Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Development Company, L.P.

Compaq Information Technologies Group, L.p.

John E Youens

Teodros Mesfin

Jon Kolas

Michael J Scully

Christian C Landry

Richard C Watson

Minh H Nguyen

Paul L Drew

Steven D Gluskoter

Stanley H Wada

Michael V Leman

David Quijano

Randall W Martin

Mark H Ruch

John Von Buelow

Hitoshi Kurihara

Toru Okada

Donald S Goodrich

Ryuichi Negishi

James L Holtorf

Cynthia J Purvis

Brian R Heidsiek

John V Buelow

Gary W Pankonien

Christopher M Paddon

Christopher J Gintz

Philip J Blagg

Computing device

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a display support system and method. In one embodiment, the display support system and method comprises a base configured to be placed underneath a computer, a neck projecting from the base, a top bracket extending from the neck, and a display connector disposed along the top bracket, the display connector configured to couple with a display feature.

Display support system and method

A multi-sectional computing device configurable for a plurality of computing worlds, including portable and desktop computing worlds. The technique includes a space saving and configuration technique utilizing multiple joints disposed between multiple sections to facilitate rotational orientation of the sections to adjust for space limitations and other characteristics of a desired environment or computing world. The multiple sections include a display assembly and a housing assembly for computing components.

Multiple environment foldable computer

A multi-functional computing device that is configurable for a plurality of applications. The technique includes a space saving and configuration technique utilizing multiple joints disposed between multiple sections to facilitate rotational orientation of the sections to adapt to space limitations and other characteristics of a desired environment or application. The multiple sections include a display assembly and a housing assembly for computing components.

Multifunctional foldable computer

A portable computer docking station housing is provided on its bottom side with a support foot structure which is pivotable relative to the housing to prop it up on a horizontal work station surface in a selectively variable one of a series of different front-to-rear tilt angles thereon. This permits the opened display screen of a docked portable computer disposed on the top side of the docking station housing to be selectively adjusted upwardly and downwardly in a vertical plane to accommodate the height and viewing preferences of a user of the docked computer. A specially designed spring-loaded, manually operable clutch mechanism is useable to releasably lock the support foot in its selected pivotal orientation relative to the housing. Various peripheral device connection ports are conveniently incorporated in the support foot.

Elevationally adjustable portable computer docking station

A docking station for a portable computer has a top side from which peripheral rib structures upwardly project and form a receiving and holding area into which the computer may be lowered in preparation for docking. The receiving and holding area complementarily receives the computer, with the rib structures preventing the computer from shifting parallel to the top docking station side. A lever structure is then manually pivoted to responsively move a docking station electrical connector relative to the stationary computer into a releasably mated relationship with a corresponding connector on the computer to complete the docking process. The rotation of the docking lever also interlocks a security latch member with the computer to block its upward removal from the docking station. A Kensington lock may be used to hold the lever in its docking orientation, and thus keep the security latch interlocked with the docked computer. The computer may subsequently be undocked by simply removing the lock and pivoting the lever back to its original position to move the docking station connector out of engagement with the computer connector.

Portable computer docking station with movable docking connector

A space-saving docking station is usable to support a notebook computer docked thereto in a generally vertical, hinge-side up opened orientation on a desktop area with the computer lid display screen exposed and facing the computer user. The docking station includes a generally wedge-shaped expansion base to a front side of which the computer base housing may be electrically coupled to connect to notebook computer to desktop peripheral devices such as a keyboard and mouse, and a stand structure for supporting the expansion base, and thus the docked computer, in the space-saving vertical orientation in which the exposed notebook computer display screen is elevated relative to the desktop area and may be utilized in conjunction with the desktop keyboard and mouse.

Space-saving docking station for vertically supporting an opened notebook computer

An external peripheral device connects through a flexible cable to an electrical connector which connects to a computer system. The flexible cable wraps around a cable wrap member that protrudes out of the peripheral device's housing, and the electrical connector snaps into a connector holder built into the peripheral device's housing. The cable wrap member and the connector holder permit the secure storage of the flexible cable and electrical connector during non-use or transportation of the device.

External floppy drive with secure storage of a cable and connector for

The front side edge of the display lid portion of a notebook computer has a relatively shallow reverse draft angle of approximately five to fifteen degrees thereon and, with the display lid in its downwardly pivoted closed position on the computer's base housing, is rearwardly offset from the front side of the base housing in a manner exposing a relatively narrow front top side surface portion of the base housing. Because of the slight undercut in its front side edge resulting from the reverse draft thereon, the grasping of the front side edge, to upwardly pivot the display lid from its closed position to its open use orientation, is made appreciably easier. Additionally, when the closed computer is viewed from its front side the rearward and downward slope of the front side edge of the lid creates a shadow thereon which serves to highlight the exposed front top side surface portion of the base housing and give the overall housing structure the desirable appearance of being vertically thinner than it actually is. LCD operating lights are placed on the exposed front top side portion of the base housing and are thus visible to the user even when the display lid in its closed orientation.

Portable computer with reverse draft on front side edge portion of

A base cabinet system is provided for a laptop computer, on which the laptop can be placed for expanded home-based use. A reinforced removable cover arches over the top of the base cabinet so that the laptop can be slid into position on top of the base cabinet and beneath the cover, and the monitor rested on the top of the cover; when one wishes to use the laptop display, the monitor and cover are easily removed to permit tilt-up of the laptop display. Special retaining means are provided to assure that the cover seats itself and remains in its proper installed position, and special guides are provided to assure that when the laptop is slid into position the connector on its rear side will mate properly with the corresponding connector on the base cabinet. A leveraged actuator system is provided so that an operator, by exerting a modest force on a manual actuator at the front of the system, can apply a multiplied force between base cabinet and laptop computer to disengage the laptop connector from the base cabinet connector.

Computer expansion system including expansion base and monitor support

A notebook computer is provided with first and second different types of pointing device modules, representatively a pointing stick module and a touchpad module, that may be releasably and interchangeably installed on its base housing portion. Each module, when installed on the base housing, is automatically coupled to cursor control circuitry within the computer. Representatively, a convenient snap-in attachment structure is used to releasably connect each module to the computer base housing, and a removable computer component underlies and assists in supporting the removably installed pointing device module.

Portable computer with interchangeable pointing device modules

Growing community of inventors

Magnolia, TX, United States of America

John E Youens