Abstract:
A portable electronic device with replaceable operation panels includes a main body and several replaceable operation panels to be replaced. The panels can meet different operation requirements. The replaceable operation panels are selectively installed in the operation region of the main body and electrically connected to the main body. Because different panels can meet different operation modes and directly provide the best operation for different requirements, they enable the user getting easier operation of the electronic device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The invention generally relates to the operation panel of an electronic device, and in particular relates to a portable electronic device equipped with different operation panels to be replaced according to different requirements. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    Portable electronic devices, such as portable computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), mobile phones and so on, perform different functions according to different software, such as word processing, game, multimedia and so on. Take portable computer as an example, the operation and software execution is made though keyboard and cursor controlling device (such as mouse or touch pad) for selecting the software or data to be processed. The above operation is convenient in word processing or Internet application. However, for games or multimedia playing, this way is not suitable. When a user wants to play game, the keyboard and cursor controlling device cannot suit kinds of game operation. Most games require an additional joystick to get the best operation mode. 
         [0005]    For multimedia playing, the user has to select icons on the display through a cursor controlling device. It is quite different from direct pressing of control buttons of a common multimedia player. Though the user may assign hotkeys on the keyboard, the keyboard doesn&#39;t have label or printing directly correspondent to the multimedia operation functions. Therefore, the user has to spend extra time to remember the correspondent hotkey functions. At present, there are so-called multimedia computers that are equipped with a group of multimedia key buttons on the chassis of the computer for processing multimedia files. However, for portable electronic devices that are usually of a smaller size, it is not easy to include extra key buttons. There are also remote controller bundled with software that can be used like remote controllers of common electrical appliances or multimedia players. However, when being applied to portable electronic devices, the remote controller are easy to be lost. Therefore, how to improve the existing control panels of portable electronic devices to meet with different operation demands becomes an important technical issue. 
         [0006]    In addition, the conventional operation panels are integrated into the structure of electronic devices. It is extremely inconvenient that disassembling the shells are required when installing or disassembling the panels. It is also a technical problem. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In view of the foregoing, the object of the invention is to provide a portable electronic device equipped with replaceable panels to meet with different requirements, for solving the problems of portable electronic devices with a single panel that are unable to meet with different operation modes. 
         [0008]    In order to achieve the aforesaid object, a portable electronic device with replaceable operation panels is provided, which includes a main body having an operation region and a plurality of panels. The panels can meet with different operation requirements, and the panels are selectively installed in the operation region according to the requirements of operation and electrically connected to the main body. Because different panels can meet with different operation modes and directly provide the best operation for different requirements, they enable the user getting easier operation of the electronic device. 
         [0009]    The advantages of the present invention are that the panels can be replaced according to requirements, so that best operation can be obtained when different functions are performed by the electronic device. Further, the panels can be easily removed from the main body of the electronic device and replaced by another panel. It also solves the problem of conventional panel that was difficult to be disassembled. 
         [0010]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow. However, this description is for purposes of illustration only, and thus is not limitative of the invention, wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded view of a third embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , a portable electronic device with replaceable operation panels of a first embodiment of the invention is provided. The electronic device  100  is incorporated with different replaceable operation panels to meet with different operation requirements. The electronic device  100  can be a portable computer, a PDA, a Barebone computer, a mobile phone and so on. In the first embodiment, the electronic device  100  is a portable computer having a main body  110  and a display  120  pivoted on the main body  110 . The main body  110  has an operation region  110   a  on one side. The operation region  110   a  is concavely formed with a cavity  111  for receiving the replaceable operation panels. In addition, the main body  110  has a first connector  112  in the cavity  111 , and the main body  110  is formed with two latch holes  113  on the bottom of cavity  111  Certainly, the panels can also be directly installed in the operation region  110   a  without the cavity  111  formed thereon. 
