Abstract:
An apparatus is adapted to function as a laptop computer with an additional piano-style keyboard. The computer has disposed within the lower computer keyboard area a separate integrated piano keyboard. The piano keyboard of the apparatus is fully functional in conjunction with certain applications loaded to the laptop.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/950,454, filed Mar. 10, 2014, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a laptop computer having a music keyboard integrated into the body of the computer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Musicians today can produce the sound of almost any instrument imaginable with just the use of a standard computer and a small MINI-style electric keyboard. With just these two (2) individual components, melodic and harmonic riffs can be created almost anywhere within seconds. Additionally, aspiring musicians may in fact require a computer if they wish to make use of the numerously available brands of keyboard tutorial software programs. 
     However, as small as such modern components are, they still remain two (2) individual components that must be transported and stored separately and hooked together employing various connectors. Also, in order to make use of these components, sufficient space on a desk, table counter or other horizontal surface must be secured. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which the functionality and performance of a notebook computer and a keyboard can be enjoyed, but without the aforementioned disadvantages of two (2) separate components. The development of the present invention fulfills this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor has recognized the aforementioned issues and inherent problems and observed that there is a lack in the prior art for a means to provide a laptop computer having a music keyboard integrated into the body of the computer. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a portable computing device, comprising a casing having a hollow structure further comprising data storage and processing components with input/output registers. The registers are disposed within the casing to process incoming data and store the processed data for later use. There is a computer keyboard disposed on a surface of the casing and placed into electrical communication with the input/output registers with the data storage and processing components. There is a flip panel pivotally attached to a top surface of the casing, a touch pad disposed on a top surface of the flip panel and in electrical communication with the input/output registers and the data storage and processing components. 
     A display is configured to receive said processed data and display the same. The processed data is at least one coalesced image having a shell and comprising a shell, an image display unit and display control registers. There is a hinged connection to rotatingly connect the casing to the display, a lower enclosure formed into the casing and a music keyboard disposed within the lower enclosure and in electrical communication with the input/output registers with the data storage and processing components. The flip panel selectively reveals and conceals the lower enclosure. The music keyboard and the computer keyboard are configured to provide the incoming data as inputted therein. 
     The portable computing device further comprises at least one of a distal end of a shaft which comprises a vertical shaft affixed to the casing, a hook, extending away from a first side of a distal end of the shaft and a knob. At least one (1) other of a distal end of the shaft comprises a vertical shaft affixed to the casing, a hook, extending away from a second side of a distal end of the shaft and a knob. Engagement of the hook with a tab protruding outwardly from the flip panel acts to secure the flip panel in a closed position. A force applied to the knob acts to release the flip panel. There is a pair of latches located on opposing sides of the casing, each engaging one (1) of a pair of tabs located on the flip panel. 
     The portable computing device further comprises at least one (1) added peripheral selected from the group consisting of: a DVD slot drive, a USB port, an HDMI connection, a BLUETOOTH® connection, an Ethernet connection, a Wi-Fi connection, a headphone, at least one speaker, and a microphone jack. Each added peripheral is in electronic communication with the data storage and processing components with the input/output registers. The device is configured to receive a sound card and has a power switch and rechargeable battery. The hinged connection is provided with a stop tension mechanism. 
     A different configuration of the portable computing device with music keyboard comprises a casing having a hollow structure. The device further comprises data storage and processing components with input/output registers disposed within the casing to process incoming data and store the processed data for later use. A computer keyboard is disposed on a surface of the casing and placed into electrical communication with the input/output registers with the data storage and processing components. A flip panel is pivotally attached to a top surface of the casing. A display is configured to receive the processed data and display the processed data as at least one (1) coalesced image having a shell. The shell comprises a shell, an image display unit and a display control registers. There is a hinged connection to rotatingly connect the casing to the display. A lower enclosure is formed into the casing. There is a music keyboard disposed within the lower enclosure and in electrical communication with the input/output registers and the data storage and processing components. 
