The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 07, 1995
Filed:
Nov. 24, 1993
David S Register, Austin, TX (US);
Dell USA, L.P., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
A battery charging/data transfer structure is provided for use in conjunction with a handheld computer to charge its battery and serve as an infrared data exchange interface between the handheld computer and a data input/output device such as a desktop computer. The structure includes a support housing having an inset well area configured to receive and releasably hold a portion of the handheld computer in a docked orientation. With the handheld computer in this docked orientation a battery charging contact member in the well area contacts a charging area on the received computer portion and transfers battery-charging electrical energy thereto. Additionally, a first I/R data transceiver in the docked computer is optically coupled, via a first interface window structure in the well area and a partially transmissive mirror structure in the housing, to a second I/R data transceiver disposed within the housing and connected to the data input/output device, thereby permitting infrared data exchange in either direction between the input/output device and the docked computer. A second interface window structure on the support housing, in conjunction with the partially transmissive mirror structure, also optically couples the first and second I/R transceivers when the computer is supported in an undocked position in which the first I/R transceiver is appropriately aligned with the second interface window structure.