Portable work slate computer with multiple docking positions for interchangeably receiving removable modules

A portable configurable electronic unit, operable with a changeable complement of removable modules, the complement of removable modules including a plurality of module types, each different module type providing different operational capabilities, the unit comprising:

• a) a housing supporting electronic circuitry including a processor and a memory accessible by the processor, the housing further including a hand gripping portion for supporting the unit with a hand of a user and including a plurality of docking positions each configured to releasably support a selected removable module;
• b) each of the plurality of docking positions including a standardized docking interface having electrical connectors which engage corresponding electrical connectors of a standardized module interface of a module removably attached to the docking position to enable coupling of electrical signals between the docking interface and the module;
• c) a bus configuration including a bus controller, the bus configuration electrically coupled to the processor and a docking interface of each of the plurality of docking positions to electrically couple the processor and the docking interfaces;
• d) the bus controller configured to send an identification signal to the processor identifying a module type of a module upon attachment of the module to a selected one of the plurality of docking positions;
• e) programming stored in the memory and executed by the processor to enable the processor to control an operation of each module attached to a selected different one of the plurality of docking positions, the programming stored in the memory prior to attachment of any of the modules to any of the docking positions;
• and
• f) the programming including at least one program uniquely associated with each of the plurality of module types, the processor, upon receiving a model type identification signal from the bus controller, executing the at least one program associated with the identified module type of the module to control operation of the module.