Electronic device having a keyboard rotatable about an axis

• US 7,158,373 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Originatic LLC
• Original Assignee: Originatic LLC
• Inventors: Smith, Renato L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, INGRID D
• Application Number:
  US10/795,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 361/680, 361/681, 361/682, 361/683
• US Class Current: 361/679.18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1631 Panel PC, e.g. single housing hosting PC and display panel
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H

Abstract

An electronic device having a housing which supports a processor, a memory device, a display device and a keyboard. The housing has a support member which enables the keyboard to move about an axis. The axis extends between the ends of the keyboard.

Claims

1. A computer securable to a structure, the computer comprising:

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor;

a display device having a screen substantially positionable in a plane;

a keyboard having a front side, a back side, a plurality of ends and a top surface, each one of the ends distancing the front side from the back side by a length, each of the lengths having a midpoint, the top surface being substantially positionable in a plane;

a housing supporting the memory device and the display device, the housing engagable with the structure, the housing having at least one coupling member positioned above or below the screen, the coupling member being;

(a) coupled to at least one of the ends of the keyboard, enabling the keyboard to move about an axis, the axis extending between the ends of the keyboard; and

(b) positioned substantially at the midpoint of the length of said end, the coupling member movably coupling the keyboard to the housing so that the keyboard is movable about the axis between;

(i) a first position where the plane of the top surface of the keyboard is substantially parallel with the plane of the screen; and

(ii) a second position where the plane of the top surface of the keyboard intersects with the plane of the screen.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the coupling member includes at least one shaft positioned along the axis; and

(b) the ends are rotatably coupled to the at least one shaft.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the housing includes at least one wall, the wall defining a space positioned within the housing, at least part of the keyboard being movable within the space as the keyboard is moved between the first position and the second position.

4. The computer of claim 1, wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of a wall of a building, a wall of an elevator, an interior portion of a land vehicle, an interior portion of an air vehicle and an interior portion of a water vehicle.

5. A computer comprising:

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor;

a display device having a screen substantially positionable in a plane;

a keyboard having a top surface, a plurality of side regions and a plurality of end regions positioned between the side regions, each one of the end regions having a midpoint, the top surface substantially positionable in a plane;

a housing supporting the memory device and the display device, the housing having a keyboard region located below the screen of the display device, the housing defining a cavity within the keyboard region, the housing including at least one coupling member positioned within the keyboard region, the coupling member being;

(a) coupled to the keyboard; and

(b) positioned substantially at the midpoint of at least one of the end regions, the keyboard being movable about an axis, the axis extending between the end regions of the keyboard.

6. The computer of claim 5, wherein the coupling member includes at least one shaft.

7. The computer of claim 5, wherein the housing has;

(a) at least one outer wall surrounding both the display device and the keyboard region; and

(b) at least one inner wall defining the cavity, at least part of the keyboard being movable within the cavity as the keyboard is moved between the first position and the second position.

8. The computer of claim 7, wherein the housing has a front surface and a back surface, the inner wall extending from the front surface of the housing to the back surface of the housing so that the cavity forms an opening in the housing.

9. The computer of claim 5, which includes an additional coupling member coupled to the housing within the keyboard region, the plurality of coupling members being (a) positioned along the axis.

10. The computer of claim 5, which includes a slidable connection between the coupling member and at least one of the end regions.

11. The computer of claim 5, which includes at least one keyboard position control member, the keyboard position control member enabling the keyboard to be adjustable set at the first position or the second position.

12. The computer of claim 5, which includes at least one securing member coupled to the housing, the securing member operable to secure the housing to a structure.

13. The computer of claim 12, wherein the securing members includes a mount device.

14. The computer of claim 5, wherein the keyboard includes an input device selected from the group consisting of a mouse, a trackball, a touch pad and a stylus.

15. The computer of claim 12, wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of a wall of a building, a wall of an elevator, an interior portion of a land vehicle, an interior portion of an air vehicle and an interior portion of a water vehicle.

16. The computer of claim 12, wherein the structure includes a wall of a dwelling unit in a building, the memory device includes a plurality of instructions which direct the processor to cause the display device to automatically display a designated image after a designated event occurs.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory device accessible by the processor;

a display device having a screen substantially positionable in a plane;

a keyboard having;

(a) plurality of sides;

(b) a plurality of ends;

(c) a surface substantially positionable in a plane; and

(d) a plurality of input devices coupled to the surface; and

a housing supporting the memory device and the display device, the housing having a support member which supports the keyboard, the support member enabling the keyboard to move about an axis, the axis extending from one of the ends of the keyboard to another one of the ends of the keyboard, the axis being positioned between at least two of the input devices, the keyboard being movable about the axis between;

(a) one position in which the plane of the surface of the keyboard is substantially parallel to the plane of the screen; and

(b) another position in which the plane of the surface of the keyboard intersects with the plane of the screen.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the housing has:

(a) at least one outer wall surrounding both the display device and the keyboard; and

(b) at least one inner wall positioned below the display device, the inner wall defining a space, at least part of the keyboard being movable within the space.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein at least one of the input devices includes a hand-controlled input device selected from the group consisting of a key, a mouse, a trackball, a touch pad and a stylus.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, which includes a securing member operable to secure the housing to a structure, the structure being selected from the group consisting of a wall of a building, a wall of an elevator, an interior portion of a land vehicle, an interior portion of an air vehicle and an interior portion of a water vehicle.