US20130174401A1

US20130174401A1 - Flexible and scalable method of designing a computing device

Info

Publication number: US20130174401A1
Application number: US13/697,320
Authority: US
Inventors: Hugh Brogan; George Hines
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Dell Products LP
Priority date: 2010-05-11
Filing date: 2011-05-11
Publication date: 2013-07-11
Also published as: GB2480381A; EP2569679B1; US20160132073A1; US9612619B2; CN102971682A; US20130176674A1; WO2011141743A1; GB201107865D0; EP2569678B1; EP2569679A1; GB201009952D0; GB2480381B; CN103026313A; CN103026313B; CN102971682B; GB2480381A8; GB2480382A; WO2011141742A1; US9250654B2; GB201107867D0

Abstract

A system architecture for a computing device is flexible and scalable to be used for a variety of types, form factors, models and sizes of device. One or more chassis which may be of a monocoque design provide structural support and component placement positions. Components are placed in defined positions predetermined for their system function and for end user benefits. Components may be common or substantially similar across any number of different device types, form factors, models and sizes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the design, subsystems and components together comprising a flexible architecture for computing devices which enables realisation of a plurality of different computing device models, sizes and form factors using common or similar subsystems, layout schemes, components, and/or designs thereof. The invention further enables common or similar manufacturing; assembly and test methods; processes; and/or apparatuses.
The invention may be applicable to many types of computing devices, which may include but are not limited to laptop/notebook computers, netbook computers, tablet computers, convertible (dual notebook-style and tablet-style) computers, and/or all-in-one (where the display and computing engine are combined in a single unit) or desktop computers. The invention may be further applicable to certain form factors of mobile telephones, portable media players, satellite navigation devices, or similar devices.
The invention addresses common problems arising in the design and manufacture of such computing devices, especially portable computing devices, which include restrictions on size, thickness and weight; heat dissipation; time to market reduction; quality and reliability; and logistical and manufacturing complexity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Several computing device trends have exposed the limitations of commonly employed methods of device design and manufacture:

- Vendors are expected to field an ever wider variety of device types and models, and to get those devices to market more quickly than in the past.
- Smaller size and weight—and especially thinness—are becoming prerequisites at most product price tiers as opposed to just as the highest design or luxury tiers.
- Consumers are rejecting negative performance impacts in order to achieve smaller size and weight goals.
- Battery performance improvements have been outpaced by processor, display and other components' power requirements and miniaturization, resulting in batteries accounting for an ever greater proportion of overall system size.
- As processor speed and performance increase, thermal solutions to assist with heat dissipation have an ever greater impact on the overall system design.
- The competitive imperative to offer devices with ever more additional capabilities, such as sensors, cameras, touchscreens, media readers, multimedia connectors, and peripheral connectors increases design and manufacturing complexity, and puts further pressure on size and weight goals.
- As new form factors, such as tablets and convertible computers, have emerged, existing design paradigms struggle to adapt.
- Vendors are more likely than ever to outsource, often to multiple suppliers in parallel, various aspects of computing device design, manufacturing and distribution.

While they may look similar externally and may share some components, different models and sizes of computing device today are generally designed with little or no internal similarity, and wholly or largely new designs are necessary when vendors wish to introduce new model types or sizes.
The lack of commonality among computing device designs extends to major components and subsystems. For example, it is not uncommon for a major computing device vendor to have dozens of different laptop battery part numbers across their ranges. For example, the Acer UK website listed 35 current laptop batteries when checked, while the HP US website listed 24.
Even in the cases where battery cells themselves are shared across a number of laptop models, the complete battery subassemblies are often different due to such factors as structural elements, cosmetic elements or differently placed connectors.
Efforts to reduce device thinness in a cost effective and scalable manner have proven especially lacking. Laptop models such as the Apple Macbook Air and the Dell Adamo are essentially “one off” designs that are both expensive and difficult to manufacture. With the MacBook Air especially, the designers have achieved thinness in part by exclusion of commonly expected device capabilities.
Deficiencies are also apparent in current attempts to minimize thickness in other form factors, such as tablets. For example, the Apple iPad and iPad 2 are widely criticized for omitting industry standard USB ports.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a method of designing a computing device that is flexible and scalable, to be used for a variety of types, form factors, models and sizes of device; in which one or more chassis provide structural support and component placement positions, in which components are mounted in defined positions predetermined for their system function, manufacturability and/or end user benefit, and in which components may be common or substantially similar across any number of different device types, form factors, models and sizes.
The invention includes, in one implementation, a computing device architecture comprising:

