The demand in FSI FIIO: 2011103839/005307 from 10.04.2012 Docking station for tablets

The essence of the given invention is in installing a hard disc of stored data, a DVD or Blu-ray optical disc drive, a USB hub, a Card Reader, a Wi-Fi router, a network card and a fax-modem into the docking station of the tablet with already included keyboard and a battery charger. In addition, it is possible to install an acoustic processor with a 5+1 or 7+1 output for a “Home theater with surround sound”.

Nowadays there are several kinds of tablets which come with a keyboard and a battery charger as a docking station, for example, Acer Iconia 500. You can find more detailed information at www.acer.com.
The disadvantage of the existing devices is in their disability to eliminate the main problems of all tablets: absence of a disc drive, insufficient amount of memory to store the data, insufficient number of slots that are necessary for connecting peripheral devices.

The technical purpose of the invention is to partially compensate mentioned disadvantages by placing in the docking station the following elements that are missing in the tablets:

1. a DVD or Blu-ray disc drive;
2. a hard disc for data storage;
3. a USB hub with several USB slots;
4. a network card for Internet connection by a “twisted pair”;
5. a Wi-Fi router;
6. a fax-modem;
7. a Card Reader;
8. It is also possible to install expansion ports such as eSATA, outputs HDMI, VGI, S-video and others.

Thi main technical achievement of the invention is a possibility to save and store the system pattern on the hard disc of the docking station for a fast and convenient restoration of both the operation system and the user’s files.
A optical disc drive will allow recording the files from discs on the tablet and, mainly, installing the system from optical discs that nowadays are known to be the basic carriers of installation distribution of the OS (operation system).
Because of the small size of the tablets there is a lack of outputs necessary for connecting peripheral devices. This disadvantage can be partially compensated by placing enough slots and outputs in the docking station.

If there is an Internet line on the premises, then, by placing a network card and a Wi-Fi router in the docking station it will be possible to turn this docking station into a spot of a wireless Internet access.
The fax-modem will allow working fully with fax messages which are still used today.
The Card Reader will simplify the file exchange between different devices. The expansion ports and multimedia devices can turn the tabletand the docking station into a multimedia center which can replace many devices of large dimensions.

To achieve our aim we create and install a program on the tablet; the purpose of the program is to synchronize the data between the tablet and the storage device located in the docking station. In the settings of this program there will be a possibility of choosing either the option of scheduling tasks or completing them upon accessing the tablet (combining the tablet and the docking station), and also set a synchronization route:

1. Time of creating files (the new files are the priority);
2. The priority of tablet files;
3. The priority of docking station files.

This way the necessary files will not be lost or damaged. With the help of this program it will be possible to automatically restore the system according to its pattern previously recorded on the hard disc of the docking station. It can be useful after hackers’ attacks in the Internet, viruses or after damaging some blocks of memory of the tablet. The storage disc in the docking station will be used to keep the data of large sizes, such as multimedia files that due to the tablet’s mall size cannot be kept in the tablet’s memory blocks. The hard disc itself, Winchester, can be of any type: with any memory size, with any working purpose – HDD or SSD. Everything depends on the user’s preferences and abilities.

To those who intend to keep confidential information in the tablet and is not able to protect the access to the data from strangers in the places where the docking station is located, for instance, an office, should be given an opportunity to not overpay for an unnecessary option and let them obtain the docking station without a storage disc and without data synchronization.
Placing a disc drive in the docking station will let the user not only record digital files on and from the discs but also easily install the operation systems on the device. The necessity to work with all the types of emulators of disc drive, recording the systems’ patterns on USB Flash drives and later decompress them into the memory of the device, as well as difficulties installing several OSs on one device - all these bring to naught the convenience of using a tablet.

The combination of the tablet and the docking station together become one well-equipped laptop with a high capacity hard disc – Winchester.

The USB hub – the splitter of the USB slots for connecting to the USB port installed into the docking station will allow connecting many peripheral devices to the tablet, such as external data discs, sound cards, video capture cards, communicators, printers, scanners, photo and video cameras and so on.

To access the Internet through an existing line and the ability to combine the tablet and other devices with the help of Wi-Fi connection, it is necessary to insert the network card and the Wi-Fi router into the docking station.
The fax-modem located in the docking station will not be costly and can be useful when working with a phone line as a phone and a fax. The Card Reader will be used to provide an exchange of data between various devices that do not have Wi-Fi, USB port or a program of synchronization with a PC.
The expansion ports, for example eSATA, together with multimedia devices such as sound and video card, video capture card and so on will expand the possibilities of the tablet and the docking station.

The mentioned combination of the functions of the invented docking station will allow using fully the potential of the tablet, it will reduce the risk of losing data, simplify the data exchange between devices and installation of operating systems.

The Formula of the invention

The docking station with the keyboard and a battery charger for the tablet with an installed hard disc, a DVD or Blu-ray disc drive, a Card Reader, a Wi-Fi router, a network card.

Summary

To install OS from the disc onto the tablet it is required to have a PC with a disc drive and a USB flash drive and an emulator program. Moreover, the user, if he wants to proceed with it, must have a lot of experience in working with a PC. The tablets need external disc drives for recording files on discs.
It will be possible to turn the tablet into a great PC by placing other elements in the docking station, excluding a keyboard and a battery charger. The tablet will remain a perfect navigator a powerful processor of which allows using any navigation programs with greater resolution and maximum detailing.

The problem of losing important files and system restoration can be solved by installing an information storage disc into the docking station. When the tablet is on charge, the synchronized files will be recorded in the direction pointed out in the settings of the synchronization program. This way there will be no danger of losing important files or of the tablet’s malfunctioning.
The USB hub with several slots will make it possible to keep various external devices plugged in in order to work with all of them conveniently.
The network card and the Wi-Fi router will create a spot of connection of any device to the Internet; the device has to support the protocol of wireless exchange of the data of a communicator, a TV, a tablet and so on.

The fax-modem will make the tablet a fax or a wireless home phone connected to the base(the docking station)in accordance with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth protocol.
The eSATA port will allow using the compatible peripheral equipment, such as sound cards, video capture cards and so on, in combination with the whole tandem.

The multimedia devices such as sound cards, video inputs and outputs will let us project the images on the projectors or big TV panels. If we provide the storage disc with a digital processor, then audio and video inputs, upon connecting a video camera or a microphone, will add a function of a video recorder to the docking station.
The number of the compatible devices will grow making the tandem more universal, which will increase the amount of buyers.

The users who spend a lot of time in their offices or working at home will start buying the docking stations. They will not need to use different computers.

This device is for the users who use the tablet in the car as a navigator, in the office – as a working tool, at home – as an Internet access provider and a multimedia center.

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