Dual-mode tablet input system with primary computer wherein first mode is keyboard input with computer and second mode involves mirroring with computer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9053250-B2
Application number	US-201313850518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2013
Priority date	Mar 26, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2015
Grant date	Jun 9, 2015

Abstract

Examples of the present invention disclose a dual-mode tablet input system. According to one implementation, the system includes a portable electronic device configured to communicate with a primary computer. When a connection between the primary computer and portable electronic device is established, a mode change controller affiliated with portable electronic device is configured to switch the portable electronic device from a first operating mode to a second operating mode for facilitating user input on the primary computer and associated display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual-mode tablet input system comprising:
a portable electronic device having a mode change controller and configured to communicate with a primary computer having a display, the primary computer operable independently of the portable electronic device in that the primary computer runs computer programs separately from the portable electronic device, the primary computer external to and separate from the portable electronic device;
wherein upon establishing a wired connection between the portable computing device and the primary computer, the mode change controller is configured to switch the portable electronic device from a first operating mode in which the portable computing device and the primary computer are operable independently of one another to a second operating mode for facilitating user input on the primary computer and associated display, the portable electronic device in the second operating mode serving as a primary input device of the primary computer by which both textual input and graphical user interface (GUI) pointer input are primarily provided, the portable electronic device in the second operating mode serving both as an only text input device of the primary computer by mimicking a full-size keyboard and as an only pointer-movement input device of the primary computer by mimicking a touchpad,
wherein upon establishing a direct wireless connection between the portable computing device and the primary computer the mode change controller is configured to switch the portable electronic device from the first operating mode to a third operating mode for facilitating the user input on the primary computer, the portable electronic device in the third operating mode serving as a secondary input device of the primary computer and as a secondary display of the primary computer in which content displayed on the associated display is mirrored on the portable electronic device.

2. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the portable computing device includes a docking connector formed along an edge the portable electronic device.

3. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the primary computer includes a sensor to detect the proximity of the portable electronic device to the primary computer, and
wherein when the portable electronic device is within a threshold proximity of the primary computer, the portable electronic device is configured to switch to the second operating mode and the primary computer installs the portable electronic device as a human interface input device.

4. The input system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a docking station connected to the primary computing system, wherein the docking station includes a docking area and a contact portion formed within the docking area.

5. The input system of claim 4 , wherein the mode change controller of the portable electronic device switches to the second operating mode upon being placed within the docking area of the docking station such that the docking connector of the portable electronic device engages with the contact portion of the docking station.

6. The input system of claim 1 , wherein the first operating mode is a tablet operating mode and the second operating mode is a peripheral input operating mode.

7. The input system of claim 1 , wherein when in the input operating mode the portable electronic device displays both a keyboard input area and an adjacent touch input area for facilitating user input on the display of the primary computer.

8. The input system of claim 3 , wherein the portable electronic device is configured to transfer data entered at the portable electronic device while operating in the first operating mode with the primary computer before entering the second operating mode, to preserve the data at the primary computer.

9. A dual-mode input tablet system comprising:
a first computing system having a display and an attached docking station; and
a tablet device including a mode change controller for enabling dual operating modes on the display, the first computing system operable independently of the tablet device in that the first computing system runs separately from the tablet device, the first computing m external to and separate from the tablet device,
wherein when the tablet device is in a wired docked state with the docking station associated with first computing system, the mode change controller is configured to switch the tablet device from a first operating mode in which the tablet device and the first computing system are operable independently of one another to a second operating mode for facilitating user input on the first computing system and associated display, the table device in the second operating mode serving as a primary input device of the first computing system by which both textual input and graphical user interface (GUI) pointer input are primarily provided, the table device in the second operating mode serving both as an only text input device of the first computing system by mimicking a full-size keyboard and as an only pointer-movement input device of the first computing system by mimicking a touchpad,
wherein when the tablet device is in a direct wireless docked state with the docking station associated with the first computing system the mode change controller is configured to switch the tablet device from the first operating mode to a third operating mode for facilitating the user input on the primary computer, the tablet device in the third operating mode serving as a secondary input device of the primary computer and as a secondary display of the primary computer in which content displayed on the associated display is mirrored on the tablet device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the tablet device includes a docking connector formed on an edge of a housing associated with the tablet device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the docking station includes a docking area and a contact portion formed within the docking area.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the tablet device switches to the second operating mode upon being placed within the docking area of the docking station such that the docking connector of the tablet device engages with the contact portion of the docking station.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first operating mode is a tablet operating mode including a remove viewing session of the first computing system while the second operating mode is a peripheral input operating mode for enabling touch-based input on the first computing system.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein when in the input operating mode the tablet device displays both a keyboard input area and an adjacent touch input area for facilitating user input on the first computing system.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the tablet device is configured to transfer data entered at the tablet device while operating in the first operating mode to the first computing system before entering the second operating mode, to preserve the data at the first computing system.

16. A method for providing dual-mode tablet input system comprising:
activating a proximity sensor on a first computing system having a display, the first computing system operable independently of a tablet computing device in that the first computing system runs computer programs separately from the tablet computing device, the first computing system external to and separate from the tablet computing device;
detecting the presence of the tablet computing device within a threshold proximity of the primary computing system and as having a wired connection with the first computing system via the proximity

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Halim Irwan
• Flynn Thomas J
• Jackson Jr Louis R

Classifications

• G06F13/409 Primary

  Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438) · CPC title

• G06F3/147

  using display panels · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title