Input device attachment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497300-B2
Application number	US-201414229466-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Input device attachment techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an input device includes an input portion configured to generate signals to be processed by a computing device and a mid-spine that is physically attached to the input portion and configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a first side of the computing device that includes a display device. The input device also includes a connection portion that is physically attached the mid-spine and is configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a second side of the computing device that is different than the first side and form a communicative coupling to the computing device to communicate the generated signals from the input portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
an input portion configured to generate signals to be processed by a computing device;
a mid-spine that is physically attached to a connection portion using a first hinge and physically attached to the input portion using a second hinge, the mid-spine configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a first side of the computing device that includes a display device; and
the connection portion configured to:
form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a second side of the computing device that is different than the first side; and
form a communicative coupling to the computing device to communicate the generated signals from the input portion, the input portion configured to support user input to the input portion when the mid-spine is secured to the first side of the computing device that includes the display device and the connection portion is secured to the second side of the computing device.

2. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein the physical coupling of the mid-spine and the connection portion to the computing device is configured to be performed using magnetism.

3. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein the physical coupling of the mid-spine and the connection portion is configured to be performed using a mechanical connection.

4. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein:
the mid-spine is physically attached to the input portion to permit rotation in relation to each other; and
the mid-spine is physically attached to the connection portion to permit rotation in relation to each other.

5. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first hinge or the second hinge comprises a flexible hinge.

6. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the first hinge or the second hinge comprises a mechanical hinge.

7. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein the physical coupling between the mid-spine and the connection portion with the computing device is removable using one or more hands of a user without using tools.

8. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein the input portion includes one or more keys of a keyboard configured to generate the signals.

9. An input device as described in claim 1 , wherein the first side is arranged to be generally perpendicular to the second side.

10. An input device as described in claim 9 , wherein the first side is arranged to be generally perpendicular to the second side such that the second side is within thirty degrees to a plane that is normal to a plane of the first side that follows a surface of the display device.

11. An input device of claim 1 , wherein the input portion is also configured to support user input to the input portion when the connection portion is secured to the second side of the computing device but the mid-spine is not secured to the first side of the computing device that includes the display device.

12. A system comprising:
a mobile computing device having a housing that is suitable to be held by one or more hands of a user, the housing having a first side that includes a display device; and
an input device including an input portion configured to generate signals to be processed by the computing device, a mid-spine that is physically attached to the input portion using a first hinge and configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to the first side of the computing device, and a connection portion that is physically attached the mid-spine using a second hinge and is configured to form a removable physical and communicative coupling to a second side of the housing of the computing device, the input portion configured to support user input to the input portion when the mid-spine is secured to the first side of the computing device that includes the display device and the connection portion is secured to the second side of the housing of the computing device.

13. A system as described in claim 12 , wherein the removable physical coupling between the mid-spine and the connection portion with the computing device is removable by one or more hands of a user without using tools.

14. A system as described in claim 12 , wherein the physical coupling of the mid-spine and the connection portion to the computing device is performed using magnetism.

15. A system as described in claim 12 , wherein the computing device is a tablet or mobile phone.

16. A system as described in claim 12 , wherein the first side is arranged to be generally perpendicular to the second side.

17. A keyboard device comprising:
a keyboard portion configured to generate signals to be processed by a computing device;
a mid-spine that is physically attached to the keyboard portion using a first hinge, the mid-spine configured to form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a first side of the computing device that includes a display device; and
a connection portion that is physically attached the mid-spine using a second hinge, the connection portion configured to:
form a removable physical coupling to be secured to a lower side of the computing device that is different than the first side; and
form a communicative coupling to the computing device to communicate the generated signals from the keyboard portion, the keyboard portion configured to support typing when the mid-spine is secured to the first side of the computing device that includes the display device and the connection portion is secured to the lower side of the computing device.

18. A keyboard device as described in claim 17 , wherein the first side is arranged to be generally perpendicular to the lower side.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Longo Thomas J
• Hill Andrew William
• Lee Eugene
• Wise James H

Classifications

• G06F1/162

  changing, e.g. reversing, the face orientation of the screen with a two degrees of freedom mechanism, e.g. for folding into tablet PC like position or orienting towards the direction opposite to the user to show to a second user · CPC title

• G06F1/1656 Primary

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• G06F1/1683

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title

• H04M1/0214

  Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position (combined with translation movement H04M1/0235) · CPC title

• H04B1/3888

  Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers · CPC title