Systems and methods for providing a dynamically modular processing unit

• US 9,606,577 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATD Ventures, LLC
• Original Assignee: ATD Ventures, LLC
• Inventors: Sullivan, Jason A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Application Number:
  US12/843,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,437 Days
• Field of Search: 361/728, 361/730, 361/752, 361/786, 361/800, 700301-303, 700/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1631 Panel PC, e.g. single housing hosting PC and display panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a modular processing unit. A modular processing unit is provided as a platform that is lightweight, compact, and is configured to be selectively used alone or oriented with one or more additional processing units in an enterprise. In some implementations, a modular processing unit includes a non-peripheral based encasement, a cooling process (e.g., a thermodynamic convection cooling process, a forced air cooling process, and/or a liquid cooling process), an optimized circuit board configuration, optimized processing and memory ratios, and a dynamic back plane that provides increased flexibility and support to peripherals and applications. The modular processing unit is customizable and may be employed in association with all types of computer enterprises. The platform allows for a plethora of modifications that may be made with minimal impact to the modular unit, thereby enhancing the usefulness of the platform across all type of application.

Claims

1. A data processing system, comprising:

a circuit board configuration comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards that are coupled together by a force fit technique that prevents accidental decoupling of the boards and enables interchangeability;

a processing system having a processor coupled to the circuit board configuration;

memory coupled to the circuit board configuration and operably coupled to a bus system; and

an interface coupled to the circuit board configuration and to the bus system and configured to communicatively couple a peripheral I/O device to the bus system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of circuit boards is designed for a particular benefit based on one or more applications.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of peripheral I/O devices each configured to solely and interchangeably couple to the interface.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an encasement configured to house the circuit board configuration, the processing system, and at least a portion of the interface.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an interchangeable back plane, wherein the interchangeable back plane couples to a portion of the encasement, and the coupling interface forms a portion of the interchangeable backplane.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the peripheral I/O device comprises at least one of:

(i) a mass storage device;

(ii) a peripheral input device;

(iii) a peripheral output device;

(iv) a network interface;

(v) a second processing unit;

(vi) a proprietary input connection;

(vii) a proprietary output connection; and

(viii) a proprietary device.

7. A data processing system, comprising:

a layered circuit board configuration comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards that are coupled together by a force fit technique that prevents accidental decoupling of the boards and enables interchangeability;

a processing system having a processor coupled to the layered circuit board configuration;

memory coupled to the layered circuit board configuration and operably coupled to a bus system;

an interface directly coupled to the layered circuit board configuration;

a first peripheral module configured to interchangeably couple to the interface, the first peripheral module being communicatively coupled directly to the bus system via the interface; and

a second peripheral module configured to interchangeably couple to the interface following removal of the first peripheral module from the interface, the second peripheral module being communicatively coupled directly to the bus system via the interface, wherein the coupled first and second peripheral modules are operably connected to the processing system via the interface, the bus system, and the circuit board configuration.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein one or more of the plurality of circuit boards is designed for a particular benefit based on one or more applications.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of peripheral I/O devices each configured to solely and interchangeably couple to the interface.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising an encasement configured to house the processing system and at least a portion of the interface.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an interchangeable back plane, wherein the interchangeable back plane couples to a portion of the encasement, and the coupling interface forms a portion of the interchangeable backplane.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the peripheral I/O device comprises at least one of:

(i) a mass storage device;

(ii) a peripheral input device;

(iii) a peripheral output device;

(iv) a network interface;

(v) a second processing unit;

(vi) a proprietary input connection;

(vii) a proprietary output connection; and

(viii) a proprietary device.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the processing unit is used in conjunction with a peripheral module selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a personal computer;

(ii) a notebook computer;

(iii) a personal digital assistant;

(iv) a handheld device;

(v) a workstation;

(vi) a minicomputer;

(vii) a mainframe;

(viii) a processor-based device;

(ix) a smart device; and

(x) a control system.

14. A method for directly coupling a peripheral device to a bus system of a modular processing device, the method comprising:

providing a processing system having an optimized circuit board configuration comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards, the processing system further comprising a processor, and memory operably coupled to the circuit board configuration and to a bus system;

using a force fit technique to couple the circuit boards together, prevent accidental decoupling of the boards, and enable interchangeability of the boards;

directly coupling an interface to the bus system, the interface being configure to receive a peripheral I/O device; and

communicatively coupling the peripheral I/O device to the bus system through connecting the peripheral I/O device to the interface.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

operably coupling the processor to one of the circuit boards; and

operably connecting the interface to one of the circuit board via the bus system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the processing system is coupled with a peripheral module selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a personal computer;

(ii) a notebook computer;

(iii) a personal digital assistant;

(iv) a handheld device;

(v) a workstation;

(vi) a minicomputer;

(vii) a mainframe;

(viii) a processor-based device;

(ix) a smart device; and

(x) a control system.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of peripheral I/O devices.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising operably coupling the plurality of peripheral I/O devices to the processor via the interface, the bus system, and the optimized circuit board.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the optimized circuit board configuration is a tri-board electrical printed circuit board.