Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-07
2001-09-25
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S724000, C312S223200, C292S148000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06295198
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer device, especially a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), comprising a casing in which are accommodated an electronic circuit and a touch screen, a protective cover movably arranged on the casing for selectively covering and uncovering at least the touch screen, and a stylus for operating said touch screen.
The stylus is the primary tool used to perform data input tasks on most PDA devices. Therefore, it is very important to provide users with convenient access to the stylus when they need to use it in conjunction with operation of the PDA device. Of equal importance is that returning the stylus to its designated storage location after use should also be hassle-free. The actions of retrieving and replacing the stylus from/to the designated storage are generally repeated many times during any period of using the PDA device.
In all typical PDA devices, the space allocated for storing the stylus is often found within the case enclosure of the device. In such designs, scarce volumetric space is taken up to fit in the stylus which otherwise could be put to better use—such as fitting in electronic circuits that must reside within the enclosure of the PDA device. There are, however, abundant volumetric spaces immediately exterior of the device that are seldom put to good use. An example of such abundant spaces can be easily found in PDA devices that have a protective cover. Typically the protective covers are designed to be set back a substantial distance from the display screen which is delicate because it is made of glass material. In such a situation, there is a generous amount of empty volumetric space in between the surface of the display screen and the inner surface of the bulging protective cover.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a computer device in which the available volumetric space in between the surface of the display screen and the inner surface of the protective cover is better used in an appropriate way.
According to the present invention, this is achieved by including, in the protective cover, a compartment which substantially corresponds to the shape of at least part of the stylus and in which the stylus is removably stored.
By arranging the compartment on the protective cover for storing the stylus it is possible to reduce the width of the computer device including a touch screen and a stylus, resulting in better ergonomics (holding comfort) when the device is being held in the palm of a user. Additionally, it allows users a novel experience in terms of the way that the stylus is retrieved and stored in a computer device, especially in a PDA device. Further, the stylus stored within the compartment on the protective cover is not prone to accidental dislodging. The invention allows a user a convenient way of drawing the stylus out since the action of drawing the stylus out follows naturally from the action of flipping open the protective cover.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements are denoted by like reference numbers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5105338 (1992-04-01), Held
patent: 5506749 (1996-04-01), Matsuda
patent: 5555157 (1996-09-01), Moller et al.
patent: 5682993 (1997-11-01), Song
Loh Philip Kwok Nan
Tan Yeow Paul
Woon Tai Woon
Duong Hung Van
Hewlett--Packard Company
Picard Leo P.
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