ELECTRONIC MODULE, CONTROL MODULE, AND ELECTRONIC MODULE SET

• US 20120218211A1
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Octo23 Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: B-Squared Electrics, LLC
• Inventors: McRae, Jordan Jerome, Frayne, Shawn Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,873,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/402 the two or more transmitting or the two or more receiving devices being integrated in the same unit, e.g. power mats with several coils or antennas with several sub-antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/70 involving the reduction of electric, magnetic or electromagnetic leakage fields
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

One variation of the invention is a electronic module comprising: a housing with external faces and electrically-conductive first, second, and third toes, each of which extends from one face to an adjacent face; first, second, and third magnetic elements arranged within the housing and proximal the first, second, and third toes, respectively; and a circuit arranged within the housing and electrically coupled to the toes. The circuit is operable between: a first mode when the first and second toes are in contact with a first terminal and a second terminal of a second electronic module, respectively; and a second mode when the second and the third toes are in contact with the second terminal and a third terminal of the second electronic module. The magnetic elements are configured to transiently retain the second electronic module against the housing, in both stacked and adjacent configurations, in the first and second modes.

Claims

1. An electronic module comprising:

a housing comprising a plurality of external faces, a first electrically-conductive toe, and a second electrically-conductive toe, each toe extending from a face to an adjacent face;

a first magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the first toe;

a second magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the second toe; and

a circuit arranged within the housing and electrically coupled to the first and second toes;

the magnetic elements configured to transiently retain a second electronic module against the housing in both stacked and adjacent configurations;

the first toe configured to communicate a portion of a power signal between the circuit and the second electronic module in either of the stacked and adjacent configurations; and

the magnetic elements configured to repel contact between at least one toe and at least one terminal of the second electronic module in an upside-down configuration.

2. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the magnetic elements are further configured to transiently retain the second electronic module against the housing in an out-of-plane configuration, and wherein the first toe is further configured to communicate a power signal between the circuit and the second electronic module in the out-of-plane configuration.

3. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the first toe is further configured to substantially simultaneously communicate a DC power signal and a digital signal between the circuit and the second electronic module.

4. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the first toe extends to a third adjacent face and defines a corner of the housing.

5. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein one face of the housing defines a removable cover configured to provide access to a portion of the circuit.

6. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the faces of the housing comprise substantially electrically non-conductive material.

7. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the first toe and the first magnetic element are physically coextensive.

8. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to contain a power source comprising a photovoltaic cell.

9. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to contain a power source comprising a battery including a first and second terminal, wherein the first terminal of the battery is coupled to the first toe and the second terminal of the battery is coupled to the second toe.

10. The electronic module of claim 9, wherein the first and second magnetic elements and the first and second toes cooperate to charge the battery in the presence of an alternating electromagnetic field proximal the housing.

11. The electronic module of claim 1, further comprising a third electrically-conductive toe and a third magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the third toe, wherein the circuit is electrically coupled to the third toe.

12. The electronic module of claim 11, wherein the circuit is operable between a first mode when the first toe is in contact with a first terminal of a second electronic module and the second toe is in contact with a second terminal of the second electronic module, and a second mode when the second toe is in contact with the second terminal of the second electronic module and the third toe is in contact with a third terminal of the second electronic module.

13. The electronic module of claim 12, wherein circuit is configured to communicate a first voltage potential across the first and second toes in the first mode and to communicate a second voltage potential, different than the first voltage potential, across the second and third toes in the second mode.

14. The electronic module of claim 12, wherein the circuit comprises a first portion including a first LED configured to light in a first color in the first mode, and wherein the circuit comprises a second portion including a second LED configured to light in a second color in the second mode.

15. The electronic module of claim 1, further comprising a data port coupled to the circuit and accessible through a face.

16. A control module for an electronic module, the control module comprising:

a housing comprising a plurality of external faces, a first electrically-conductive toe, and a second electrically-conductive toe, each toe extending from a face to an adjacent face;

a first magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the first toe;

a second magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the second toe; and

a processor electrically coupled to the first toe and second toes;

the magnetic elements configured to transiently retain a second electronic module against the housing in both stacked and adjacent configurations;

the first toe configured to communicate a portion of a power signal between the processor and the second electronic module in either of the stacked and adjacent configurations;

the second toe configured to communicate a portion of an input signal from the second electronic module to the processor in either of the stacked and adjacent configurations; and

the magnetic elements configured to repel contact between at least one toe and at least one terminal of the second electronic module in an upside-down configuration.

