Tablet computer dock

• US 9,690,729 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Jolda, Matthew, Grossman, Jack, Toggweiler, James, Henze, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US13/757,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20140223065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 710300, 710303, 710304, 710305, 710313, 345108, 345110
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0092 with motorization
• 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 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/36 for access to common bus or bus system
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

A tablet computer dock for use in a passenger vehicle is configured to support a tablet computer for use or storage inside the passenger vehicle. The tablet computer dock illustratively includes a tablet receiver that defines a compartment sized to receive a tablet computer. The compartment is accessible through a slot sized to allow the tablet computer to pass into and out of the compartment.

Claims

1. A tablet computer dock comprising

a tablet receiver defining a compartment sized to receive a tablet computer, the compartment accessible through a slot, and

positioning means for moving a tablet computer removably inserted into the compartment through the slot from a use position in which an interface portion of the tablet computer is exposed outside the compartment and a supported portion of the tablet computer is received in the compartment to a stowed position in which the entire tablet computer is received inside the compartment so that the tablet computer is supported for operation by a user when the positioning means moves the tablet computer to the use position and so that the tablet computer is enclosed in the tablet receiver to discourage theft of the tablet computer when the positioning means moves the tablet computer to the stowed position,

wherein each component of the positioning means is located entirely within the compartment during movement of the tablet computer to each of the insert/eject, use, and stowed positions,

wherein the positioning means includes a controller, a sensor unit coupled to the controller and configured to detect when a tablet computer is inserted through the slot into the compartment, and a drive coupled to the controller, the drive coupled to the tablet receiver and arranged to engage a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot,

wherein the drive includes a drive roller arranged inside the compartment to engage a tablet inserted into the compartment through the slot and a motor coupled to the drive roller,

wherein the sensor unit includes a drive sensor coupled to the motor and configured to detect electrical current in the motor created by rotation of the drive roller in response to a tablet computer being pushed into or pulled out of the compartment by a user.

2. The tablet computer dock of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes an optical sensor configured to detect when a tablet computer is inserted into the compartment through the slot.

3. The tablet computer dock of claim 1, wherein the tablet receiver includes a frame and a plurality of passive rollers coupled to the frame, the passive rollers arranged inside the compartment and arranged to engage opposing sides of a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot.

4. The tablet computer dock of claim 3, wherein the frame includes an insert guide coupled to the frame and formed to include a concave surface sized to correspond to a convex back side of a tablet computer.

5. A passenger vehicle comprising

an electrical system configured to communicate with a tablet computer, and

a tablet computer dock for supporting a tablet computer, the tablet computer dock including a tablet receiver defining a compartment sized to receive a tablet computer, the compartment accessible through a slot, and a tablet positioner including a controller, a sensor unit coupled to the controller and configured to detect when a tablet computer is inserted into the compartment through the slot, and a drive coupled to the controller and to the tablet receiver, the drive configured to engage a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot and to move a tablet computer received in the compartment between an insert/eject position wherein an insert portion of a tablet computer is received in the compartment, a use position wherein a support portion, larger than the insert portion of a tablet computer, is received in the compartment, and a stowed position wherein all of a tablet computer is received in the compartment,

wherein the tablet receiver includes a frame and a plurality of passive rollers coupled to the frame, the passive rollers arranged inside the compartment and arranged to engage opposing sides of a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot,

and further wherein the tablet receiver includes a support post is coupled to the frame providing support to the tablet computer while in the use position,

wherein each component of the tablet receiver is located entirely within the compartment during movement of the tablet computer to each of the insert/eject, use, and stowed positions,

wherein the drive includes a drive roller arranged inside the compartment to engage a tablet inserted into the compartment through the slot and a motor coupled to the drive roller,

wherein the sensor unit includes a drive sensor coupled to the motor and configured to detect electrical current in the motor created by rotation of the drive roller in response to a tablet computer being pushed into or pulled out of the compartment by a user.

6. The tablet computer dock of claim 5, wherein the drive includes a drive roller arranged inside the compartment to engage a tablet inserted into the compartment through the slot and a motor coupled to the drive roller.

7. The passenger vehicle of claim 6, wherein the sensor unit includes a drive sensor coupled to the motor and configured to detect electrical current in the motor created by rotation of the drive roller in response to a tablet computer being pushed into or pulled out of the compartment by a user.

8. The passenger vehicle of claim 5, wherein the frame includes an insert guide coupled to the frame and formed to include a concave surface sized to correspond to a convex back side of a tablet computer.

9. The passenger vehicle of claim 5, wherein the passenger vehicle includes a floor, a dashboard arranged above the floor, and a windshield extending upwardly from the dashboard.

10. The passenger vehicle of claim 9, wherein the electrical system includes a user interface mounted to the dashboard, the compartment defined by the tablet receiver is inside the dashboard between the windshield and the user interface, and the compartment is arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the floor.

11. The passenger vehicle of claim 9, wherein the compartment defined by the tablet receiver is inside the dashboard between the floor and the windshield, and the compartment is arranged in a plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the floor.

12. The passenger vehicle of claim 5, wherein the passenger vehicle includes a floor and a seat, and the tablet receiver is coupled to the seat.

