TABLET COMPUTER ASSEMBLY, ACCESSORY THEREOF, AND TABLET COMPUTER INPUT METHOD

A tablet computer assembly is provided and includes a tablet computer and an accessory. The tablet computer has a display screen and a first connection portion. The accessory has a second connection portion. The second connection portion is configured for pivoting on the first connection portion of the tablet computer, such that the tablet computer and the accessory are selectively separated or integrated as a single piece. The accessory is rotated relative to the tablet computer, and rotates along an axis direction which is the extending direction of the second connection portion. The accessory has a virtual keyboard forming device located on a surface of the accessory, and the virtual keyboard forming device is to form a keyboard image having a plurality of virtual keys. The keyboard image is displayed on a bearing surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A plurality of embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below with reference to the drawings. For the purpose of clear illustration, various practical details will be illustrated along with other things in the description below. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these practical details. In other words, in some embodiments of the present invention, these practical details are unnecessary. Furthermore, for the purpose of simplifying the drawings, some conventional common structures and elements are illustrated in the drawings in a simply schematic manner.

FIG. 1illustrates a perspective view of a tablet computer assembly100according to an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 2illustrates an exploded view of the tablet computer assembly100shown inFIG. 1. Referring both toFIGS. 1 and 2, the tablet computer assembly100includes a tablet computer110and an accessory120. The tablet computer110has a display screen112disposed on a first front surface and a first connection portion114disposed on a first lateral surface113of the tablet computer110. The accessory120is configured for pluggable assembled the tablet computer110, and has a second connection portion124disposed on a second lateral surface122of the accessory120. The second connection portion124is configured for pivoting on the first connection portion114of the tablet computer110, such that the tablet computer110and the accessory120are selectively separated or integrated as a single piece.

In a first usage state, the first lateral surface113of the tablet computer110and the second lateral surface122of the accessory120are matched and overlapped with each other, as shown inFIG. 1. In this embodiment, the adjacent surfaces (i.e., the first and second lateral surfaces113,122) of the tablet computer110and the accessory120have the same size and shape, and the first connection portion114is pivotally connected at a central position of the first lateral surface113of the tablet computer110and the second connection portion124is pivotally at a central position of the second lateral surface122of the accessory120.

FIG. 3illustrates a perspective view of the tablet computer assembly100shown inFIG. 1when it is used. Referring both toFIGS. 2 and 3, the tablet computer accessory120can be rotated relative to the tablet computer110, and rotates along an axis direction which is the extending direction of the second connection portion124. When the tablet computer assembly100shown inFIG. 3is in a second usage state, the accessory120is rotated relative to the tablet computer110by the second connection portion124and has a fixed rotation angle θ according to the tablet computer110. The tablet computer assembly100can be fixedly positioned on a bearing surface200at the fixed rotation angle θ, and the fixed rotation angle θ can be, for example, 30-60 degrees, but the range of the fixed rotation angle θ does not limit the present invention.

In this embodiment, the second connection portion124and the first connection portion114can be regarded as a second data transmission connection portion and a first data transmission connection portion respectively. The second data transmission connection portion can include a hinge structure125configured for the accessory120rotating relative to the tablet computer110and having the fixed rotation angle θ according to the tablet computer110. The second data transmission connection portion can further include a data transmission line127used for transmitting data from the tablet computer110to the tablet computer accessory120. In other embodiments, the first connection portion114and the second connection portion124can selectively include a hinge structure, a latch or a clamping slot without limiting the present invention, as long as the accessory120can be pivotally and detachably connected to the tablet computer110

In addition, a virtual keyboard forming device130is located on a second front surface of the accessory120, and the virtual keyboard forming device130is to form a keyboard image150having a plurality of virtual keys152. The keyboard image150is on the bearing surface200. The first and second front surfaces are on the same side116. In this embodiment, the virtual keyboard forming device130includes a keyboard projection component132, a light sensor134, a light emitter136and a control unit138. The display screen112of the tablet computer110and the keyboard projection component132, the light sensor134and the light emitter136of the virtual keyboard forming device130are located on the same side116, and the control unit138is electrically connected with the light sensor134. Furthermore, the accessory120can further include a battery component139capable of sustaining the battery capacity of the tablet computer110.

The functions of the tablet computer110, such as webpage browsing, video playing, music, photograph, game playing and application execution, can be used independently. The accessory120can be separated from the tablet computer110to use the tablet computer110independently when the virtual keyboard forming device130is not used. Alternatively, the accessory120is connected with the tablet computer110, but the fixed rotation angle θ is 0 degree. In this state (i.e., the first usage state), the tablet computer assembly100is still convenient for carrying.

In the following description, the virtual keyboard forming device130when being used will be described.

FIG. 4illustrates a schematic view from a direction D when the keyboard image150shown inFIG. 3is pressed. Referring both toFIGS. 3 and 4, the tablet computer assembly100shown inFIGS. 3 and 4is in the second usage state. In this state, an end111of the tablet computer110and an end121of the accessory120can be abutted against the bearing surface200and a distance d exists between the end111of the tablet computer110and the end121of the accessory120. Since the distance d exists between the end111of the tablet computer110and the end121of the accessory120, the tablet computer assembly100can be fixedly positioned on the bearing surface200at the fixed rotation angle θ.

When being used, the keyboard projection component132of the virtual keyboard forming device130can form a keyboard image150having a plurality of virtual keys152on the bearing surface200. In this embodiment, the bearing surface200is the same surface where the tablet computer assembly100is positioned. The light emitter136can emit lights onto the keyboard image150. When at least one of the virtual keys152is pressed on the bearing surface200by a finger300, the light emitted on the pressed key152is blocked by the finger300. The light sensor134can sense a blocked position of the light and transmit a pressing signal of the pressed virtual key152to the control unit138(referring toFIG. 2), thereby enabling the control unit138to control the display screen112to display a corresponding image according to the pressing signal.

