Storing a structure within an electronic device

• US 7,280,351 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• 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., Moore, Earl, Rankins, Walter James
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US10/989,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20060023415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/683, 361/686
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• 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 1/1626 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 1/266 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

An exemplary rechargeable mouse is adapted to be insertable into and removable from a bay of an electronic device. An electrical connection of the mouse electrically couples only to a power connection of an electrical interface in the device bay that also has a data connection such that the mouse is charged when inserted in the device bay.

Claims

1. A rechargeable mouse adapted to be insertable into and removable from a bay of an electronic device, wherein an electrical connection of the mouse directly contacts a power connection of an electrical interface affixed in the bay that also has a data connection such that the mouse is charged when inserted in the device bay, and the rechargeable mouse further comprises a connection that connects mechanically to said power connection and to said data connection, and wherein part of said connection of said mouse that connects mechanically to said data connection is not electrically connected within said mouse.

2. A mouse according to claim 1, wherein the power connection comprises at least two power pins.

3. A mouse according to claim 1, further comprising a rechargeable battery.

4. A mouse according to claim 3, further comprising a battery charger.

5. A mouse according to claim 1, wherein the bay is a peripheral card slot.

6. A mouse according to claim 5 wherein the peripheral card slot is a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card slot.

7. A mouse according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter for cordless communication from the mouse to the electronic device.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

an apparatus having a bay adapted to receive a removable unit, the bay having an electrical interface therein adapted to engage a connection on the removable unit to transmit power and data to the removable unit; and

a rechargeable mouse adapted to reside in the bay, wherein electrical connection of the mouse directly contacts a power portion of the electrical interface affixed in the bay such that the mouse is charged when it resides in the bay;

wherein the bay is adapted to receive storage media when the mouse is removed from the bay.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein, when the mouse resides in the bay, a body of the mouse is fully enclosed in the bay such that the body does not protrude from the apparatus.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the mouse comprises a rechargeable battery that recharges while the mouse resides in the bay.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the mouse comprises a battery charger arranged to charge the battery.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the bay comprises at least one PCMCIA card slot.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the mouse comprises a transmitter and the apparatus comprises a corresponding receiver for cordless control of the apparatus by the mouse.