Lapdesk with Retractable Touchpad

Abstract

A lapdesk for use with a laptop computer includes a housing having a top configured to support the laptop computer. The housing is configured to block heat emitted from the laptop computer from passing through the housing. The lapdesk further includes a tray having a touchpad disposed thereon. The tray is configured to slide into the housing and slide out from the housing. The lapdesk further includes a circuit coupled to the touchpad where the circuit is configured to transmit control signals from the touchpad to the laptop computer.

1 . A lapdesk for use with a laptop computer comprising:
 a housing having a top configured to support a laptop computer and the housing being configured to block heat emitted from the laptop computer from passing through the housing;   a tray having a touchpad disposed thereon, wherein the tray is configured to slide into the housing and slide out from the housing; and   a circuit coupled to the touchpad, wherein the circuit is configured to transmit control signals from the touchpad to the laptop computer.   
     
     
         2 . The lapdesk of  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad includes a set of control buttons. 
     
     
         3 . The lapdesk of  claim 2 , wherein the set of control buttons includes a power switch configured to change a power state of the laptop computer. 
     
     
         4 . The lapdesk of  claim 3 , wherein the power state is a sleep state, an on state, or a power off state. 
     
     
         5 . The lapdesk of  claim 2 , wherein the set of control buttons includes a set of volume control buttons. 
     
     
         6 . The lapdesk of  claim 2 , wherein the set of control buttons includes a set of media control buttons. 
     
     
         7 . The lapdesk of  claim 2 , wherein the set of control buttons includes a send button configured to initiate the sending of an electronic communication by the laptop computer. 
     
     
         8 . The lapdesk of  claim 7 , wherein the send button is configured to operate with the circuit to send image information for an image drawn on the touchpad in the electronic communication. 
     
     
         9 . The lapdesk of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic communication is an email. 
     
     
         10 . The lapdesk of  claim 2 , wherein the tray includes a set of backlights disposed under the set of control buttons and the set of backlights is configured to backlight the set of control buttons. 
     
     
         11 . The lapdesk of  claim 2 , wherein the set of backlights is configured to be turned on and off by an application running on the laptop computer. 
     
     
         12 . The lapdesk of  claim 1 , wherein the touchpad is resistive touchpad. 
     
     
         13 . The lapdesk of  claim 1 , wherein the tray is detachable from the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The lapdesk of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit includes a transmitter, which is configured to wirelessly communicate with the laptop computer. 
     
     
         15 . The lapdesk of  claim 1 , wherein in the circuit is coupled to a wired connector, which is configured to couple to the laptop computer for transferring control signal between the circuit and the laptop computer. 
     
     
         16 . A lapdesk for a laptop computer comprising:
 a housing having a top configured to support a laptop computer and the housing being configured to block heat emitted from the laptop computer from passing through the housing;   a tray having a touchpad disposed thereon, wherein the tray is configured to slide into the housing and slide out from the housing;   a circuit coupled to the touchpad, wherein the circuit is configured to transmit control signals from the touchpad to the laptop computer; and   a paper detector coupled to the tray and to the circuit, wherein the paper detector is configured to detect a piece of paper placed on the tray and operate with the circuit to send a control signal to the laptop computer to perform a drawing operation.   
     
     
         17 . The lapdesk of  claim 16 , herein the drawing operation includes starting a draw program on the laptop computer. 
     
     
         18 . The lapdesk of  claim 16 , herein the drawing operation includes launching a blank pallet on a draw program on the laptop computer. 
     
     
         19 . The lapdesk of  claim 16 , the paper detector is configured to detect the removal of a piece of paper from the touchpad and operate with the circuit to send a control signal to the laptop computer to save a drawing drawn on the paper and detected by the touchpad.