Abstract:
A notebook computer with force feedback for gaming is provided. A vibrating plate is disposed on a host, and a vibration generating device is disposed at the bottom of the vibrating plate to generate vibration when a computer game is executed. Thus, a user playing the computer game may feel the force feedback. Additionally, to prevent vibration from affecting the normal operation of the host, a damper is disposed between the host and the vibrating plate to prevent vibration from being transmitted to the host.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a notebook computer with force feedback for gaming and, more particularly, to a notebook computer which provides physical feeling feedback while gaming without damaging the host. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Generally, to make a player feels real while gaming, it is a trend to implement the feature of force feedback on the game system. A video game console providing vibration on a game paddle is the most commonly used. In specific game scenes, vibration is used to provide user force feedback, which makes the user feel real while gaming. 
         [0005]    However, although there are various games played on a computer, the force feedback design in the computer is not as common as that in the video game console. To take a desktop computer system as an example, a mouse and a keyboard are the most common operation interfaces. In the conventional technology, a force feedback interface is combined with a mouse. When the user plays a computer game with the mouse, the force feedback effect also may be achieved. 
         [0006]    However, to a computer game, the keyboard is the main operation interface. Especially to a notebook computer, to facilitate the carrying, a user does not always bring the mouse every time. In addition, main electronic components such as a hard disk, a motherboard and a CPU are located at the bottom of the computer, which is different from the desktop computer. If force feedback is designed at the keyboard, the whole notebook computer is affected by the vibration and the working electronic components such as the hard disk may be damaged. The problem is not solved for a long time, and thus when a user plays a game on the notebook computer, he can only receive the sound and image feedback, but cannot receive the force feedback. 
         [0007]    Therefore, the conventional technology also discloses a force feedback design that can be combined with the mouse, the keyboard and even the notebook computer. However, to avoid affecting the operation of the notebook computer, the feedback mode is tactile feedback. In other words, an actuator is used to make a salient point or a roller shake slightly. This only may be defined as a half-simulative force feedback, its effect cannot make the user feel while gaming. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention discloses a notebook computer with force feedback for gaming including a liquid crystal display (LCD), a host, a vibrating plate, a vibration generating device and a damper. The LCD and the host are pivotally connected to each other, and the LCD may be closed or open relative to the host. The host has a keypress portion to allow a user to input information. The vibrating plate is disposed at the assembling area of the host and adjacent to the keypress portion. The vibration generating device corresponds to the vibrating plate and is disposed at the inner side of the host. When a game runs on the host of the computer, vibration may be generated to provide the user with force feedback for gaming and make the user feel while gaming. 
         [0009]    In another aspect, to prevent the vibration of force feedback from damaging the host, the damper is disposed between the vibrating plate and the host to separate the host from the vibrating plate. Thus, vibration generated by the vibration generating device only may be transmitted to the vibrating plate rather than to the host, and it is isolated effectively. Thus, the host may be operated normally, and force feedback for gaming may be provided to the user when the computer game is run. 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming in an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing the combination of the vibration generating device of the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming in an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing the vibrating state of the vibration generating device of the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming in an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partial exploded diagram of the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming in an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing that the damper separates the vibrating plate in the notebook computer from force feedback for gaming in an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming in another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming disclosed in the invention includes a notebook computer body  10 , a vibrating plate  20 , a vibration generating device  30  and a damper  40 . The notebook computer body  10  includes a LCD  11  and a host  12 . The LCD  11  is pivotally connected to the host  12 , and it may be open and closed relative to the host  12 . The LCD  11  may be open to allow a user to use and closed relative to the host  12  to allow the user to carry it conveniently. In the invention, the disclosed force feedback structure is adapted for various kinds of notebook computers. The structure in the drawing is only one aspect of the invention, and it is not limited to thereto. 
