orientation with the docking unit.

29. The tablet computer system of claim 26, comprising at least one docking groove disposed along at least one edge of the housing, wherein the at least one docking groove is adapted to mate with a member on the docking unit.

30. The tablet computer system of claim 26, comprising the docking unit, wherein the docking unit has a support structure rotatably coupled to a base.

31. The tablet computer system of claim 26, comprising the tablet computer, wherein the tablet computer comprises a keyboard mount adapted to engage the tablet computer mount of the tablet computer keyboard.

32. The tablet computer system of claim 26, wherein the tablet computer mount comprises a first rotational structure having a first rotational axis and a second rotational structure having a second rotational axis, the first rotational axis being substantially different from the second rotational axis.

33. The tablet computer system of claim 31, wherein the keyboard mount and the tablet computer mount have latching mechanisms that are engageable in only one orientation.