Abstract: A battery type detection approach is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of detecting a battery type can include: receiving a signal from a battery module in a portable computing device; determining if the signal is in a first state for at least a first predetermined time before transitioning to a second state; determining if the signal transitions from the second state to the first state after a second predetermined time, and identifying the battery type in response thereto; and asserting an indication of the battery type when a third predetermined time period after the transition from the second state to the first state has occurred.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that provides a common opening for air flow and speaker outflow. The apparatus includes a compartment with an opening. The compartment has a top surface and a bottom surface and includes a fan and a speaker. The fan is positioned to rotate one or blades around an axis. The one or more blades spin in a direction substantially towards an opening during at least one point during the spinning. The fan directs the air flow towards the opening. The speaker is positioned such that its movement is along the axis.

Abstract: One embodiment uses a virtual machine layer between software and hardware on both a portable computing device and on a docking station used by the portable computing device. A first virtual machine layer on the portable device is used to save the state of the portable device upon intermediate shutdown. Upon docking the portable device with the docking station, a second virtual machine layer on the docking station is loaded with the state of the first virtual machine. The second virtual machine layer is aware of the resources in the docking station and is programmed to utilize the docking station resources (and the portable computing device resources, as desired) to restore and continue the state while allowing the operating system, application programs and other software and hardware to utilize the resources of the docking station.

Abstract: A method for protecting a connection interface in a computer-docking assembly comprising rotating at least partially a computer-support assembly about an arm assembly while moving the computer-support assembly toward a connection interface of the base station and while the arm assembly is at least partially rotating about the base station. The method for protecting additionally comprises aligning generally the computer-support assembly with the connection interface of the base station to posture the computer-support assembly in proximity to the interface connection of the base station for protecting the interface connection. A method for engaging a portable computer including moving away from a base station at least one engager member bound to a computer-support assembly. The base station and the computer-support assembly are rotatably connected to an arm assembly.

Abstract: A logical battery partitioning approach is disclosed. In one embodiment, a power management system in a portable computing device having a plurality of subsystems can include: (i) a battery coupled to a plurality of subsystems; (ii) a first battery variable provided to a first subsystem to indicate a characteristic of a first logical battery partition; and (iii) a second battery variable provided to a second subsystem to indicate a characteristic of a second logical battery partition. A battery variable can include an accessibility control, or a percent of battery power available, for example.

Abstract: A docking assembly for a computer. The docking assembly includes a base station, and a computer-support assembly coupled to the base station. A method for positioning a computer-support assembly for receiving a portable computer comprising moving away from a base station at least one engager member bound to a computer-support assembly. The base station and the computer-support assembly are rotatably coupled to an arm assembly. The method additionally includes moving the computer-support assembly away from the base station while rotating about the arm assembly, and positioning the computer-support assembly in a posture for receiving a portable computer.

Abstract: An electronic device having one or more integral connectors is disclosed. The connector includes an electromagnetically-shielded cavity defined by an outer shell integrally formed in the housing and having a cross-sectional profile of a plug to which the connector may mate. The connector also includes a tongue integrally formed in and extending from a component (such as a printed circuit board) of the electronic device and protruding into the cavity. The tongue may have one or more electrical contacts on one or both sides. The connector may also include one or more snap features for retaining a mated plug at a predetermined force. The connectors may conform to one or more connector standards, such as the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard and/or the IEEE 1394 (FireWire®) standard. Devices incorporating such integral connectors may be smaller and manufactured less expensively than devices having conventional, non-integral, connectors.

Abstract: Multiple disparate wireless units sharing of antennas are described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes, but is not limited to, a first wireless communication unit of a first wireless communication standard, where the first standard includes selecting one of two antennas provided. The apparatus further includes a second wireless communication unit of a second wireless communication standard, where a first antenna and a second antenna are shared by the first and second communication units. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device having a slidable display is provided. A display unit is slidably connected to a body unit at two (or more) sliding joints. A mechanical linkage constrains motion at all of the sliding joints to be substantially equal. In this manner, binding of the slidable display is avoided, since binding occurs as a result of unequal motion at sliding joints. In one embodiment, the linkage includes a gear-axle-gear assembly disposed in a recess in the body unit and constrained to rotate as a unit about the axis of the axle. The gears of this assembly are engaged with linear gear racks on the display unit.

