Abstract:
A power supply apparatus with image scanning function is provided. The power supply apparatus is installed to a portable electronic device to supply power and scan documents, and it is also able to be handheld independently to scan documents. The power supply apparatus includes a battery pack and a scanning module. The battery pack supplies power to an electronic device electrically connected thereto and supplies power to the scanning module. The scanning module scans an object to be scanned and converts image into image data. Thus, the portable electronic device obtains the image data of the object to be scanned.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 094146225 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Dec. 23, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a power supply apparatus, and more particularly to a power supply apparatus integrated with a scanning module. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    Along with the popularization of portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones, PDAs, and laptop computers, not only the processing and application of electronic data but also the life style and working mode of people have been greatly changed. With these portable electronic devices capable of processing data anytime and anywhere and the mature wireless communication networks, the era of mobile commerce comes. As for the mode of mobile commerce, laptop computers can store a large quantity of information, process and execute various types of information, and can be used with a projector to give presentation. Therefore, the laptop computers have become necessary tools for businessmen. For example, during meetings of most enterprises, participants often take laptop computers with them to input or share information anytime, and thus almost all information exchange is electrical. However, paper documents are still required in many occasions, and the most convenient way to convert the paper documents to electronic information is to scan the documents with a scanner. Currently, scanners are classified into desktop scanners and handheld scanners. When a scanner is used to scan paper documents, the scanner must be connected to a power source and connected to a laptop computer with a transmission line. However, it is inconvenient to the mobile commerce for businessmen. Moreover, though the handheld scanner is smaller than the desktop scanner in size and is convenient to carry, an additional device must be carried, which is an additional burden to mobile commerce dealers. 
         [0006]    In order to solve this problem, Taiwan Patent Publication No. 356259, Taiwan Patent Publication No. 547694, and Taiwan Patent Publication No. 587744 provide laptop computers having a scanning apparatus. For example, a flatbed scanner disclosed in Patent No. 356259 is added with a flat panel display, a keyboard, and a computer host, so that the flatbed scanner and a laptop computer are integrated as whole. However, Patent No. 356259 uses the flatbed scanner as a main architecture, which results in a heavy weight and large volume in practice. Thus, it is difficult to implement this concept. A handheld scanner disclosed in Patent No. 547694 is assembled on a laptop computer. Accordingly, the laptop computer must have a corresponding mechanical design such as an accommodation slot matching the handheld computer (the corresponding accommodation slot is opened in the monitor as disclosed in Patent No. 547694) and a corresponding electronic design such as a power supply loop for providing power required by the handheld scanner and a signal loop for signal transmission. Currently, laptop computers are quite mature electronic devices, while Patent No. 547694 must change the original design of laptop computers substantially, which definitely incurs the increase of cost and may not be adopted by laptop computer designers and manufacturers. In addition, the design of the laptop computer with a scanning function of Patent No. 587744 also changes the original design of laptop computer substantially (including the mechanical and electronic parts), so it is still difficult to implement this design. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    To a mobile commerce dealer, there is a demand for a laptop computer having scanning function. However, in the related art disclosed in the aforementioned patents, the volume and weight are increased, or the original design of the mechanical and electronic parts of the laptop computer is changed. Thus, those patents are difficult to be implemented in practice. Therefore, the present invention provides a power supply apparatus having scanning function that can be integrated with a laptop computer. 
         [0008]    The power supply apparatus of the present invention is installed into a portable electronic device for supplying power and scanning images. The power supply apparatus includes a battery pack, a power connector, a signal connector, a scanning module, and a transmission assembly. The power supply device is installed into a battery slot of the portable electronic device to supply power and to scan, wherein a power connector and a signal connector of the power supply device are electrically connected to a power connection port and a communication port of the portable electronic device respectively. The scanning module is provided for scanning an object to be scanned and converting an image of the object into image data, and the scanning module is connected to the signal connector, so as to be electrically connected to the portable electronic device via the communication port. The battery pack is electrically connected to the power connector, so as to be electrically connected to the power connection device and supplies power to the portable electronic device, the scanning module, and the transmission assembly. A moving path for the object to be scanned to pass through is defined between the power supply apparatus and an inner side of the battery slot of the portable electronic device. The transmission assembly drives the object to be scanned moving along the moving path and passing through the scanning module, so as to perform scanning. And the scanning module converts the image of the object to be scanned to image data and transmits the image data to the portable electronic device. 
