Horology: time measuring systems or devices – Combined with disparate device
Patent
1994-01-20
1996-02-20
Miska, Vit W.
Horology: time measuring systems or devices
Combined with disparate device
3647081, 36470901, G04B 4700, G06F 100
Patent
active
054935423
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention generally relates to the docking of portable computers. More specifically, the invention concerns, according to a first aspect, an ancillary device for a portable computer; according to a second aspect, a portable computer; and according to a third aspect, a docking station.
Normally, a portable computer contains a number of components, such as a processor, a fold-up LCD display screen, an optionally detachable keyboard, a main storage, one or more hard disc units, and a battery.
Conventionally, a portable computer of this type has, normally provided at the back, but sometimes also at the side, a plurality of separate peripheral connectors, usually being of different types and having different numbers of poles (i.e. number of contact sleeves or contact pins), for connecting peripheral units to the portable computer. Typically, such peripheral connectors comprise: a `modular socket` for telephone or facsimile transmission; a scanner interface; a serial RS-232 interface for connecting a mouse, a plotter, a printer, a modem, a digitalising table, and so forth; a connector for connection to an external display device (VGA); a parallel Centronics interface for the connection of a printer, a floppy-disc station, and so forth; and a connector for the connection of an outer, numerical or alphanumerical keyboard, and so forth.
Apart from such peripheral connectors, a portable computer of this type is conventionally equipped with a multi-pole bus connector arranged on the rear side of the chassis and adapted to connect an outer expansion unit with a view to achieving a more powerful computer system, as compared with the portable computer. Such an expansion unit may include e.g. a network card for connection to a computer network, an emulating card, a graphic card, and so forth.
Usually, a portable computer of this type also has a socket at the rear or at the side of the chassis, for the connection of an external power supply, e.g. via the network adapter.
Today's portable computers are so powerful that they are advantageously used not only `in the field`, but also `stationarily` in an office or the like. In stationary use, it is often desirable to expand the portable computer, which is done by connecting the bus connector of the computer to a matching bus connector of a cable from an expansion unit, and to connect one or more peripheral units of the above type to the portable computer, which is done by connecting separate cables to the peripheral connectors of the portable computer.
For the user, it is inconvenient to have to manually connect and disconnect a large number of separate cables every time the portable computer is to be moved to or taken from the `stationary` environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,764, for instance, discloses the use of a base or docking station when a portable computer is to be employed `stationary` for some time. The base or docking station which in a rear receiving space has a bus connector matching the bus connector of the portable computer, such that the computer bus is automatically connected to the expansion unit when the portable computer is placed in the receiving space of the docking station. The US specification does not, however, disclose the docking of a peripheral connector of the computer.
The present invention has been developed with a view to obviating the above inconveniences of the prior art. The general object of the invention is to enable simple and safe docking of a portable computer against peripheral units without the need of manual connection and disconnection of a large number of cables and connectors.
According to a first aspect of the invention, this object is achieved by the provision of an ancillary device for a portable computer of the above type, which is characterised by attached on the outside of the computer for mounting the ancillary device, connected, by the docking of the computer in an associated docking station, to a matching connector of the docking station for connection of peripheral units to the computer via the docking station,
REFERENCES:
patent: 4769764 (1988-09-01), Levanon
patent: 4903222 (1990-02-01), Carter
LogIn Europe AB
Miska Vit W.
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