Information processing unit and information processing related units

• US 7,068,503 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kamimaki, Hideki, Kawaguchi, Hitoshi, Gemma, Hideaki, Kimura, Koichi, Nakagawa, Tsuyoshi, Inagaki, Yukihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Hung V.
• Application Number:
  US11/011,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20050111171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 361679-687, 361724-727, 361/754.785, 361/732, 361/741, 361/756, 361/798, 3122231-2236, 710/304, 710/306, 709/301, 713/300, 359/726, 340/5.73
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0005 using chains, cables or the like chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• 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 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• 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 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips

Abstract

A labor of disconnecting many cables is omitted even when carrying a file basestation with an external storage loaded together with a main body. An information processing unit comprises: a main body having a CPU, a keyboard and a display unit; a file basestation with an external storage, such as an FD•D or a CD ROM•D, loaded; and a portreplicator with many connectors loaded. Removal of the main body alone from the portreplicator can omit the labor of disconnecting many cables connected to the portreplicator.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

a display;

a CPU;

a memory;

a first electricity terminal that receives electric power;

a connector that includes a second electricity terminal sending and receiving electric power, and a signal terminal being capable of sending or receiving a signal to/from an external apparatus being capable of connecting said information processing apparatus; and

a power controller that supplies the power received via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal to at least any one of said display, CPU and memory.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said power controller sets the power received via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal to specific voltage, and then supplies specific voltage power to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

3. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a battery charged by power received via said first or second electricity terminal,

said power controller sets the power charged in said battery to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

4. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said external apparatus is a portreplicator.

5. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said information processing apparatus is a notebook PC.

6. An information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said connector, being capable of connecting an other external apparatus,

if said other external apparatus is connected to said connector, said power controller sets the power received via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal or charged in said battery to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to said other external apparatus via said connector.

7. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a power switch being capable of connecting said power controller,

wherein said power controller supplies power to said information processing apparatus and/or said other external apparatus based on information that said power switch is turned on.

8. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said information processing apparatus received power in first voltage via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal, supplies to the power in second voltage to said other external apparatus via said second electricity terminal.

9. An information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said first voltage is different from said second voltage.

10. A portable apparatus comprising:

a display;

a CPU;

a memory;

a first electricity terminal that receives electric power;

a connector that includes a second electricity terminal being capable of sending and receiving electric power to/from an external apparatus being capable of connecting said portable apparatus and a signal terminal being capable of sending or receiving a signal to/from said external apparatus; and

a power controller that supplies the power received via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

11. A portable apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said power controller sets the power received via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

12. A portable apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a battery charged by power received via said first or second electricity terminal,

said power controller sets the power charged in said battery to specific voltage, and the supplies said specific voltage power to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

13. A portable apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said external apparatus is a portreplicator.

14. A portable apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

said portable apparatus is a notebook PC.

15. A portable apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

said connector being capable of connecting an other external apparatus,

if said other external apparatus is connected to said connector, said power controller sets the power received via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal or charged in said battery to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to said other external apparatus via said connector.

16. A portable apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a power switch being capable of connecting said power controller,

wherein said power controller supplies power to said portable apparatus and/or said other external apparatus based on information that said power switch is turned on.

17. A portable apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

said portable apparatus received power in first voltage via at least one of said first and second electricity terminal, supplies the power in second voltage to said other external apparatus via said second electricity terminal.

18. A portable apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

said first voltage is different from said second voltage.

19. A portable apparatus comprising

a display;

a CPU;

a memory;

a terminal being capable of receiving electric power from an AC adapter;

a connector being capable of sending voltage to and receiving voltage from an external apparatus to be connected to the connector thereof, the connector being capable of sending a signal to and receiving a signal from the external apparatus; and

a power controller that supplies the power received via at least one of the terminal and the connector to at least any one of the display, the CPU and the memory.

20. An information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said power controller sets the power received via at least one of said terminal and said connector to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

21. An information processing apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising:

a battery charged by power received via at least one of said terminal and said connector,

said power controller sets the power charged in said battery to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to at least any one of said display, CPU, and memory.

22. An information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said external apparatus is a portreplicator.

23. An information processing apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said information processing apparatus is a notebook PC.

24. A portable apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said connector has a pin receiving and sending power.

25. A portable apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said connector has a pin receiving and sending signal.

26. An information processing apparatus according to clam 21, wherein

said connector being capable of connecting to an external apparatus,

if said other external apparatus is connected to said connector, said power controller sets the power received via at least one of said terminal and said connector or charged in said battery to specific voltage, and then supplies said specific voltage power to said other external apparatus via said connector.

27. An information processing apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a power switch being capable of connecting said power controller,

wherein said power controller supplies power to said information processing apparatus and/or said other external apparatus based on information that said power switch is turned on.

28. An information processing apparatus according to claim 26, wherein

said information processing apparatus received power in first voltage via at least one of said terminal and said connector, supplies the power in second voltage to said other external apparatus via said connector.

29. An information processing apparatus according to claim 28, wherein

said first voltage is different from said second voltage.