Instrument-activated sub-surface computer buttons and system and method incorporating same

Abstract

The present technique provides an example computing system, including a tablet computing device including a display screen, and a keyboard including mounting bar that is rotatably coupled to the keyboard. The tablet computing device is releasably mountable to the mounting bar, and when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar, the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing system, comprising
 a tablet computing device including a display screen;   a keyboard including mounting bar that is rotatably coupled to the keyboard;   wherein the tablet computing device is releasably mountable to the mounting bar; and   wherein when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar, the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard.   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is touch sensitive. 
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a digital pointing device;
 wherein the tablet computing device includes a digitizer panel disposed beneath the display screen; and   wherein the digital pointing device is interactable with the digitizer panel to receive user input.   
     
     
         4 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the keyboard includes a first latch member protruding outwardly from the mounting bar; wherein the first latch member is received within a first receptacle in the tablet computing device when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar. 
     
     
         5 . The computing system of  claim 4 , wherein the keyboard further includes a second latch member protruding outwardly from the mounting bar and spaced from the first latch member; wherein the second latch member is received within a second receptacle in the tablet computing device when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar. 
     
     
         6 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard through a wireless signal. 
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard through a wired connection. 
     
     
         8 . The computing system of  claim 7 , wherein the tablet computing device further includes a communications port; wherein the mounting bar further includes a communications connector; and wherein when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar, the communications connector is engaged with the communications port to transmit communication signals between the tablet computing device and the keyboard. 
     
     
         9 . A computing system, comprising
 a tablet computing device including:
 a display screen for displaying images thereon; and 
 a first receptacle; 
   a keyboard including a first latch member;   wherein first latch member is receivable within the first receptacle to releasably mount the tablet computing device to the keyboard;   wherein the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard when the tablet computing device is mounted to the keyboard; and   wherein the tablet computing device is operable by a user both when it is mounted to the keyboard and when it is not mounted to the keyboard.   
     
     
         10 . The computing system of  claim 9 , wherein the tablet computing device further includes a digitizer panel disposed under the display screen, and wherein the digitizer panel is interactable with a digital pointing device to receive user input. 
     
     
         11 . The computing system of  claim 10 , wherein the keyboard includes a mounting bar rotatably mounted thereto;
 wherein the first latch member protrudes outwardly from the mounting bar; and   wherein the tablet computing device and the mounting bar are rotatable together relative to the keyboard when the first latch member is received within the first receptacle.   
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the tablet computing device includes a second receptacle spaced from the first receptacle;
 wherein the keyboard further includes a second latch member protruding outward from the mounting bar and spaced from the first latch member;   wherein second latch member is receivable within the second receptacle when the first latch member is receivable within the first receptacle to releasably mount the tablet computing device to the keyboard;   
     
     
         13 . The computing system of  claim 9 , wherein the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard through a wireless signal. 
     
     
         14 . The computing system of  claim 9 , wherein the tablet computing device is communicative with the keyboard through a wired connection. 
     
     
         15 . The computing system of  claim 14 , wherein the tablet computing device further includes a communications port; wherein the keyboard further includes a communications connector; and wherein when the tablet computing device is mounted to the keyboard, the communications connector is engaged with the communications port to transmit communication signals between the tablet computing device and the keyboard. 
     
     
         16 . A computing system, comprising:
 a tablet computing device including:
 a display screen; and 
 a communications port; 
   a keyboard including:
 a user input section comprising one or more keys; 
 a mounting bar that is rotatable about an axis of rotation; 
 a communications connector coupled to the mounting bar; 
   wherein the tablet computing device is releasably mountable to the mounting bar; and   wherein when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar, the communications connector is received within the communications port to transmit communication signals between the tablet computing device and the keyboard.   
     
     
         17 . The computing system of  claim 16 , wherein the tablet computing device further includes a digitizer panel disposed under the display screen, and wherein the digitizer panel is interactable with a digital pointing device to receive user input. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar, the tablet computing device is rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the keyboard. 
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 16 , wherein when the tablet computing device is mounted to the mounting bar, the table computing device is rotatable about the axis of rotation relative to the keyboard to a first position, where a bottom side of the tablet computing device, that is opposite the display screen, is adjacent to the user input section of the keyboard. 
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 19 , wherein the mounting bar includes a plurality of latch members protruding outwardly therefrom; and
 wherein the tablet computing device includes a plurality of receptacles that each receive one of the latch members when the tablet computing device is releasably mounted to the mounting bar.