Integrated monitor and docking station

• US 7,684,185 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2006
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Farrugia, Augustin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wright; Ingrid
• Application Number:
  US11/481,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20080002350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/681, 361/682, 361/683, 361/728, 361/735, 361/686, 36167941-67945, 361/679.4, 361/679.22, 710/303, 248/918
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A docking station is disclosed. The docking station includes a display and a housing configured to hold the display in a manner that exposes a viewing surface of the display to view. The housing defines a docking area configured to receive a portable computer. The docking area is at least partly obscured by the display when viewed from the viewing surface side of the display at an angle substantially orthogonal to the viewing surface.

Claims

1. A docking station comprising:

a display;

a housing configured to hold the display in a manner that exposes a viewing surface of the display to view, the housing defining a docking area configured to receive a portable computer; and

a wireless communication antenna that is integrated with or attached to the housing and that is configured to be connected used by a wireless networking card of the portable computer when docked to send and receive communications from and to the portable computer;

wherein the docking area is at least partly obscured by the display when viewed from the viewing surface side of the display at an angle substantially orthogonal to the viewing surface; and

wherein the housing defines an opening on one or both of a left or right side of the housing that allows the portable computer to be linearly inserted along a substantially horizontal direction through the opening and into the docking area.

2. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display an image rendered by a portable computer at least when the portable computer is docked in the housing.

3. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking area is substantially larger in a first dimension and a second dimension than in a third dimension, and the first and second dimensions define a plane that is substantially parallel to the viewing surface, and the third dimension is substantially orthogonal to the viewing surface.

4. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking area is configured such that when the portable computer is docked in the housing, a first plane parallel to the viewing surface is substantially parallel to a second plane parallel to at least one largest face of an imaginary rectangular polyhedron of the least possible volume that can contain the docked portable computer.

5. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking area is configured such that a plane parallel to at least one largest face of an imaginary rectangular polyhedron of the least possible volume that can contain the portable computer docked in the housing is more parallel than normal to the direction of gravity.

6. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein docking station is mountable on a vertical surface.

7. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein when the portable computer is docked in the housing, the portable computer is at least partially obscured by the docking station.

8. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the docking area includes a heat conductive material.

9. A docking station as recited in claim 8, wherein the heat conductive material dissipates heat generated by the portable computer.

10. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein heat generated by the docking station or the portable computer docked in the docking station is dissipated using one or more of the following included in the housing:

a vent, a fan, a heat sink, and a liquid cooling device.

11. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing holds one or more of the following:

a camera, a speaker, a microphone, a storage device, a memory card reader, a telephonic handset, a battery charger, and a remote control signal receiver.

12. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein a coupling interface allows communication of data between the docking station and the portable computer when docked in the housing.

13. A docking station as recited in claim 12, wherein the communication of data between the docking station and the portable computer includes one or more of the following:

communication of the image rendered by the portable computer to the display, communication of docking configuration setting data, and communication of data associated with one or more devices integrated with or attached to the docking station.

14. A docking station as recited in claim 12, wherein the communication of data between the docking station and the portable computer includes communication of docking notification data that at least in part causes the docked portable computer to perform one or more of the following:

power on, exit from a standby/hibernation mode, use the display of the docking station rather than an integrated display of the portable computer, and switch a power management profile.

15. A docking station as recited in claim 12, wherein the coupling interface physically secures the portable computer to the docking station.

16. A docking station as recited in claim 12, wherein the coupling interface provides power to the docked portable computer.

17. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of data communicated between the portable computer and the docking station, including any integrated or attached device of the docking station, is communicated using radio communication.

18. A docking station as recited in claim 17, wherein the radio communication is associated with one or more of the following:

a short-range wireless data communication standard, BLUETOOTH, a wireless networking standard, IEEE 802.11 standard, and a proprietary wireless communication specification.

19. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein a radio communication component of the portable computer uses an antenna integrated or attached on the docking station when the portable computer is docked in the housing.

20. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station includes one or more ports that enable a device attached to one or more of the ports to communicate with the portable computer when the portable computer is docked in the housing.

21. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein power is provided to the docking station by a battery either included in the docking station or included in the portable computer when docked in the housing.

22. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein power is inductively provided from the docking station to the portable computer when docked in the housing without using a conductive electrical contact between the docking station and the docked portable computer.

23. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein power is provided to the docking station from the portable computer when the portable computer is docked in the housing.

24. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein at most one surface of an imaginary rectangular polyhedron substantially conforming to the portable computer is exposed when the portable computer is docked in the housing.

25. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one media drive of the portable computer is exposed for use while the portable computer is docked in the housing.

26. A docking station as recited in claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises a stand that has one or more of the following characteristics:

is removable and includes a pass-through hole for organizing one or more cables attached to the docking station.