NOTEBOOK COMPUTER WITH INDEPENDENTLY FUNCTIONAL, DOCKABLE CORE COMPUTER

• US 20030126335A1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: SILVESTER, KELAN C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,010,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• 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 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A notebook computer includes a docking port to receive a core computer. The processor of the core computer serves as the system processor for the notebook computer when the core computer is docked in the notebook computer. When the core computer is undocked, the processor serves as the system processor for the core computer. The core computer may boot a mini operating system when undocked, whereas the notebook computer may boot a full operating system when the core computer is docked. The processor of the core computer may operate at a lower voltage and at a lower frequency when serving as the system processor for the core computer than when serving as the system processor for the notebook computer. When the core computer is docked, the notebook computer memory is synchronized with the core computer memory, and a battery in the core computer is charged.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing to enable the device to be docked into a notebook computer;

an interface disposed on a surface of the housing to enable communication between the device and the notebook computer when the device is docked; and

a processor to operate as a system processor of the notebook computer when the device is docked and to operate as a system processor of the device when the device is undocked.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an input controller to receive input data into the device when the device is undocked.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising core memory to store the input data when the device is undocked.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, further comprising an output controller to provide output data from the device when the device is undocked.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising a visual display disposed on a surface of the housing, the visual display being coupled to the input controller to provide the input data via pen-based entries on the display and being coupled to the output controller to provide the output data via the display.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising core memory having stored thereon a mini operating system.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a battery to provide power to the processor when the electronic device is undocked.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the interface is coupled to the battery to charge the battery when the electronic device is docked.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the notebook computer is to provide power to the processor when the electronic device is docked.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is to operate at a higher frequency and at a higher voltage when the device is docked than when the device is undocked.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is to operate at a higher frequency and at a higher voltage when the device is docked than when the device is undocked.

12. A base computer comprising:

a docking port to receive a hand-held core computer having a processor to operate as a system processor of the base computer when the device is docked and to operate as a system processor of the core computer when the device is undocked; and

an interface in the docking port to enable communication between the core computer and the base computer when the core computer is docked.

13. The base computer of claim 12, further comprising base memory having stored thereon a full operating system, the core computer comprising core memory having stored thereon a mini operating system.

14. The base computer of claim 12, wherein the interface is to couple a power supply of the base computer to a battery in the core computer to charge the battery and to provide power to the processor when the core computer is docked.

15. The base computer of claim 14, wherein the processor is to operate at a higher frequency and at a higher voltage when the processor operates as a system processor of the base computer than when the processor operates as a system processor of the core computer.

16. The base computer of claim 12, wherein the processor is to operate in one of a high power mode and a low power mode according to user preference.

17. A method of operating a computer system comprising:

operating a processor as a system processor of a notebook computer when a core computer is docked in a docking port of the notebook computer; and

operating the processor as a system processor of the core computer when the core computer is undocked.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising synchronizing memory of the notebook computer with memory of the core computer when the core computer is docked.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising charging a battery in the core computer when the core computer is docked.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein operating the processor as a system processor of the notebook computer includes operating the processor at a higher frequency and voltage than when operating the processor as a system processor of the core computer.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein operating the processor as a system processor of the notebook computer includes running a full operating system on the processor, and operating the processor as a system processor of the core computer includes running a mini operating system on the processor.