EP0564092A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Portable computer with mode indicator
Assignee: Olivetti SpA
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Filing: 1993-02-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-02-26
Abstract
Abstract A Portable computer comprises a base unit (32) on which a lid (33) is hinged. The base unit houses an electronic unit (34) which can assume various operational states and carries an input unit (36). A display screen (37) is carried by the lid and is controlled by the electronic unit to display graphic symbols and alphanumeric characters. The lid can be moved from an open position, allowing access to the input unit and allowing the screen to be seen, to a closed position. A mode indicator (46) is carried by the base unit and displays various characters and symbols indicating different operational states of the computer. A viewing zone (47) provided in the lid enables the mode indicator to be seen when the lid is closed. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Giacomo Viletto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F1/00; G06F1/16; G06F1/1613; G06F1/1633; G06F1/1662; G06F1/1671; G06F1/1615; G06F1/1616; G06F1/1637; G06F1/1647; G06F1/165; G06F1/1656; G06F3/00; G06F3/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A portable computer, comprising a base unit (32) having an upper surface on which a lid (33) is hinged, an electronic unit (34) housed in the base unit and capable of assuming various operational states, an input unit (36) for controlling the electronic unit and a display screen (37) carried by the lid (33) and controlled by the electronic unit to display graphics symbols and alphanumeric characters over several lines, in which the lid can be moved between a closed configuration and an open configuration and in which the lid, in its open configuration, allows acces to the input unit (36) and enables the display screen (37) to be seen, characterised by a mode indicator (46), carried by the base unit (32), for displaying characters and/or symbols indicating the different operational states of the computer, and a viewing zone (47) provided in the lid, external to the display screen, so that the mode indicator (46) is visible with the lid is in its closed configuration, and in which the mode indicator (46) is smaller in size than the display screen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A portable computer according to claim 1, characterised in that the base unit (32) and the lid (33) each have a hinge edge, and the mode indicator (46) comprises a display panel adjacent to the hinge edge of the base unit and in which the viewing zone (47) is adjacent to the hinge edge of the lid and is provided so that the display panel can still be seen when the lid is in its open configuration.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
A portable computer according to claim 2, characterised in that the said lid (33) comprises two side sections (48, 49) which project from its hinge edge so as to engage with two corresponding side sections (51, 52) which project from the base unit and in which the said viewing zone (47) comprises a bay between the abovementioned projecting sections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A portable computer according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the display panel is inclined at an angle of 30° relative to the upper surface of the base unit (32).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A portable computer according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the said panel is partially housed in the bay in both the open and closed configurations of the lid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A portable computer according to any preceding claim, characterised by a bulk memory (HDU, IC) which can be linked to the said electronic unit (34) and by means for accessing the said bulk memory, and in which the mode indicator (46) displays a symbol to indicate that the bulk memory is linked to the electronic unit (34).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
A portable computer according to any preceding claim, characterised by a battery power unit (88) to sustain the operational states of the computer and by a control unit (89) for the battery power unit to define reduced power and limited operational states of the computer, and in which the mode indicator (46) is provied for displaying the different limited operational states of the computer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A portable computer according to claim 7, characterised in that the mode indicator comprises a symbol which can be displayed to show that there is insufficient charge in the battery power unit (88).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A portable computer according to any preceding claim, characterised by keys (97) for presetting the operational states of the computer and in which the keys (97) are carried in a surface of the lid, which is accessible from the outside in the said closed configuration of the lid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A portable computer according to any preceding claim, characterised in that one of the operational states provides a clock function in which the mode indicator (46) gives a time indication when the lid is in its closed configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
76 words
A portable computer according to any preceding claim, characterised by a voice input/output unit (101), selection means (102) for selecting a voice-command state of the computer for processing verbal commands, presetting means (97) for presetting various operational conditions of the electronic unit (34) in a voice-command state and a memory (83) for storing verbal commands, and in which the mode indicator (46) is provided to display various operational conditions of the computer in the voice-command state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A portable computer according to claim 11, characterised in that the said electronic unit (34) controls a pointer in order to access verbal commands in various linked partitions of the memory (80) and in sequential locations in the partitions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A portable computer according to claim 12, characterised in that the mode indicator (46) is able to display time information relating to the verbal commands.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
120 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterised in that the presetting means (97) comprise a PLAY key to play back verbal commands starting from a current location in a selected area of the memory, an FF key to move the pointer quickly forward to subsequent locations in the selected area, a STOP key to put the computer into a state of rest, stopping recording or playback of the verbal commands, an RW key to move the pointer quickly back to preceding locations in the area of the memory, a REC key to record a verbal command starting from the current location and a PAUSE key to stop recording or playback of the verbal commands.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
A portable computer according to claim 14, characterised by means (19) within the electronic unit (34) which respond to repeated pressing of the FF key to move the pointer quickly on to the last location of the selected area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
A portable computer according to claim 14 or 15, characterised by means (122) within the electronic unit which respond to repeated pressing of the RW key to move the pointer quickly back to the first location of the abovementioned area of the memory.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterised by means (123) within the electronic unit which respond to the PLAY key and the REC key being pressed to overwrite verbal commands on existing recordings, starting from the current location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
A portable computer according to claim 9 and any one of claims 14 to 16, characterised in that the keys carried in the lid comprise the PLAY, FF, STOP, RW, REC and PAUSE keys substantially aligned with each other.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A portable computer according to claim 18, characterised in that the keys are aligned parallel to an edge of the base unit and at a distance from the edge wherein they may be actuated using fingers of a hand holding the computer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