         [0009]    The power supply apparatus of the present invention can be used as a handheld scanner independently, or can be installed into a portable electronic device to enable the portable electronic device to perform the scanning. When the power supply apparatus of the present invention is actually applied in the portable electronic device, the mechanical or electronic design of the portable electronic device will not be changed substantially, and the volume and weight of the portable electronic device will not be increased. Thus, the power supply apparatus of the present invention is an optimal design to meet the scanning requirements of portable electronic devices. 
         [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 present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the first embodiment of the present invention applied in a portable electronic device; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the first embodiment of the present invention applied in a portable electronic device; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are sectional view s of the operations of the first embodiment of the present invention applied in a portable electronic device; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the third embodiment of the present invention in use; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention in use. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The power supply apparatus for image scanning of the present invention refers to a secondary battery that can be installed into a portable electronic device to supply power. The portable electronic device is an electronic device that is convenient to carry and capable of processing information, such as a laptop computer or a tablet personal computer. In the detailed description of the present invention below, a laptop computer is taken as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a power supply apparatus  10  of a first embodiment of the present invention includes a battery pack  11 , a scanning module  12 , a transmission assembly  13 , a power connector  14 , and a signal connector  15 . The battery pack  11  is a NiMH battery or a lithium-ion battery, which is composed of one or more battery cells  111 , and the amount of power provided the battery pack  11  is determined by the number of the battery cells  111 . 
         [0023]    The scanning module  12  includes a light source  121 , an image sensor  122 , and a signal processor  123 . The light source  121  projects light onto an object to be scanned  30  (as shown in  FIG. 5A ). The image sensor  122  is a charge coupled device (CCD) or a contact image sensor (CIS), and the light reflected by the object to be scanned  30  enters the image sensor  122 . The light entering the image sensor  122  is converted into an electric signal. The signal processor  123  converts the analog electric signals of the image sensor  122  into digital signals, so as to generate digital image data. The signal processor  123  and the signal connector  15  are electrically connected. 
         [0024]    The transmission assembly  13  includes a motor  131 , a gear set  132 , and a pickup roller  133 . The motor is electrically connected to and powered by the battery pack  11 . The gear set  132  is engaged with the motor  131  and the pickup roller  133 . The motor  131  is powered to rotate and drives the gear set  132  to rotate the pickup roller  133 . 
         [0025]    The battery pack  11  is electrically connected to a power connector  14 , the scanning module  12 , and the transmission assembly  13  respectively, such that the power of the battery pack  11  is transmitted to the power connector  14 , the scanning module  12 , and the transmission assembly  13 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the power supply apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention is installed into a portable electronic device  20 , so as to provide the power required by the portable electronic device  20 . The portable electronic device includes at least one battery slot  21 . At least has a power connection port  22  and a communication port  23  are disposed on a inner side of the battery slot  21 , and a plurality of wheels  24  is disposed at the junction of the inner side. Moreover, a guide plate  25  is disposed at the bottom end, and combination ribs  26  and movable buckles  27  are disposed on the sidewalls at both sides of the battery slot  21 . The volume of the power supply apparatus  10  is appreciably less than the volume of the battery slot  21 , such that the power supply apparatus  10  is installed in the battery slot  21 . Combination slots  161  and buckle openings  162  are arranged at both sides of the power supply apparatus  10 , and the power connector  14 , the signal connector  15 , the light source  121 , and the image sensor  122  are disposed on the same side of the power supply apparatus  10 . A part of the pickup roller  133  is exposed at an appropriate position on a top surface of the power supply apparatus  10 . The power supply apparatus  10  slides into the combination ribs  26  along the combination slots  161 , such that the buckles  27  extend into the buckle openings  162 . Thus, the power supply apparatus  10  is installed and fixed to the portable electronic device  20 , and will not be easily detached from the portable electronic device  20 . Meanwhile, the power connector  14  and the signal connector  15  of power supply apparatus  10  are electrically connected to the power connection port  22  and the communication port  23  of the portable electronic device  20  respectively. