Portable modular electronic system

• US 6,795,318 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Tecu, Kirk S., Haas, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Martin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Levi, Dameon E.
• Application Number:
  US10/307,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 361/728-731, 361/733, 361/735, 294/63, 294/69, 294/66, 294/64, 700/11, 700/17, 700/19, 700/86, 345/156, 345/169, 345/166
• US Class Current: 361/729
• 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 2200/1635 Stackable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• 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

Abstract

A portable modular electronic system comprises a controller module, at least one memory module; and at least one application module that are mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to each other and include mating electrical connectors for communicating electrical signals between modules when the modules are mechanically connected.

Claims

1. A portable modular electronic system, comprising:

at least one memory module for storing data,

at least one application module, and a controller module for controlling communications between said at least one memory module and said at least one application module,

said memory, application and controller modules being mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to each other and comprising a handheld, portable system with mating electrical connectors for communicating electrical signals between modules when the modules are mechanically connected,

said application module comprising a plurality of electrical connectors on different respective sides of the module, and an internal bus electrically connecting said connectors.

2. The system of claim 1, said at least one memory module comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said redundant memories are independently replaceable.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said memories include separate respective electrical connectors for independently communicating with said controller module.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said memory module further comprises a common electrical connector for said plurality of memories.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said controller module is programmed to distinguish between said memories by respective identification codes associated with each of said memories.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of application modules that are mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to other modules of said system and include respective electrical connectors that mate with the electrical connectors on said other modules when they are mechanically connected.

8. A. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one memory module, said controller module and said at least one application module are aligned along an axis when mechanically connected together.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of application modules, wherein at least some of said application modules have different dimensions.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said electrical connectors enable multiple rotational orientations between said modules.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising mechanical connectors independent of said electrical connectors for mechanically connecting said modules.

19. The portable modular electronic system of claim 1, the connectors of said modules enabling multiple rotational orientations between said modules while retaining an alignment between mating connectors.

20. The portable modular electronic system of claim 19, said connectors enabling said modules to be assembled in a stack in multiple different relative positions within said stack.

21. The portable modular electronic system of claim 20, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

22. The portable modular electronic system of claim 21, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

23. The portable modular electronic system of claim 20, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

24. The portable modular electronic system of claim 19, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

25. The portable modular electronic system of claim 24, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

26. The portable modular electronic system of claim 19, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

27. The portable modular electronic system of claim 1, said connectors enabling said modules to be assembled in a stack in multiple different relative positions within said stack.

28. The portable modular electronic system of claim 27, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

29. The portable modular electronic system of claim 28, least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

30. The portable modular electronic system of claim 27, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

31. The portable modular electronic system of claim 1, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

32. The portable modular electronic system of claim 31, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

33. The portable modular electronic system of claim 1, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

12. A controller module for a portable modular electronic system, comprising:

a housing,

controller electronics within said housing,

electrical connectors on at least two different sides of said housing for electrical connection to other modules of said system, said electrical connectors connected to said controller electronics and enabling multiple rotational orientations between said controller module and a mating connector of another module, while retaining an alignment between said mating connectors,

said electrical connectors enabling said controller module to be oriented in different rotational positions with respect to other modules to which it is mechanically connected, and mechanical couplings having releasable connectors that releasably connect said controller module to said other modules in each of different rotational positions.

13. The controller module of claim 12, further comprising a pair of electrical connectors on one side of said housing for connecting to respective independent memories of said system, said pair of electrical connectors being separately connected to said controller electronics.

14. The controller module of claim 12, wherein said controller electronics are programmed to communicate with redundant memories through one of said electrical connectors and to distinguish between said memories by identification codes.

15. The controller module of claim 12, further comprising mechanical connector elements for mechanically connecting said module to other modules independent of said electrical connectors.

16. An application module for a portable modular electronic system, comprising:

a housing,

application electronics within said housing,

electrical connectors on at least two different respective sides of said housing for electrical connection to other modules to which said application module is mechanically connected, said electrical connectors connected to said application electronics and enabling multiple rotational orientations between said application module and a mating connector of another module, while retaining an alignment between said mating connectors, and a bus connected to said application electronics, said bus also connected to said electrical connectors to enable electrical communication along said bus between other modules connected to said application module.

17. The application module of claim 16, said application electronics connected to said bus and including an identification code, enabling communication along said bus between said application module and another module to which it is connected.

18. The application module of claim 16, further comprising mechanical connector elements for mechanically connecting said module to other modules.

34. A portable modular electronic system, comprising:

at least one memory module for storing data,

at least one application module, and

a controller module for controlling communications between said at least one memory module and said at least one application module,

said memory, application and controller modules being mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to each other and comprising mating electrical connectors for communicating electrical signals between modules when the modules are mechanically connected, the connectors of said modules enabling multiple rotational orientations between said modules while retaining an alignment between mating connectors,

said connectors enabling said modules to be assembled in a stack in multiple different relative positions within said stack.

35. The portable modular electronic system of claim 34, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

36. The portable modular electronic system of claim 35, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

37. The portable modular electronic system of claim 34, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

38. The portable modular electronic system of claim 34, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

39. The portable modular electronic system of claim 38, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

40. The portable modular electronic system of claim 34, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

41. A portable modular electronic system, comprising:

at least one memory module for storing data,

at least one application module, and

a controller module for controlling communications between said at least one memory module and said at least one application module,

said memory, application and controller modules being mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to each other and comprising mating electrical connectors for communicating electrical signals between modules when the modules are mechanically connected, said connectors enabling said modules to be assembled in a stack in multiple different relative positions within said stack without reconfiguring the controller module.

42. The portable modular electronic system of claim 41, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module.

43. The portable modular electronic system of claim 42, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

44. The portable modular electronic system of claim 43, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

45. A portable modular electronic system, comprising:

at least one memory module for storing data,

at least one application module, each application module including a respective user interface as part of said module, and

a controller module for controlling communications between said at least one memory module and said at least one application module,

said memory, application and controller modules being mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to each other and comprising mating electrical connectors for communicating electrical signals between modules when the modules are mechanically connected.

46. The portable modular electronic system of claim 45, at least one of said memory modules comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

47. A portable modular electronic system, comprising:

at least one memory module for storing data,

at least one application module, and

a controller module for controlling communications between said at least one memory module and said at least one application module,

said memory, application and controller modules being mechanically connectable and disconnectable with respect to each other and comprising mating electrical connectors for communicating electrical signals between modules when the modules are mechanically connected, at least one memory module comprising a plurality of redundant memories.

48. An application module for a portable modular electronic system, comprising:

a housing,

application electronics within said housing,

electrical connectors on at least two different respective sides of said housing for electrical connection to other modules to which said application module is mechanically connected, said electrical connectors connected to said application electronics and enabling multiple rotational orientations between said application module and a mating connector of another module, while retaining an alignment between said mating connectors,

said electrical connectors enable said application module to be oriented in different rotational positions with respect to other modules to which it is mechanically connected.

49. The application module of claim 48, further comprising a bus connected to said application electronics, said bus also connected to said electrical connectors to enable electrical communication along said bus between other modules connected to said application module.

50. The application module of claim 49, said application electronics connected to said bus and including an identification code enabling communication along said bus between said application module and another module to which it is connected.

51. The application module of claim 48, further comprising mechanical connector elements for mechanically connecting said module to other modules.