SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROL MODULES IN PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROL MODULES IN PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to United States Provisional Application Serial No. 60/648,587 filed on January 31, 2005, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to portable computers such as tablet computers.

Summary of the Invention

An apparatus and method provides for concealing and revealing the control module of a portable electronic device and simultaneously functioning to change the operating system's (OS) state. The action of concealing the control module serves as a man-machine interaction paradigm to directly invoke the switching of the OS from On to Suspended state, hi this concealed position, the control module is protected from damage or inadvertent activation. Conversely, revealing the control module will directly invoke the switching of the OS to the ON state, if the OS was in suspended state.

Portable electronic devices, such as tablet computers, typically have exposed buttons or keys for controlling the device. By way of specific example, a tablet computer may have several individual keys which have functions such as power on-off, scroll page, toggle keyboard or tablet, toggle portrait or landscape, and toggle audio mute.

Since one of the principal virtues of a tablet computer is its small size, substantially the entire top surface of the computer is often used for the computer display. The control module in the form of a series of buttons or keys extend along the front edge of the computer, sometimes referred to as a "dashboard" location. While this location provides for greater screen area, the exposed buttons may be inadvertently actuated and result, for example, in turning the computer on and discharging the computer battery.

Embodiments of the invention provide for protecting the control module button panel against inadvertent actuation without changing the form factor of the portable electronic device, hi one embodiment, the buttons are located on a rotatable key bar. hi one position, the buttons can be rotated to a location within the computer housing or, when desired, rotated to a conventional revealed position. In another embodiment, the key bar slides back and forth to conceal or reveal the buttons. In still another embodiment, a cover slides back and forth to conceal the key bar and buttons.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a view wherein the OS is in the ON state;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a transitional view of the embodiment of Figure 1 from revealed state to concealed state;

FIGURE 4 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 1 in a concealed state wherein typically the OS is in a suspended state;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the key bar dismounted from the main chassis of the computer.

FIGURE 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of the key bar alone, apart from the main chassis of the computer, and indicates the position of the cross sectional view, used in Figures 7, 8, and 9;

FIGURE 6A is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 6A-6A of Figure 6.

FIGURE 7 shows a cross sectional view, as indicated in Figure 6, of the key bar in the revealed state.

FIGURE 8 shows a sectional view of the transitional state of the key bar;

FIGURE 9 shows a sectional view of the key bar in the concealed state.

FIGURE 10 shows a schematic overview of the electronic components of the computer, showing the electronic connection of the DIP switch to the central processing unit (CPU).

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of a sliding system and method embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 12 illustrates a transitional view of the embodiment of Figure 11 from a revealed state to concealed state;

FIGURE 13 illustrates a view of the embodiment of Figure 11 in the concealed state, wherein typically the OS is in a suspended state; FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention utilizing a sliding cover.

FIGURE 15 illustrates a transitional view of the embodiment of Figure 14 wherein the cover slides from a revealed state to a concealed state;

FIGURE 16 illustrates a view of the embodiment of Figure 14 in the concealed state wherein typically the OS is in a suspended state.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

FIGURES 1-13 illustrate one embodiment and method of the invention. As shown, a chassis 20 houses and encloses the electronic components of a tablet computer (illustrated in FIGURE 10) along with the portable battery which powers the computer. A display 21 occupies a substantial portion of the top side of the chassis 20. As is well known in the art, the display 21 of a tablet computer can often serve as a visual read-out panel, a keyboard, or a notepad for handwritten entries.

In the embodiment shown, the computer includes a plurality of buttons or keys 25 used to control various functions of the tablet computer such as a power on/off key 25a, scroll page key 25b, a toggle key 25c for alternative selection of an input keyboard on display 21 or the computer read-out display on display 21, a toggle key 25d for selecting either a portrait view or landscape view on the computer display 21, and a key 25e for muting the audio.

