Laptop computer with cover rotatably attached to base that rotates to cover keyboard

• US 9,829,927 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuscher, Alexander Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US15/019,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20170227991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 3616791, 36167918, 36167955, 361748, 361749, 361752, 361760, 361761, 361781
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A laptop computer may include a lid, a base, and a cover. The base may be attached to the lid at a first end portion of the base. The base may include a keyboard adjacent to the first end portion of the base and an open portion adjacent to a second end portion of the base. The second end portion of the base may be opposite from the first end portion. The cover may be rotatably attached to the base between the keyboard and the open portion. The cover may be configured to swing from a first position covering the open portion of the base to a second position covering the keyboard.

Claims

1. A laptop computer comprising:

a lid;

a base attached to the lid at a first end portion of the base, the base comprising;

a keyboard adjacent to the first end portion of the base;

an open portion adjacent to a second end portion of the base, the second end portion of the base being opposite from the first end portion; and

a sensor configured to determine whether a cover is in a first position or a second position, the sensor being coupled to at least one processor, the at least one processor being configured to;

enable the keyboard when the sensor determines that the cover is in the first position; and

disable the keyboard when the sensor determines that the cover is in the second position; and

the cover rotatably attached to the base between the keyboard and the open portion, the cover being configured to swing from the first position covering the open portion of the base to the second position covering the keyboard.

2. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a trackpad configured to process tactile input when the cover is in the first position covering the open portion of the base.

3. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein:

the cover comprises a trackpad configured to process click and drag inputs when the cover is in the first position covering the open portion of the base; and

the at least one processor is further configured to;

enable the trackpad when the sensor determines that the cover is in the first position; and

disable the trackpad when the sensor determines that the cover is in the second position.

4. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises the at least one processor.

5. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device when the cover is in the first position covering the open portion of the base.

6. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a near field communication (NFC) module configured to wirelessly communicate with a computing device according to an NFC protocol when the cover is in the first position covering the open portion of the base.

7. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a fingerprint sensor configured to process fingerprint input when the cover is in the first position covering the open portion of the base.

8. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises at least one magnet configured to secure the cover in the second position covering the keyboard.

9. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises at least one magnet configured to secure the cover in the first position covering the open portion of the base.

10. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one magnet adjacent to the keyboard and configured to secure the cover in the second position covering the keyboard.

11. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the keyboard comprises at least one magnet configured to secure the cover in the second position covering the keyboard.

12. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the open portion of the base comprises at least one magnet configured to secure the cover in the first position covering the open portion of the base.

13. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a depressed area around the keyboard so that when the cover is in the second position covering the keyboard, the cover is flush with a portion of the base adjacent to the cover.

14. The laptop computer of claim 1, wherein the open portion comprises a depressed area so that when the cover is in the first position covering the open portion, the cover is flush with a portion of the base adjacent to the cover.

15. The laptop computer of claim 1, further comprising at least one wire coupled to the base and the cover, the at least one wire being configured to transmit electrical signals from the cover to the base.

16. The laptop computer of claim 1, further comprising:

a hinge attaching the cover to the base between the keyboard and the open portion of the base; and

at least one wire extending through the hinge and coupling the cover to the base, the at least one wire being configured to transmit electrical signals from the cover to the base.

17. A laptop computer comprising:

a lid comprising a display;

a base attached to the lid, the base comprising;

a keyboard on an outer portion of the base;

a sensor configured to determine whether a cover is in a first position or a second position, the sensor being coupled to at least one processor; and

at least one processor enclosed by a housing of the base, the at least one processor being coupled to the display and the keyboard, the at least one processor being configured to;

enable the keyboard and a trackpad when the sensor determines that the cover is in the first position; and

disable the keyboard and the trackpad when the sensor determines that the cover is in the second position;

a hinge attached to the base;

the cover attached to the hinge, the cover being configured to rotate from the first position covering an open portion of the base to the second position covering the keyboard, the cover comprising the trackpad configured to process tactile input when the cover is in the first position, the hinge being disposed between the keyboard and the open portion of the base; and

at least one wire extending from the cover, through the hinge, and into the base, the at least one wire being configured to transmit electrical signals from the trackpad to the at least one processor.

18. The laptop computer of claim 17, wherein:

the base comprises at least a first base magnet configured to secure the cover in the first position covering the open portion of the base and a second base magnet configured to secure the cover in the second position covering the keyboard; and

the cover comprises at least one cover magnet configured to secure the cover in the first position covering the open portion of the base and the second position covering the keyboard.

19. A laptop computer comprising:

a lid comprising a display;

a base hingedly attached to the lid, the base comprising;

a keyboard on an outer portion of the base adjacent to a first end portion of the base at which the base is hingedly attached to the lid;

a sensor configured to determine whether a cover is in a first position or a second position;

at least one processor coupled to the display, the keyboard, and the sensor, the processor being configured to enable the keyboard and a tactile input device when the cover is in the first position and disable the keyboard and the tactile input device when the cover is in the second position;

a housing enclosing the at least one processor and surrounding the keyboard, the housing including an open portion adjacent to a second end portion of the base opposite from the first end portion, the housing defining a first depression within the open portion and a second depression around the keyboard; and

at least one magnet configured to secure the cover in a second position covering the keyboard;

a hinge attached to the base;

a cover attached to the hinge, the cover being configured to rotate from the first position covering the open portion of the base to the second position covering the keyboard, the cover comprising a trackpad configured to process tactile input when the cover is in the first position, the hinge being disposed between the keyboard and the open portion of the base; and

at least one wire extending from the cover, through the hinge, and into the base, the at least one wire being configured to transmit electrical signals from the tactile input device to the at least one processor.