System and method for cartridge-based, geometry-variant scalable electronic systems
First Claim
1. A compact electronic system comprising:
- a receptacle for routing signals, said receptacle having a plurality of side-receiving portions in different planes from one another and a centrally located data transport unit; and
a plurality of resource cartridges for performing electronic functions, each resource cartridge removably insertable into one of side receiving portions of said receptacle;
said data transport unit having a receiving port for each of said plurality of cartridges for electronically connecting to said inserted resource cartridge to provide lateral transport channels thereto, and said data transport unit providing communication pathways from at least one receiving port to at least one other receiving port.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scalable electronic system is disclosed, comprised of multiple modular electronics clusters. Each modular electronics cluster comprises a receptacle for routing signals, and multiple resource cartridges for performing electronic functions. The resource cartridges are capable of being aligned in close proximity to the receptacle for communicating signals to and from the receptacle. In addition, the resource cartridges aligned with the receptacle are also capable of communicating with each other. The resource cartridges can be aligned or removed from alignment with the receptacle, without the need for additional electrical connection hardware. The receptacle includes at least one vertical transport channel for communicating with other modular electronics clusters. Each modular electronics cluster is capable of being aligned with other modular electronics clusters for communicating signals between the resource cartridges of the aligned modular electronics clusters through the vertical transport channels of the modular electronics clusters. Modular electronics clusters can be aligned or removed from alignment with other modular electronics clusters without the need for additional electrical connection hardware.
132 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A compact electronic system comprising:
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a receptacle for routing signals, said receptacle having a plurality of side-receiving portions in different planes from one another and a centrally located data transport unit; and
a plurality of resource cartridges for performing electronic functions, each resource cartridge removably insertable into one of side receiving portions of said receptacle;
said data transport unit having a receiving port for each of said plurality of cartridges for electronically connecting to said inserted resource cartridge to provide lateral transport channels thereto, and said data transport unit providing communication pathways from at least one receiving port to at least one other receiving port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A scalable electronic system comprised of a plurality of modular electronics clusters, each modular electronics cluster comprising:
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a receptacle for routing signals, the receptacle including one or more transport channels; and
a plurality of resource cartridges for performing electronic functions, each resource cartridge removably connectable to the receptacle for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the receptacle by physically positioning the resource cartridges adjacent to the receptacle;
wherein each modular electronics cluster is connectable to other modular electronics clusters to enable communication therebetween, by aligning one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster; and
the receptacle comprises a data transport unit having a plurality of lateral transport channels for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges physically positioned adjacent to the data transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
wherein each modular electronics cluster is connectable to other modular electronics clusters by stacking the modular electronics clusters and aligning the vertical transport channels on the modular electronics clusters.
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10. A scalable electronic system as recited in claim 7, the receptacle comprising a chassis having openings for receiving the resource cartridges.
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11. A scalable electronic system comprised of a plurality of modular electronics clusters, each modular electronics cluster comprising:
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a chassis for routing signals, the chassis including one or more transport channels; and
a plurality of resource cartridges for performing electronic functions, each resource cartridge removably connectable to the chassis for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the chassis by physically positioning the resource cartridges adjacent to the chassis;
wherein each modular electronics cluster is connectable to other modular electronics clusters to enable communication therebetween, by connecting one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster; and
wherein the chassis comprises a data transport unit having a plurality of lateral transport channels for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges physically positioned adjacent to the data transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (12)
wherein when a plurality of modular electronics clusters are connected, the homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol forms an integrated network for enabling communication between resource cartridges within the same chassis or in different chassis.
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13. A scalable electronic system comprised of a plurality of modular electronics clusters, each modular electronics cluster comprising:
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a chassis;
a plurality of resource cartridges receivable by the chassis for performing electronic functions, each resource cartridge removably connectable to the chassis for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the chassis by physically positioning the resource cartridges adjacent to the chassis; and
a data transport unit receivable by the chassis for routing signals, the data transport unit removably connectable to the chassis for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the chassis and the data transport unit by physically positioning the data transport unit adjacent to the chassis, and including one or more transport channels;
wherein each modular electronics cluster is connectable to other modular electronics clusters to enable communication therebetween, by aligning one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
wherein each modular electronics cluster is connectable to other modular electronics clusters by stacking the modular electronics clusters and aligning the vertical transport channels on each modular electronics cluster.
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16. A scalable electronic system comprised of a plurality of modular resource cartridges, each modular resource cartridge comprising:
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a plurality of resources for performing electronic functions;
one or more transport channels connected to the plurality of resources for enabling communication between other modular resource cartridges; and
homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol hardware for enabling communication between the plurality of resources within the modular resource cartridge and between other modular resource cartridges;
wherein each modular resource cartridge is connectable to other modular resource cartridges to enable communication therebetween, by aligning one or more transport channels on each modular resource cartridge;
the one or more transport channels comprising vertical transport channels;
wherein each modular resource cartridge is connectable to other modular resource cartridges by stacking the modular resource cartridges and aligning the vertical transport channels on the modular resource cartridges;
each modular resource cartridge further including one or more lateral transport channels connected to the plurality of resources for enabling communication between other modular resource cartridges;
wherein each modular resource cartridge is connectable to other modular resource cartridges by laterally arranging the modular resource cartridges and aligning the lateral transport channels on the modular resource cartridges;
further including a base module for supporting one or more stacks of resource cartridges, the base module including one or more vertical transport channels and a homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol for enabling communication between modular resource cartridges through the base module;
wherein each stack of modular resource cartridges is connectable to the base module by supporting the stack of modular resource cartridges on the base module and aligning one or more vertical transport channels on the stack of modular resource cartridges and the base module;
the base module including one or more vertical extensions having one or more lateral transport channels;
wherein a plurality of stacks of modular resource cartridges are connectable by laterally arranging the plurality of stacks of modular resource cartridges, and aligning the lateral transport channels on the plurality of stacks of modular resource cartridges and the lateral transport channels on the vertical extensions.