- A flexible and scalable internal substructure or chassis that is common or similar among a plurality of device models, sizes and form factors.
- Provision for common and/or similar major components and subsystems, such as batteries, keyboard engines, thermal solutions, input/output connectors, wireless modules, PCBs, fixed/removable storage devices, displays, antennas, cable assemblies, to be held within the various internal chassis.
- Provision for common or similar cosmetic mechanical elements to be attached in turn to the outside of the chassis.
- Locations of the various major components or subsystems which are common or similar across the plurality of device models, sizes and form factors.

The overall system architecture, the chassis, the major components, and the locations of those components within the chassis alleviate, together and separately, the common problems associated with the design and manufacture of computing devices, including restrictions on size, thickness and weight; heat dissipation; time to market reduction; quality and reliability; and logistical and manufacturing complexity.
Variations of the invention enable laptop, notebook, netbook and/or convertible computing device vendors to prioritize minimization of either thickness (z-dimension) or length and width (x- and y-dimensions).
The invention may be applicable to many types of computing devices, which may include but are not limited to laptop/notebook computers, netbook computers, tablet computers, convertible (dual notebook-style and tablet-style) computers, and/or all-in-one or desktop computers. The invention may be further applicable to certain form factors of mobile telephones, portable media players, satellite navigation devices, or similar devices.
Other aspects of the invention include:
A computing device designed according to the methods defined above.
A computing device with one or more rechargeable batteries placed under the palmrest. One battery pack may be positioned under the left hand palmrest and another battery pack, identical in shape and dimensions to the first battery pack but inverted, is then positioned under the right hand palmrest.
A computing device with a first battery pack and another battery pack, identical in shape and dimensions to the first battery pack, but inverted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 Generic Portable Computing Device—Detail

FIG. 2 Possible Concept Architecture—Base Assembly (1)

FIG. 3 Possible Concept Architecture—Base Assembly (2)

FIG. 4 Possible Concept Architecture—Display assembly (1)

FIG. 5 Possible Concept Architecture—Display assembly (2)

FIG. 6 Possible Concept Architecture—Convertible Computer Alternative

FIG. 7 Flush Design vs Stack Design—Closed View

FIG. 8 Concept Scalability Example—Flush Design

FIG. 9 Concept Scalability Example—Stack Design

FIG. 10 Possible Internal Component Layout (1)

FIG. 11 Possible Internal Component Layout (2)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention is described with reference to the included drawings.
FIG. 1 shows commonly used terms, which will be used throughout, for some parts of a typical laptop-style computing device. Illustrated and related terms are:

- A Cover—The large top surface of the laptop clamshell when closed. The A Cover may include the wordmark or logo of the vendor
- B Cover—The upper inside surface of the laptop clamshell when open. The B Cover typically surrounds the main display panel.
- C Cover—The lower inside surface of the laptop clamshell when open. The C Cover typically surrounds the keyboard and (In the stack design) or other pointing device.
- D Cover—The large bottom surface of the laptop clamshell when closed. The D Cover is often features a registration plate and typically also has removable access panels for various components.
- Front, back or side panels (not shown separately)—Front back and side cosmetic and or structural panels on the upper or base sections of the laptop clamshell may be incorporated into one or more of the four main panels or may be separate parts.
- Display, keyboard and trackpad (shown); and camera, microphone, speakers, etc. (not shown)—User interface elements, generally exposed through a cover.
  - Portable computing device are often grouped by similar display size, typically measured diagonally in inches across the screen. See FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 for examples of various screen sizes.
- Palmrests—Areas on which to rest the hands while typing, typically between the front edge of the device and keyboard, incorporated into the C Cover on the stack design and in the A prime cover on the flush design and often separated by a trackpad or other pointing device.
- Hinge(s)—A hinge or hinges typically connect the upper/display part of the clamshell with lower/keyboard part of the clamshell. Hinges may be bidirectional or multidirectional and may take a variety of forms. Hinges also typically include provision for a cable or cable for connections among components in the upper and lower parts of the clamshell.
- I/O ports—Any of the many possible connecter ports typically found on a computing device, such as USB ports, display ports of various standards, power connectors and other ports. They may be located on any surface but are typically found in the base rear or side panels. It is best practice to locate the I/O ports as close as possible to the computing engine in order to minimize the potential for electromagnetic interference. However, they may also be located away from the computing engine as shown in some of the included drawings.