13. A passenger vehicle comprising

an electrical system, and

a tablet computer dock for supporting a tablet computer, the tablet computer dock including a tablet receiver defining a compartment sized to receive a removable tablet computer, the compartment accessible through a slot, and a tablet positioner including a controller coupled to the electrical system, a sensor unit coupled to the controller, and a drive coupled to the controller, the drive configured to engage a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot and to move the tablet computer between an insert/eject position wherein an insert portion of a tablet computer is received in the compartment, a use position wherein a support portion larger than the insert portion is received in the compartment and supported in this position by a support post coupled to a frame in the tablet receiver, and a stowed position wherein all of a tablet computer is received in the compartment,

wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect when a tablet computer is inserted into the compartment through the slot and to generate a tablet insert signal, the electrical system is configured to generate a vehicle on signal and a vehicle off signal, and the controller is configured to move a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot from the insert/eject position to the use position in response to receiving the tablet insert signal and the vehicle on signal,

wherein the controller is configured to move a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot from the insert/eject position to the stowed position in response to receiving the tablet insert signal and the vehicle off signal,

wherein each component of the tablet receiver is located entirely within the compartment during movement of the tablet computer to each of the insert/eject, use, and stowed positions,

wherein the drive includes a drive roller arranged inside the compartment to engage a tablet inserted into the compartment through the slot and a motor coupled to the drive roller,

wherein the sensor unit includes a drive sensor coupled to the motor and configured to detect electrical current in the motor created by rotation of the drive roller in response to a tablet computer being pushed into or pulled out of the compartment by a user.

14. The passenger vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to move a tablet computer from the use position to the stowed position in response to receiving a stow signal user input.

15. The passenger vehicle of claim 14, wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect when a tablet computer is being pushed by a user from the use position toward the stowed position and to generate the stow signal user input.

16. The passenger vehicle of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to move a tablet computer from the use position to the insert/eject position in response to receiving an eject user input.

17. The passenger vehicle of claim 16, wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect when a user moves a hand over the slot and to generate the eject signal user input.

18. A transportation system comprising

a tablet computer including a controller, a user interface coupled to the controller of the tablet computer, and a transceiver coupled to the controller of the tablet computer, and

a passenger vehicle including a tablet computer dock and an electrical system,

the tablet computer dock including a tablet receiver defining a compartment sized to receive a tablet computer removably inserted through a slot and a tablet positioner configured to move the tablet computer between an insert/eject position wherein an insert portion of a tablet computer is received in the compartment, a use position wherein a support portion larger than the insert portion is received in the compartment, and a stowed position wherein all of a tablet computer is received in the compartment,

the electrical system including a controller coupled to the tablet positioner, a user interface coupled to the controller of the electrical system, and a transceiver coupled to the controller of the electrical system,

wherein the controller of the electrical system is configured to receive a signal from the tablet positioner indicative of the tablet computer being inserted into the tablet receiver and to send a signal to the tablet computer to launch a vehicle-specific application,

wherein the controller of the electrical system is configured to send a signal to the tablet computer to launch a graphic display in response to receiving the signal from the tablet positioner indicative of the tablet computer being inserted into the tablet receiver,

wherein the controller of the electrical system is configured to send signal to the tablet computer to launch the vehicle-specific application in response to receiving a signal from the tablet positioner indicative of the tablet computer moving to the use position from the stowed position,

wherein the tablet receiver includes a sensor unit coupled to the controller and configured to detect when a tablet computer is inserted through the slot into the compartment, and a drive coupled to the controller, the drive coupled to the tablet receiver and arranged to engage a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot,

wherein each component of the tablet receiver is located entirely within the compartment during movement of the tablet computer to each of the insert/eject, use, and stowed positions,

wherein the drive includes a drive roller arranged inside the compartment to engage a tablet inserted into the compartment through the slot and a motor coupled to the drive roller,

wherein the sensor unit includes a drive sensor coupled to the motor and configured to detect electrical current in the motor created by rotation of the drive roller in response to a tablet computer being pushed into or pulled out of the compartment by a user.

19. The transportation system of claim 18, wherein the controller of the electrical system is configured to send a signal to the tablet computer to launch a sleep mode in response to receiving a signal from the tablet positioner indicative of the tablet computer moving to the stowed position.

20. A method of positioning a tablet computer in a tablet receiver included in a tablet computer dock, the method comprising

receiving a tablet insert signal, and

moving the tablet computer from an insert/eject position to a use position in response to receiving the tablet insert signal via rubber motor-driven drive rollers,

wherein an insert portion of the tablet computer is received in a compartment formed by the tablet receiver when the tablet computer is in the insert/eject position, and a support portion, larger than the insert portion, is received in the compartment when the tablet computer is in the use position

wherein the tablet receiver includes a frame and a plurality of passive rollers coupled to the frame, the passive rollers arranged inside the compartment and arranged to engage opposing sides of a tablet computer inserted into the compartment through the slot

wherein each component of the tablet receiver is locate entirely within the compartment during movement of the tablet computer to each of the insert/eject, use, and stowed positions,

wherein the tablet receiver includes a sensor unit having a drive sensor coupled to a motor and configured to detect electrical current in the motor created by rotation of the drive rollers in response to a tablet computer being pushed into or pulled out of the compartment by a user.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising moving the tablet computer to a stowed position in response to receiving a stow signal from a sensor unit, wherein all of the tablet computer is received in the compartment when the tablet computer is in the stowed position.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein tablet stow signal is received from a drive sensor coupled to a motor configured to move the tablet computer from the use position to the stowed position.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending a sleep mode signal to the tablet computer in response to receiving the stow signal.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving a tablet moving to eject position signal from the tablet computer dock and sending a wake-up signal to the tablet computer.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the tablet computer is moved from the insert/eject position by a drive roller situated in the compartment and arranged to engage the tablet computer when the tablet computer is inserted into the compartment.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the tablet insert signal is received from a drive sensor coupled to a motor configured to move the tablet computer from the insert/eject position to the use position.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving a tablet moving to eject position signal from the tablet computer dock and sending a close vehicle application signal to the tablet computer.