         [0018]    The host  12  has a keypress portion  121  and a pointing device area  122  to allow the user to operate the notebook computer. Various electronic components such as a CPU, a motherboard, a hard disk and so on (not shown) are disposed inside the host  12 . An assembling area  123  is adjacent to the keypress portion  121  to dispose the vibrating plate  20 . The size of the vibrating plate  20  is substantially as large as that of the assembling area  123 . Thus, after disposed, the vibrating plate  20  covers the assembling area  123  to keep consistency of the appearance of the host  12 . 
         [0019]    The vibration generating device  30  is disposed at the bottom of the vibrating plate  20 . When the host  12  executes a game, vibration may be generated by the vibration generating device  30 . Thus, the vibrating plate  20  is driven to vibrate to provide force feedback. In another aspect, a damper  40  is used to separate the vibrating plate  20  from the host  12 . Thus, vibration generated by the vibration generating device  30  only drives the vibrating plate  20 , and it cannot be transmitted to the host  12 . 
         [0020]    As shown in FIG,  2 , it is a schematic diagram showing the combination of the vibration generating device  30  in an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0021]    The vibration generating device  30  includes an eccentric motor  31 , a carrying base  32  and screws  33 . The eccentric motor  31  is carried by the carrying base  32 , and the shape of the carrying base  32  is substantially the same as that of the eccentric motor  31 , and thus the carrying base  32  can stably support the bottom of the eccentric motor  31 . Then, the screws  33  are used to fix the carrying base  32  and the eccentric motor  31  at the vibrating plate  20  via screw holes  21 . The vibration generating device  30  also may be fixed in any modes, and only a screwing mode is used as an example in the drawing. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , it is a schematic diagram showing the vibrating state of the vibration generating device  30  in an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0023]    A rotor  312  of the eccentric motor  31  is eccentric relative to an axle center  311 . When the eccentric motor  31  works and the axle center  311  drives the rotor  312  to rotate, the eccentric motor  31  may vibrate. At that moment, since the eccentric motor  31  is fixed by the carrying base  32 , the carrying base  32  vibrates along with the eccentric motor  31 . To avoid that the eccentric motor  31  may fall from the carrying base  32  after used for a long time, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the carrying base  32  may cover more than a half sectional area of the eccentric motor  31  to improve the fixing effect. In addition, a sticking or welding process also may be used to improve the stableness. Furthermore, since the carrying base  32  is fixed to the vibrating plate  20  through the screws  33 , vibration generated by the vibration generating device  30  may be transmitted to the vibrating plate  20  through the carrying base to make the vibrating plate  20  vibrate. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , they are partial exploded diagrams of the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming in an embodiment of the invention. 
         [0025]    The vibration generating device  30  is disposed at the vibrating plate  20 . After the damper  40  separates the vibrating plate  20  from the host  12 , the vibration generating device is assembled at the assembling area  123  of the host  12 . The vibrating plate  20  has multiple locating pillars  22  to allow the user to locate the damper  40  conveniently. Then, the screw  50  is used to fix the vibrating plate  20  and the damper  40  in the assembling area  123 . The damper  40  is made of rubber, silicon gel, elastic polymer or other materials. Thus, it may absorb vibration effectively. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the area where the edge of the vibrating plate  20  contacts the host  12  is separated by the damper  40 . Vibration generated by the vibration generating device  30  is absorbed and isolated, and it may be transmitted to the vibrating plate  20  rather than the host  12 . Thus, possibility of damaging on the components in the host  12  is reduced. 
         [0026]    When the user plays computer games on the notebook computer, vibration generated by the vibration generating device  30  is transmitted to the vibrating plate  20 . Thus, the user may feel force feedback. In another aspect, when the keypress portion  121  is used to play the game, the user usually operates the keypress portion  121  with both hands. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 6 , there are two vibrating plates  20  designed lower than the keypress portion  121  of the host  12 , and they may be located at the position corresponding to the user&#39;s wrists or arms to give the user direct force feedback. 
         [0027]    In the notebook computer with force feedback for gaming according to the invention, with the cooperation of the vibration generating device, the vibrating plate and the damper, force feedback may be generated and is provided to the user when he plays the computer game. With the design of the damper, vibration is not transmitted to the host to damage the electronic components, and the user may feel while gaming. 
         [0028]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.