Although the description given and figures shown reference primarily a laptop-style form factor device, all relevant parts of the invention are also applicable to other form factors. Certain elements may not be present in all form factors. For example, a typical tablet-style computing device will not have hinges, although an otherwise similar typical convertible device often would.
The invention is a computing device architecture comprising:

- 1. Main Base Chassis (See FIG. 2 and FIG. 3)—A (figuratively) flexible and scalable internal and/or external substructure or chassis that is common or similar among a plurality of device models, sizes and form factors. The Main Base Chassis may:
  - a. Provide rigidity to the computing device base and resist/absorb torsional or other forces
  - b. Provide a frame on which other cosmetic or functional mechanical elements, e.g., the C Cover and D Cover, may be mounted. It may also incorporate some of those cosmetic or functional elements, such as serving as the C Cover and/or a D Cover, or the A and B cover in a tablet design.
  - c. Provide a frame on or into which electronic and electromechanical parts or components, e.g., I/O ports and motherboard, may be mounted and/or protected
  - d. Determine the placement of major parts of the system architecture, e.g., the batteries, the keyboard and the trackpad
  - e. Connect to the Main Display Chassis by means of a hinge or hinges
  - f. Offer these benefits when configured as per the invention:
    - i. Support a variety of device sizes and styles with a single Main Base Chassis, allowing interchangeable visible parts such as the C Cover, the D Cover and the keyboard to be attached to the Main Base Chassis in order to differentiate various device models
    - ii. Provide for scalability of the Main Base Chassis to larger or smaller implementations of the same basic design, e.g. the use of the same fixation methods component placement locations reducing the risks associated electronic interference, and EMC, etc., reducing design and testing cycle time, design risk, and time to market. And facilitating the use of the same components between models)
    - iii. Provide for reduction in logistical and assembly complexity, resulting in lower inventory cost/risk, lower conversion/assembly cost, and higher repeatability and, therefore, quality and reliability
- 2. Main Display Chassis/Display Front (See FIG. 4. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6)—A (figuratively) flexible and scalable internal and/or external substructure or chassis that is common or similar among a plurality of device models, sizes and form factors. When the Main Display Chassis also forms all or part of the B Cover, it may also be referred to as the Main Display Front, as in FIG. 4. The Main Display Chassis may.
  - a. Provide rigidity to the computing device upper part and resist/absorb torsional or other forces, especially offering protection to the display panel
  - b. Provide a frame on which other cosmetic or functional mechanical elements, e.g., the A Cover and B Cover, may be mounted. It may also incorporate some of those cosmetic or functional elements, such as serving as the B Cover and/or A cover, as mentioned above.
  - c. Provide a frame on or into which electronic and electromechanical parts or components, e.g., display panel and camera, may be mounted and/or protected
  - d. Determine the placement of major parts of the system architecture, e.g., the display panel
  - e. Connect to the Main Base Chassis by means of a hinge or hinges
  - f. Be included in some embodiments in the display assembly of a convertible computer display part. (See FIG. 6)
  - g. Offer these benefits when configured as per the invention:
    - i. Support a variety of device sizes and styles with a single Main Display Chassis, allowing interchangeable visible parts such as the A Cover, the B Cover and the display to be attached to the Main Display Chassis in order to differentiate various device models
    - ii. Provide for scalability of the Main Display Chassis to larger or smaller implementations of the same basic design, e.g., the same display mounting methods etc., reducing design and testing cycle time, design risk, and time to market
    - iii. Provide for reduction in logistical and assembly complexity, resulting in lower inventory cost/risk, lower manufacturing conversion/assembly cost, and higher repeatability and, therefore, quality and reliability
- 3. Common/Similar Components (See component examples in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11)—Provision for common and/or similar major components and subsystems, such as batteries, keyboard engines, thermal solutions, input/output connectors, wireless modules, PCBs, fixed/removable storage devices, displays, antennas, cable assemblies, to be held within the various internal chassis, providing the following benefits:
  - a. Reduction in logistical and assembly complexity, resulting in lower inventory cost/risk, lower conversion/assembly cost, and higher repeatability and, therefore, quality and reliability
  - b. Scalability of the system architecture to larger or smaller implementations of the same basic design, e.g. the same cable routing methods and component fixation methods etc., reducing design and testing cycle time, design risk, and time to market
  - c. Examples of common/similar component implementations include:
    - i. Keyboards—A common keyboard engine could mate to specific keycaps, markings (perhaps applied during device manufacturing/assembly) and/or layouts to enable:
      - 1. Localized keyboards with a maximum of common components
      - 2. Different keyboard styles, e.g., typewriter or chiclet style keys
    - ii. Batteries—A minimum number of scalable battery packs to cover many different device models and sizes
      - 1. Common battery cells which could be coupled together like building blocks to provide for different battery capacities
      - 2. Either cylindrical or prismatic battery cells to fit with different device thickness goals
      - 3. Common connector and “flippable” battery design that could enable the same battery pack design to be used in opposite orientation on opposite sides of the device, simultaneously providing increased battery capacity whilst reducing the number of battery types.
