Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-12
2001-10-16
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S689000, C381S087000, C345S905000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304435
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to laptop or portable computers and, more specifically, to laptop or portable computers having flat panel speakers.
Laptop computers traditionally have used fixed directional speakers located in the base of the laptop adjacent the keyboard. These speakers are subject to the typical limitations of piston-driven speakers. For example, off-axis sound quality decreases, and the sound volume decreases in accordance with the inverse square law. With the increased use of computers for multi-media applications, it is desirable to provide improved speakers and hence better sound quality for laptop computers.
Recent developments in flat panel speaker technology, particularly by New Transducer Ltd. (NXT) located in Stonehill, Huntingdon England, present the possibility of using flat panel speakers with laptop computers. For example, PCT Application No. PCT/GB96/02142 (Int'l. Pub. No. WO 97/09854) discloses a laptop computer using pull-out loud speakers. Such speakers, however, have several limitations which it would be desirable to avoid. Namely, it is desirable to provide fixed speakers capable of omni-directional audio output without having to move or rotate the speakers. Moving or rotating speakers presents the possibility of breakage of the hinges or speakers, particularly since it is common for laptop computers to be used in tight confines, such as in the coach section of airplanes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides exemplary laptop computers with flat panel speakers that overcome at least some of the shortcomings of the prior art. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a portable computer is provided comprising a base having a processor. A lid assembly is hingedly connected to the base. The lid assembly has a front side containing a display, such as a liquid crystal display, and a back side. The computer includes at least one flat panel speaker assembly fixedly attached to the back side and in electrical communication with the processor. In this manner, the flat panel speaker assembly is firmly attached to the lid assembly and does not need to be rotated or otherwise moved with respect to the lid assembly for exemplary sound quality.
The flat panel speaker assemblies preferably reside in either a recessed area located within the back side or are fixedly attached to a cover covering the recessed area. An attachment mechanism fixedly attaches the speaker assemblies to a mounting surface on the back side of the lid assembly. In one aspect, the speaker assembly is mounted so that a flat panel of the speaker assembly is suspended above the mounting surface. In this manner, a gap is formed between the mounting surface and a portion of the flat panel speaker assembly to assist the production of high quality audio output.
Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: WO 97/09853 (1997-03-01), None
patent: WO 97/09861 (1997-03-01), None
patent: WO 97/09854 (1997-03-01), None
patent: WO 97/09859 (1997-03-01), None
patent: WO 97/09858 (1997-03-01), None
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“. . . Now For Our Nxt Trick” from website www.nxt.co.uk, indicated therein, as published in Club Mission Magazine, Dec. 1996.
Acer Incorporated
Duong Hung Van
Picard Leo P.
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
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