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. 11, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 24, 1995
Edward B Endejan, St. Joseph, MI (US);
Richard S Manning, Hartford, MI (US);
Larry A Sparling, Grand Haven, MI (US);
John P Wagner, Round Rock, TX (US);
Packard Bell NEC, Sacramento, CA (US);
Abstract
An active port replicator, adapted to be connected to a portable personal computer, enables the portable personal computer to be relatively quickly and easily connected to a plurality of external I/O devices, such as a printers, a full size video monitor and the like in a desktop application and readily disconnected from the external I/O devices for portable applications. The active port replicator replicates all of the ports on a typical portable personal computer and may provide additional ports, such as an additional type PS/2 port, for added convenience and flexibility. Once the desired external I/O devices are connected to the active port replicator, the active port replicator may quickly and easily docked to a portable personal computer for desktop application and disconnected for portable application. In order to provide additional capability and flexibility of the portable personal computer in a desktop application, the active port replicator is user upgradeable with a network interface and a PCMCIA interface.