Patent Publication Number: US-2012042113-A1

Title: Mobile computing appliance for hosting a portable, bootable medium

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/373,203, filed Aug. 12, 2010, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to information technology and, more particularly, to a portable appliance without an operating system that hosts a portable, bootable medium, such as a universal serial bus (USB) flash, spinning drive or compact disk, having an operating system image, and without having to configure the basic input/output system (BIOS) settings. 
     Currently, a user is required to use a portable, bootable medium, such as a USB flash, spinning drive, or compact disk, with a personal computer (PC) or Mac machine desktop or laptop computer. This is often bulky equipment for mobile users to carry. PC&#39;s and Macs also include overhead components, such as hard drives with an Windows® or other operating system, that are not needed to host a portable, bootable medium such as a USB flash, spinning drive, or compact disk having an operating system image stored thereupon. 
     Additionally, because of the number of BIOS manufacturers, all the possible BIOS configurations cannot be addressed, making the necessary BIOS setting changes complicated for booting from the USB, or other medium. Moreover, the user would have to have access to the BIOS settings. If the BIOS is password protected, the user must know the password or have access to someone who does. 
     Accessing the BIOS is normally accomplished by a number of key strokes, independent to each manufacturer. When a user does not have permission to access the BIOS settings on the machine needed to boot portable bootable medium such as a USB flash, spinning drive, or compact disk, such as at an internet café, hotel, or library), the user will be unable to use the portable bootable medium. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a portable appliance that may host a portable bootable medium, such as a USB flash drive, spinning drive or compact disk having an operating system stored thereupon. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a computing appliance comprises a shell encasing an internal processor operatively connected to an input/output chipset; and a plurality of universal serial bus (USB), and other ports provided in the shell, the ports operatively connected to the input/output chipset, wherein the computing appliance lacks an internal hard drive, and operating system, and lacks connectivity to the same; and the internal processor interfaces with an operating system provided by a user on a portable, bootable data storage medium. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portable, bootable medium hub appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the portable, bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of the portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a mobile portable bootable medium hub appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of the mobile portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of the mobile portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the mobile portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a portable bootable medium hub appliance according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of the portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a rear view of the portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the portable bootable medium hub appliance of  FIG. 9  with its flip-top in an open position; and 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic block diagram of the portable bootable medium hub appliance according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a portable appliance that may host a portable, bootable data storage medium, such as a USB flash, spinning device, or compact disk having an operating system image saved thereupon. The appliance may not have a hard drive or any other overhead that is typically found on a PC, Mac or tablet PC. The appliance may include the minimum components needed to host the portable, bootable medium, such as a USB flash, spinning drive, or compact disk with a Windows® or other operating system. The appliance may provide a user with the ability to boot any portable bootable medium, such as a USB flash, spinning drive, or compact disk eliminating security concerns caused by giving users access to the BIOS configurations or system hard drive. The appliance may include a power supply, an optional external Wi-Fi antenna port, audio input and output ports, an internal processor, an optional internal battery, an optional touchscreen, and the like. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , a computing appliance  10  may include a shell  12  having a plurality of interface ports formed therein. The interface ports may include a plurality of USB ports  14 , an Ethernet 10/100 port  18 , a smart card/PCMCIA reader  22 , a 15-pin analog video output  24 , an HDMI video output  26 , a power supply/recharge port  29 , an external Wi-Fi antenna port  30 , an audio input port  31  and an audio output port  32 . While the Figures show these interface ports in certain locations on the shell  12  of the appliance  10 , the locations of the interface ports may be disposed in different positions. For example, the USB ports  14  may be disposed not only on one side of the appliance  10 , but on multiple sides of the appliance. 
     A touch screen  28  may be disposed on one surface of the shell  12 . The touch screen  28  may be used to provide a method for data entry or may be used to provide menu driven options for using the portable, bootable medium. For example, a user may use the touch screen  28  as a touch keyboard and/or a monitor. In other embodiments, an external keyboard and/or an external monitor (not shown) may be connected to the appliance  10  various the designated interface ports. 
     An optional CD/DVD drive  16  may be disposed in the shell  12 . The drive  16  may be used to run portable, bootable medium or may be used for inputting data or for writing and saving data. 
     An internal processor  34  may be disposed inside the shell  12 . The internal processor  34  may be a central processing unit (CPU), typically a dual core or higher CPU. An internal input/output chipset  33  may be disposed in the shell  12 . The chipset  33  may be used to drive and support connectivity to the different input/output devices that may be plugged into the appliance  10 . The chipset  33  and the processor  34  may be used, along with internal memory (not shown), such as random access memory (RAM), typically at least 4 gigabytes RAM, to permit the appliance  10  to function as a computing device when connected to a portable, bootable medium, such as a USB flash, spinning drive, or compact disk. An internal battery  35  may be disposed inside the shell  12 . The internal battery  35  may be charged via the power supply/recharge port  29 . The internal battery  35  may power the appliance  10  when it is not connected to an appropriate power supply. A power button (not shown) may be disposed to allow a user to turn on and off the appliance  10 . 
     The USB ports  14  may be used to support various USB devices, such as a USB mouse, USB monitor, USB keyboard, external USB storage device, or the portable, bootable USB flash or spinning drive, and the like. 
     As discussed above, the appliance  10  may not include overhead components, such as a hard drive, or operating system. The appliance  10  may be a portable device carried by a user and used for portable computing, and accessing portable, bootable mediums. In some embodiments, the appliance  10  may be used in an internet café, hotel, library, or the like. In these cases, the appliance  10  may be secured to a work area and may be connected to a monitor, mouse and keyboard, for example. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 through 8 , in an alternate embodiment, the appliance  10  may be the same as that shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , except that a touchscreen  28  may not be provided. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9 through 13 , the appliance  10  may be the same as that shown in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , except that a flip-top  36  may be attached, via hinges  38 , to the shell  12 . The flip-top  36  may open to provide a video screen (shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 13 ) similar to a conventional laptop computer. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.