Integrated antenna and PC card carrying case

• US 7,277,738 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Reece, John K., Aden, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phu; Sanh D.
• Application Number:
  US10/403,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.7, 343/702
• US Class Current: 455/575.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment

Abstract

A carrying case for a personal computer card may include an integral antenna. The carrying case may be secured onto a laptop computer so that the antenna extends above the laptop computer. The case may include a pair of hingedly connected portions, one of which may extend along the screen of the laptop computer and the other which may extend above the laptop computer while the case is secured to the upper edge of the laptop computer display screen. A cable may extend from the antenna within the case down to a personal computer card plugged into the computer.

Claims

1. A carrying case for a personal computer card comprising:

an enclosure to receive a personal computer card, said enclosure being operable to enable removal of said card from said enclosure for insertion of said card without said enclosure into a personal computer, said enclosure including an upper portion and a lower portion hingedly connected to one another; and

an antenna that is part of said enclosure.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein said enclosure opens to allow access to the card.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a catch to secure said enclosure to a personal computer display screen.

4. The case of claim 3 wherein said catch to engage the upper edge of a laptop display screen.

5. The case of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a region to receive a cable coupled on one end to said antenna and connectable on the opposite end to said card.

6. The case of claim 5 including a cable organizer to hold said cable.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein one of said portions includes a dipole antenna.

8. The case of claim 1 including a catch to secure said case to a laptop screen, said upper and lower portions coupled by a hinge, to extend said lower portion above said screen and said upper portion along said screen.

9. The case of claim 8 wherein said catch being pivotable into a retracted position within said case when not in use and may be pivotable to engage the upper edge of laptop computer screen so as to extend the antenna above said laptop computer screen.

10. The case of claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes a pair of pivotally connected portions, one of which includes said antenna, said portions being pivotal relative to one another.

11. A method comprising:

enabling a carrying case for a personal computer card to act as an antenna for that personal computer card after said card is removed from said case and inserted in a personal computer; and

enabling the carrying case to be latched atop a laptop computer screen.

12. The method of claim 11 including enabling the carrying case to be hingedly opened to remove said card from said carrying case.

13. The method of claim 11 including enabling the carrying case to be rotated from a folded configuration to an elongated configuration for mounting on said display screen of said laptop.

14. The method of claim 11 including pivotally connecting a pair of portions to form said carrying case and enabling said portions to be angularly displaced with respect to one another.

15. A personal computer card assembly comprising:

a personal computer card;

an enclosure to removably receive said personal computer card, said card being removable from said enclosure for insertion into a personal computer, wherein said enclosure includes an upper portion and a lower portion hingedly connected to one another; and

an antenna permanently secured to said enclosure and electrically connectable to said card when said card is in position within a personal computer.

16. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said enclosure is openable to allow access to the card.

17. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said enclosure includes a catch to secure said enclosure to a personal computer'"'"'s display screen.

18. The assembly of claim 17 wherein said catch to engage an upper edge of a laptop display screen.

19. The assembly of claim 15 wherein said enclosure includes a region to receive a cable coupled on one end to said antenna and connectable on the opposite end to said card.