Portable computer

Claim 1

A portable computer constructed to be con tained within an outer case for transport and to be erectable to a viewing and operating configuration 85 for use, said computer comprising a base, a display housing, a top cover, a rear cover, and hinge means for permitting swinging movement of the display housing about an axis of rotation adjacent the rear end of the display housing and from a closed and latched position of the display housing on the base to an erected position for viewing by an operator. 2. A computer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hinge means are located in a mid portion of the base and wherein the hinge means permit swinging movement of the display housing to an erected position in which the inner surface of the display housing is held in an upward and rearwardly inclined angle for viewing by an operator in front of the computer. 3. Acomputeras claimed in claim 1 or2 105 including stop pin means for holding the display housing atthe desired angle for viewing. 4. A computer as claimed in claim 1, 2, or3 including torsion spring means for biasing the display housing upward from the latched position 110 and effective to prevent slamming of the display housing onto the base as the display housing is moved toward the closed and latched position. 5. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hinge means include hinge ears which 115 are attached to the base and trunnions on the display housing. 6. A computer as claimed in claim 5 including bearing means engageable with the hinge ears and 56 thetrunnions. 7. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim including cable guide means operatively associated with the hinge means for guiding a cable associated with the display of the display housing through the center of the hinge means to protect the cable against snagging and unnecessary flexure during the required swinging movement of the display housing on the base. 8. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim including a keyboard in the portion of the base which 130 is exposed by the movement of the display housing to the erected position. 9. A computer as claimed in claim 8 including a keyboard frame cover for enclosing the keyboard area with the exception of the keys. 10. A computer as claimed in claim 9 including ledge and snap means for permitting the keyboard frame cover to be snapped into and out of the base. 11. Acomputerasclaimed in claim 9or 10 wherein the keyboard frame cover includes a trough which provides clearance for swinging movement of the inner end of the display housing while covering the related portion of the base in a way to prevent entry of foreign objects, such as pencils and paper clips. 12. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the display housing includes a display and display frame cover. 13. A computer as claimed in claim 12 wherein the display frame cover includes ledge and snap means for permitting the display frame cover to be snapped into and out of the display housing. 14. A computer as claimed in claim 13 wherein the hinge means include stop pin means for holding the display housing at the desired angle in the erected position and wherein the display frame cover includes openings coacting with the stop pin means for retaining the display frame cover in place and for preventing inadvertent removal of the dis- play frame cover. 15. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim including latch means for latching the display housing to the base in the closed condition of the computer. 16. A computer as claimed in claim 15 wherein the latch means include a fixed latch piece mounted on the base and a sliding latch piece mounted on the display housing. 17. A computer as claimed in claim 16 wherein the latch means are recessed within the display housing and the base to minimize the chance of inadvertent and unwanted unlatching of the display housing. 18. Acomputeras claimed in claim 16 or 17 wherein each latch piece has an inclined surface engageable with the inclined surface of the other latch piece and wherein the inclinations of the inclined surfaces provide a taper and wedging action which compensates for parts tolerances to prevent looseness between these two latch pieces and to prevent resultant rattling of the display housing with respect to the base in the latched, closed position. 19. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim including leg means rotatable from a retracted position against the base of the computer in the closed position of the computer to an extended position in the erected and operating configuration of the computer. 20. A computer as claimed in claim 19 wherein the leg means include a nose which fits within a related opening in the base in the extended position. 22. A computer as claimed in claim 21 wherein the nose and the opening in the base have coacting, inclined surfaces which allow for part tolerances so as to ensure that the nose is pulled up by the spring R 1-, 1 11 GB 2 128 783 A 11 means to positivel engage the nose within the opening in the base. 23. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim including fastener means for causing the rear 5 cover to lock the top cover to the base. 24. A computer as claimed in claim 23 wherein the rear cover mounts a serial connector means, a general purpose interface bus connector means, a telephone connection means for a telephone line and a handset connection means for a handset or acoustic coupler. 25. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the display housing includes an electroluminescent display. 26. A computer as claimed in claim 25 including 80 a display interface board mounted in the display housing underneath the display. 