Abstract:
A portable processor-based system may include a display that is controlled by a scroll wheel. The scroll wheel extends completely through the display housing so that it can be manipulated between the thumb and forefinger of the user. This scrolling operation may be done at the same time the display itself is held in the user&#39;s hand.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to processor-based systems and particularly to so-called portable or battery-powered processor-based systems. 
     A web tablet is a portable processor-based system that enables wireless access to the Internet. The web tablet can be moved about a building, such as a house, to enable web interaction at locations not typically occupied by processor-based systems such as desktop computers. For example, a user may access the Internet from a kitchen or a living room through the web tablet. 
     The web tablet may include a wireless link, such as a radio frequency link, to a base station that may be, for example, a desktop computer. The user can view information at essentially any location reasonably proximate to the base station. For example, web tablets may be used to view information from the Internet, to accomplish instant messaging or chat sessions or even desk top functions to mention a few examples. The web tablet may interact with other appliances such as televisions. For example, a television program may have an associated Internet web page and that page may be viewed at the same time the television program is being watched. Also, the web tablet may be used like a remote control to control appliances. 
     Since web tablets generally have either no keyboards or only a limited keyboard, it is important that other controls be highly functional. Thus, there is a need for better ways to control the display of information on portable processor-based systems such as web tablets. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a back view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a right side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line  4 — 4  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in use; and 
     FIG. 6 is a block depiction of one embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a portable processor-based system  10  may include a housing  12 , a display screen  14  and plurality of fast-on buttons  16 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the portable processor-based system  10  is a web tablet that enables wireless access to the Internet through a base station (not shown in FIG.  1 ). The housing  12  may be generally book-shaped and may be dominated by the display screen  14  and a peripheral housing portion  12  including control devices such as an instant print button  17 , a forward and backward rocker  26  and a vertical scroll wheel  18 . 
     The vertical scroll wheel  18  is essentially a roller wheel that may be rotated to move the displayed information up and down on the display screen  14 . This is particularly useful when an entire web page can only be shown in part on the display screen  14 . In such case, the web page must be scrolled in order to view all the information. 
     The fast-on button  16  allows the system  10  to be immediately activated to a start page that is selectably programmable by the user. Thus, a variety of different web pages may be selected through any of the buttons  16 . 
     Similarly, the button  17  allows the currently displayed screen display to be printed. The rocker switch  26  allows the user to rock the switch to the left or right to go forward to the next page or backward to the previous web page being viewed. 
     Referring next to FIG. 2, the backside of the housing  12  may include a stylus  24  mounted magnetically on the housing  12 . The wheel roller  18  extends through a depression  22  on the backside of the housing  12 . The same wheel  18  extends through the depression  20  on the front side of the housing  12 , as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     The stylus  24  may be utilized to handwrite on the display screen  14 . Handwriting analysis technology may be utilized to receive the handwriting as an input signal to the system  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the scroll wheel  18  extends through the depressions  20  and  22  on opposite sides of the housing  12 . Thus, the wheel  18  may be manipulated between the user&#39;s thumb and forefinger from both sides of the housing  12  around the rightmost edge of the housing as depicted in FIG.  5 . As shown in FIG. 4, the wheel  18  extends completely through the housing  12 . 
     Thus, as shown in FIG. 5, the user may grasp the right side of the device  10  with the user&#39;s thumb over the wheel  18  on the display side of the housing  12  and the user&#39;s forefinger over the wheel  18  on the backside of the housing  12 . In this way, the user can skillfully manipulate the display up and down by the coordinated movement between the user&#39;s thumb and forefinger. No extra effort is required because the user must hold the system  10  in the user&#39;s hand A in substantially this position in any case. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, the system  10  may include a controller or other processor-based device  30 . The controller  30  may be coupled to the fast-on buttons  16 , the print button  17 , the scroll wheel  18 , a display  14 , a touch screen input device  15  and the forward and reverse rocker  26 . In addition, the controller  30  may be coupled to a wireless interface  32 . A battery  34  may be provided. The wireless interface  32  allows the system  10  to communicate with a base station  36  which may be another processor-based system such as a desktop computer, a set-top box, a processor-based appliance or any other processor-based system. The communication may be by a suitable radio frequency protocol including a cellular telephone link, a Bluetooth link (see Bluetooth Specification, Version 1, Dec. 1, 1999), an 802.11 Wireless LAN Standard (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 1999, New York, N.Y.) link, or other wireless protocols. In addition, an infrared communication protocol may be used as well. 
     In some embodiments, the system  10  may also interact with an appliance such as a television. Infrared ports (not shown) on the system  10  may be used to remotely control appliances. Also the system  10  may include a microphone and speaker (not shown) to act as a telephone as well. 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.