Abstract: A subprocessor is used to interface between subsystems and to reduce the amount of dedicated hardware used to implement the subsystems in a hand-held computer. The subprocessor includes basic processing system resources such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a processor, input/output (I/O) facilities, etc. Selected functions in subsystems are achieved by firmware instructions executed by the subprocessor as opposed to a main processor that is also used in the computer. This approach can provide efficiencies such as low power consumption, less required space, less routing overhead, easier transfer of inter-subsystem information, and other advantages.

Abstract: A cable is disclosed which include a first connector, a second connector, a primary flexible cable segment coupled to the first connector at a first location on the primary flexible cable segment and to the second connector at a second location on the primary flexible cable segment, and a third connector coupled to the primary flexible cable segment at a third location between the first and second locations on the primary flexible cable segment.

Abstract: A transfer function is provided for use with computer pointing devices such as trackpads. The transfer function includes a first component having characteristics of a positional transfer function and a second component having characteristics of a velocity-based transfer function. The first (positional) component and the second (velocity-based) component of the transfer function are blended so that the transfer function exhibits purely positional behavior in response to a first range of inputs and exhibits combined positional and velocity-based behavior in response to a second range of inputs. The first range of inputs may, for example, correspond to a region in the input coordinate space that is bounded by a circle having a predetermined threshold radius.

Abstract: An electronic device having one or more integral connectors is disclosed. The connector includes an electromagnetically-shielded cavity defined by an outer shell integrally formed in the housing and having a cross-sectional profile of a plug to which the connector may mate. The connector also includes a tongue integrally formed in and extending from a component (such as a printed circuit board) of the electronic device and protruding into the cavity. The tongue may have one or more electrical contacts on one or both sides. The connector may also include one or more snap features for retaining a mated plug at a predetermined force. The connectors may conform to one or more connector standards, such as the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard and/or the IEEE 1394 (FireWire®) standard. Devices incorporating such integral connectors may be smaller and manufactured less expensively than devices having conventional, non-integral, connectors.

Abstract: A computing device that includes a host processor and a service processor is provided. The host processor is configured to interact with a first user interface. For example, the host processor may be a microprocessor for the device and the first user interface may be a display device. A service processor is provided and can interact with a second user interface. In some cases, the service processor may interact with the second user interface without communicating with the host processor. Accordingly, the service processor can perform functions without relying on the host processor. Using the service processor conserves processing power and also may allow the reduction in size of the device as the service processor may perform the functions previously performed by discrete hardware and the host processor.

Abstract: A portable computing device with hybrid hardware/firmware accelerometers for pointer control and user interface is disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable computing device can include: (i) at least one accelerometer; and (ii) an embedded controller coupled to the accelerometer, where the embedded controller can change a parameter or variable of the portable computing device when a predetermined condition is detected by the accelerometer. The predetermined condition can include a tilt of the portable computing device, and the parameter that is changed can be a game piece property, for example.

Abstract: A single line docking station characteristic identifier is disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable computing device can include a dock detector circuit having an interface pin configured to be coupled to a docking station via a single line dock connection, where the dock detector circuit is configured to determine a characteristic of the docking station using a passive component in the docking station when the portable computing device is connected to the docking station via the single line dock connection. The dock detector circuit can include a resistor and a Schmitt trigger, while the passive component in the docking station can include a capacitor, for example.

Abstract: A portable computing device with hybrid hardware/firmware accelerometers for drop and tumble detect is disclosed. In one embodiment, a portable computing device can include: (i) a plurality of accelerometers; and (ii) an embedded controller coupled to the plurality of accelerometers, where the embedded controller can change the portable computing device from a first state to a second state when a predetermined condition is detected by at least one of the plurality of accelerometers. The predetermined condition can include a dropping, tumbling, or free fall situation. Also, the first state can be an active state, while the second state can be a protective state, such as where a hard drive is shut down, for example.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a shielding includes one or more contact elements configured to electrically contact one or more electrical elements of an integrated circuit package. The one or more electrical elements may be located on a top surface of the package. A bottom surface of the package may be coupled to a circuit board. The one or more contact elements provide a path for a ground through the one or more electrical elements. For example, the shielding may be coupled to a ground on the circuit board. This may provide shielding of EMI.