This application is co-pending with U.S. application Ser. No. 11/308,221 filed on Mar. 13, 2006 entitled MINIATURIZED FORM FACTOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS CARD FOR GENERIC MOBILE INFORMATION DEVICES and having the same assignee as the present application.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of operating platforms for mobile phones and personal data systems and more particularly to a connector system to be employed with generic mobile information devices for a wireless communications card with a miniaturized form factor which is insertable into the mobile information devices to accommodate desired wireless communication functions.
2. Related Art
Current design time-to-market for mobile phone and personal information devices is extended due to current design philosophy and practice. Turn-around time for a typical complete handset design is about 9 months. Currently terminal vendors need to spend significant amount of resources on basic wireless communication functions and cannot concentrate on truly value-added design works, such as industrial design and software applications. It is also difficult to develop multiple models with significant differences based on a common printed circuit board (PCB) platform. Traditional wireless devices using discrete solution have difficulty supporting multiple band or modes such as GSM, CDMA, 3G. Discrete chipset solutions consume at least three times more PCB space. There are significant financial and technical barriers of entry for new companies without significant resources, or established companies without wireless expertise.
Currently there are some vendors selling modules that can provide wireless communication functions in a particular wireless technology. However these modules are large in size with proprietary interfaces. These modules require significant amount of vendor integration. Alternatively, certain prior art systems are simply modularizing wireless modem functions. Prior art systems for removable cartridges providing communications elements such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,947 to Tom provide some flexibility in applications design; however, such systems were bulky and lacked packaging and connector innovations required for practical application of such systems.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/308,221 filed on Mar. 13, 2006 entitled MINIATURIZED FORM FACTOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS CARD FOR GENERIC MOBILE INFORMATION DEVICES, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth, provides a system that can save RF tuning, debugging and certification thereby reducing design lead time significantly. This system provides the ability to integrate hardware, software, utilities and drivers which will allow true plug and play functionality for end users or mobile information device design houses. The desired functional capability is provided through an insertable card to eliminate the requirement for a separate CPU or applications processor in the mobile information device and additionally, provides a complete modem solution that will support multi-mode and multi-band.
To enhance the space savings and weight reduction to permit more compact portable devices and flexible designs and integrate chipset and passive components into a common module it is desirable that the system be provided with integral connector systems having standard interfaces and indexing for mating to PC boards within the mobile information device platforms and to properly index and mate the miniaturized form factor card. It is desirable that the connector in such a common module be employed to reduce the total number of solder joints, thus increasing the reliability of the final product. It is desirable to provide a connector system to simplify the currently complex design work for wireless enabled device into much simpler product integration and to provide capability for wireless communications card to be installable in generic mobile information devices by an end user.
The present invention provides a connector arrangement for a wireless communications card for mobile information devices with user interface components. A receiving frame is mounted on a printed circuit board in the mobile information device to receive insertable miniaturized form factor card incorporating means for RF transmission and reception and a wireless modem. An indexing connector moiety is present on the card which is received in a mating moiety in the receiving frame. The applications processor, the user interface components, or both in the mobile information device are interconnected to digital functions of the wireless modem and means for RF transmission and reception through the connector. Additionally, the connector elements include mounting and indexing means for the frame to the PC board and protection means for the mating connector moiety when the card is not installed.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
a is a top view of a miniaturized form factor card employing a connector according to the present invention;
b is a side view of the card of
c is a bottom view of the card of
a is a top view of a frame and second moiety of the connector employed in an exemplary embodiment of a connector system according to the present invention;
b is a side section view of the frame and second moiety along line 3b-3b in
a is a side partial section view of a first embodiment of the frame and second moiety of
b is a side partial section view of the frame of
c is a side partial section view of the frame of
a is a side partial section view of an alternative embodiment of the connector system frame adapted for insertion of the card into a capture ledge for rotation into position within the frame;
b is a side partial section view of the frame of
c is a side partial section view of the frame of
a is a side partial section view of the connector system frame and cover as shown in
b is a side partial section view of the connector system frame and cover of
a is a side partial section view of the connector system frame and cover as shown in
b is a side partial section view of the connector system frame and cover of
a is a top view of an embodiment of the connector system frame and second connector moiety incorporating attachment pads for the frame to a mobile information device printed circuit board and indexing pins for orientation of the frame;
b is a side section view of the frame of
a is a top view of an embodiment of the connector system frame and second connector moiety incorporating attachment pads for the frame to a mobile information device printed circuit board and an indexing blade for orientation of the frame; and,
b is a side section view of the frame of
Two exemplary embodiments of the card for applications support a modem in the card only or provide a “handset core” application supporting all the peripherals of the MID. A reduced pin count on the connector is employed in exemplary embodiments of the modem only functionality while a connector accommodating all communications functions is employed in the exemplary embodiment of a handset com. In the modem only mode, the operations related to the LCD and keypad are accomplished by the processor in the MID.
MIDs operable with the card employ the standard matrix arrangement to allow interoperability and interchangeability of cards to obtain desired communications functionality. For example, one MID employs a CDMA capable card or a GSM capable card as desired with the user merely exchanging the card.
For MIDs employing applications processors with higher level capability requiring Modem only functionality in the miniature form factor card, keypad communication directly with the card is not required and communications between the MID and the card are accomplished in an exemplary embodiment using a standard AT command structure (as defined by Hayes and also known as Attention Code). The applications processor in the MID communicates predetermined commands for wireless communications functionality to the card.
The connector system according to the present invention provides indexing arrangements for simplified installation such that mobile interface device designers can provide a common platform for multiple systems without custom design of the communication electronics. The installation could be accomplished by the end user in certain operational scenarios. A first embodiment of a connector system as contemplated by the present invention is shown in
As shown in
For the embodiment shown in
A second embodiment of the frame element of the connector system is shown in
In certain applications, the mobile information device may be used without the miniaturized form factor card installed. For these devices and for shipping of devices prior to installation of a card, protection of the connector moiety within the frame against oxidation is desirable.
Alternative embodiments of the miniaturized form factor card having different functional capability as defined in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/308,221 will have varying thickness of the electronics module. To accommodate cards with varying thickness with secure physical and electrical engagement within the frame, a compression pad 50 is incorporated on the hinged cover as shown in
Accurate placement of the second moiety of the connector within the frame is accomplished using connector holders 54 as shown in
Additionally, accurate placement of the connector system frame onto the PCB of the mobile information device is required. As shown in
Rigidity of the frame for accurate positioning and engagement of the frame to the MID PCB and for insertion of the miniaturized form factor card into the frame with intimate mating of the connector moieties is accomplished using a resin matrix material with glass or carbon fiber. For exemplary embodiments Poly Phenylene Oxide (PPO) with a fiber loading of 50% has been employed. Alternate embodiments use a metal frame with an exemplary material being SUS301 Stainless Steel. For metal frame elements, the wings described previously are integrally formed into the frame in certain embodiments.
Having now described the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5822183 | Kanda et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
6896548 | Scuteri et al. | May 2005 | B2 |
7238038 | Kumagai | Jul 2007 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20070238363 A1 | Oct 2007 | US |