     The flip panel comprises a planar member, a touch pad disposed on a top surface of the flip panel. The flip panel is attached to a top surface of the case by a pair of matched first pivot links and second pivot links. The first pivot links and second pivot links are attached at a first end to the case and attached at a second end to a plurality of hinged connections around the periphery of the flip panel. The touch pad is in electrical communication with the input/output registers with the data storage and processing components. The flip panel is pivotally engaged with the casing such that the flip panel enables selective cover and concealment of the music keyboard when in a closed position. The flip panel selectively reveals and conceals the lower enclosure. The music keyboard, computer keyboard, and touch pad are configured to provide the incoming data as inputted therein. 
     The above device further comprises at least one (1) added peripheral selected from the group consisting of a DVD slot drive, a USB port, an HDMI connection, a BLUETOOTH® connection, an Ethernet connection, a Wi-Fi connection, a headphone, at least one speaker, and a microphone jack. Each added peripheral is in electronic communication with the data storage and processing components with the input/output registers. 
     The device is configured to receive a sound card, power switch and rechargeable battery. The device further comprises at least one (1) of a distal end of the shaft comprising a vertical shaft affixed to the casing, a hook, extending away from a first side of a distal end of the shaft and a knob. 
     There is at least one (1) of a distal end of the shaft comprising a vertical shaft affixed to the casing, a hook, extending away from a second side of a distal end of the shaft and a knob. Engagement of the hook with a tab protruding outwardly from the flip panel, acts to secure the flip panel in a closed position. A force applied to the knob acts to release the flip panel. There is a pair of latches located on opposing sides of the casing, with each engaging one (1) of a pair of tabs located on the flip panel. The touch pad is provided with clickable features and dedicated left-click and right-click mouse features. The hinged connection is provided with a stop tension mechanism. The hinged connection is provided with electrical connectors. Likewise, the pivotal engagement of the flip panel with the casing is provided with electrical connectors. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a computer  20  with integrated piano keyboard  30  with the flip panel  60  in a closed position, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the computer  20  with the flip panel  60  in a deployed state, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an isolated section view along line A-A, as seen in  FIG. 1 , of a lower enclosure  40  of the computer  20  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 4  is an electro-mechanical schematic of the computer  20  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  computer with piano keyboard 
               20  computer 
               30  music keyboard 
               40  lower enclosure 
               50  touch pad 
               60  flip panel 
               62  pivot pin 
               64  link recess 
               66  first pivot link 
               68  second pivot link 
               70  latch 
               72  tab 
               74  vertical shaft 
               76  hook 
               78  knob 
               80  case 
               90  display 
               100  computer keyboard 
               110  peripheral 
               120  data storage and processing components 
               130  hinged connection 
               140  shell 
               160  musical keys 
               170  music keyboard interface 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 4 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a computer  20  with an integrated music keyboard  30  (herein referred to as the “computer”  20 ), where the music keyboard  30  is housed within a lower enclosure  40  and selectively placed into operational use via a flip panel  60  disposed on a case  80  of the computer  20 . In a preferred embodiment, the computer  20  is stylized as a laptop-, or notebook-style computer. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , perspective views of the computer  20  with the flip panel  60  in closed, and a deployed state, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The computer  20  is preferably configured as a notebook-style computer  20  with a music keyboard  30  integrated into the case  80  of the computer  20 . The case  80  of the computer  20  is provided with a flip panel  60  into which a touch pad  50  is integrated. This flip panel  60 , when open, exposes the subjacent music keyboard  30  that is disposed within a lower enclosure  40 . The music keyboard  30  is preferably comprised of twenty five (25) musical keys  160  configured as two (2) full octaves of the Standard Western Chromatic scale plus one (1) additional note equivalent to the next C note in an ascending scale and is provided with associated electronics that permit an interface with previously installed music software programs in the computer  20 . This allows the computer  20  to be used as an instrument during live shows, practice sessions, music writing sessions, DJ sessions, and the like. When the music keyboard  30  is not needed, the flip panel  60  is closed to make the computer  20  appear and function as a conventional computer  20 . 
