METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SMART CONTACT ARRAYS

• US 20140065847A1
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: i-Blades Inc
• Original Assignee: Sagalio, Inc.
• Inventors: Salmon, Peter C., Meissner, Paul, Fernandes, Jorge, Panagrossi, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 9,576,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/39
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00206 the keyless data carrier being hand operated
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/25 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32245 the item being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48106 the connector being orthogonal to a side surface of the semiconductor or solid-state body, e.g. parallel layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49513 having bonding material between chip and die pad
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49541 Geometry of the lead-frame
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/32 of an individual layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/86 Parallel contacts arranged about a common axis
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/26 for engaging or disengaging the two parts of a coupling device structural association with two-part coupling device H01R13/629
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 : wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 : User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A device includes a device body having an attachment face defined by an attachment area and a contact array disposed in the device body and exposed at a coupling face. The contact array comprises one or more magnets disposed on the coupling face and a plurality of terminals disposed on the coupling face. A periphery of the one or more magnets and the plurality of terminals defines a coupling area. The attachment area is greater than and independent of the coupling area.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a device body having an attachment face defined by an attachment area; and

a contact array disposed in the device body and exposed at a coupling face, wherein the contact array comprises;

one or more magnets disposed on the coupling face; and

a plurality of terminals disposed on the coupling face,

wherein a periphery of the one or more magnets and the plurality of terminals defines a coupling area and wherein the attachment area is greater than and independent of the coupling area.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the contact array is characterized by a bisector;

the one or more magnets comprises at least a pair of magnets, each magnet of the at least one pair of magnets being positioned an equal distance from the bisector; and

the plurality of terminals are arrayed in pairs, each terminal of each pair being positioned an equal distance from the bisector.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein multiple terminals are disposed proximally to each of the at least one pair of magnets.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein a north pole of a first magnet of the at least one pair of magnets and a south pole of a second magnet of the at least one pair of magnets are on opposing sides of the bisector.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the at least one pair of magnets comprises a plurality of pairs of magnets, the contact array is further characterized by a second bisector orthogonal to the bisector, a first pair of the plurality of pairs of magnets comprises a north pole and a second pair of the plurality of pairs of magnets comprises a south pole, the north pole and the south pole being positioned on a same side of the bisector and an equal distance from the second bisector.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein the at least one pair of magnets comprises a plurality of pairs of magnets, the contact array is further characterized by a second bisector orthogonal to the bisector, a first pair of the plurality of pairs of magnets comprises a north pole and a second pair of the plurality of pairs of magnets comprises a north pole, the north poles being positioned on a same side of the bisector and an equal distance from the second bisector.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the contact array is characterized by a first bisector and a second bisector orthogonal to the first bisector, both the first bisector and the second bisector passing through a center point;

the one or more magnets comprises a plurality of pairs of magnets, each magnet of the plurality of pairs of magnets having reflective symmetry with respect to at least one of the first bisector or the second bisector and opposing polarity, each magnet being arrayed a fixed radius from the center point; and

the plurality of terminals are arrayed in pairs, each terminal of each pair being positioned an equal distance from at least one of the first bisector or the second bisector.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a microcontroller chip.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the contact array is coupled to a lead frame having a die attach region and individual leads, wherein the microcontroller chip is attached to the die attach region, each terminal of the plurality of terminals is attached to a corresponding individual lead, and a bond wire or interconnection element connects each of the corresponding leads to an input/output pad of the microcontroller.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a magnetic field containment device surrounding the one or more magnets.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the one or more magnets is operable to serve as an electrical terminal.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a second coupling face opposing the coupling face and wherein:

the one or more magnets extend through the device body and are further disposed on the second coupling face; and

the plurality of terminals extend through the device body and are further disposed on the second coupling face.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the device body has a backside face and a second contact array is disposed in the device body and exposed at a second coupling face, wherein the second contact array comprises one or more additional magnets disposed on the second coupling face and a plurality of second terminals disposed on the second coupling face.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a blade coupled to the device body, the blade comprising:

a touch/display screen disposed on a first surface; and

a second contact array disposed on a second surface opposing the first surface.

15. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more mechanical features protruding from the coupling face.

16. A system of coupled devices comprising:

a first device comprising a first microcontroller and a first interface element disposed in a first coupling face having a first attachment area; and

a second device comprising a second microcontroller and a second interface element disposed in a second coupling face having a second attachment area;

wherein each of the first interface element and the second interface element comprise;

one or more magnets disposed on the respective coupling face; and

a plurality of terminals disposed on the respective coupling face;

wherein a periphery of the one or more magnets and the plurality of terminals of each device defines a coupling area and wherein the first attachment area and the second attachment area are greater than and independent of the coupling area.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a substrate characterized by a horizontal bisector and a vertical bisector;

two pairs of opposing polarity magnets coupled to the substrate, each pair being disposed on opposing sides of the horizontal bisector and equidistant from the horizontal bisector, wherein each magnet of each pair is equidistant from the vertical bisector and magnets on a same side of the vertical bisector have opposing polarity;

a plurality of terminals coupled to the substrate, each terminal having a matching terminal equidistant from the vertical bisector.

18. A method for connecting electronic devices, the method comprising:

providing a first device having a first contact array comprising a coupling force element and a plurality of terminals, the first device having a geometry independent of the first contact array;

providing a second device having a second contact array comprising a second coupling force element and a second plurality of terminals, wherein the second contact array is matched to the first contact array;

positioning the first and second devices with the first and second contact arrays in proximate alignment;

coupling the first and second devices together for operational use as a combined system; and

uncoupling the first and second devices when the operations of the combined system have been completed.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein coupling the first and second devices together comprises using a snap-on action and uncoupling the first and second devices comprises using a snap-off action.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein uncoupling the first and second devices comprises:

holding the first device between thumb and fingers of a first hand;

gripping the second device between thumb and fingers of the second hand; and

manipulating the second device with respect to the first device until the devices are uncoupled.