Patent Application
20080310127
Sockets are used on circuit boards, for many reasons, including to allow replacement of defective parts and to protect heat-sensitive parts during waveline or other-style soldering operations. The socket is attached to the circuit board, flexible strip, ceramic or other substrate. Then, either in a late manufacturing operation or field customization process, the electrical component may be added to the socket. Later, the component may be removed and replaced, either when found defective or to upgrade performance.
Sockets vary by size and type. Some sockets have friction-fit lead receivers, usually for lower pin-count sockets, to keep insertion easy. Higher pin count chips may use a zero-insertion force socket, where the electrical component is placed in open holes in the socket and a clamping arrangement pushes contacts against respective pins. The electrical component is held in place by the friction force of the clamp.
in many applications, a high-value component or a security-related component may be used on a circuit board. Whether to protect the overall unit from being stripped for parts or to help prevent tampering with a security-oriented part, it may be desirable to permanently attach these parts to the circuit board.
A socket may be adapted to allow the versatility of late stage manufacturing or for protection during soldering operations while also helping to ensure that high value or security-related components are not removed after assembly, or at least are not removed without causing damage to the component, the socket, the circuit board or a combination of these.
In one embodiment, a socket with a sidewall and barb may allow insertion but create a substantial barrier to removal. In another embodiment, a moat-like cavity may be formed around the edge and bottom of an electrical component and an epoxy resin disposed in the cavity to attach the two. A hole in the cavity may allow the epoxy to spread to the underlying circuit board to more firmly attach the socket to the circuit board. A small heating element may be disposed in the cavity and activated to cure the epoxy, increasing the choices for type of epoxy, glue, or other cured fastener. In yet another embodiment, a closure or lid may be fastened so that once locked, it will not unlock. This may be done with either a one-way clip or by sealing the locking mechanism with epoxy. Another embodiment mar use a two-position lock where movement to the first position engages pins of the electrical component on a mechanism and movement to the second position wraps the pins around the mechanism and extracts the pins from the case of the electrical component.
Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this disclosure. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fail within the scope of the claims.
It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Much of the inventive functionality and many of the inventive principles are best implemented with or in software programs or instructions and integrated circuits (ICs) such as application specific ICs. It is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation. Therefore, in the interest of brevity and minimization of any risk of obscuring the principles and concepts in accordance to the present invention, further discussion of such software and ICs. if any, will be limited to the essentials with respect to the principles and concepts of the preferred embodiments.
Many prior-art high-value computers, personal digital assistants, organizers, and the like, are not suitable for use in a pre-pay or pay-for-use business model as is. The ability to enforce a contract requires a service provider, or other enforcement entity, to be able to affect a device's operation even though the device may not be connected to the service provider, e.g. connected to the Internet. Such enforcement may be managed using hardware, such as a special security component. In other embodiments, enforcement of the contract may be done through software embodied in a chain of trust starting with a ROM-based executable program. In these or other embodiments, it is desirable to keep identified components attached to the device. At the same time, these or other components may be of high value and may be subject to pilfering, for example, in a public setting where computers are left unattended at off-hours, etc.
A series of system busses may couple various these system components including a high speed system bus 123 between the main processor 120, the memory/graphics interface 121 and the I/O interface 122, a front-side bus 124 between the memory/graphics interface 121 and the system memory 130, and an advanced graphics processing (AGP) bus 125 between the memory/graphics interface 121 and the graphics processor 190. The system bus 121 may be any of several types of bus structures including, by way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus and Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus. As system architectures evolve, other bus architectures and chip sets may be used but often generally follow this pattern. For example, companies such as Intel and AMD support the Intel Flub Architecture (IHA) and the Hypertransport architecture, respectively.
A security module 129 may store information associated with securely booting the computing, such as a measured BIOS. The security module 129 may support metering of the computer 110 by monitoring operation of the computer 110 and subtracting value from a local pre-paid account, or may compare a subscription expiration date to a current date/time. The security module 129 may also include cryptographic circuitry for validating updates to the metering criteria, e.g. additional value or updated subscription end date. In other embodiments, the functions of the security module 129 may also be incorporated in other circuitry, such as the I/O interlace 122 or the memory/graphics interface 121. The security module 129 may also use a single-insertion socket to held prevent tampering either by outright removal, or by ‘cut and jumper’ techniques to re-reroute signals to and from the security module 129.