For example, when the finger300presses the key “V” of the keyboard image150, the light sensor134can sense that the light emitted on the key “V” is blocked, and transmit the pressing signal of the key “V” to the control unit138(referring toFIG. 2), such that the control unit138controls the display screen112to display the image of “V” according to the pressing signal.

In this embodiment, the keyboard projection component132projects the keyboard image150with a projection range R1onto the bearing surface200, and the sensing range of the light sensor134covers at least the light emitted in the projection range R1. In this embodiment, the light given off by the light emitter136can be an infrared light, and the light sensor134can be a sensor capable of sensing the infrared light, but the kind of the light shall not be limited to the infrared light.

In particularly, since the accessory120can be pivotally and detachably connected to the tablet computer110, the tablet computer assembly100can be fixedly positioned on the bearing surface200when the accessory120is rotated relative to the tablet computer110and is fixed at the fixed rotation angle θ according to the tablet computer110. When being used, the keyboard projection component132of the virtual keyboard forming device130can form the keyboard image150having a plurality of virtual keys152on the bearing surface200and the light emitter136of the virtual keyboard forming device130can emit a light onto the keyboard image150. When the keys152of the keyboard image150are pressed, the light emitted on the pressed keys152will be blocked. At this time, the light sensor134of the virtual keyboard forming device130can sense the blocked position of the light and transmit the pressing signal to the control unit138of the virtual keyboard forming device130(referring toFIG. 2). Then, the control unit138can control the display screen112to display the corresponding image according to the pressing signal.

The tablet computer assembly100can be used to input words with the keyboard image150of the bearing surface200and the keyboard image150does not occupy the area of the display screen112of the tablet computer110, which enables users to input words quickly. In addition, the tablet computer assembly100has the input function of a physical keyboard without being connected to a physical keyboard externally. In other words, no physical keyboard is required when users carry the tablet computer assembly100, thereby saving the volume and weight of the physical keyboard.

It is noted to be that the components and the component connection relation which have been described in the embodiments mentioned above will not be illustrated again. In the description below, other components that can be included in the tablet computer assembly100will be illustrated.

FIG. 5illustrates a perspective view of a tablet computer assembly100′ according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tablet computer assembly100′ includes a tablet computer110and an accessory120. The difference from the embodiment inFIG. 1is: the accessory120further includes an image projection component142. In this embodiment, the image projection component142is on an opposite side to the virtual keyboard forming device130. That is, the image projection component142is on a side118and the keyboard projection component132is on a side116.

Referring both toFIGS. 2 and 5, when the tablet computer110is integrated with the accessory120, the second connection portion124and the first connection portion114can be regarded as a second data transmission connection portion and a first data transmission connection portion respectively. The first data transmission connection portion is connected with the second data transmission connection portion, thereby transmitting the data of the image of the display screen112of the tablet computer110to the image projection component142through the data transmission line127.

FIG. 6illustrates a schematic view of the tablet computer assembly100′ shown inFIG. 5when it is used. Referring both toFIGS. 5 and 6, the image projection component142can project the image of the display screen112onto an image projection surface400according to the image data of the display screen112of the tablet computer110. The image projection component142projects the image of the display screen112onto the image projection surface400with a projection range R2. In this embodiment, the image projection surface400may be a projection curtain or a wall, which does not limit the present invention.

FIG. 7illustrates a flow chart of a method for inputting keyboard instruction to a tablet computer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The tablet computer input method includes the following steps: at first, in step S1, providing a tablet computer assembly with a tablet computer and an accessory; then, in step S2, pivoting a second connection portion of the accessory on a first connection portion of the tablet computer; next, in step S3, rotating the accessory relative to the tablet computer, wherein the accessory rotates along an axis direction which is the extending direction of the second connection portion, and has a fixed rotation angle according to the tablet computer; then, in step S4, positioning the tablet computer assembly onto a bearing surface; next in step S5, forming a keyboard image having a plurality of virtual keys by using a keyboard projection component of a virtual keyboard forming device of the accessory, wherein the keyboard image is displayed on the bearing surface; then, in step S6, emitting a light onto the keyboard image by using a light emitter of the virtual keyboard forming device; next, in step S7, pressing at least one of the virtual keys on the bearing surface to block the light emitted on the pressed virtual key; at last, in step S8, sensing a blocked position of the light with a light sensor of the virtual keyboard forming device and transmitting a pressing signal to a control unit of the virtual keyboard forming device, such that the control unit controls a display screen of the tablet computer to display a corresponding image according to the pressing signal.

In addition, the tablet computer input method can further include the following steps: rotating the accessory relative to the tablet computer, wherein the accessory has the fixed rotation angle according to the tablet computer by using a hinge structure of the second connection portion; transmitting the data of the tablet computer to the tablet computer accessory by using a data transmission line of the second connection portion; projecting an image of the display screen onto an image projection surface by using an image projection component of the accessory.

Comparing the embodiments mentioned above of the present invention with the prior art, the tablet computer assembly can be used to input words with the keyboard image of the bearing surface and the keyboard image does not occupy the area of the host display screen, which enables users to input words quickly. In addition, the tablet computer assembly has the input function of a physical keyboard without being connected to a physical keyboard externally. In other words, no physical keyboard is required when users carry a tablet computer assembly, thereby saving the volume and weight of the physical keyboard.

Although the present invention has been disclosed with reference to the above embodiments, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention. It will be apparent to those of skills in the art that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims.