Pad computer

• US 7,224,345 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Leonard M. Kawell, Mary Ellen Heinen
• Original Assignee: Pepper Computer Incorporated
• Inventors: Kawell, Leonard M., Heinen, Mary Ellen, McGowan, Patrick M., Ball, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Osorio, Ricardo
• Application Number:
  US10/977,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 361679-681, D14333-335, D14338-340
• US Class Current: 345/169
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336

Abstract

A computers can include a high-resolution color display, built-in keypad, wireless LAN connection, hi-fidelity audio system, and a multi-gigabyte disk drive. The screen can be formed in a top face of a computer and a keypad can be a split on opposite sides of the screen. The computer can also have various other controls and features, including function keys, scroll wheel, game D-pad, stylus, and fingerprint reader. Speaker covers for built-in speakers can be provided in the top face.

Claims

1. A computer comprising a housing for enclosing a microprocessor, the housing having a top face, a left side, and a right side, said top face having an upper half and a lower half, and including a screen in the top face, the screen positioned between the left and right sides to define a first region between the left side and the screen, and a second region between the right edge and the screen, the system including a built-in QWERTY key board in the top face with at least some of the QWERTY keys in the first region and some of the QWERTY keys in the second region, wherein the QWERTY key board is completely located within the upper half of the top face, and wherein the top face is of unitary construction such that the first and second regions of the top face are fixed relative to each other.

2. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a stylus with a stylus holder located below the screen.

3. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a thumb wheel located in one of the first and second regions.

4. The computer of claim 1, further comprising function keys with some in each of the first and second regions.

5. The computer of claim 1, further comprising speaker covers in the top face for covering built in speakers with openings for sound.

6. The computer of claim 1, further comprising means for detecting a particular individual.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein the detecting means includes a fingerprint reader.

8. The computer of claim 1, further comprising directional arrows formed in the top face of the housing.

9. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a hard drive.

10. The computer of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touch screen.

11. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a stylus holder formed in the top face of the housing.

12. The computer of claim 1, wherein the screen has a portrait orientation.

13. The computer of claim 1, wherein the screen has a landscape orientation.

14. The computer of claim 1, the top face having a right half and a left half, wherein the QWERTY keys in the first region have rows of keys having an orientation at an acute angle relative to a line dividing the right half from the left half, and wherein the QWERTY keys in the second region have rows of keys having an orientation corresponding to the orientation of the QWERTY keys in the first region but reflected across said line.

15. The computer of claim 1, wherein the right and left sides have a length, wherein the top face has a width, and wherein the length of the right and left sides is greater than the width of the top face.

16. The computer of claim 1, further comprising a color display, at least one additional input device, and a disk drive.

17. The computer of claim 1, wherein the housing does not fold over itself.

18. The computer of claim 16, wherein the disk drive comprises a multi-gigabyte disk drive.

19. The computer of claim 16, wherein at least one side has a dimension of about 9–

10 inches.

20. The computer of claim 16, further including a wireless LAN chipset.

21. The computer of claim 16, further including a Bluetooth wireless radio chip.

22. The computer of claim 16, further including at least one of a hi-fidelity audio system, FM radio, digital camera module, compact flash card slot, USB slot, modem and jack, slot-loading CD-RW/DVD, and headphone jack.

23. The computer of claim 16, the top face having a right half and a left half, wherein the QWERTY keys in the first region have rows of keys having an orientation at an acute angle relative to a line dividing the right half from the left half, and wherein the QWERTY keys in the second region have rows of keys having an orientation corresponding to the orientation of the QWERTY keys in the first region but reflected across said line.

24. The computer of claim 1, wherein the left and right sides are bowed outwardly.

25. The computer of claim 24, wherein the computer has a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the top side and a bottom side are bowed inwardly.

26. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer has a top side and a bottom side, and wherein the top side and a bottom side are bowed inwardly.

27. The computer of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises two pieces of injection molded and machined plastic.

28. The computer of claim 1, wherein the top face surrounds the screen.

29. A computer comprising a housing with a top face, a left side, and a right side, and a screen extending for most of the vertical direction of the top face, and further including a built-in QWERTY key board in the top face, wherein the QWERTY key board has some keys between the left side and the screen, and other keys between the right side and the screen, said top face having an upper half and a lower half, wherein the QWERTY key board is completely located within the upper half of the top face, and wherein the top face is of unitary construction such that left and right sides are fixed relative to each other.

30. The computer of claim 29, wherein computer further includes, in the top face, at least one of the following:

a stylus, a D-pad, and a scroll.

31. The computer of claim 29, wherein the screen has a portrait orientation.

32. The computer of claim 29, wherein the screen has a landscape orientation.

33. The computer of claim 29, the top face having a right half and a left half, wherein the QWERTY keys in the first region have rows of keys having an orientation at an acute angle relative to a line dividing the right half from the left half, and wherein the QWERTY keys in the second region have rows of keys having an orientation corresponding to the orientation of the QWERTY keys in the first region but reflected across said line.