Reconfigurable modular computing device

• US 9,213,664 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Entegra Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Entegra Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Fowler, Douglas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCHE, JOHN B
• Application Number:
  US14/547,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20150074297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 391 Days
• Field of Search: 710/72
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 device configuring method comprising:

receiving a computer-on-module (COM) profile and a peripheral module profile, wherein the peripheral module profile identifies a peripheral module type and a signaling protocol associated with a peripheral module and comprises at least one of a device identifier or a driver information for a peripheral module, and wherein the COM profile identifies a chipset and comprises at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) information or an operating system for a COM;

determining an input/output (I/O) port configuration that provides a route of electrical communication between the COM and the peripheral module based on the COM profile and the peripheral module profile;

establishing a route of electrical signal communication with the COM;

establishing a route of electrical signal communication with the peripheral module;

and

implementing the signaling protocol identified in the peripheral module profile to establish the route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the peripheral module using the I/O port configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the peripheral module comprises actuating a plurality of electronically switchable gates.

3. A device configuration method comprising:

receiving device information from a computer-on-module (COM) at a first microcontroller using a hardware detection protocol, wherein the COM is configured to execute an instruction set and an operating system;

providing a COM profile that comprises at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) information or the operating system for the COM to a second microcontroller in response to receiving the device information from the COM;

receiving device information from a third microcontroller at the first microcontroller using the hardware detection protocol;

providing a microcontroller profile that identifies a signaling protocol associated with the third microcontroller and comprises at least one of a device identifier or driver information for the third microcontroller to the second microcontroller in response to receiving the device information from the third microcontroller; and

sending the COM profile and the microcontroller profile to the second microcontroller, wherein the second microcontroller is configured to;

determine an input/output (I/O) port configuration for the second microcontroller that provides a route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the third microcontroller based on the COM profile and the microcontroller profile; and

implement the signaling protocol identified in the microcontroller profile to establish the route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the third microcontroller using the I/O port configuration.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the third microcontroller is coupled to one or more peripheral modifies, and wherein receiving device information from the third microcontroller comprises receiving information for the one or more peripheral modules.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the microcontroller profile comprises at least one of a device identifier or a driver information for the one or more peripheral modules.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising establishing a route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the one or more peripheral modules via the third microcontroller.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein establishing the route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the third microcontroller comprises actuating a plurality of electronically switchable gates.

8. A device configuring method comprising:

receiving a computer-on-module (COM) profile and a docking station profile, wherein the docking station profile identifies a device identifier for a microcontroller and a signaling protocol associated with the microcontroller and comprises at least one of a device identifier or a driver information for the microcontroller, and wherein the COM profile comprises at least one of a central processing unit (CPU) information or an operating system for a COM;

determining an input/output (I/O) port configuration that provides a route of electrical communication between the COM and the microcontroller based on the COM profile and the docking station profile;

establishing a route of electrical signal communication with the COM;

establishing a route of electrical signal communication with the microcontroller; and

implementing the signaling protocol identified in the docking station profile to establish the route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the microcontroller using the I/O port configuration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein establishing the route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the microcontroller comprises actuating a plurality of electronically switchable gates.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the microcontroller is coupled to one or more peripheral modules, wherein the docking profile comprises at least one of a device identifier or a driver information for the one or more peripheral modules, and wherein establishing a route of electrical signal communication between the COM and the one or more peripheral modules is implemented via the microcontroller.