Reconfigurable modular computing device

• US 8,751,710 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Doug Fowler
• Original Assignee: Entegra Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Fowler, Douglas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): TSENG, CHENG YUAN
• Application Number:
  US13/794,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20130301202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/72
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• 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: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4027 using bus bridges G06F13/4022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4221 being an input/output bus, e.g. ISA bus, EISA bus, PCI bus, SCSI bus
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/04 Mounting of components , e.g. of leadless components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/32 electrically connecting electric components or wires to printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base

Abstract

A configurable computing device comprising a housing, a printed circuit board disposed within the housing, a first microcontroller and a second microcontroller each coupled to the PCB, wherein the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller are in electrical signal communication with each other, a computer-on-module (COM) coupled to the PCB, wherein the COM is in electrical signal communication with the first microcontroller and the second microcontroller, and one or more peripheral modules coupled to the PCB, wherein, the peripheral modules are each in electrical signal communication with the first microcontroller and wherein, the peripheral modules are each in electrical signal communication with the COM via the second microcontroller.

Claims

1. A computing device configuring method comprising the steps of:

providing a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a first microcontroller and a second reconfigurable microcontroller, wherein the first microcontroller and the second reconfigurable microcontroller are in electrical signal communication with each other;

installing a computer-on-module (COM) to the PCB, wherein the COM is electrically coupled to the PCB;

interrogating the COM, thereby determining a COM profile, wherein the COM profile comprises at least one of a device configuration parameter or a device setting;

installing one or more peripheral modules to the PCB, wherein the peripherals are each electrically coupled to the PCB;

interrogating the peripheral modules, thereby determining a peripheral module profile, wherein the peripheral module profile comprises at least one of a device configuration parameter or a device setting;

reconfiguring the second reconfigurable microcontroller, wherein, the second reconfigurable microcontroller is reconfigured dependent on the COM profile and the peripheral module profile and provides one or more electrical signal flow paths between the COM and the peripheral modules; and

communicating an electrical signal between the COM and the peripheral modules via the second reconfigurable microcontroller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein interrogating the COM is performed by the first microcontroller.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein interrogating the one or more peripheral modules is performed by the first microcontroller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

removing the COM from the PCB;

installing a second COM to the PCB;

interrogating the second COM;

reconfiguring the second reconfigurable microcontroller, wherein the second reconfigurable microcontroller provides one or more electrical signal flow path between the second COM and the one or more peripheral modules; and

communicating an electrical signal between the second COM and the one or more peripheral modules via the second reconfigurable microcontroller.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

reconfiguring the peripheral modules coupled to the PCB;

interrogating the reconfigured peripheral modules;

installing the second reconfigurable microcontroller, wherein the second reconfigurable microcontroller provides one or more electrical signal flow path between the COM and the peripheral modules; and

communicating an electrical signal between the COM and the peripheral modules via the second reconfigurable microcontroller.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a docking station comprising one or more dock microcontrollers in electrical signal communication with one or more dock peripheral modules, wherein the peripheral modules are in electrical signal communication with the dock microcontrollers;

interrogating the docking station;

reconfiguring the second reconfigurable microcontroller, wherein the second reconfigurable microcontroller provides one or more electrical signal flow path between the COM and the dock peripheral modules; and

communicating an electrical signal between the COM and the dock peripheral modules via the second reconfigurable microcontroller.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a docking station comprising one or more dock microcontrollers in electrical signal communication with one or more dock peripheral modules, wherein the peripheral modules are in electrical signal communication with the dock microcontrollers;

interrogating the docking station;

reconfiguring the second reconfigurable microcontroller, wherein the second reconfigurable microcontroller provides one or more electrical signal flow path between the COM and the dock station COM; and

communicating an electrical signal between the COM and the docking station COM via the second reconfigurable microcontroller.

8. A mobile computing device comprising:

a housing comprising a front case, a mid-frame, and a back case, wherein the front case and the back case are configured to combine and enclose the mid-frame;

a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the mid-frame;

a first microcontroller and a second reconfigurable microcontroller each coupled to the PCB, wherein the first microcontroller and the second reconfigurable microcontroller are in electrical signal communication with each other;

a computer-on-module (COM) coupled to the PCB, wherein the COM is in electrical signal communication with the first microcontroller and the second reconfigurable microcontroller; and

one or more peripheral modules coupled to the PCB, wherein the peripheral modules are each in electrical signal communication with the first microcontroller;

wherein the peripheral modules are each in electrical signal communication with the COM via the second reconfigurable microcontroller;

wherein the peripheral modules comprises a display, one or more input/output (I/O) ports, a dock module, and one or more user interfaces,

wherein the second reconfigurable microcontroller is reconfigured based on a COM profile and a peripheral module profile and provides one or more electrical signal flow paths between the COM and the peripheral modules,

wherein the COM profile comprises at least one of a device configuration parameter or a device setting, and

wherein the peripheral module profile comprises at least one of a device configuration parameter or a device setting.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 8, further comprising one or more thermal provision.