Electronic device and keyboard module thereof

• US 8,531,827 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Chien-Hsin, Chiou, Chang-Hwang
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US12/503,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20100014235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.08, 361/679.09, 361/679.17, 361/679.19, 361/679.55, 361/679.29, 361/679.3
• US Class Current: 361/679.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• 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

Abstract

An electronic device is provided, and includes a keyboard module and a display module. The keyboard module includes a first key area, a second key area, and a joining area disposed between the first key area and the second key area. The display module has a connecting surface detachably disposed on the joining area and electrical connected to the keyboard module. The display module is stood on the keyboard module to face a first direction in a first operation mode and a second direction is opposite to the first direction in a second operation mode.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a keyboard module, comprising a first key area, a second key area, a joining area disposed between the first key area and the second key area, and a first connector disposed in the joining area; and

a display module, comprising a connecting surface detachably disposed on the joining area and a second connector disposed on the connection surface for electrically connecting the first connector, wherein the display module is supported on the keyboard module facing toward a first direction when in a first operation mode, and the display module is supported on the keyboard module facing toward a second direction opposite to the first direction when in a second operation mode,

wherein the display and keyboard modules are in different electrical connections, the first and second connectors are provided with detecting terminals, and the first and second connectors form two different physical circuit configurations corresponding to the first and second operation modes, respectively, and wherein connections of the detecting terminals are physically different in the two different physical circuit configurations in order to determine which of the first and second operation modes is selected to operate.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the first connector includes a first detecting terminal, the second connector includes a second detecting terminal, and the first and second detecting terminals are configured to form two connections in the first operation mode and the second operation mode, respectively, said two connections being in two difference positions with respect to the first and second connectors to correspond to different operation modes.

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display module and the keyboard module are electrically connected to each other by wireless means.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keyboard module further comprises a first fixed structure and the display module further comprises a second fixed structure, and the display module is fixed to the joining area of the keyboard module by the first fixed structure and the second fixed structure when the display module is supported on the joining area of the keyboard module.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first fixed structure of the keyboard module and the second fixed structure of the display module comprise magnetic elements.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the keyboard module further comprises a plurality of QWERTY keys disposed on the first key area and a plurality of multimedia keys disposed on the second key area.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display module is configured to be completely detached from the keyboard module without any physical connection, then rotated 180 degree and attached back to the keyboard module so as to switch from the first operation mode to the second operation mode.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first operation mode is different from the second operation mode, and keys in the first key area are configured to operate in the first operation mode, and keys in the second key area are configured to operate in the second operation mode.

7. A keyboard module adapted for combining to a display module provided with a connecting surface and a second connector on the connecting surface, comprising:

a first key area;

a second key area;

a joining area disposed between the first key area and the second key area; and

a first connector, disposed in the joining area for electrically connecting the second connector of the display module, wherein the connecting surface of the display module is detachably disposed on the joining area, the display module is supported on the keyboard module facing toward a first direction when in a first operation mode, and the display module is supported on the keyboard module facing toward a second direction opposite to the first direction when in a second operation mode,

wherein the display and keyboard modules are in different electrical connections, the first and second connectors are provided with detecting terminals, and the first and second connectors form two different physical circuit configurations corresponding to the first and second operation modes, respectively, and wherein connections of the detecting terminals are physically different in the two different physical circuit configurations in order to determine which of the first and second operation modes is selected to operate.

8. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 7

wherein the first connector includes a first detecting terminal, the second connector includes a second detecting terminal, and the first and second detecting terminals are configured to form two connections in the first operation mode and the second operation mode, respectively, said two connections being in two difference positions with respect to the first and second connectors to correspond to different operation modes.

9. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the display module and the keyboard module are electrically connected to each other by wireless means.

10. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a first fixed structure and the display module further comprising a second fixed structure, wherein the display module is fixed to the joining area of the keyboard module by the first fixed structure and the second fixed structure when the display module is supported on the joining area of the keyboard module.

11. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first fixed structure of the keyboard module and the second fixed structure of the display module comprise magnetic elements.

12. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a plurality of QWERTY keys disposed on the first key area and a plurality of multimedia keys disposed on the second key area.

14. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the display module is configured to be completely detached from the keyboard module without any physical connection, then rotated 180 degree and attached back to the keyboard module so as to switch from the first operation mode to the second operation mode.

16. The keyboard module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first operation mode is different from the second operation mode, and keys in the first key area are configured to operate in the first operation mode, and keys in the second key area are configured to operate in the second operation mode.