Electronic device

• US 7,486,272 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Original Assignee: Quanta Computer
• Inventors: Lo, Li-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Said; Mansour M
• Application Number:
  US11/023,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 345173-177, 345/501, 345/901, 341/22, 463/37
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/32 Means for saving power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An electronic device. A host connected to a display device is equipped with a communication module and an index module. The host is operative between a first mode (ON) and a second mode (OFF). The communication module comprises a first and second communication units. The index module comprises a first index unit connected to the host and a second index unit connected to the communication module. When the host is “ON”, the host is controlled by the first index unit and/or the second index unit. When the host is “OFF”, the first communication unit and/or the second communication unit is/are controlled by the second index unit, and thus the user can still manually perform phone, modem and facsimile functions.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a host, operative between a first mode and a second mode;

a communication module connected to the host; and

an index module comprising a first index unit connected to the host and a second index unit connected to the communication module;

when the host is in the first mode, the host is controlled by at least one of the first index unit and the second index unit of the index module; and

when the host is in the second mode, the communication module is controlled by the second index unit of the index module, and the communication module is automatically disconnected from the host and independently operated.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, when the host is in the first mode, the host is controlled by the first index unit and the second index unit of the index module;

when the host is in the second mode, the host is controlled by the second index unit of the index module.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the index module comprises a touch module or a touch pad.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second index unit is a dial unit.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the host in the first mode is ON, and the host in the second mode is OFF.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises a telecommunication unit or a modem.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary power system, wherein the communication module is automatically connected to the auxiliary power system for operation when the host is in the second mode.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the index module comprises a transparent capacitive touch sensor.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a host operative between a first mode and a second mode;

an auxiliary power system;

a communication module comprising a first communication unit and a second communication unit, connected to the host; and

an index module comprising a first index unit connected to the host and a second index unit connected to the communication module;

when the host is in the first mode, the host is controlled by at least one of the first index unit and the second index unit of the index module; and

when the host is in the second mode, at least one of the first communication unit and the second communication unit is controlled by the second index unit of the index module, and the communication module is automatically connected to the auxiliary power system for operation, so that the first and second communication units of the communication module are operative and independent from the host.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, when the host is in the first mode, the host is controlled by the first index unit and the second index unit of the index module;

when the host is in the second mode, the first communication unit and the second communication unit are controlled by the second index unit of the index module.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9 further comprising a display device connected to the host.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first index unit comprises a touch module or a touch pad.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the second index unit is a dial unit.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the host in the first mode is ON, and the host in the second mode is OFF.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the communication module comprises a telecommunication unit or a modem.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electronic device comprises a portable computer.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the index module comprises a transparent capacitive touch sensor.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

a host operative between a first mode and a second mode;

a communication module connected to the host; and

an index module comprising a transparent first index unit connected to the host and a second index unit connected to the communication module, wherein the second index unit is integrally formed with the transparent first index unit;

when the host is in the first mode, the host is controlled by at least one of the transparent first index unit and the second index unit of the index module;

when the host is in the second mode, the communication module is controlled by the second index unit of the transparent index module, wherein the communication module is automatically disconnected from the host and independently operated when the host is in the second mode.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18 further comprising an auxiliary power system, wherein the communication module is automatically connected to the auxiliary power system for operation when the host is in the second mode.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the second index unit is disposed within the transparent first index unit.

21. The electronic device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the transparent first index unit of the index module is a touch module or a touch pad.