    - iii. Thermal solution—Common thermal solution across many different sizes, models and processor configurations
    - iv. Hinges—A standardized hinge type that could be adjustable in width and torque in order to accommodate various display sizes and weights
- 4. “Stack” and “Flush” Design Variations—In addition to enabling a very wide variety of styles and form factors, sizes, models, decorations and device type, the invention includes the provision for prioritising of either:
  - a. Flush design—The thickness/depth/z-dimension (i.e., the measure between the top of the A Cover and the bottom of the D Cover of a closed clamshell), where the top of the A Cover is in plane with the top of the C Cover palmrests when the laptop is closed. In this way, sections of the C Cover, including the palmrest and outer side strips are visible around the edges of A Cover rather than being fully covered by the A Cover as in more traditional laptop designs.
    - i. Removes the combined contribution of the battery and display part thickness to the overall device thickness by separating them into two different stacks
    - ii. Allows for maximum battery thickness/capacity whilst achieving a very thin design. With currently typical alternative implementations, relatively thick/high capacity batteries are result in a relatively thick overall device. Or
  - b. Stack design—The length/y-dimension (i.e., the measure front the front to the back of the closed clamshell with the display in the usual landscape orientation), where the upper/display part of the laptop sits over the top of the C Cover and palmrests when the laptop is closed.
    - i. Gives a more traditional appearance to the device, albeit at the expense of thickness compared to the Flush design
    - ii. Allows for larger displays while maintaining the smallest possible y-dimension
- See FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. The same basic computing device base design could be used for either Flush or Stack design models.
- 5. Beneficial component/subassembly placement—Locations of the various major components or subsystems may be common or similar across the plurality of device models, sizes and form factors, offering substantial benefits in design simplification, quality, reliability, economies of scale, manufacturing and assembly. Major component placements are shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 10. Components may be mounted directly to one of the chassis or covers, or they may be mounted by means of a set of carriers which attach to or contain the various components and which themselves are mounted to a chassis or cover, which the benefit of keeping the relatively larger and more costly chassis and covers common while the carriers might be specially adapted for particular components. Examples of component placement include:
  - a. Batteries
    - i. Placed under the palmrests to the left and right of the trackpad or other pointing device
    - ii. Could be user replaceable with insertion from below, from the front, or from the sides
    - iii. Could be cylindrical or prismatic
    - iv. Could employ a “flippable” design enabling the same battery pack design to be used either on the right or the left with the device-side connectors in opposite orientation
    - v. Area for battery capacity increases as display sizes grow.
    - vi. Allows for a “hot swappable” configuration allowing the user to change one battery whist power is provided by the other.
    - vii. In addition to flexibility in device design and capacity noted earlier, placement of the batteries has a number of other benefits:
      - 1. Placement at the front of the device acts as a counterweight to the display, encouraging stability when the clamshell is open.
      - 2. Having the same components in the same configuration under each palmrest promotes similar heat transfer through the palmrest, addressing consumer dissatisfaction issue with varied heat transfer from the two most contacted areas of the device. (Tests show that consumers are disturbed more by uneven heat transfer than by heat transfer itself.)
      - 3. As only the Z dimension of the battery is altered between batteries of different capacities, it allows the creation of extended battery packs that are common to all products, regardless of form factor. The increase in Z-dimension of the device increases both fan cooling efficiency and battery capacity disproportionately to x- and y-increases, thus this battery/power source mounting method harmonizes the two major constraints within a typical mobile computing device design.
  - b. Thermal solution—Is typically one of the most design constrained and custom part of any electronic device. By creating a series of tested and common thermal solutions the design of the product is greatly simplified.
    - i. Placed at the back of the device base with exhaust porting to the back or side
    - ii. Could be a scalable by power class, e.g., 2-5 W, 5-8 W, 8-10 W, 10-12 W, 12-15 W, 15-18 W, 18-25 W and 25-35 W
    - iii. Could allow for common placement of CPU, I/O blocks such as Northbridge and Southbridge, GPU and memory.
    - iv. Could have a common exhaust scheme to allow predictable thermal performance across devices.
    - v. This placement has a number of benefits:
      - 1. Hot air is directed away from the user in any of a laptop-, tablet-, or convertible-style form factor
      - 2. Scalability reduces design complexity, risk and time to market, and increases quality and economies of scale
  - c. Speakers
    - i. Speakers may be placed in the base
    - ii. May be front- or side-firing
    - iii. Design allows for substantial acoustic free space around speakers
    - iv. The placement has a number of benefits:
      - 1. Speaker output may be directed toward the user
      - 2. Usable space for speaker and acoustic chambers is proportional to display size, supporting the consumer expectation for “better” sound as display sizes increase
      - 3. Placing the speakers in the front adjacent to the batteries moves the speakers which are susceptible to electromagnetic interference away for electronics which could cause such interference.