         [0019]    Still referring to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B , an exploded view and a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention, when the portable computer is required for word processing or general computer operations, a keyboard panel  130  is used. The keyboard panel  130  includes a standard keyboard  131  for text and data input. The keyboard panel  130  further has a second connector  132  corresponding to the first connector  112  of the main body  110 , wherein the second connector  132  is utilized to be connected with the first connector  112  for connecting the keyboard panel  130  to the main body  110 . And the keyboard panel  130  is formed with two hooks  133  respectively on two opposite edges of the keyboard panel  130  corresponding to the two latch holes  113 . The latch holes  113  of the main body  110  are utilized to be engaged with the hooks  133  for fixing the keyboard panel  130  to the main body  110 . 
         [0020]    When the keyboard panel  130  is installed in the cavity  111  of the main body  110 , the latch holes  113  are engaged with the hooks  133  to fix the keyboard panel  130  in the operation region  110   a.  Meanwhile, the keyboard panel  130  is electrically connected to the main body  110  by interconnecting the first connector  112  and the second connector  132 , for carrying out general computer operations. The keyboard panel  130  also has an identification circuit, when the first connector  112  and the second connector  132  are interconnected, the main body  110  identifies the operation mode provided by the keyboard panel  130  via the identification circuit and then transforms the user interface of the electronic device  100  corresponding to the operation mode provided by the keyboard panel  130 . The keyboard panel  130  is detachable from the main body  110 . When the keyboard panel  130  does not meet with the operation requirement of the electronic device  100 , the keyboard panel  130  can be detached from the main body by disconnecting the first connector  112  and the second connector  132  and ejecting the hooks  133  from the latch holes  113  simultaneously. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B , an exploded view and a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention, when the electronic device  100  is required for game functions, a game panel  140  is used. The game panel  140  is provided for playing game, instead of keyboard panel  130 . The bottom of the game panel  140  has a second connector  142  and two hooks  141 . When the game panel  140  is installed in the cavity  111  of the main body  110 , the latch holes  113  are engaged with the hooks  141  to fix the game panel  140  in the operation region  110   a.  Meanwhile, the game panel  140  is electrically connected to the main body  110  by interconnecting the first connector  112  and the second connector  142 , for providing game-playing interfaces, such as joystick  143 , game buttons  144 , function keys  145 , and so on, to meet with the game-playing requirements. Therefore, the game-playing interfaces are directly equipped on the electronic device  100 . The game panel  140  also has an identification circuit, when the first connector  112  and the second connector  142  are connected to each other, the main body  110  identifies the operation mode provided by the game panel  140  via the identification circuit, and then transforms the user interface of the electronic device  100  corresponding to the operation mode provided by the game panel  140  and adjusts the operation system of the electronic device  100  to adopt the game panel  140 . Further, a game list applicable to the game panel  140  can be preset so that when the electronic device  100  with the game panel  140  is turned on, a correspondent game list can be loaded automatically for the user to select a game from the game list and to play the game. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B , a third embodiment of the invention is provided. In the third embodiment, the electronic device  100  is equipped with multimedia panel  150  to be used as a multimedia player. In general, when playing multimedia files with the electronic device  100 , such as a portable computer, a PDA, a Barebone computer, a mobile phone and so on, the user has to select icons on the display  120  through a cursor controlling device. It is not so convenient in operation. Though the user may assign hotkeys on the keyboard, but these hotkeys doesn&#39;t have label or printing directly correspondent to the multimedia operation functions. Therefore, the user has to spend extra time to remember the correspondent hotkey functions. Therefore, the third embodiment provides a multimedia panel  150  for playing multimedia files. 
         [0023]    The multimedia panel  150  includes multimedia keys  151  marked with characters or notations to denote specific functions, such as file select, play, pause, stop, forward, backward and so on, for the user to operate easily. Further, the multimedia panel  150  can be incorporated with an operation system specially designed for multimedia operation. When the multimedia panel  150  is installed to the main body, the electronic device  100  can be turned on with the multimedia operation system only, instead of its original operation system, so as to speed up the starting without executing excessive software. It makes the operation of the electronic device  100  much similar to a multimedia player. 
         [0024]    The invention makes it possible to detach the panel of the electronic device  100  and replace with another panel. It provides operation convenience to the users without abandoning individual function when integrating different functions into the electronic device  100 . Also, the panel assembling and replacement is easy that there is no need to disassemble the whole electronic device  100  when detaching and replacing the panel. 
         [0025]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.