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the power supply apparatus  10  is installed into the battery slot  21  of the portable electronic device  20 . A gap d is arranged between the power supply apparatus  10  and the inner side of the battery slot  21 , such that a moving path  28  is defined between the power supply apparatus  10  and the inner side of the battery slot  21 . Foot supports  29  are disposed on the bottom of the portable electronic device  20  to support the portable electronic device  20 , such that a height difference is formed between the portable electronic device  20  and the plane where the portable electronic device  20  is placed. Thus, the object to be scanned  30  can be moved out easily. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , when a scanning demand from the portable electronic device  20  is received, the light source  121  of the scanning module  12  is turned on, the motor  131  of the transmission assembly  13  starts to rotate and drives the gear set  132  to rotate the pickup roller  133 . When the object  30  to be scanned which is sheet-like (e.g., a paper sheet) is placed into the moving path  28 , the pickup roller  133  drives the object to be scanned  30  to move along the moving path  28 . The wheels  24  in the battery slot  21  also guide the object  30  to be scanned, such that the object  30  to be scanned moves forward smoothly. When the object  30  to be scanned passes through the image sensor  122 , the image sensor  122  scans the object  30  to be scanned. Then the object  30  to be scanned is guided by the guide plate  25  to move towards the rear end of the portable electronic device. When the scanning is complete, the signal processor  123  sends captured image data to the portable electronic device  20  via the signal connector  15  and the communication port  23  for storage or editing. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention. A switch  17  is disposed among the battery pack  11 , the scanning module  12 , the transmission assembly  13 , and the power connector  14 . The switch  17  is a multi-directional switching switch. The switch  17  permits the battery pack  11  to transmit power to the power connector  14 , the scanning module  12 , and the transmission assembly  13  at the same time, or switches off the power supplied to the scanning module  12  and the transmission assembly  13 , or transmits the power from the portable electronic device  20  to the battery pack  11 , the scanning module  12 , and the transmission assembly  13 . After the power supply apparatus  10  is installed into the portable electronic device  10 , if no scanning is required, the loop of the scanning module  12  and the transmission assembly  13  is cut off to avoid the consumption of power of the battery pack  11 . Or, if the portable electronic device  20  is connected to can external power source (not shown) via a transformer (not shown), the power from the portable electronic device  20  charges the battery pack  11 , or supplies the power required by the scanning module  12  and the transmission assembly  13 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention. An internal memory  181  and an external slot  182  are electrically connected to the signal processor  123  of the scanning module  12 . The signal processor  123  transmits the image data after being scanned to the portable electronic device  20  via the signal connector  15  and the communication port  23  for storage and editing, or the image data is directly stored into the internal memory  181  or into an external memory  40  connected to the external slot  182 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the power supply apparatus of the third embodiment of the present invention stores the image data into the internal memory  181  or the external memory  40 . When the power supply apparatus  10  is detached from the portable electronic device  20 , the battery pack  11  supplies power required by the scanning module  12 , and the image data are directly stored in the internal memory  181  or the external memory  40 . Thus the power supply apparatus  10  functions as a handheld scanning apparatus for scanning the object  30  to be scanned in a handheld operating manner. 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the power supply apparatus  10  of a fourth embodiment of the present invention has more battery cells  111  in the battery  11 . Thus, the volume of the power supply apparatus  10  is increased, and the increased portion forms a protruding portion  19 . A rubber pad  191  is disposed on two sides of the protruding portion  19  respectively. When the rubber pads  191  are combined with the power supply apparatus  10  having the protruding portion  19 , the protruding portion  19  supports the portable electronic device  20  to a certain height, so that a gap d′ is formed between two rubber pads  191 , permitting the object  30  to be scanned to pass through. Thus, the foot supports are not required in the portable electronic device  20  combined with the power supply apparatus  10  having the protruding portion  19 . 
         [0033]    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.