     The computer  20  comprises a case  80 , a display  90 , a computer keyboard,  100 , and a touch pad  50 , which are interconnected and situated in a conventional configuration as described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,552,991. The case  80  is a hollow member to which the display  90  is hingedly attached along a rearward edge by a hinged connection  130 . The display  90  comprises a shell  140  that holds a display unit and other electrical components. The case  80  and shell  140  comprise a light-weight rigid material that preferably exhibits electro-magnetic properties that do not create inductive interference or electric interference with the operations of the electrical components of the computer  20 . The hinged connection  130  is configured such that the display  90  rotates about an axis of the hinged connection  130  so that the display  90  may be rotated to any desired angle within an approximate one-hundred eighty degree (180°) range of rotation. The hinged connection  130  is preferably provided with a stop tension mechanism so as to maintain the display  90  at a desired angle with respect to the case  80 . When the display  90  abuts the case  80 , the computer  20  is in a closed position. When the display  90  is at an approximately forty-five degree (45°) angle or more, to the case  80 , the computer  20  is in an open position. The hinged connection  130  further provides a means of electrical communication between the electrical components the case  80  and the display  90 . Also disposed on a top surface of the case  80  is an alphanumeric computer keyboard  100 , which is in electrical communication with input/output registers of the data storage and processing components  120  of the computer  20 . The computer  20  is preferably provided with other commonly used and expected features such as a power switch, a rechargeable battery unit, and the like (see  FIG. 4 ). 
     The computer  20  deviates from the conventional configuration disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,552,991 by having a flip panel  60  attached to a top surface of the case  80  by a matched pair of first pivot links  66  and second pivot links  68  attached at a first end to the case  80  and at a second end to a plurality of hinged connections around the periphery of the flip panel  60 . The pivot links  66 ,  68  are composed of a molded thermoplastic material having cylindrical pivot pins  62  disposed within apertures (not specifically shown) at each end thereof. Other materials, such as metal, or composites, may also be utilized without narrowing the scope of the computer  20 . The pivot links  66 ,  68  are secured to the case  80  within link recesses  64  molded into the case  80 . The link recesses  64  are configured to be grooves in the case  80  into which the pivot links  66 ,  68  may be rotationally folded when the flip panel  60  is in a closed position operationally placed superjacent to the musical keyboard  30 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The touch pad  50  is disposed upon the flip panel  60 . The music keyboard  30  is disposed within the lower enclosure portion  40  of the case  80  beneath the flip panel  60  and enables electrical communication between the touch pad  50  and the data storage and processing components  120  of the computer  20 . When the flip panel  60  is in a closed position, the touch pad  50  is positioned in front of the computer keyboard  100  in a conventional manner as described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,552,991. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an isolated sectional view along line A-A as seen in  FIG. 1  of the lower enclosure  40 , in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. Disposed on opposing side edges of the lower enclosure  40  of the case  80 , near the flip panel  60  are mirrored latches  70  configured to include a vertical shaft  74 , a hook  76 , and a knob  78 . Engagement of the hooks  76  and the protruding tabs  72  molded into the flip panel  60  act to secure the flip panel  60  in a closed position. Each latch  70  is configured to be composed of the same constituent material as the remainder of the case  80  having the vertical shaft  74  capable of plastic deformation so as to respond as a spring to the application of a lateral force to the knob  78 . Such a lateral force to the knob  78  motions each hook  76  away from each tab  72 , thereby releasing the flip panel  60  for subsequent pivotal movement away from the casing  80 . However, other latches  70  may be utilized without deviating from the teachings of the invention. 
     When the flip panel  60  is in an elevated/open position, access is granted to the lower enclosure  40  whereby the music keyboard  30  is exposed for use. The touch pad  50  is still in operational use when the flip panel  60  is open by virtue of a continued connection to, at minimum, the power source of the computer  20 . Additional circuitry within the flip panel  60  may permit a wireless communication conduit with the data storage and processing components  120  of the computer  20  so as to permit the touchpad  50  to be fully operational. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an electro-mechanical schematic of the computer  20 , in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The case  80  houses the data storage and processing components  120 . The data storage and processing components  120  comprise the necessary electrical and mechanical components, such as a hard drive, a central processor, electrical circuitry, a ROM system, input/output registers, and other components that are commonly used and well known in the art for storing and processing binary information and operation of a computer  20 . The interconnection and configuration of the data storage and processing components  120  for the conventional use of a computer  20  are described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,144. Preferably, the case  80  is provided with peripherals  110 , such as a DVD slot drive, USB port, HDMI connection, BLUETOOTH® connectivity, Ethernet connectivity, Wi-Fi connectivity, a headphone, speakers, and microphone jacks, which are also common in the art and the operable configurations of which are described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704. Each peripheral  110  is in electrical communication with the data storage and processing components  120  to enable command and control of each added feature  110  through the use of the computer keyboard  100 , touch pad  50 , and music keyboard  30 . 