Claims

1. A method of designing a computing device that is flexible and scalable, to be used for a variety of types, form factors, models and sizes of device;

in which one or more chassis provide structural support and component placement positions,

in which components are mounted in defined positions predetermined for their system function, manufacturability and/or end user benefit, and

in which components may be common or substantially similar across any number of different device types, form factors, models and sizes.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the chassis is a monocoque design incorporating one of the external or internal covers.

3. A method according to claim 1 for a clamshell design, in which the top of the display assembly closes behind and in plane with the top of the palmrests.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which some components together or individually are mounted in separate carriers, which are themselves affixed to the chassis.

5. A method according to claim 1 in which some components are affixed directly to the chassis in common positions across a plurality of different computing device models.

6. A method according to claim 1 in which cosmetic mechanical elements are affixed directly to the chassis.

7. A method according to claim 1 in which the chassis includes integral routing channels which facilitate the correct fixation and routing of electrical cables.

8. A method according to claim 1 in which portable system power elements (e.g., batteries) are placed under the palmrests.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which batteries are insertable through the front of the device.

10. A method according to claim 1 in which batteries are insertable from underneath the device.

11. A method according to claim 1 in which batteries are insertable from either side of the device.

12. A method according to claim 1 in which batteries are insertable from the top of the device.

13. A method according to claim 1 in which portable system power elements (e.g., batteries) have a design architecture that is common across a plurality of different computing device models all designed according to any of the preceding claims.

14. A method according to claim 1 in which the battery capacity increase by means of x-, y- or z-axis cell size increases as larger device models are designed, while maintaining a common design architecture.

15. A method according to claim 1 in which the thermal solution is located away from and exhausts away from areas of usual user contact, such at rear side of the device away from the palmrest and the keyboard.

16. A method according to claim 1 in which the design of the thermal solution is common and scalable across a plurality of power classes (e.g., as measured in Watts of power consumed) of computing device, each designed according to any of the preceding claims.

17. A method according to claim 1 in which the keyboard design and fixation method are common and scalable across a plurality of different computing device models, each designed according to any of the preceding claims.

18. A method according to claim 1 in which the keyboard engine may be common across a plurality of different computing device models and is adjustable and customizable for the various models, each designed according to any of the preceding claims.

19. A method according to claim 1 in which components such as storage, memory, electronic circuit boards, integrated circuits, input systems, output systems, antennas, speakers, microphones, hinges, input/output ports, cameras, indicators, connectors, latches, displays, sensors and/or other electrical, electromechanical, and/or mechanical components are common or are designed in common, scalable configurations across a plurality of different computing device models, each designed according to any of the preceding claims.

20. A method according to claim 1 in which components such as storage, memory, electronic circuit boards, integrated circuits, input systems, output systems, antennas, speakers, microphones, hinges, input/output ports, cameras, indicators, connectors, latches, displays, sensors and/or other electrical, electromechanical, and/or mechanical components are located and/or mounted in a common manner across a plurality of different computing device models, each designed according to any of the preceding claims.

21.-32. (canceled)