As described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/612,436, filed Dec. 18, 2006, a component, such as the security module 129, may be physically covered by another, larger, component to provide tamper protection to the smaller component. The use of the anti-tampering socket is applicable for protection of a standalone security module, such as security module 129, a circuit incorporating the functions of the security module, such as the I/O interface 122, or a circuit that is physically surrounding the security module. In the metered use embodiment, the security module 129 or equivalent is ideally suited for protection by an anti-tampering socket. However, in other embodiments, a high-value circuit may be protected by an anti-tampering socket to lower the attractiveness of theft of a device incorporating the high-value circuit for the purpose of parts stripping.
The system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) 131 and random access memory (RAM) 132. The system ROM 131 may contain permanent system data 143, such as identifying and manufacturing information. In some embodiments, a basic input/output system (BIOS) may also be stored in system ROM 131. RAM 132 typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by main processor 120. By way of example, and not limitation.
The I/O interface 122 may couple the system bus 123 with a number of other busses 126, 127 and 128 that couple a variety of internal and external devices to the computer 110. A serial peripheral interface (SPI) bus 128 may connect to a basic input/output system (BIOS) memory 133 containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 110, such as during start-up.
A super input/output chip 160 may be used to connect to a number of ‘legacy’ peripherals, such as floppy disk 152, keyboard/mouse 162, and printer 196, as examples. The super I/O chip 122 may be connected to the I/O interface 121 with a low pin count (LPC) bus, in some embodiments. Versions of the super I/O chip 122 are widely available in the commercial marketplace. The super I/O chip 122 may benefit from permanent attachment to the computer 110 using a single-insertion socket.
The computer 110 may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only.
The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in
The computer 110 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 180 via a network interface controller (NIC) 170. The NIC 170 may be attached to the computer using a single insertion socket.
In some embodiments, the network interface may use a modem (not depicted) when a broadband connection is not available or is not used. It will be appreciated that the network connection shown is exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.
One or more sidewalls 408 may have a bore 412 extending along the height of the sidewall 408 to the base 402. The bore may be used for disposing a liquid fastener, such as an epoxy, after the electrical component 406 is placed in the socket 400.
As illustrated in the section view 500 showing the socket 400 at the bore 412, an opening is created from the top to the cavity 510. A liquid fastener, glue, or cement may be injected via the bore 412 into the cavity 510. A top-level 514 of the liquid fastener reach to the side of the electrical component 506 or may be higher or lower. Ideally, the top-level 514 of the liquid fastener will reach the overhang 512 so as to attach the electrical component 506 to the socket 400. When the liquid fastener has cured and hardened, removing the electrical component 506 may require damaging both the electrical component 506 and the socket 400.
When the electrical component 1002 is inserted, the eccentric ratchet 1010 may be rotated to a first position to drive the rod 1008 to engage the electrical contacts 1006 with their respective pins 1004. Further movement of the eccentric ratchet 1010 to a second position, for example, in an attempt to release the electrical component 1002, of the eccentric ratchet 1010 may cause the shaft 1012 to wrap up the pins 1004 and extract the pins 1004 from the electrical component 1002. Many other embodiments of the eccentric ratchet 1010, the rod 1008, and the electrical contacts 1006. For example, the eccentric ratchet 1010 may only engage the shaft 1012 after movement to the first position, after which, movement in any direction can cause the rotation of the shalt 1012. Rotation of the shaft 1012 may wrap up the pins 1004 and pull them from the electrical component 1002, rendering it useless.
The many alternate embodiments described above for a single insertion socket illustrate useful mechanisms that allow late customization or postponed personalization for any electronic device with high value or security-critical components. The use of the single insertion socket eliminates the opportunity to field replace a failed electrical component using such as socket. An assumption is made that electronic devices are rarely repaired when major components fail. To balance the point, however, major components rarely fail during the useful life of the modern electronic devices, for example, computers and other consumer electronics equipment.
Although the foregoing text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the scope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possibly embodiment of the invention because describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still tall within the scope of the claims defining the invention.
Thus, many modifications and variations may be made in the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that the methods and apparatus described herein are illustrative only and are not limiting upon the scope of the invention.