     The display  90  is hingedly affixed to the case  80 , and houses an image display unit and display control registers, which receive processed data from the data storage and processing components  120  and illustrate the data as a coalesced image(s). The image display unit and display control registers may be configured as a CTR screen, LCD screen, OLED screen, or plasma screen, which are commonly used in the art and are described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,144. The communicative connection of the display  90  to the data storage and processing components  120  are performed in a conventional manner as is commonly done in the art and are also described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,144. 
     The computer keyboard  100  is a conventional QWERTY-type keyboard having a plurality of keys in connection with the input/output registers as described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,144. The plurality of keys are disposed on an electrical contact board that is secured within the case  80  such that the keys are exposed to, and face upward from, a top surface of the case  80 . As each key is depressed, electrical signals are transferred from the electrical contact board to the input/output registers of the data storage and processing components  120 . The computer keyboard  100  preferably has a QWERTY key arrangement; however, other key arrangements may be utilized without deviating from the teachings of the invention. 
     The touch pad  50  is a conventional touch pad  50  having a tactile sensor and configured to transfer positions and motions of a finger or stylus making contact with the touch pad  50  to the display  90  as described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704. The touch pad  50  is positioned to face upward from the flip panel  60  (see  FIG. 1 ) and is in further electrical connection with the input/output registers of the data storage and processing components  120 . In addition, the touch pad  50  is preferably equipped with clickable features, along with dedicated left-click and right-click mouse buttons, as described and disclosed in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2013/0106704. 
     The music keyboard  30  is in electrical communication with input/output registers of the data storage and processing components  120  of the computer  20 . The music keyboard  30 , as stated previously, comprises twenty five (25) musical keys  160  hingedly affixed to an electrical contact board (not shown), where each musical key  160  corresponds to a specific note of a conventional piano key set. In a preferred embodiment, the center musical key  160  corresponds to a “middle C” tonal vibration of two hundred sixty one point six Hertz (261.6 Hz). It is understood that other musical scales, having alternate intonations, may be utilized without limiting the scope of the computer  20 . The electrical contact board is in electrical communication with the data storage and data processing components  120  via a music keyboard interface  170 . This music keyboard interface is provided with a plurality of input/output registers that are configured to communicate to the data storage and processing components  120  when a musical key  160  is being depressed or allowed to be released. Preferably, the computer  20  operates with the use of application software, which translates actuations of the musical keys  160  into digitized representations of musical notes. In an alternate embodiment, the computer  20  is further configured to receive hardware, or software, to enable creating sounds of other musical instruments such as, but not limited to, organs, percussion instruments, guitars, or a selection of harmonious intonations intended to replicate a human chorus. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the computer  20 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The method of utilizing the computer  20  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring a model of the computer  20 ; installing application software compatible with the operating system of the computer  20  to translate actuations of the piano keys  160  into digitized representations of musical notes; ensuring that the flip panel  60  is in a closed position; employing the computer  20  in a conventional manner by using the computer keyboard  100 , touch pad  50 , and display  90 ; using the touch pad  50  and computer keyboard  100  to initiate the application software; using the latch  70  to unlatch the flip panel  60 ; rotating/pivoting the pivot links  66 ,  68  to move the flip panel  60  to an open position, thereby exposing the music keyboard  30  for use; actuating the piano keys  160  to generate musical sounds in accordance with the application software; allowing the data storage and processing components  120  to generate and store musical sound in accordance with the application software; employing the computer keyboard  100  and touch pad  50 , as needed, to modify, compile, and edit the music for multimedia applications and music composition; placing the flip panel  60  in a closed position and securing it with the latch  70 ; and, employing the computer keyboard  100  and touch pad  50  to further modify, compile, and edit the music for multimedia applications and music composition, if desired. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.