17. The electronic module of claim 16, wherein the magnetic elements are further configured to transiently retain the second electronic module against the housing in an out-of-plane configuration, and wherein the first toe is further configured to communicate a power signal between the processor and the second electronic module in the out-of-plane configuration.

18. The electronic module of claim 16, further comprising a third electrically-conductive toe and a third magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the third toe, wherein the processor is electrically coupled to the third toe and the third toe is configured to communicate an output signal from the processor to the second electronic module in either of the stacked and adjacent configurations.

19. The control module of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to simultaneously communicate with the electronic module via the first and second toes and to communicate with a second electronic module via the second and third toes.

20. The control module of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to simultaneously communicate with the electronic module via the first and second toes and to communicate with a second electronic module through the electronic module.

21. The control module of claim 16, further comprising a wireless module arranged within the housing and configured to wirelessly communicate data between the processor and the electronic module.

22. The control module of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to substantially simultaneously receive a DC power signal and a digital input signal over the first and second toes.

23. The control module of claim 22, further comprising a filter coupled to the processor and configured to isolate the digital input signal from the DC power signal.

24. The control module of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate communications with the electronic module substantially soon after the first toe contacts a first terminal of the electronic module and the second toe contacts a second terminal of the electronic module.

25. The control module of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to operate in any of a master mode, a slave mode, or a peer mode during communication with the electronic module.

26. The control module of claim 16, further comprising a data port coupled to the processor and accessible through a face to program the processor.

27. An electronic module set comprising:

a plurality of electronic modules, including a first electronic module and a second electronic module, each electronic module comprising;

a housing comprising a plurality of external faces, a first electrically-conductive toe, and a second electrically-conductive toe, each toe extending from a face to an adjacent face;

a first magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the first toe; and

a second magnetic element arranged within the housing and proximal the second toe;

the first electronic module further configured to accept a power source, the first toe thereof electrically coupled to a first terminal of the power source and the second toe thereof electrically coupled to a second terminal of the power source;

the second electronic module further comprising a circuit electrically coupled to the first and second toes thereof, the first and second toes thereof configured to communicate power between the circuit and the first electronic module when at least two toes of the second electronic module are in contact with at least two toes of the first electronic module;

the magnetic elements configured to transiently retain the first electronic module against the second electronic module in both stacked and adjacent configurations; and

the magnetic elements configured to repel contact between at least one toe of the first electronic module and at least one toe of the second electronic module in an upside-down configuration.

28. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein a face of the first electronic module defines a top, wherein a face of the second electronic module defines a bottom, wherein the magnetic elements of the first electronic module are configured to transiently retain, in the stacked configuration, the top of the first electronic module against the bottom of the second electronic module with the first toes in contact and with the second toes in contact.

29. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein a face of the first electronic module defines a top, wherein a face of the second electronic module defines a top, wherein the magnetic elements of the first electronic module are configured to transiently retain, in the adjacent configuration, the top of the first electronic module substantially in plane with the top of the second electronic module with the first toes in contact and with the second toes in contact.

30. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein a face of the first electronic module defines a top, wherein a face of the second electronic module defines a top, wherein the magnetic elements of the first electronic module are configured to transiently retain, in an out-of-plane configuration, the top of the first electronic module substantially out of plane with the top of the second electronic module with the first toes in contact and with the second toes in contact.

31. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises a processor coupled to the circuit and configured to receive an input signal through at least one toe thereof.

32. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises a wireless communication module coupled to the circuit, configured to receive broadcast data, and configured to transmit a form of the broadcast data through at least one toe thereof.

33. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises a sensor coupled to the circuit and configured to transmit an output, through at least one toe thereof, given a particular event proximal the housing.

34. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises a solderless plugboard coupled to the circuit, configured to accept a discreet electronic component, and configured to provide power to the discreet electronic component.

35. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises a digital display.

36. The electronic module set of claim 35, wherein the digital display comprises a touch screen, wherein the second electronic module is configured to transmit a touch on the touch screen through at least one toe thereof.

37. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises an interface for a peripheral electronic device, the interface comprising a support structure and a data port for the peripheral electronic device.

38. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises a data storage module.

39. The electronic module set of claim 27, wherein the second electronic module further comprises an electromechanical actuator coupled to the circuit and selected from the group consisting of:

a motor, a linear actuator, a solenoid, a solenoid valve, a pump, a fan, and a speaker.