Multiple-position docking station for a tablet personal computer

• US 7,209,124 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunt, Peter D., Salazar, Pablo, Baerenstecher, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse; Fritz
• Application Number:
  US10/214,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 345/168, 345/173, 345/156, 345/179, 361/686, 361/680, 361/683, 361/724, 361/685, 395/281
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a multiple-position docking station for a tablet personal computing device. A different mode of operation of the tablet personal computing device is supported by different positions of the docking station. A first mode of operation may be supported when the tablet personal computing device is positioned to extend in a more or less perpendicular direction from a work surface. A second mode of operation may be supported when the tablet personal computing device is positioned so that it extends in a more or less parallel direction with respect to a work surface.

Claims

1. A multiple-position docking station that co-operates with a computing device, comprising:

a docking connector that is adapted to connect to the computing device;

a mechanism that detects whether the computing device extends in a direction that is generally perpendicular or generally parallel to a work surface supporting the docking station; and

wherein the computing device activates a handwriting recognition program in response to a determination that the computing device extends in a direction that is generally parallel to the work surface.

2. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1 wherein the computing device is a tablet PC.

3. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1 wherein the computing device designates a display of the computing device as a primary display in response to a determination that the computing device extends in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the work surface.

4. The multiple-position docking station of claim 3 wherein the computing device designates another display of a another computing device to which the computing device is docked as a secondary display.

5. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1 wherein the computing device launches a note taking program in response to a determination that the computing device extends in a direction that is generally parallel to the work surface.

6. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1 wherein the computing device configures at least one soft key to invoke a menu of display options in response to a signal from the mechanism.

7. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1 wherein the mechanism comprises a mercury switch.

8. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1 wherein the computing device remains in the same relative position with respect to the multiple-position docking station both when the computing device extends in the direction that is generally parallel to the work surface and when the computing device extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the work surface.

9. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1, wherein the docking station has an L-shape that covers a substantial portion of two edges of the computing device.

10. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1, wherein the docking station comprises a first docking cavity configured to receive the computing device when the computing device extends in the direction that is generally perpendicular to the work surface and a second docking cavity configured to receive the computing device when the computing device extends in the direction that is generally parallel to the work surface.

11. The multiple-position docking station of claim 1, wherein the direction that is generally perpendicular to the work surface is vertical.

12. A combination of a computing device and a multiple-position docking station, comprising:

a computing device having a screen;

a multiple-position docking station adapted to receive the computing device, the multiple-position docking station having a switch that indicates whether the screen of the computing device lies in a plane that is generally horizontal or generally vertical; and

wherein the computing device is adapted to implement a first software configuration in response to an indication that the screen lies in a plane that is generally horizontal and wherein the computing device is adapted to implement a second software configuration in response to an indication that the screen lies in a plane that is generally vertical.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein the computing device is a tablet PC.

14. The combination of claim 12 wherein the computing device launches a software application as part of the first software configuration.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the software application is a personal information manager application.

16. The combination of claim 12 wherein the computing device launches a software application as part of the second software configuration.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein the software application is a handwriting recognition application.

18. The combination of claim 12 wherein the computing device configures the operation of at least one soft key as part of the first software configuration.

19. The combination of claim 12 wherein the computing device configures the operation of at least one soft key as part of the second software configuration.

20. The combination of claim 12 wherein the computing device remains in the same relative position with respect to the multiple-position docking station in the first position and the second position.

21. The combination of claim 12, wherein the switch comprises mercury.

22. The combination of claim 12, wherein the screen is touch sensitive.

23. The combination of claim 12, comprising a computer workstation coupled to the computing device by the docking station.