IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,312,981
Granted Patent B2
US 7,312,981 · App. 10/999,168 · Granted Dec 25, 2007

Mobile, hand-held personal computer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,312,981
App. No.
10/999,168
Granted
Dec 25, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile personal computer including a case, a micro-display system, a speech recognition system, a microprocessor, and a power source. The case is sized for handling by a single, adult human hand. The micro-display system is maintained by the case and includes a screen viewable at a first face of the case. The speech recognition system is also maintained by the case and includes a microphone positioned at the first face of the case for collecting sound waves generated by a user's speech. The microprocessor is maintained within the case and is electronically connected to the micro-display system and the speech recognition system. Further, the microprocessor utilizes a personal computer operating system to perform computing operations. Finally, the power source is maintained within the case. With this configuration, the mobile personal computer is easily handled and operated with a single hand.

Claims (48)

1. A mobile personal computer comprising:

a case sized for handling by a single, adult human hand, the case including a drawer removably received within a housing;

a display system maintained by the case for displaying an image relative to a first face of the case;

a speech recognition system maintained by the case and including a microphone for collecting sound waves generated by a user's speech;

a microprocessor maintained within the case and electronically connected to the display system and the speech recognition system, the microprocessor utilizing a personal computer operating system to perform computing operations;

a sub-system module adapted to provide an operational feature in conjunction with the microprocessor, the sub-system module removably maintained by the drawer; and

a power source maintained within the case.

2. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is adapted to execute a verbal command of a user received by the microphone.

3. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the mobile personal computer is adapted to perform language translation for words acoustically collected by the microphone.

4. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the display system includes a micro-display screen.

5. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the display system further includes:

a screen viewable at the first face of the case; and

a lens adjacent the screen such that a user facing the front face of the case views display on the display screen through the lens.

6. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein a position of the microphone relative to the display system is based upon a human factor standard.

7. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the drawer is slidably received within the housing.

8. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one motion sensor electrically connected to the microprocessor;

wherein the microprocessor. is adapted to transition from a first operational mode to a second operational mode upon receiving information from the motion sensor indicative of the case being moved in a predetermined fashion.

9. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the case is a tubular extrusion.

10. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the case further defines a second face, the mobile personal computer further comprising:

a touch pad disposed on the second face and electrically connected to the microprocessor.

11. The mobile personal computer of claim 7 , further comprising:

a first electrical coupler and a second electrical coupler maintained by the case;

a first indicia on an exterior of the drawer at a location corresponding with the first electrical coupler; and

a second indicia on an exterior of the drawer at a location corresponding with the second electrical coupler, the second indicia being different from the first indicia;

wherein the first indicia correlates with the first operational feature and the second indicia correlates with the second operational feature.

12. The mobile personal computer of claim 7 , wherein the housing includes a tube extending from the first face, and further wherein the drawer is sized to nest within the tube.

13. The mobile personal computer of claim 10 , wherein the touch pad is positioned such that when the case is held in a palm of a user's hand with the first face facing the user, a finger of the user's hand contacts the touch pad.

14. The mobile personal computer of claim 10 , wherein the touch pad is a linear touch pad.

15. The mobile personal computer of claim 11 , wherein the first indicia is further on an exterior of a frame of the first sub-system module, and the second indicia is further on an exterior of a frame of the second sub-system module.

16. The mobile personal computer of claim 12 , wherein the drawer defines a second face of the case opposite the first face upon insertion into the housing.

17. The mobile personal computer of claim 1 , wherein the sub-system module is a first sub-system module adapted to provide a first operational feature in conjunction with the microprocessor, the mobile personal computer further comprising:

a second sub-system module adapted to provide a second operational feature in conjunction with the microprocessor;

wherein the first and second sub-system modules are separately and removably secured within the case and electronically coupled to the microprocessor.

18. The mobile personal computer of claim 17 , wherein the first and second sub-system modules each include a frame and an electronic connector for facilitating connection to the microprocessor.

19. The mobile personal computer of claim 18 , wherein the case and respective frames are configured such that the first and second sub-system modules can be independently inserted into and removed from the case.

20. The mobile personal computer of claim 18 , further comprising:

a first electrical coupler maintained within the case for electronically connecting the first sub-system module to the microprocessor; and

a second electrical coupler maintained within the case for electronically connecting the second sub-system module to the microprocessor.

21. The mobile personal computer of claim 20 , wherein the mobile personal computer is adapted such that the first sub-system module can be swapped with a third sub-system module to provide an updated version of the first operational feature.

22. A mobile personal computer comprising:

a case sized for handling by a single, adult human hand;

a display system maintained by the case for displaying an image relative to a first face of the case;

a speech recognition system maintained by the case and including a microphone for collecting sound waves generated by a user's speech;

a microprocessor maintained within the case and electronically connected to the display system and the speech recognition system, the microprocessor utilizing a personal computer operating system to perform computing operations;

first and second sub-system modules adapted to provide first and second operational features, respectively, in conjunction with the microprocessor, the sub-system modules being separately and removably secured within the case and electronically coupled to the microprocessor; and

a power source maintained within the case;

wherein the mobile personal computer is adapted such that the first sub-system module can be swapped with a third sub-system module to provide an updated version of the first operational feature.

Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 1082692400 · Apr 16, 2004
Provisional Application 6056463100 · Apr 21, 2004
Provisional Application 6056463200 · Apr 21, 2004
Provisional Application 6046345300 · Apr 16, 2003
Related Publication 20050135053A1 · Jun 23, 2005