Detachable palm rest with backup battery
AssigneeGateway 2000, Inc.
InventorAnthony Olson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer system combines a portable computer and a detachable palm rest containing a backup battery. When the palm rest is attached to the portable computer, power control circuitry within the computer provides automatic switching between the primary battery in the computer and the backup battery in the palm rest when the active battery becomes low. The power control circuitry also recharges the standby battery whenever the computer is plugged into external power. Power monitoring circuity displays the status of the standby battery on an indicator built into the palm rest.
Claims15
A computer system comprising:
- a portable computer having a primary battery disposed within the computer for providing power for the computer;
- a palm rest having a backup battery housed entirely within the palm rest;
- a latching arrangement for attaching the palm rest to the portable computer;
- and
- mating electrical connections disposed on the palm rest and portable computer for powering the portable computer from the backup battery,
- wherein the computer selectively switches between the primary battery and the backup battery when the battery providing power to the computer reaches a predefined discharge state.
A palm rest for a portable computer comprising:
- a battery for providing backup power to the portable computer wherein the computer selectively switches between a primary battery disposed within the portable computer and the backup battery when the battery providing power to the computer reaches a predefined discharge state;
- a housing having an opening therein formed to fit the backup battery;
- at least two electrical contacts coupled to the positive and negative terminals of the backup battery and extending through the housing to couple with corresponding electrical contacts on the portable computer for completing a circuit between the battery and the portable computer;
- and
- a latching mechanism externally coupled to the housing for attaching the palm rest to the portable computer at the natural resting location of the user's palms while typing.
A portable computer having a primary battery disposed therein for providing power for the computer and having a case for coupling to a palm rest having a backup battery housed entirely within the palm rest, the computer comprising:
- a system address/data and power bus;
- a central processing unit coupled to the system bus;
- random access memory coupled to the system bus;
- hard disk data storage coupled to the system bus;
- a display unit coupled to the system bus;
- a keyboard coupled to the system bus;
- a primary battery coupled to the system bus;
- at least two electrical contacts in the computer case in front of the keyboard and formed to couple with corresponding electrical contacts located on the palm rest for completing a circuit between the portable computer and the backup battery;
- a power controller coupled to the system bus, the primary battery, and the electrical contacts for automatically switching between the primary battery and the backup battery when the battery providing power to the computer reaches a pre-defined discharge state, and for recharging the batteries;
- and
- a latch receptacle coupled to the computer case and formed to accept a latching mechanism coupled to the palm rest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.