EXPANSION SYSTEM FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20090154116A1
• Filed: 10/22/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Psion PLC (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Psion Teklogix (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: SAYAVONG, RAJMY
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1417 having securing means for mounting boards, plates or wiring boards H05K7/1461 takes precedence

Abstract

An expansion system for portable electronic devices is provided. A portable electronic device includes: a main logic board; an expansion device for expanding functionality of the portable electronic device; a flexible interconnection for logically connecting the expansion device to the main logic board; and a package for enclosing the main logic board and the expansion device together. The main logic board is mechanically isolated from the expansion device. The expansion device is physically spaced from the main logic board when enclosed in the package. An intrinsic expansion for a portable electronic device includes: an expansion board for expanding functionality of the portable electronic device, an expansion interface for logically connecting the expansion board to a main logic board of the portable electronic device, and a flexible interconnection for interconnecting the expansion board and the expansion interface. The expansion device is mounted in the portable electric device so as to be physically spaced from the main logic board when assembled.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a main logic board;

an expansion device for expanding functionality of the portable electronic device;

a flexible interconnection for logically connecting the expansion device to the main logic board, the main logic board being mechanically isolated from the expansion device; and

a package for enclosing the main logic board and the expansion device in the portable electronic device together, the expansion device being physically spaced from the main logic board when enclosed in the package.

2. A portable electronic device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an expansion interface mounted on the main logic board for logical communications between the main logic board and the expansion device, the expansion device being interconnected to the expansion interface through the interconnection.

3. A portable electronic device as defined in claim 2, wherein the expansion interface comprises:

a connector with standard communications protocol.

4. A portable electronic device as defined in claim 1, wherein the package comprises:

a front cover, a back cover, and a seal for joining the front cover and the back cover.

5. A portable electronic device as defined in claim 4, wherein the seal comprises:

a rubber gasket.

6. A portable electronic device as defined in claim 4, wherein the expansion device is mounted on the inside of one of the front cover and the back cover.

7. A portable electronic device as defined in claim 6, further comprising:

a mounting interface for mounting the expansion device on the package.

8. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a system power for the portable electronic device is directly provided to the expansion device through the flexible interconnection.

9. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is mounted on the main logic board.

10. A portable electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the FPGA provides at least one of:

buffering and multiplexing Compact Flash (CF) signals to a main CPU of the portable electronic device;

direct address allocation of Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) for synchronous serial data link to the CPU of the portable electronic device;

multiplexing interface for multi-imaging devices;

identification ID, to allow enable/disabling of signals and power; and

I2C connectivity.

11. An intrinsic expansion for a portable electronic device, comprising:

an expansion board for expanding functionality of the portable electronic device;

an expansion interface for logically connecting the expansion board to a main logic board of the portable electronic device; and

a flexible interconnection for interconnecting the expansion board and the expansion interface,

the expansion device being mounted in the portable electric device so as to be physically spaced from the main logic board when assembled.

12. An intrinsic expansion as defined in claim 11, wherein the expansion interface comprises:

a connector with standard communications protocol.

13. An intrinsic expansion as defined in claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a shell for enclosing electronics having the main logic board with the expansion interface, the expansion board and the interconnection.

14. An intrinsic expansion as defined in claim 13, wherein the shell comprises:

a front cover, a back cover, and a seal for joining the front cover and the back cover, and wherein the seal comprises a rubber gasket.

15. An intrinsic expansion as defined in claim 13, wherein the shell comprises:

a front cover and a back cover,

and wherein the expansion device is mounted on the inside of one of the front cover and the back cover.

16. An intrinsic expansion as claimed in claim 11, wherein a system power for the portable electronic device is directly provided to the expansion board through the flexible interconnection.

17. An intrinsic expansion as claimed in claim 11, wherein the expansion interface includes at least one of:

interface to a FPGA on the main logic board;

interface to a USB hub in the portable electronic device; and

interface to direct battery power.