Variable configuration apparatus

• US 8,306,583 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mineral Lassen LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jm Stanneck LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Symons, Peter, Ward, Timothy, Keen, Ian, Lamacraft, Kevin, Underwood, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hsieh, Ping
• Application Number:
  US12/781,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20100285672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/90.1, 455/90.3, 455/575.1, 455/569.1, 455/575.3, 455/557, 455/566, 455/550.1, 379/433.11, 379/433.12, 379/433.13
• US Class Current: 455/575.3
• 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 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0237 Sliding mechanism with one degree of freedom

Abstract

A variable configuration apparatus has components or sub-systems. At least some components (200 and 201) have mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) that enable the configuration of the apparatus to be varied by changing at least one of the relative orientation and position of those components or subsystems. These mechanical coupling elements (101 and 102 and 103) incorporate wireless signal coupling elements (205 and 206) that cooperate to provide a wireless coupling which enables wireless coupling between the components. The wireless coupling may be used to transfer at least one of data and power between the components. The wireless signal coupling elements may be capacitive coupling elements that provide capacitive coupling between the components or sub-systems. In an example, the apparatus is a video camera and one component or sub-system is a display screen (201) and another component or sub-system is the main body (200) of the video camera (200).

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first component comprising a socket coupling element, the socket coupling element comprising a first capacitive coupling element disposed on the socket coupling element;

a dielectric; and

a second component comprising a ball coupling element, the ball coupling element movably received in the socket coupling element and comprising a second capacitive coupling element disposed on the ball coupling element, the second capacitive coupling element positioned on the ball coupling element so as to overlap with the first capacitive coupling element, the ball coupling element movable in the socket coupling element so as to vary an amount of overlap between the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element;

wherein the dielectric is formed between the ball coupling element and the socket coupling element and forms a frictional fit with the socket coupling element and the ball coupling element, the frictional fit mechanically coupling the second component to the first component,

further wherein the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first component and the second component, the wireless coupling varying in degree consistent with a varying amount of overlap between the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element resulting from movement of the ball coupling element in the socket coupling element.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second capacitive coupling element is formed in the outer surface of the ball coupling element and the first capacitive coupling element is formed in the inner surface of the socket coupling element.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second capacitive coupling element is applied to the exterior of the ball coupling element and the first capacitive coupling element is applied to the exterior of the socket coupling element.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the ball coupling element moves into and out of contact with the dielectric as the ball coupling element moves within the socket coupling element.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the ball coupling element is moveable in three dimensions relative to the socket coupling element, and wherein the first capacitive coupling element overlaps with the second capacitive coupling element throughout a desired range of movement.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the ball coupling element is movable in three dimensions relative to the socket coupling element.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second component is a display screen.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the ball coupling element and the socket coupling element form a capacitive coupling.

9. The electronic device of claim 1,

wherein the first component further comprises a second socket coupling element,

wherein the second component further comprises a second ball coupling element, the second ball coupling element movably received in the second socket coupling element and mechanically coupling the second component to the first component,

wherein the second ball coupling element is electrically conductive and the second socket coupling element is electrically conductive and the second ball coupling element and second socket coupling element are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first component and the second component, and

wherein the socket coupling element and the ball coupling element communicate data from the first component to the second component, and the second socket coupling element and the second ball coupling element communicate data from the second component to the first component.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a socket mechanically coupled to a first electrical component, the socket comprising a first capacitive coupling element disposed on the socket;

a dielectric; and

a ball mechanically coupled to a second electrical component, the ball movably received in the socket and comprising a second capacitive coupling element disposed on the ball, the second capacitive coupling element positioned on the ball so as to overlap with the first capacitive coupling element, the ball movable in the socket so as to vary an amount of overlap between the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element;

wherein the dielectric is formed between the ball and the socket and forms a frictional fit with the socket and ball, the frictional fit mechanically coupling the ball in the socket,

further wherein the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first component and the second component, the wireless coupling varying in degree consistent with a varying amount of overlap between the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element resulting from movement of the ball in the socket.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second capacitive coupling element is formed in the outer surface of the ball and the first capacitive coupling element is formed in the inner surface of the socket.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second capacitive coupling element is applied to the exterior of the ball and the first capacitive coupling element is applied to the exterior of the socket.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein a portion of the ball moves into and out of contact with the dielectric as the ball moves within the socket.

14. The electronic device of claim 13 wherein the ball is moveable in three dimensions relative to the socket, and wherein the first capacitive coupling element overlaps with the second capacitive coupling element throughout a desired range of movement.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the ball is movable in three dimensions relative to the socket.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second component is a display screen.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the ball and the socket form a capacitive coupling.

18. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising:

a second socket mechanically coupled to the first electrical component;

a second ball mechanically coupled to the second electrical component, the second ball moveably received in the second socket,

wherein the second ball is electrically conductive and the second socket is electrically conductive and second ball and second socket are configured to wirelessly couple a signal between the first electrical component and the second electrical component, and

wherein the socket and the ball communicate data from the first electrical component to the second electrical component, and the second and the second ball communicate date from the second electrical component to the first electrical component.

19. A method of coupling a wireless signal in an electronic device, comprising:

providing a socket mechanically coupled to a first electrical component, the socket comprising a first capacitive coupling element disposed on the socket;

providing a dielectric material;

providing a ball mechanically coupled to a second electrical component, the ball comprising a second capacitive coupling element disposed on the ball, the second capacitive coupling element positioned on the ball so as to overlap with the first capacitive coupling element, the ball movable in the socket so as to vary an amount of overlap between the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element, the dielectric material forming a frictional fit with the ball and socket, the frictional fit mechanically coupling the second electrical component to the first electrical component; and

the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element wirelessly coupling a signal from the first electrical component to the second electrical component, the wireless coupling varying in degree consistent with a varying amount of overlap between the first capacitive coupling element and the second capacitive coupling element resulting from movement of the ball in the socket.