Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Switching systems
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-08-07
Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Switching systems
C307S116000, C307S066000, C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06271604
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to integrated computer modules and, more specifically, to an integrated computer module having a data integrity latch that is enabled during disk drive read/write operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's personal computers (PC's) are usually sold in a desktop configuration or a notebook configuration. Desktop PC's are generally housed in a relatively large chassis containing a main printed circuit board or “motherboard” and other components that are incorporated into or connected to the motherboard. The components may be located inside or outside of the chassis. Typical internal components include a power supply, a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), a mass storage device such as a magnetic disk drive, expansion cards connected to a bus on the motherboard, and various peripherals mounted on “rails” in “bays” within the chassis and electrically connected to the motherboard or an associated expansion card by a ribbon cable or the like. Typical expansion cards are a SCSI adapter, a sound adapter, and a network adapter. Typical bay-mounted peripherals are a magnetic disk drive, a floppy drive, a tape drive or a CD-ROM drive. Typical external “peripherals” include user input devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a joystick, a graphics tablet or a scanner and user output devices such as speakers a printer, and a video display device (e.g. a CRT display or an LCD display). The video adapter that controls the display, as with other adapters, may be integrated into the motherboard or provided on a separate expansion card.
The users of desktop PC's may be divided into two divergent groups: (1) experienced users who understand the individual components and tend to frequently upgrade their PC's by replacing such components, and (2) new users who do not understand or even want to understand the individual components. The latter group may prefer to replace the entire PC, if they upgrade at all. With respect to both groups, however, it has been observed that the need or desire to upgrade occurs far sooner with respect to some components than with respect to other components. In particular, users more frequently upgrade the CPU, the RAM, the magnetic disk drive, and the video adapter. These upgrades tend to provide more capacity and more speed because of rapid technological advancements on the part of manufacturers in response to ever-increasing demands from ever more complicated and more graphics intensive software applications and an associated increase in file sizes. Both user-types less frequently need or desire to upgrade the monitor, the speakers, the keyboard or the power supply, however, because these latter components have withstood the test of time and employ technologies that are less prone to obsolescence.
These inventors expect that the computer paradigm will move from a large chassis full of individual components of different manufacture toward a readily upgraded system consisting of two primary components: (1) an integrated computer module that compactly houses the frequently upgraded components (e.g. the CPU, the memory, the disk drive, and the video adapter) and provides a module connector for interfacing the module's electronics with peripherals, and (2) a “host assembly” with a docking bay that receives the module and provides a host connector that mates with the module connector. The host assembly can comprise any “shell” that includes the bay that receives the integrated computer module. The docking bay may be in a host assembly that doubles as a peripheral or in an intermediate assembly that is connected to conventional peripherals. The host assembly, for example, may function and appear generally like a conventional CRT display, save for the addition of the docking bay. A CRT-like host assembly of this nature would also provide a first connector for receiving input from a keyboard and, in all likelihood, a second connector for receiving input from a mouse. As another example, the host assembly may appear like a conventional tower chassis that contains a docking bay for receiving the module, and suitable electronics (e.g. a printed circuit board or PCB, cables, and so on) to interface the integrated computer module to conventional expansion cards via an expansion bus, and to conventional peripherals like a display, a keyboard, and a mouse, via connector ports built-in to the host assembly or carried by an expansion card.
There are a number of challenges associated with packing computer components and storage capability into a small integrated computer module. One such challenge is maintaining safe operating temperatures given a microprocessor and other components that dissipate relatively high levels of power. Another challenge for designing and building such modules is providing adequate shock protection for sensitive structures like disk drives. Still another challenge is providing an arrangement of components which allows for cost effective manufacturing processes. Yet another challenge is making sure the module is not abruptly removed from the host assembly during data-critical operations.
Computer modules and associated bays have already been proposed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,742 that issued in 1995 to Kobayashi, assigned to Hitachi, the inventor discloses a “personal processor module” (PPM) that fits within a notebook type docking station or a desktop type docking station, or simply attaches to a docking housing
6
that is cabled to a keyboard and a monitor. (See FIG.
1
). As shown in
FIG. 6
, the '742 Patent discloses a PPM with an opening
100
so that the PPM cannot be hurriedly removed from the docking station. As shown in
FIGS. 21 and 22
, however, the PPM does not hold itself in the docking station, but rather passively submits to being held by two external arms
134
,
136
that grasp the sides of the PPM, pull it into the docking station and hold it there. In the absence of power in the host assembly for releasing the PPM, therefore, it may be somewhat difficult to removed the PPM.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,302 that issued in 1997 to Dan Kikinis, assigned to Elonex IP Holdings, the inventor discloses a modular portable computer which has modules that are externally held in a similarly passive manner. In
FIGS. 25 and 26
, for example, it can be seen that locking extensions
1040
,
1042
are provided on moveable cooling elements
1036
,
1038
located above and below the module
1013
in a sandwich-like arrangement. Again, it may be somewhat difficult to removed the module in the absence of power in the host assembly.
There remains a need, therefore, for an integrated computer module having a data integrity latch that is enabled during data-critical operations (e.g. disk drive read/write operations) and may be overridden in the absence of power.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the invention may be regarded as an integrated computer module adapted for removable insertion into a docking bay within a host assembly, and upon such insertion for connecting to a host connector for providing the integrated computer module with operating power, the docking bay including a projecting member, the integrated computer module comprising: an enclosure defined by a front wall, a back wall opposite the front wall, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a floor wall and a ceiling wall; a main printed circuit board assembly (main PCBA) including a microprocessor located in the enclosure, the main PCBA; a module connector electrically connected to the main PCBA and supported at the enclosure's back wall for connection to the host connector upon insertion of the integrated module into the docking bay in the host assembly; a disk drive including a casting and a controller PCBA mounted on one side of the casting, the controller PCBA including integrated circuits that define a hard disk storage control subsystem; a conductor assembly electrically connecti
Frank, Jr. Charles W.
Goldstone Marc B.
Hanan Thomas D.
Szeremeta Wally
Fleming Fritz
Kim Won T C
Shara Milad G
Western Digital Corporation
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