Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/ – Intrasystem connection – Bus expansion or extension
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-16
2004-05-25
Shin, Christopher B. (Department: 2182)
Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/
Intrasystem connection
Bus expansion or extension
C710S063000, C361S731000, C307S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742070
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1). Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a function-expansion device and electronic equipment, and more particularly to a function-expansion device and electronic equipment, the function-expansion device being detachably connected to the electronic equipment to provide extended functions of the electronic equipment.
(2). Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
shows a conventional electronic equipment system. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the conventional electronic equipment system
1
includes a notebook PC (personal computer)
10
having a minimum number of functions needed, and an expansion station
20
. The expansion station
20
is attached to the notebook PC
10
to expand the functions of the notebook PC
10
.
The notebook PC
10
has a connector
11
on the bottom of the notebook PC
10
, and the expansion station
20
has a connector
21
on the top of the expansion station
20
at a position corresponding to a position of the connector
11
on the notebook PC
10
. When the expansion station
20
is attached to the notebook PC
10
, the connector
11
and the connector
21
are connected to each other. In the expansion station
20
, a floppy disk drive
22
and a CD-ROM drive
23
are provided. The floppy disk drive
22
acts to read information from or write information to a floppy disk
30
. The CD-ROM drive
23
acts to read information from a CD-ROM
40
. The functions of the floppy disk drive
22
and the CD-ROM drive
23
, which require a relatively large amount of power consumption, are not provided on the notebook PC
10
, and these functions are provided only when the expansion station
20
is attached to the notebook PC
10
.
However, in the conventional electronic equipment system
1
of
FIG. 1
, the floppy disk drive
22
and the CD-ROM drive
23
are integrally provided on the expansion station
20
in a fixed manner. Hence, information recording media that can be used with the notebook PC
10
are limited to the floppy disk and the CD-ROM. Other recording media, such as magneto-optical disks (MO), digital video disks (DVD) or high-capacity floppy disks (LS-120), cannot be used with the notebook PC
10
. The range of expansion of the functions provided by the expansion station
20
is restricted, and the conventional electronic equipment system
1
does not provide an adequate level of operability, or ease of use, for the user.
Further, in the conventional electronic equipment system
1
, when the user intends to detach the expansion station
20
from the notebook PC
10
, it is required to stop operation of the notebook PC
10
or turn off a power switch of the notebook PC
10
. The conventional electronic equipment system
1
does not provide an adequate level of operability, or ease of use, for the user, even through the expansion station
20
provides extended functions of the notebook PC
10
.
In addition, the conventional electronic equipment system
1
including the expansion station
20
is intended for the desktop use, and it is not intended to provide portability. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the expansion station
20
has a size that is equivalent to a size of the notebook PC
10
. It is difficult for the user to carry the notebook PC
10
with the expansion station
20
attached thereto. The conventional electronic equipment system
1
including the expansion station
20
is not easily portable, which may cause inconvenience to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved function-expansion device in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a function-expansion device which provides an adequate level of operability for the user and includes a component unit detachable from the function-expansion device when the function-expansion device is connected to electronic equipment which is in an operating condition.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic equipment system including a function-expansion device which provides an adequate level of operability for the user and includes a component unit detachable from the function-expansion device when the function-expansion device is connected to electronic equipment which is in an operating condition.
The above-mentioned objects of the present invention are achieved by a function-expansion device detachably connected to electronic equipment to expand functions of the electronic equipment, the function-expansion device including: a component unit which provides an extended function of the electronic equipment; and a docking station which detachably mounts the component unit on the docking station, the docking station connecting the component unit to the electronic equipment, wherein the component unit is detachable from the docking station when the docking station is attached to the electronic equipment which is in an operating condition.
The above-mentioned objects of the present invention are achieved by an electronic equipment system including a function-expansion device and electronic equipment, the function-expansion device detachably connected to the electronic equipment to expand functions of the electronic equipment, the function-expansion device including: a component unit which provides an extended function of the electronic equipment; and a docking station which detachably mounts the component unit on the docking station, the docking station connecting the component unit to the electronic equipment, wherein the component unit is detachable from the docking station when the docking station is attached to the electronic equipment which is in an operating condition.
In the function-expansion device of the present invention, the component unit is detachable from the docking station when the function-expansion device is connected to the electronic equipment which is in an operating condition. When the component unit in the function-expansion device is exchanged for a new component unit, it is not necessary to stop operation of the electronic equipment or turn off a power switch of the electronic equipment. It is possible to exchange the component unit for the new component unit even when the electronic equipment is operating. The function-expansion device of the present invention is effective in providing an adequate level of operability for the user.
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