27. A computer as claimed in claim 26 including cable means connected to the display interface board and cable conduit means for conducting the cable means through a central part of the hinge means and into the base. 28. A computer as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base is metal and including logic board means in the base and power supply board means mounted in the base to use the metal base as a heat sink for dissipating the heat produced by the major heat producing components of the electrical circuitry located in the base. 29. A computer as claimed in claim 28 wherein the logic board means include integrated circuit means mounted on the side of the board facing the inner surface of the base and wherein the integrated circuit means are spaced from the inner surface of the base by an air gap sufficiently small to cause a highly efficient transfer of heat by radiation and conduction from each individual component of the integrated circuit means to the metal base through the air gap. 30. A computer as claimed in claim 29 where the 105 air gap is substantially 0.010 inch (0.25 mm). 31. A computer as claimed in claim 28,29 or 30 wherein the power supply board means include power supply components mounted on the under side of the power supply board, a metal bracket, and a leaf spring engaging the metal base and wherein the power supply components transferthe heat to the metal base through the metal bracket and the leaf spring. 32. A computer as claimed in claim 31 including a thermally conducting compound between the lower end of the leaf spring and the metal base for maximizing the transfer of heat. 33. A computer as claimed in any of claims 28 to 32 wherein the metal base is a magnesium alloy. 34. A portable computer constructed to provide an outer metal container which physically encapsulates and protects the working components of the computer in a closed, portable configuration of the computer and which serves as a heat sink for transferring waste heat from the heat producing electrical components to the ambient atmosphere in the open, operating configuration of the computer, said computer comprising, a metal base, a display assembly mounted on the base, integrated circuit components and power supply components in the base for providing the signal input and the electrical power input to the display and mounting means mounting the integrated circuit components and the power supply components in the base to transfer waste heat from said components to the metal base for dissipation to the outside surroundings of the computer. 35. A computer of the kind which provides both program execution and a graphic display of data stored in memory, said computer comprising, a main read/write memory for storing data, central processing unit (CPU) means which require accesses to the main memory for data and program storage and execution, display means for visually displaying data stored in the main memory and which require non- interruptable and periodic accesses to the main memory for display and refresh control, and arbitration means for interleaving the display means and CPU means dual accesses to main memory to provide the required non-interruptable accesses and periodic refresh of the display means without degrading performance of the CPU means. 36. A computer for providing moderately high speed data transfers through an input/output interface without the expense and extensive use of discrete logic of a normal direct memory access facility, said computer comprising, a sixteen bit microprocessor, a GPIB interface, and logic means operatively associated with the microprocessor and the GPIB interface to use an instruction in the microprocessor in combination with a capability of the GPIB interface to provide fast data transfer into and out of the GPIB interface without the use of extensive logic. 37. A computer as claimed in claim 36 including a keyboard microcomputer controller operatively associated with the microprocessor and logic means. 38. A computer which supports two different kinds of serial communications in a single connector, said computer comprising, a compact nineteen pin connector, and a serial communications interface and control logic means operatively associated with the pin arrangement of the connectorto support both a high speed balanced serial link and a low speed unbalanced serial link with versatile clock switching depending upon the mode to which the control logic means are switched. 39. A computer which permits the parallel transfer of data and control to a modem for faster transfer than serial transfer, said computer comprising, a central processing unit (CPU) a modulator-demodulator (modem) for connec- tion to a switched telephone network and forming an integral pat of the computer, and parallel interface logic means operatively associated with the modem and the CPU for permitting the parallel transfer of data and control between the CPU and the modem. 12 GB 2 128 783 A 12 40. A computer of the kind which can be connected to a telephone line for both voice and data communications, said computer comprising, a modulator-demodulator (modem) for connec- tion to a switched telephone network, and a single connector for connecting an audio circuit to the modem to use either a standard handset for voice communications or a passive speaker and microphone as an acoustic coupler for data communications. 41. A computer of the kind having a machine readable serial number which may need to be altered by the manufacturer during the operating life of the computer, but which should not be readily altered by the user, said computer comprising, an electrically alterable read only memory (EAROM) for storing the machine readable serial number, a central processing unit (CPU) operatively associ- ated with the EAROM for reading the serial number from the EAROM, and connector means for connecting an external store signal and a CPU write signal to the EAROM in combination to alter the machine readable serial number stored in the EAROM electrically and without having to physically remove and replace the memory containing the serial number. 42. A portable computer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accom- panying drawings. Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, by Croydon Printing Company limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1984. Published byThe Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained. A t