Method and apparatus for interacting with a portable computer
US6300946A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | Oct 9, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0488
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A portable computer system incorporates mechanical buttons that combine the task of powering-up the portable computer system and starting a particular computer application. The same mechanical buttons can be used to navigate the computer application to find the information that is most likely needed by the user. External computers can be coupled to the portable computer system in a manner that allows an external hardware device to initiate specific computer applications that cooperate with the external hardware device. Some embodiments of the portable computer system comprise an antenna for wireless communications with a base station. Wireless computer applications available in the portable computer system are activated by moving the antenna from a first position to a second position. Some embodiments of the invention provide a communication system comprising a portable computer system having such wireless application activation, and a base station. The base station has a transceiver adapted to exchange signals with the portable computer system. The portable computer system has a transceiver adapted to exchange signals with the base station.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.