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17. A method for producing scalable electronic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a plurality of modular electronics clusters, the step of forming each modular electronics cluster comprising the steps of housing resources for performing electronic functions in a plurality of resource cartridges, and physically positioning the plurality of resource cartridges adjacent to a receptacle for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the receptacle, the plurality of resource cartridges removably connectable to the receptacle, each receptacle including one or more transport channels;
connecting the plurality of modular electronics clusters to enable communication therebetween, by aligning one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster; and
forming a data transport unit within said receptacle, said data transport unit having a plurality of lateral transport channels for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges physically positioned adjacent to the data transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
the step of propagating signals to or from the receptacles of other modular electronics clusters comprising propagating signals through vertical transport channels; and
the step of aligning one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster comprising stacking the modular electronics clusters and aligning the vertical transport channels on the modular electronics clusters.
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20. A method for producing scalable electronic systems as recited in claim 17, the step of physically positioning the plurality of resource cartridges adjacent to a receptacle comprising inserting the plurality of resource cartridges into one or more openings in the receptacle.
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21. A method for producing scalable electronic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a plurality of modular electronics clusters, the step of forming each modular electronics cluster comprising the steps of housing resources for performing electronic functions in a plurality of resource cartridges, and physically positioning the plurality of resource cartridges adjacent to a chassis for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the chassis, the plurality of resource cartridges removably connectable to the chassis, each chassis including one or more transport channels; and
connecting the plurality of modular electronics clusters to enable communication therebetween, by connecting one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster; and
forming a data transport unit within said chassis, said data transport unit having a plurality of lateral transport channels for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges physically positioned adjacent to the data transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (22)
wherein when a plurality of modular electronics clusters are connected, the homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol forms an integrated network for enabling communication between resource cartridges within the same chassis or in different chassis.
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23. A method for producing scalable electronic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a plurality of modular electronics clusters, the step of forming each modular electronics cluster comprising the steps of housing resources for performing electronic functions in at least one resource cartridge, and housing hardware for propagating signals in a data transport unit, and physically positioning the plurality of resource cartridges and the data transport unit adjacent to a receptacle for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges through the receptacle and the data transport unit, the plurality of resource cartridges and data transport unit removably connectable to the receptacle, each data transport unit including one or more transport channels;
connecting the plurality of modular electronics clusters to enable communication therebetween, by aligning one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster; and
providing said data transport unit with lateral transport channels for enabling communication between the plurality of resource cartridges physically positioned adjacent to the data transport unit. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
the step of propagating signals to or from other modular electronics clusters comprising propagating signals through vertical transport channels; and
the step of aligning one or more transport channels on each modular electronics cluster comprising stacking the modular electronics clusters and aligning the vertical transport channels on each modular electronics cluster.
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26. A method for producing scalable electronic systems, the method comprising the steps of:
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forming a plurality of modular resource cartridges, the step of forming each modular resource cartridge comprising the steps of housing a plurality of resources for performing electronic functions in each modular resource cartridge, each modular resource cartridge including one or more transport channels, and housing a homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol for enabling communication between the plurality of resources within the modular resource cartridge and between other modular resource cartridges; and
connecting a first plurality of modular resource cartridges to enable communication therebetween, by aligning one or more transport channels on each modular resource cartridge;
further including the step of communicating between modular resource cartridges by propagating signals generated by the homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol through vertical transport channels; and
the step of aligning one or more transport channels on each modular resource cartridge comprising stacking the modular resource cartridges and aligning the vertical transport channels on each modular electronics cluster;
the step of forming each modular resource cartridge further including the step of connecting the plurality of resources to one or more lateral transport channels for enabling communication between other modular resource cartridges, the method further including the step of;
connecting a second plurality of modular resource cartridges by laterally arranging the second plurality of resource cartridges and aligning the lateral transport channels on the modular resource cartridges;
supporting one or more stacks of modular resource cartridges on a base module, the base module including one or more vertical transport channels and the homogeneous topology heterogeneous (variant) protocol for enabling communication between modular resource cartridges through the base module; and
connecting each stack of modular resource cartridges to the base module by aligning one or more vertical transport channels on the stack of modular resource cartridges and the base module;
laterally supporting and providing connectivity for a plurality of stacks of modular resource cartridges on the base module using one or more vertical extensions from the base module having a plurality of lateral transport channels; and
connecting the plurality of vertical stacks of modular resource cartridges by laterally arranging the plurality of stacks of modular resource cartridges, and aligning the lateral transport channels on the plurality of stacks of modular resource cartridges and the lateral transport channels on the vertical extensions.
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Specification