A portable computer according to any of claims 11 to 19, characterised in that the input unit (36) of the computer comprises a keyboard having a row of function keys (F1-F10) with a set of keys which are operational when the lid is in its open configuration to define suitable operational conditions for the computer in the voice-command state.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
A portable computer according to claims 14 and 20, characterised in that the function keys (F1-F10) comprise keys which double up for the functions of the keys (97) of the presetting means located on the lid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 11 to 21, characterised in that the input unit comprises a row of function keys with a NOTES key which can be actuated for selecting the voice-command state.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 14 to 22, characterised in that the mode indicator (46) is provided to display the operational conditions selected by the PLAY, FF, STOP, RW, REC and PAUSE keys in the voice-command state.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
A portable computer according to claim 6 and any one of claims 11 to 23, characterised in that the voice-command memory (83) forms part of the abovementioned non-volatile bulk memory.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
156 words
A portable computer, comprising a base unit (32) on which a lid (33) is hinged and is movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, an electronic unit (34) housed in the base unit (36), an input unit for controlling the electronic unit, a display screen (37) carried by the lid and controlled by the electronic unit (101), a voice input/output unit which can be activated for processing verbal commands and a memory (83) for storing verbal commands, in which the lid (33), in its closed configuration, is superimposed over the base unit (32) thereby protecting the input unit (36) and screen (37) and in which the lid (33) has an upper surface which is accessible from the outside in the said closed configuration, characterised by a series of presetting means (97), carried in the upper surface of the lid, to preset various operational states of the computer, when the voice unit is (101) activated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
A portable computer according to claim 25, characterised in that the said electronic unit (34) controls a pointer in order to access verbal commands in linked memory files and in sequential locations in the files.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
116 words
A portable computer according to claim 25 or 26, characterised in that the presetting means comprise a PLAY key to play verbal commands starting from a current location in a selected area of the memory, an FF key to move the pointer quickly forward to subsequent locations in the selected area, a STOP key to put the computer into a state of rest, stopping recording or playback of the verbal commands, an RW key to move the pointer quickly back to preceding locations in the abovementioned area of the memory, a REC key to record a verbal command starting from the current location and a PAUSE key to stop recording or playback of the verbal commands.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
A portable computer according claim 27, characterised by means (119) within the electronic unit which respond to repeated pressing of the FF key to move the pointer quickly on to the last location of the selected area.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
Portable computer according to claim 27 or 28, characterised by means (122) within the electronic unit which respond to repeated pressing of the RW key to move the pointer quickly back to the first location of the area of the memory.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
44 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 27 to 29, characterised by means (123) within the electronic unit which respond to the PLAY key and the REC key being pressed to overwrite verbal commands on existing recordings, starting from the current location.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 27 to 30, characterised in that the PLAY, FF, STOP, RW, REC and PAUSE keys are substantially aligned with each other on the lid.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
60 words
A portable computer according to any one of claims 25 to 31, characterised in that the input unit of the computer comprises a keyboard (36) having a rove of function keys (F1-F10) with a set of keys which are operational when the lid is in its open configuration to define suitable operational conditions for the computer in the voice-command state.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
A portable computer according to claims 27 and 31, characterised in that the function keys comprise keys which double up for the functions of the keys of the presetting means located on the lid.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
85 words
A portable computer comprising a base unit (32) and a lid (33) hinged on the base unit, the lid carrying a screen (37) which is visible when the lid is in an open position, the base unit housing an electronic unit (34) for controlling the screen and which may assume various operational states in response to an input unit (36) characterised by a mode indicator (40) which is visible with the lid in a closed position for displaying the operational state of the electronic unit.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
117 words
A portable computer comprising a base unit (32), an electronic unit (34) housed in the base unit (32) and a keyboard (36) for controlling said electronic unit, wherein the base unit has a keyboard plane of rectangular shape with major and minor sides and wherein the keyboard comprises four rows of alphanumeric and control keys and a row of function keys (133) which fully extend along the major side of the keyboard plane, characterized in that the rows of alphanumeric and control keys tale a first fraction of said keyboard plane and wherein said keyboard (36) comprises a supplementary number and service keyboard (134) which tales a lateral portion of a second fraction of said keyboard plane.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
A portable computer according to claim 35, characterized in that said supplementary number and service keyboard (134) comprises four rows of keys, each one of four keys.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
95 words
A portable computer according to claim 35 or 36, characterized in that said keyboard comprises a number (sixty-four) of control and function keys and a number of supplementary number and function keys such as to enable a direct call up of most of the functions which can be directly called by a keyboard of a standard PC and a key (132) for new functions, wherein said key for new functions is operable together with other keys to call up functions of a standard PC which cannot be directly called by said control and function keys.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
33 words
A portable computer according to any of the claims 35 to 37, characterized in that the said base unit (32) has base dimensions substantially equivalent to an A5 format (210 x 148 mm).
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
40 words
A portable computer according to claim 38, characterized by a hard disk unit (HDU) (84) operatively connected with said electronic unit, and wherein the supplementary number and function keyboard (134) is geometrically offset with respect to said hard disk unit.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
52 words
A portable computer according to any of the claims 35 to 39 characterized by a mode indicator (46), wherein said indicator is supported by a central portion of said second fraction of the keyboard plane and wherein said mode indicator is provided for displaying different operational states of the electronic unit (34).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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