Successively layered modular construction for a portable computer system

• US 8,385,075 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Loucks, Jeffry Harlow
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Application Number:
  US12/115,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20080211772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 361728-730, 361/752, 361/800, 361/807, 361/810, 361/741, 361/727, 361/686, 361/802, 361/856, 361/796
• US Class Current: 361/728
• 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 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1635 Stackable modules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A modular portable computer system is described. A top modular layer with a coupled display interface and adapted to be interconnected with other modular layers. A second modular layer is interconnected with the top modular layer and other modular layers, for providing a power source to supply operating power to said top modular layer and to those other modular layers present and is disposed beneath the top modular layer. A third modular layer is interconnected with the top modular layer and the second modular layer for providing baseline logic electronics and communication components to the modular portable computer system and is disposed beneath the top modular layer. A universal interconnect for providing electronic and communicative interconnection of each modular layer is disposed at least once on each modular layer.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing further comprising a plurality of undercut areas on a top portion and bottom portion of said housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing and coupled with said processor;

a display coupled with said housing, wherein said display is configured to display an image; and

a connector coupled with said housing, said connector further comprising a plurality of mated flexible contacts disposed within said undercut areas of said top portion and said bottom portion of said housing, wherein said connector is configured to carry a power signal, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate a communication signal, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate an audio signal, and wherein said connector is further configured to communicate a video signal.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said connector is further configured to carry said power signal from a component of said portable electronic device.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said connector is further configured to carry said power signal to a component of said portable electronic device.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said power signal is configured to charge a component of said portable electronic device.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said communication signal is in accordance with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of a wired communication standard, a serial communication standard, parallel, SCSI, Firewire (IEEE1394) and Ethernet.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said communication signal is in accordance with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of a wireless communication standard, infra-red and Bluetooth.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said display includes liquid crystal display.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising:

a touchscreen disposed above said display and responsive to user interaction with said display.

9. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing further comprising a plurality of undercut areas on a top portion and bottom portion of said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing;

a display coupled with said housing, wherein said display is configured to display an image;

a connector coupled with said housing, said connector further comprising a plurality of mated flexible contacts disposed within said undercut areas of said top portion and said bottom portion of said housing, wherein said connector is configured to carry a power signal, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate a communication signal, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate an audio signal, and wherein said connector is further configured to communicate a video signal; and

a component disposed within said housing, wherein said component is configured to automatically reorient said image on said display in response to a change in orientation of said housing.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said component is further operable to automatically place said image in a portrait mode in response to an orientation of said housing in a portrait position, and wherein said component is further operable to automatically place said image in a landscape mode in response to an orientation of said housing in a landscape position.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate said power signal from a component of said portable electronic device.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate said power signal to a component of said portable electronic device.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said power signal is configured to charge a component of said portable electronic device.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said communication signal is in accordance with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of a wired communication standard, a serial communication standard, parallel, SCSI, Firewire (IEEE1394) and Ethernet.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said communication signal is in accordance with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of a wireless communication standard, infra-red and Bluetooth.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein said display includes liquid crystal display.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 9 further comprising:

a touchscreen disposed above said display and responsive to user interaction with said display.

18. A portable electronic device comprising:

a housing further comprising a plurality of undercut areas on a top portion and bottom portion of said housing;

a processor disposed within said housing;

a memory disposed within said housing and coupled with said processor;

a display coupled with said housing, wherein said display is configured to display an image;

a touchscreen disposed above said display and for enabling user interaction with said display;

a camera coupled with said housing; and

a connector coupled with said housing, said connector further comprising a plurality of mated flexible contacts disposed within said undercut areas of said top portion and said bottom portion of said housing, wherein said connector is configured to carry a power signal, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate a communication signal, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate an audio signal, and wherein said connector is further configured to communicate a video signal.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said touch screen implements a handwriting recognition pad for detecting and alphanumeric user input.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said touch screen implements an on-screen cursor control.

21. The portable electronic device of claim 18 further comprising:

a communication interface for coupling said processor with a cradle, wherein said cradle is operable to interface with said housing.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 18 further comprising:

a communication component disposed within said housing, wherein said communication component is configured to enable communication over a network selected from a group consisting of a telephone network and a wireless data network.

23. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate said power signal from a component of said portable electronic device.

24. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said connector is further configured to communicate said power signal to a component of said portable electronic device.

25. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said power signal is configured to charge a component of said portable electronic device.

26. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said communication signal is in accordance with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of a wired communication standard, a serial communication standard, parallel, SCSI, Firewire (IEEE1394) and Ethernet.

27. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein said communication signal is in accordance with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of a wireless communication standard, infra-red and Bluetooth.