As best shown in FIGURES 5-9, each of the keys 25 are advantageously mounted within and along the length of a rotatable key bar 30. In the embodiment shown, the key bar has a generally cylindrical cross-section. As shown in Figure 5, axles 35 respectively attached at opposite ends of the bar 30 rotate in bearings 31 mounted at opposite ends of the chassis 20. Each key 25 actuates a respective switch 40 mounted within the bar 30. The switches are advantageously connected to the computer components by a flex circuit 45 or other well known flexible circuit which allows the bar 30 to rotate about axle 35 while providing a wired connection to the computer components.

FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 illustrate views of the key bar 13 as used in a pivoting system and method embodiment. Advantageously, key bar 30 includes a flip knob 46. When a user is actively operating the computer or portable electronic device, the key bar 30 will be in the revealed state, as shown in Figure 2. The keys 25 are ready for user input. If the user wishes to suspend the operating system, the user simply turns the key bar 30, from the revealed position, shown in Figure 2, to concealed position, shown in Figure 4. Such action is initiated by applying pressure downward on the raised flip knob 46, of the key bar 30. Figure 3 illustrates the transition between the fully revealed and fully concealed positions.

Figures 7-9 illustrates an embodiment of the mechanism that allows for selective switching of the operating system by rotation of the key bar 30. A dual inline package switch (DIP switch 71) is mounted internally of the chassis 20 and triggers switching the operating system from ON to Suspend and vice a versa. When the rotation of the key bar 30 downward using the flip knob 46 is complete, the key bar 31 will engage (as shown at 91 in Figure 9) and activate the DIP switch 71. The activation will trigger the mechanism putting the operating system (OS) into a suspended state. When the computer operation is suspended, the caps of buttons or keys 25 are hidden, protecting them from damage and accidental user input. When the user wishes to resume operation of the computer, changing the state back from suspended to ON, he or she simply turns the key bar 30 upward to the position shown in Figure 2 and 7. The movement of the key bar 30 releases the DIP switch 71 so that there is no contact between the DIP switch and the key bar, thereby deactivating the mechanism that put the operating system into a suspended state.

An electrical schematic overview of how the electronic connection of the DIP switch 71 controls the function of the OS is illustrated in Figure 10. In the embodiment shown, the Operating System, permanently stored in the Data Storage 105, (typically a hard drive), is temporarily stored in the Random Access Memory (RAM 103) and accessed by the Central Processing Unit (CPU 102) during run time. A device driver that reads the status of the DIP switch 71 on a continuous basis, is also stored in the RAM during run time. As described above, when the key bar 30 contacts the DIP switch 71, the DIP switch 71 is depressed and the device driver will trigger the OS to go to Sleep. When the DIP switch 71 is released (the key bar 30 is not in contact with the DIP switch 71), the OS will be turned On. Both the OS and the device driver programs are typically deleted from the RAM 103 once the computer is turned off.

Figures 11, 12 and 13 illustrate another embodiment and method. In this embodiment, the key bar 150 slides underneath the chassis of the computer, rather than pivoting on an axis. The DIP switch is mounted behind the key bar to trigger and initiate the function of switching the state of OS.

A further embodiment and method of a cover slide system is illustrated in Figures 14, 15 and 16. In this embodiment, the key bar 160 remains fixed in its position, a cover 175 mounted between the key bar and the chassis slides back and forth to conceal and reveal the key bar. As in the embodiments described above, a DIP switch is advantageously mounted behind the key bar 160 to be triggered by cover 170 to initiate the function of switching the state of the OS.

The above presents a description of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the systems and methods for control modules in portable electronic devices in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use these systems and methods. These systems and methods are, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above that are fully equivalent. By way of specific example, the key bar may be positioned and accessible in different faces of the computer chassis other than those shown. Likewise, more than one key bar can be used to provide the content module functions. Further, although an advantageous feature of all of the embodiments disclosed is that the form factor of the electronic device does not change at any time the user is operating the device, other embodiments of the invention can be constructed using, for example, a panel supporting the key bar which is hinged to the chassis to be folded out in use and thereafter having a different form factor when the computer is in its ON or active state. Consequently, these systems and methods are not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, these systems and methods cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the present invention.